***UPDATE:  From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much to everyone who has donated and supported me so far!  Although I have reached my fundraising goal, for those who have not donated and wish to please know that all further donations will go directly to Doctor's Without Boarders!***

Hi, my name is Sara! I am currently a junior at Baylor University studying Public Health on the Pre-Medical track with the dream of going to medical school one day. I have been looking into ways that I can serve in and among the Baylor community on both a local and international scale. That's how I learned about Baylor's global health mission trips.

 

Baylor University's mission trips give students discipline-specific opportunities to work alongside their fellow classmates and professors across the country and around the world. As a result, I will combine what I am learning in the classroom with practical ways to use my skills in a healthcare-based missional setting.

 

This summer, I will be joining Baylor's mission trip to Kigali, Rwanda, for 3 weeks where my team will improve the local community's health and quality of life through medical outreach. I will be working alongside provincial ministers and healthcare clinics that have been serving faithfully in their communities for several years. While I am there, I will serve the community by providing public health disease intervention practices, prevention education, general health screenings, basic health and hygiene education, and improve access to clean water, sanitation, and medical supplies and resources. I will also have the opportunity to visit the local children's hospital to learn more about the state of health care in the community. Towards the end of my trip, I will work with organizations that serve orphans in Kigali in their various clinics while working alongside their medical director and nurses.

 

During this trip, I will gain a broader global perspective in the health care field and put my medical and public health skills and knowledge to use in service to others. This will enable me to gain knowledge and skills that I can use in greater service in my professional and personal life as a pursue my passion for medicine!

 

As I take on this venture, I would like to invite you to partner with me! I am anticipating that this trip will be both challenging and transformative for me in my medical career and would like to ask you for your prayer -- that I would love, live, and serve in ways that honor The Lord.

 

I would also like to ask you to help support me financially. The total amount listed above is the cost of the study abroad program fee, airfare, and my travel visa and vaccinations. In addition to fundraising, I am also putting my own money aside for myself to go on this trip that I am earning by working part-time as a Certified Nurse's Assistant in Waco nursing homes and hospitals. Any funds that exceed the amount I need for my trip will be donated to Doctors Without Borders, a global charity providing lifesaving medical humanitarian care and aid to those around the world. You can learn more about Doctors Without Borders, their mission, and medical work at www.doctorswithoutborders.org.

 

As my friends and family, you are not just supporting me financially, but you are also getting the opportunity to travel with and learn alongside me as I prepare, serve on mission, and return to share my experiences with you all. Thank you for all your love and support!

 

Much love,

Sara Michaelian