BHSU Team Traveled to Peru for Medical Mission Trip

Baptist Health Sciences University (BHSU) students and faculty traveled to Pucallpa, Peru, in April for a medical mission trip. They offered four days of clinics at local churches, delivering care to 1,321 patients and providing 505 pairs of reading glasses.

Of the 21 volunteers, most were undergraduate nursing, nuclear medicine, biomedical sciences and radiography students. Three assistant professors, including the faculty lead for the trip, Allyson Smith, were also part of the care team, along with a BHSU alumnus and Jordan Bedford, an academic tutor at BHSU and ICU nurse at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis.

BHSU volunteers joined with local pastors and missionaries to help improve the quality of life of indigenous people, including the Shipibo-Conibo tribe. They met with Tom Hough, a South American missionary who was born in and has worked in the jungles of Peru for many years. His parents, along with others, founded a theological school called the Indian Center, which trains pastors and their families, enabling them to start their own jungle churches.

The volunteers offered more than medical care. They also provided spiritual and emotional support, often praying with patients.

“We empowered our students to pray with patients and meet them where they were,” said Professor Smith. “Sometimes, there’s a physical need, but a lot of times there’s a spiritual need as well that has to be met for us to provide care to a patient that may be emotionally vulnerable.”

The night before the first clinic, BHSU volunteers held a blessing and anointing of the hands for everyone who would be providing healing. “The volunteers are the healing hands of Christ and are called to go into the world and bring healing both physically and spiritually,” said BHSU Dean of Student Services Karen Smith, who has participated in previous mission trips in Peru but didn’t join this year.

The Liquid Legacy, a ministry with a rich history in Peru, provided support for the trip. Students raised funds to pay for half of their cost to attend, and Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation provided scholarships to cover the remaining costs.

“As with previous mission trips to this area, patients were very gracious and appreciative of the care. The mission was a small part of a huge ministry that will continue through local churches. The people are very faithful,” said Dean Smith, who noted that villagers prayed for volunteers daily.

Planning has already started for next year’s mission trips, which may include expanded opportunities.

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This article was originally published on Baptist Leader.