Answered Prayers
March 26, 2026
Emma Graham ABSN
Volunteering at Health and Hope Clinic during spring break was a blessing I was not always expecting. Since I am in the Accelerated BSN program, I was not sure if I would be able to partake in a mission trip. However, God provided the opportunity for me to go to Pensacola, Florida, and serve its community, and I obeyed - and I’m so glad I did! Our team got the chance to care for patients on a physical, psychological, and spiritual level. We got to “see” patients as Jesus did, as His Children, and in need of more than just physical relief. One patient encounter still stands out to me. She was experiencing extreme caregiving fatigue, and as I was asking the standard mental health screening questions, she began to cry. She stated that no one had ever asked her these kinds of questions. No one had asked her how she was doing emotionally. After that, she began to open up about the challenges she had been facing while caregiving. At the end of my visit with her, I asked if there was anything I could pray for her. She said, “I think you were my answered prayer.” After that, I would have loved to pray for her out loud, but my own emotions and gratitude for her kind words and God's goodness overwhelmed me. Instead, I continually silently prayed for her while I finished my visit with her. I still pray for her now that she feels the Father's love and knows that she is not alone. This was one of many blessings our team experienced during our trip. By the end of our week, all I could say is “For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100:5) Even though the enemy tries to steal, kill, and destroy, our Father's love and goodness endures through all generations.
Moyoninuoluwa Afolayan BSN
Every morning at the clinic started with a devotional for the workers and volunteers. An “encourager” would lead it each day and share a short message from the Word. I really loved this part of the clinic because no matter how tired you were that morning, being present and hearing the Word of God was always uplifting. It was such an awakening start to the day and reminded us why we were there in the first place.
Throughout the day, the encourager would also stay in the lobby, talk with patients, get to know them, preach to them, and show them the love of Jesus. That was exactly what we were also trying to do through serving on this mission trip. One patient’s story that touched my heart was a 20-year-old woman whose family had a history of bone and joint problems and a hereditary spinal disease. Her mother had the condition, and she had begun showing symptoms as well. She shared that she had complications from a surgery she previously had, and when she expressed her concerns, they were dismissed by the doctor. Because of that, they came to this clinic hoping to find better help and connections.
It was amazing hearing her story because even with everything she had been going through, both she and her mom had so much hope in Jesus. They believed that she would be okay and that she would not have to be wheelchair bound like her mother. They had so much faith that God would help them through this clinic, and I really admired how strong their faith was.
I gave them some words of encouragement and prayed for her, and they were very appreciative. When she first started telling me her story, she was very nervous. But by the end of our conversation, I noticed a shift in her body posture and overall behavior. She seemed much more comfortable and at peace, and her mom did as well. I’m really grateful that I was able to be there for them and offer comfort during such a difficult time.
Jeydan Richardson Dietetics
During our church visit at the beginning of our mission trip, the young adult pastor asked our group a question along the lines of “what characteristics help to impact people?…” As I was listening to and absorbing the moving answers, the Holy Spirit nudged me to add to the list of characteristics, ‘availability’. Through our brief discussion of what it means to be available, we fleshed out that this looks like a posture of humility, surrendering our agendas to align with God’s perfect agenda, and being present where God has placed us to do His work of transformation. On the second day of serving at the clinic, we got to help run a diabetes focused wellness day that the clinic was trying for the first time. As a part of this wellness day, I had the opportunity to learn more about nutrition counseling and put into practice the skills I’ve learned during my studies of dietetics. I was paired with one of the attending patients to do nutrition counseling. The patient I was working with made it clear that he did not want to be at the diabetes wellness day and that he was going through a really painful season in his life. As I was listening to him, he slowly started to share more and more with me about the specifics of his situation. As I was listening to him, I found myself not sure of how to respond with the fragility of his state and I was trying to figure out how to gently and effectively redirect the conversation back to nutrition. But in the middle of my uncertainty of how to respond to the patient, the Holy Spirit whispered to me “be available”. In that moment the Lord made it clear to me that though we both were there to talk about nutrition, what he really needed in that moment was for me to love him with Jesus’s love by actively listening well to him. I had to lay down my agenda of hitting specific nutrition points to God’s perfect agenda of revealing His loving ear to His patient by leading me to attentively listen to him. When the leader of the nutrition session came over to see how our counseling was going, the patient apologized to the leader for us not getting very far through the worksheet we were provided, and then the patient went on to explain to the nutrition leader that he’s been sharing with me about his life and that he was thankful that I was kind enough to listen to him…I saw through his body language and responsiveness to me that he slowly opened up more as I listened to him and asked if I could keep him in my prayers. When it was time for us to transition from one-on-one counseling to listen to the nutrition information session, I was able to hand him the worksheet for him to fill out himself. He filled out the sheet which still provided for us the valuable nutrition information we were collecting to help him in his healing journey, but most of all, I’m thankful that the majority of our time together was filled with him being listened to which I pray refreshed him with an encounter of the personalized, timely, and real love of God.
