March 20-29, 2019

This was my first Divine Healer Medical Mission trip to Nigeria, and I was blessed to have this opportunity. As it says in Isaiah 6:8 – Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

When I received the text from Dr. Teresa Tallon in March 2018 asking if I was interested, I texted back “Yes!” I truly believe having the opportunity to serve others is so very rewarding and was pleased to have this opportunity. I then asked my daughter, Jacquelyn Bartz, if she was interested in coming – and after checking her schedule – she also said, “Yes!” So, with Sister Austin Terese, our team coming from the United States was made up of Dr. Teresa, myself, and my daughter Jacquelyn. What an awesome team!!
There were five days of clinic at the Mother Pau Offiah Memorial Hospital & Diagnostic Centre. This hospital and diagnostic centre, as well as the staff, are a true blessing to this community. Five providers were available to see patients throughout the week which included the doctor at the hospital as well as his wife. In the five days we were there we saw 610 patients in all – whoever came to the clinic with a healthcare need we addressed the best we could. The people were friendly, welcoming, patient (as we did not speak their language and used interpreters), and receptive to our care and treatment. It was a blessing to be able to serve them.
We saw many healthcare needs. Some concerns included: Malaria, Typhoid, Diabetes, Hypertension, Ulcers, Gynecological and Obstetrical Issues, Cardiac Issues, Skin Issues, Ulcers, Elephantids, and so forth. As a team, we worked together to provide the best care possible regardless of the health care need identified. Also, many patients had vision issues and were seen by my daughter and others related to glasses. The clinic stayed busy all five days!
We had a chance worship at two Catholic Churches close by. Worship and faith are a key part of a mission trip such as this one. In addition, we had the opportunity to take walks to see the beauty of the surrounding area. It was truly a rewarding experience that I would recommend to others. Thank you for including us as a part of the Divine Healer Medical Mission team!

I have had the blessing of being able to participate in several different mission trips and am greatly looking forward to participating in the Medical Mission Trip to Nigeria. Throughout each experience, I have enjoyed witnessing the many ways God works in and through each one of us, and find it a wonderful way to make a difference in our world today by simply helping one person at a time. While we are able to provide much needed medical treatment, we strive to educate people in ways that will benefit them long past the time we leave. My hope is to develop new friendships and create lasting intercultural relationships. These connections will form a greater understanding of not only our differences, unique qualities, and gifts, but also what is at the core of each human being – love and kindness. I believe that sharing gifts of service is a simple, meaningful way to express our love and kindness as well as that which is given unconditionally by God.

My husband and I have lived in Australia and South America. We have gone on several medical mission trips to Guatemala. We like to travel to experience new cultures and thereby be enriched. Speaking for myself, I know a medical mission will not change the world, but it will change me. God is good. He has put us on His wonderful earth to learn about His wonders and reach out to each other. This medical mission trip to Nigeria is an opportunity to do just that. Thank you so much for this opportunity!

In October 2019 I went on a mission trip to Ukpor Village, Anambra State, Nigeria. It was a medical mission, and I am an educator, which did not make sense to me. I heard the advertisement for Divine Healer Medical Missions on Redeemer Radio, and the thoughts just wouldn’t go away. I thought there was no way I could go with 6 children still at home. I mentioned it to my husband, and he was very into me going. I bought the airline ticket, and I was going! I thought I had lost my mind!
Even though I am not a medical professional, there was plenty for me to do on the mission trip. I tested people’s eyesight and found them glasses. The joy something as simple as being able to read astonished me. When people’s eyesight starts to fail in the United States, we can just run to Dollar Tree and get a pair for reading glasses for $1. Not in Ukpor.

I helped a priest find appropriate reading glasses. At the time, I did not think much of it. But once I pondered it for a while, I realized how much easier it is for him to read God’s Word at Mass every day with the glasses. My little help helped him spread God’s Message to thousands of people.

Another elderly woman I helped could not see well to read or see distances well. I was worried about her walking on the treacherous roads around Ukpor. I envisioned her falling on the way to daily Mass. After spending much time helping her find glasses for distance (it was trial and error with a letter chart) and reading glasses, I wanted her to take both types. She would not. She only wanted glasses to be able to read her Bible. She left the other kind for someone else. This simple action showed me how unselfish a person could be and the importance of knowing God’s teachings.

The poverty that is surrounding Ukpor is astounding. People were malnourished and dehydrated. People had infections that were making it difficult to function at all. Yet the people are so joyful and welcoming. I know that I got more out of this trip than the people that the mission served. Basically, God said that unless we help the poor, we will not go to heaven. I want to get to heaven. Serving the poor can be done in various ways. Going on this mission trip changed me forever. I am more grateful for the things I have, like a washing machine so I don’t have to do laundry for 8 people by hand! I am more grateful that I live in the United States. I am grateful medical problems can be treated here with relative ease. I am grateful that I can make an appointment with the eye doctor easily if my eyesight is failing. I am grateful that I have 6 healthy children that I gave birth to without much difficulty. I just pray and hope that I can be as joyful as the people I was blessed to encounter in Nigeria.

I recently went on a medical mission trip to Nigeria, where I was involved in the care of triaging patients. The trip was interesting as well as the people. From a professional standpoint, I had to work with the basic medical equipment, coming from a world where supplies are readily available to a place where everything was not available. It would have been nice to have additional supplies available.
From a personal standpoint, it was enlightening to know that no matter where you are in the world , everyone is the same, wanting medical care, kindness, and to share laughs.

In October 2019, I went on my medical mission trip with Divine Healer. The impact of this on the Nigerian People, I believe, was very positive. They were able to receive medical care from nurses and providers and other staff members. They were treated with respect and dignity enduring long waits in the heat and also rain. I was a provider and the gift of being able to provide care for the poor was a very rewarding experience. It was difficult not really knowing what to expect and my eyes were opened to the reality of the impoverished in other countries who do not have drinking water that is clean. It broke my heart seeing the joy and the smiles on their faces when we showed up and began to provide them with basic to complicated care. I pray that our Father in heaven was praised and glorified.