Why Should We Do International Medical Missions?

There is a major need for international medical missions. For many people in the poorest parts of Asia and Africa, whenever illness strikes, they can only suffer and wait for it to pass. For people trapped in this level of poverty, they often choose to endure the pain rather than to whittle away limited finances trying to access healthcare. Worldwide, 1 billion people are at risk of falling into poverty due to health spending.[1] And because so many are prevented from visiting the doctor, 2.9 million people die every year from a lack of access to health care.[2]This situation is heartbreaking, and many organizations, including GFA World, are working to bring health care to the poorest places.

Nealy is one such person helped through our medical missions.

He is a 55-year-old farmer, and struggled to do his work and keep his family afloat because of leg pain and acid reflux. He had endured this for six months since he didn’t have any extra income to spend on treatment. A fellow villager named Pakuna, a 60-year-old mother of three, had been struggling with high blood pressure and diabetes for four years. She couldn’t afford medication either. Then, in celebration of World Health Day, the villagers were invited to a medical camp organized by GFA-missionaries and volunteers. Nealy, Pakuna and other attendees were given the medicines they needed free of charge. Around 400 people in total received medical attention at the camp. They no longer had to decide between falling farther into poverty and living in pain. They could be healthy and whole.[3]

GFA has hosted thousands of these medical camps across Asia over the years, and now we have started to serve in Africa and plan to begin medical ministry there as well.

In fact, GFA is currently building a 300-bed tertiary hospital in Rwanda. Once built, it will be only the second modern hospital in the country. It will also be a medical college where people from Rwanda and surrounding countries can train to become health care professionals. This will become a base from which doctors and medical personnel can launch into neighboring countries, using medical camps to spread the care and hope of God around Africa. This hospital will be a hub of medical care, hope, healing and God’s word.[4]


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