Cru has a lot of different types of summer mission trips for college students, and a few of them are even for specific majors. At the end of June I (Scott) visited one such mission trip. At the University of Redlands, here is SoCal, 15 students came to our Healthcare Summer Mission. They were medical students, PA students, and nursing students from Georgetown, Michigan, Marion, Loma Linda, and more. For four weeks they received professional training to ethically and sensitively assess and address the spiritual needs of their patients. They got to work with and learn from seasoned Christian physicians and healthcare professionals who regularly integrate their faith into their patient care in a variety of specialties and settings. They also had opportunities to do the same with real patients in both clinical and hospital settings!
The day I visited they heard from two different healthcare professionals. Dr. Jessica Tse Cheng is an assistant clinical professor at City of Hope in Orange County, and a former participant in the Healthcare Summer Mission. She presented a wonderful session on “Spiritual Care in the Healthcare Setting” and answered questions. She even had one of her patients on a video call sharing about the impact of her spiritual care, and how it gave her incredible hope and revived her relationship with God!
In the afternoon, Dr. Joel Brothers, an oncologist at Loma Linda University Medical Center, shared about prayer in the clinical setting. “You’d be surprised how many patients have said, “No doctor has ever prayed for me before,” and it has been a defining moment in their healthcare journey.” explained Dr. Brothers. Later that day, the students would enter the oncology wards and engage with patients, asking them, “Would it be helpful if I prayed for you?”
What a blessing to experience another way our summer missions are helping college students to spread the love and gospel of Jesus now, and in their future careers!
PRAISE & PRAYER REQUESTS!
• Praise God with us for the very practical ways students in healthcare programs are learning to care for patients and bring the gospel in to their careers!
• Please continue to pray for the 1600 students on summer mission trips right now! Pray especially for them to consider and plan for how they will take what they have learned and experienced into their classrooms and careers in the fall.
• Please pray as we prepare to move Sarah & Ethan to Biola in August!
“and he [Jesus]sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” -Luke 9:2
THE SLAMERS 