Kelly Edmondson
May 3, 2017
Sofia heard about the medical clinic from a friend that lived next door. “They’re doing eye exams and giving away free glasses,” explained her friend. “I went over there today and got these.” Sofia’s friend reached into her bag and pulled out a pair of reading glasses. “You should go, too.”
Sofia agreed that she needed to visit the clinic. She requested the day off from her employer and then took a taxi to the local school hosting the clinic. But Sofia did not go to have her eyes examined. Sofia had a secret. A secret she explained later, known only to God and to her children.
As Sofia sat in front of the physician’s assistant, she reached up and unclipped the thick, black hair piled neatly on the top of her head. The long hair fell away, revealing a large, plum-sized lump. It was hard and smooth and bothersome. Sofia explained that thad been there for over ten years, growing larger in size, but never painful or sore. It was grotesque and embarrassing, and she kept it covered under her hair. She wondered if it was cancer. She worried that it would kill her. She hated the way it looked and felt. She was ashamed and nervous and the lump made her feel ugly. Sofia had no money to have the lump examined–her five children were a priority and after two abusive relationships, she found herself a single mother just barely surviving. But Sofia was a Christian. She attended church faithfully with her children and often prayed that somehow she would be able to have this lump on her head examined and removed.
The physician’s assistant determined the lump to be a sebaceous cyst and, with some photos and texts, arranged an appointment with the team’s general surgeon following that evening’s church service. During the church service, Sofia was nervous but hopeful. She sang the songs and listened intently. She felt that the opportunity to see a surgeon was a direct answer to prayer. She said that she knew God was real in her life; she had seen Him work many times.
The surgical procedure was uneventful and took about 30 minutes to complete. Sofia received her discharge instructions; with a prescription in one hand and a bag of ice for her head, she left for home. Her life at age 42 was brighter and more joyful. She would no longer pin her hair up each day. A simple procedure to remove an unseemly cyst was a direct answer to prayer.
Sometimes the Lord uses Medical Missions Outreach to bring souls to Him. Sometimes He uses MMO to answer the prayers of His children. Some treatments are life-saving, others simply improve the quality of life. Either way, His love is felt through each examination, procedure, or prescription. He cares. Do you? Won’t you consider joining a team dedicated to reaching the lost and encouraging believers? Somewhere, someone may be praying for a need that you can provide through caring enough to go. Please join us and make a difference.
Kelly Edmondson, Medical Director of Medical Missions Outreach, graduated from Pensacola Christian College with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 1995, then from Troy University with Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Board Certified as Family Nurse Practitioner in 2005. Kelly has experience in both Pediatrics and Urgent Care that gives her insight into cases MMO sees on the foreign field. She began medical mission work in 2003 and has become knowledgeable of the challenges of health care and community wellness in developing nations. Kelly is committed to training future health care workers, as she precepts nursing and nurse practitioner students in the US and abroad. Kelly’s leadership at MMO brigades provides a spirit of professionalism and efficacy that raise the bar and set a standard for good provider practices and patient education even in very remote areas.