World Medical Mission: To the Ends of the Earth

“This is an opportunity to take the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. God has told us to go unto the world and to make disciples of all nations. That Great Commission is still in play today, and missionary medicine is one of the great tools for evangelism.” —Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse

In today’s episode of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse, Kristy Graham is taking a deep dive into World Medical Mission, an initiative of Samaritan’s Purse that propels the Gospel forward by meeting physical and spiritual needs. Since 1977, World Medical Mission has leaned on God as its grown to provide a wide variety of opportunities for medical professionals to serve around the world in Jesus’ Name.

The podcast begins with Kristy’s conversation with Dr. Richard Furman, cofounder of World Medical Mission, to hear how he and his brother, Lowell, felt God leading them to start the ministry.

“My brother Lowell and I went to a Billy Graham crusade in 1977, and they found out we were surgeons and they asked if we would go to India—one of the staff was from India, and his son-in-law was a surgeon,” Dr. Furman explained. “We went, and each of us separately realized what a need there was overseas.”

The Furman brothers partnered with Franklin Graham while he was a senior at Appalachian State University to write to mission hospitals overseas and gauge the need for physicians. Among the hospitals they contacted, 18 of the 29 wrote back: “Send them now.”

“When you saw that lack and need around the world, God opened your heart and gave you this burden and passion—at the time, you didn’t know where it was going to go,” Kristy said.

When Franklin Graham became president of Samaritan’s Purse in 1979, World Medical Mission partnered with them to spread God’s love through medicine. Dr. Lance Plyler, Director of World Medical Mission, gave Kristy more insight into how the ministry has developed since then.

Dr. Plyler shares that although the ministry has grown, the core value of sharing the Gospel has never wavered. Through partnership with over 50 strategically-located mission hospitals, Samaritan’s Purse sends physicians, nurses, and other allied health professionals to bolster capacity of national staff and to help treat patients in desperate need. The ministry additionally sends medical equipment through Biomedical Technology teams to make sure they have the resources they need.

Kristy recently traveled to the Samaritan’s Purse warehouse in Wilkesboro, N.C., to see the 200,000 square-foot facility that houses these supplies and to also meet Monte Oiker, a biomedical technician who oversees the entire process. He explains the procedure, from receiving a request, finding the equipment, repairing it, and then finally sending it to a remote mission hospital.

“If I had to say something about our missionary doctors, they’re going for the call on their heart,” Monte explained. “Their conviction is to be there, not because they had a functioning X-Ray machine or because the O.R. was sufficient to do what they wanted—they’re going because they’re called. Yet, we want the equipment they receive from us to be in great shape, work when they plug it in, and be repairable.”

World Medical Mission has remained successful in treating patients around the world by trusting in God and relying on a steadfast faith in Him. Another aspect of the ministry that requires devoted faith is the World Medical Mission Post-Residency Program, a two-year opportunity that supports Christian physicians who have been called to a career in medical missions. Kristy spoke with Justin and Cassandra Daggett to hear how God called them to Kenya:

“When we first got accepted into the program, the team at World Medical Mission asked if we wanted to do a site visit, and they may have thought we were crazy because we said no. It was clear enough to us that God wanted us to be here,” Cassandra told Kristy. “It didn’t really matter if we liked it or not. It wasn’t about if we wanted it, we knew He wanted us there.”

The last major component of World Medical Mission that Kristy covers in the episode is the Surgical Subspecialty Team. These teams are designed to go on the ground to bolster and educate mission hospitals for the sake of the Gospel. Specially-trained surgeons travel to remote hospitals, teaching surgical methods related to orthopedics, obstetrical fistulas, and management of hydrocephalus.

The episode wraps with a call to action from Dr. Furman and Dr. Plyler: Anyone interested in a career with medical missions, please consider getting involved with Samaritan’s Purse World Medical Mission. Please continue to pray for the ministry of World Medical Mission as they treat families around the world and bring hope and healing in Jesus’ Name.