As you start learning more about medical missions trip opportunities, you’ll notice the cost is somewhat high. One thing to remember about this and about life in general, though, is to do anything meaningful, there will be a cost associated with it–whether it’s economical or other resources.
Mission Partners for Christ is blessed to partner with other organizations to actually cover the costs of the medical supplies associated with our trips.
Medical missions trips are always worth the cost because people in need are served with the health care and other resources they otherwise might be inaccessible to them. Entire regions often benefit long-term from our short-term decisions to visit with them and provide some of the supportive care they need. We are excited to be able to go to places like Benin and Burundi for this reason.
The Healthcare Crises in Burundi and Benin
When we go on medical missions trips, we provide valuable medical care to people who need it. We possibly play a role in decreasing mortality rates and in limiting the spread of serious diseases. This is one reason why it’s imperative to go to places new to us and establish ongoing relationships with those who live where we will serve.
For example, malaria cases doubled in Burundi in 2016. According to World Health Organization (WHO), during the last year of recorded reports, nearly 6 million inhabitants were diagnosed with the disease, and around 4000 perished. Burundi has been recovering from a past civil war and still experiences some barriers to preventive health care. Due to cost, many of the population postpone visiting the doctor or seeking emergency health care treatment until late in the course of an illness, injury, or condition.
CDC Benin reports that malaria is the second top cause of death in Benin. The first is neonatal disorders. There are ongoing programs to help with malaria prevention, including some that help pregnant patients with malaria.
The work we will be doing in partnership with others in Burundi and Benin later this year is essential. It’s going to be a small part of a real, lasting change.
Life-Saving Intervention is Worth It
Burundi and Benin may seem so far away from the United States where we often have more than enough resources and a safe, sanitary environment to treat patients. Still, the situations we are called to serve in are real. Medical missions volunteers are needed.
There are multiple ways of funding your medical missions trip–it doesn’t all have to rest on you. Funding for many volunteers’ trips comes from themselves, church fundraisers, family members or friends also hosting fundraisers and supporting them, and through other means such as scholarships or grants.
The sooner you begin the fundraising work, the sooner you have it all covered, but sometimes it’s right up to the last moment–so don’t give up hope entirely if you don’t have it all immediately. Volunteers also plan around the trip and may choose to make certain adjustments to their current routines.
Volunteer Forever is one organization known to offer scholarship opportunities that facilitate a volunteer’s earnest desire to serve on medical missions trips no matter the cost. Life-saving intervention is worth it, and volunteers will never regret the decision to serve.
There Is Still Time to Join Us
The deadline to apply for our Burundi opportunity was June 1. You are still able to fund someone else’s trip if you’re moved to do so at this time. Click here to submit your questions about this via our contact page. If you are interested in going to Benin with us this November, there is still time to apply. You can go here to do that.
We look forward to hearing from you!
