Recap: Trip to Pakistan

Dr. Scott Armistead returned to the United States from Pakistan in late April 2021 and in his reflection writes: “It was a delightful month of introducing an American final-year medical student and a Physician’s Assistant, both interested in careers in medical missions, to the work of missionary medicine in northern Pakistan. We were able to temporarily join the work of this openly Gospel-proclaiming hospital at which I worked for over a decade. I loved preaching on the wards again. I loved connecting these two students to missionaries and Pakistani Christians with a zeal for ministry within Pakistan.
It was encouraging to see how COVID care was happening in a developing world context with no ICU beds. The hospital obtained several CPAP machines (yes, what we use for sleep apnea) and was able to manage most patients with CPAP, IV steroids, anticoagulation and time (often weeks). I was privileged to have had the vaccine before I left the US. None of the missionary or national doctors were able to get it in Pakistan, highlighting for me the disparities of the global COVID situation. We had only masks when caring for COVID patients. I was moved by the care Bach Christian Hospital continues to give to the majority Muslim patient population of northern Pakistan. I was glad to have gone during a pandemic and would encourage others to not shy away from engagement in mission, particularly as we in the US have had access to vaccines.

It was also a delight to connect with both Christian and Muslim friends of the past and to see how God has moved in the lives of some young men, particularly, who grew up at the hospital with our boys and who are now in their twenties. They are my Pakistani spiritual children! Several have formed their own discipleship and outreach organization, and are intentional in reaching their friends and neighbors with the Gospel. It was a great encouragement to me! I also gladly reconnected with the Pakistani seminary on whose board I served for many years. I was encouraged to see the continued work of training the next generation of church leaders in Pakistan. Lots of chai, conversations over curry, COVID management in a developing world context, singing and praying in Urdu, and wonderful S. Asian hospitality.

Thanks for your prayers and thanks be to God for His people in Pakistan!”

If you would like to learn about ways you can serve on mission trips consider attending a Global Health Outreach (GHO) trip and/or registering for the Global Mission Health Conference (GMHC) in November.