My eight-day medical mission trip to Honduras was far more than a chance to serve patients; it became a turning point in my spiritual journey. While I anticipated cultural and medical challenges, I did not expect the depth of faith lessons I would encounter. Each day pushed me closer to God, transforming the way I view prayer, worship, and the integration of faith with my future career in medicine.
One of the most powerful elements of the trip was beginning every morning with team worship. Surrounded by physicians, pharmacists, dentists, and fellow students, I experienced the joy of centering our mission in prayer and song. This daily rhythm grounded me and reminded me that all of our work was not simply clinical service but an extension of our calling to glorify God. It was a reminder that faith should not be compartmentalized but should shape the way I live and serve each day.
The clinics themselves also opened new dimensions of faith for me. For the first time, I saw medicine and evangelism practiced side by side. Patients were not only treated for physical ailments but also invited to hear the Gospel by using the Evangecube and were prayed for on the spot. Initially, I was hesitant since sharing faith in the clinical setting requires boldness. As I observed team members confidently declare their faith and pray with patients, I realized that spiritual care is not an “extra,” it is an integral part of healing. This gave me a new respect for physicians like my church minister, an orthopedic surgeon, who incorporates prayer into his practice.
The act of prayer itself became transformative. I prayed for more individuals each day in Honduras than I ever had before. With every prayer, I felt my confidence grow not only in speaking to God but also in trusting Him to act. Growing up in an immigrant household, my relationship with God sometimes mirrored the guarded relationship I had with my parents: respectful but not always open or vulnerable. In Honduras, something shifted. Praying for patients and sincerely meaning every word helped me break through that barrier. I found myself talking to God more freely, with less hesitation, and with a deeper sense of His presence.
This new confidence in prayer has stayed with me since returning home. I now feel an increased desire to evangelize within my own community in Atlanta, not only through words but through actions of compassion and service. The mission trip taught me that faith is most powerful when lived out boldly and consistently, even in professional contexts.
Ultimately, the spiritual impact of this trip outweighed even the clinical lessons. It taught me that prayer is not just a personal discipline but a communal act of love. It showed me that worship can set the tone for service and that integrating faith into medicine is not only possible but profoundly meaningful. I returned from Honduras with a renewed confidence in my relationship with God and a commitment to ensure that my medical career is also a ministry of faith, service, and compassion.