Devin Mitchell ABSN
This mission trip has singularly become one of the most humbling experiences of my life, yet also one of the most awe-inspiring experiences. Throughout this trip I met people who have endured the most difficult trials of life, yet are filled with love, gratitude, and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The people we had the honor of serving and speaking to are filled with incredible levels of resilience. This trip brought me closer to the Lord in so many ways, especially seeing how much the patients and people we met love Jesus.
The women at the Charis House welcomed us in, and were the most gracious hosts. They modeled the Scripture of what Jesus preaches. Even though they had so little, having escaped horrific circumstances, these women offered us food, beverages, and a place to sit and rest. One of the women told us her story of escaping an abusive partner who sold her to his friends for pleasure. She ran down the street, and asked a man to drive her to the police station. Despite her fears of becoming recaptured, she trusted this man and the Lord to deliver her to safety. Another woman shared her story of escaping a sex trafficking ring by praying for the Holy Spirit to guide her out of a confusing building. She had been captured and held hostage of over 4 years, yet happily worked on crafts with us while telling her story.
Nanakyen Dayit BSN
Night devotions ended up being one of my favorite parts of the mission trip. After long, sometimes exhausting days, just sitting together and slowing down felt like coming back home in a way. We would talk about everything that happened, reflect on the moments that stayed with us, and really notice how God was moving through it all. I loved it because even though we spent the whole day pouring into other people, this was the time we got poured into too. It felt like a reset, like we came in empty and left full again, ready for the next day. What made it even more special was how we shared the word together. Someone would bring a verse, ask a simple question, and somehow it would turn into this deep, meaningful conversation where everyone added something different. It wasn’t forced or overly structured, it just flowed, and it was so real. I learned a lot in those moments, not just biblically but emotionally too, and it honestly just felt good to end the day centered, grounded, and reminded of God.
Jayda McClain BSN
My mission trip to Pensacola opened my eyes to the reality of serving the uninsured and underserved in a much deeper way. It reminded me that healthcare is not just about treating conditions, but about seeing people as whole individuals with dignity, stories, and needs that go beyond what is visible. Interacting with individuals who are often overlooked challenged me to reflect on my own assumptions and strengthened my desire to approach nursing with compassion, humility, and a servant’s heart. I realized how important it is to meet people where they are, both physically and emotionally, and to be present in a way that reflects Christ’s love.
Spending time at the beach and seeing the vastness of the ocean gave me a sense of peace and perspective, reminding me of God’s power, creativity, and care for His creation. In that space, I felt both small and deeply known, which helped me process the experiences of the trip. It was a moment to reflect on how God is present not only in acts of service, but also in moments of stillness and beauty. This connection between serving others and experiencing God’s creation helped me better understand my role in His mission to care for people while also remaining grounded in Him.
Not a Trip
Category: Student Life