APNTS “Bridges Cultures” to Bring Medical Help to Surrounding Communities.
by Jarrett Davis
SBO Editorial Chairperson
Since its inception the motto of APNTS has been “bridging cultures for Christ,” believing that great things can be done as cultures partner together in Christ. Perhaps this past November 2th and 3th epitomized that mindset as medical mission teams from Susanville, California and Kiev, Ukraine converged on the APNTS campus, to partner with the school’s Student Body Organization (SBO) and the Supervised Ministry Class, in order to bring free medical care, pharmaceuticals, and pastoral counseling services to the surrounding communities of APNTS.
This event is a part of the continuing commitment and partnership of APNTS with its surrounding communities. Most patients seen in the medical mission came from “Rowenas,” a low-income community located just behind the APNTS compound, on the banks of the creek that flows through the school’s campus.
The SBO council organized the mission, sorting medications and setting up a temporary clinic and pharmacy in “Nazareth Hall,” located on the APNTS Campus. SBO Academic Chair Abby Galzote recalls the intriguing experience of doing “three-way” translation. One of the medical doctors on the mission team spoke only Ukrainian and many of the patients coming to the medial mission spoke only Tagalog, it was Galzote’s job to translate the patient’s Tagalog into English, so that it could be retranslated into Ukrainian and then returned as the doctor responded.
Steven Jones, a medical technician and one of the team’s leaders found the two-day project to be a moving experience. In the process of working together with APNTS faculty and students, he was brought deeply into the midst of the lives of the people living in the community.
Perhaps the timing for such an event could not have been more appropriate. The Rowenas community was strongly affected by Typhoon Ondoy (International Name: Ketsana) only one month prior to this event. The community experienced the loss of many homes and several lives in the storm. Understanding this, the SBO Council members intended for this event to meet the “holistic” concerns of the surrounding communities, not only addressing their medical concerns and bringing physical wellness, but also providing a chance to talk, build relationships, and bring mental and spiritual healing as well.
