Many missioners find that their memories of Bolivia remain vivid after they return to work and life in the United States. Following her fourth Gynecologic Surgery Mission Trip, Dr. Janet Tomezsko offered these reflections.

There is more to healing than simply providing an operation. During their internships with our partner organization, Puente de Solidaridad, two Bolivian social work students learned to offer true solidarity to patients and families in the face of complex medical challenges.

Elena’s journey—which began with a devastating injury and led her to nursing school—shows the powerful ripple effect of gratitude.

Fighting complications from Chagas disease, a young father struggles to recover his health and support his family. 

In Bolivia, home visits help build bridges of solidarity—like the day Esperanza met Kim.

Our final mission trip of 2017 has been focused on training, serving patients in need, and strengthening our partnerships across the state of Santa Cruz.

Troubling symptoms and a difficult diagnosis can turn your life upside-down. For the past two years, this has been the case for Shirley, the first patient during our Fall Neurosurgery Mission Trip. 

Our Neurosurgery Mission Team has just landed in Santa Cruz where summertime temps are in the mid 90s. This week, veteran missioners and their Bolivian colleagues will offer training to a cohort of neurosurgeons and residents from across the South American continent. We are one in our mission to provide high quality neurosurgical care to those who greatly need it. 

There are many challenges to offering advanced care to those living in poverty, but this case from our Gynecologic Surgery Mission Trip shows how hope springs from such challenges when we work together, accompanying each other through difficult circumstances. 

Accompaniment, sharing in the joys and sorrows of someone's life and acting with love to help them live to their full potential, is the central work of mission. It is also the central work of many of the Bolivian women we are meeting this week on our Gynecologic Surgery Mission Trip. 

Six Solidarity Bridge missioners depart on a weeklong Gynecologic Surgery Mission Trip with an ambitious goal: to restore and improve the quality of life for women who lack access to vital treatment.

In the final blog from our 2017 Multi-Specialty Mission Trip, new staffer, Rocio Mendez-Rozo, shares her experiences as a first-time missioner.