A Breath of Fresh Air

I just returned last night from the Medical Missions Conference in Louisville, KY and I feel refreshed emotionally and spiritually! Four of us girls from med school went together and had a BLAST together! It was amazing to be surrounded by like-minded people for a few days. I never dreamed that I would be friends with so many other med students who are committed to international medicine. I can't wait to see how our friendships blossom in the future and how God uses them! The map in these pictures had thumbtacks placed by many individuals in the country they are or plan to serve in. It was incredible to see the overall distribution and the many lives involved.

I attended breakout sessions on:

• When Charity Destroys Dignity
• From Sorcery to Sanitation- working through cultural understandings of illness and disease
• Extend the vision with high quality images- all about using photography appropriately
• Sustainability of healthcare missions- a phenomenal talk on what sustainability means and if that should even be the goal
• The 5-Minute Missionary Consult- how to properly view your role as a foreigner
  
• The theology of risk- serving Christ in dangerous places

I could go on and on about what I learned. I went into the conference knowing that my dream is to be a leader overseas in surgery someday while working alongside churches in the US. I'm returning once again reminded of the many needs overseas and encouraged as I realize how God has been and continues to direct me into the area of medicine that fits me and can be used enormously all over the world!