My journey to travel nurse mission trips wasn’t the most conventional, but it is important to understand that everyone starts the journey to travel nurse mission trips in their own way.
It all started with a BBQ Plate Sale.
Strange enough, I was sitting in the break room of my first nursing job, only 3 months of being a New Grad and I saw a sign on the bulletin board advertising a plate sale fundraiser for a group going to Haiti for a medical mission. I asked my preceptor how I could find whomever was organizing the event and she replied “Oh its Mrs. Rose downstairs in the ICU. It was 1 am but I knew I had to meet her, so I asked my preceptor to watch our patients and went on a mission to find this Mrs. Rose.
I get to the ICU, pumps and monitors beeping it’s a little dark and eerie, but I shyly ask for a Rose. An older woman with sweet eyes replied, that’s me in her little southern accent. I cut straight to the point and I frankly told her I didn’t want to buy a BBQ plate, I wanted to go on the trip with them. Mind you, its April and the trip is in June (so I’m throwing a hail Mary).
Why do you want to go with us?
She listened and then replied, “why do you want to go with us?” – I wasn’t expecting this question or the emotion that followed but I sighed and said “This is all I’ve ever wanted; this is why I got into nursing. I know I haven’t been a nurse long and am not sure what I can bring to your group, but I do know I’m passionate about this type of work and I had to at least try because it’s what I’ve dreamt about”
Unfortunately, the trip was full.
So, we sat for a while getting to know one another and, in the end, she asked to pray for me. I prayed to myself while she was praying aloud, just hoping there would be a way for something to open up and work itself out.
A week later, I was getting ready for work and I get a phone call.
Rose was on the line. She said, God knew what you needed, and spot just opened up! BUT you have to put the full 1600$ down today. My mind was racing, I had just started this job, I didn’t have that kind of money nor could I fundraise in time. But this was my dream, I had to go it was right there in my hands!
So, I called my Dad, like any self-sufficient, respectable adult woman would do lol. And I told him about the trip, I told him how sweet Mrs. Rose was, I told him about my finances…. He stopped me before I could tell him anything else and he said,
I’ll do it!
“I’ll do it- I know this is your dream and what you’ve been put here to do, this is what you live for and your gift to the world, I can’t not help you- you’re my baby girl” And I cried. We set up a payment plan together because I wanted to earn this trip and feel the fruits of my labor. I called Rose, handed her the check that night at work and was booked for my first medical mission!
I’ve been on 5 medical missions since becoming a nurse and nothing compares to my first one in Haiti.
My path to nurse mission trips wasn’t the most conventional but it was the most intentional. I’m a strong believer in what you put out into the universe you will get back and I have continued to find numerous opportunities come to me just by word of mouth because I open myself up to possibilities. There are countless organizations looking for volunteers, do your research, find like-minded people, and get going! The world needs more saving and with your help especially <3
