MC School of Nursing Students Join Faculty and Graduates Helping Peruvian Residents

MC School of Nursing students, faculty, and alumni on their way to Peru.

Tourist destinations like Lima’s historic center, the Andes Mountains, Amazon Rainforests, ancient Incan cities and much more explains why Peru is known as the Land of Hidden Treasures.

Fabulous attractions in the country in South America cannot explain why Mississippi College School of Nursing students, faculty and alumni recently visited Peru.

The MC team traveled to Peru for an unforgettable summer mission trip to use their medical skills to help 2,200 people in six rural villages along the Amazon River.

The 25-member delegation logged long hours, but came away inspired by their faithful work as God’s servants on Peruvian soil. It wasn’t the first such trip sponsored by the MC School of Nursing and won’t be their last. The School of Nursing has sponsored summer mission trips for more than two decades.

“We look forward to continuing this tradition of sharing the love of God by providing healthcare to those less fortunate,” said MC nursing professor Rick Lewis. The Mississippian was among three MC faculty members making the journey to Peru.

At the 5,000-student Baptist-affiliated university, mission trips around the globe are a common part of the institution’s fabric of life.

From medical mission initiatives to building sustainable housing following a country’s natural disaster to helping people learn, the Mississippi College family remains committed to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ as they serve.

During the Peruvian mission trip that began June 10, the MC delegation practiced their nursing skills and ministered to the Peruvian people. Many residents are poor and have limited access to modern healthcare systems. In Peru, nearly seven million Peruvians are considered poor. Poverty rates exceed 30 percent in the Andes and Amazon regions.

During their stay, the School of Nursing team assisted with health education medical screenings, medical treatment and preventative dentistry to residents in tiny villages.

Rick Lewis, Allison Hayes and Sue Bryant are the three MC School of Nursing professors making the journey, thousands of miles away from their homes in Mississippi.

It was an emotional trip that touched their hearts as they volunteered at clinics. It’s something they loved doing and would do it again in an instant.

Mississippi College faculty “have and will always have a commitment to inspire our students to show the love of God in their professional career,” Lewis said. “Nursing should be a Calling from God, not just an occupation.”

By taking part in the 2015 summer mission trip, the MC nursing students, he said, learned about healthcare systems in a different part of the world. They also got a taste of a different cultures and gained insights about other healthcare beliefs.

MC School of Nursing graduates making the journey included: RNs Marlie Lawrence, Abby Phillips, Katie Welch, Pam Jenkins, Gordy White, Jessie Strength along with 16 students. Joining them was Jessica Taylor, a registered nurse at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

The Mississippi College School of Nursing is eagerly anticipating next summer’s mission trip.