Medical Mission at Yanbian University Veterans Hospital

On Sunday, April 28, I arrived at the clinic at 5:30 a.m. to finish preparing the sterilized supplies. After carefully checking all the prepared supplies, equipment, and instruments one more time, I traveled to Incheon International Airport with our administrative director and Ms. Mi Kyung.

Although we would be working at a local hospital, we still needed to bring essential medical instruments and supplies, along with several items that would be donated after the mission. Altogether, we had approximately six large boxes of luggage.

On the way to Incheon, I was filled with worry. I kept wondering whether we had forgotten anything, whether I would be able to do my part well, and whether we could truly be of help to the people there.

After arriving at the airport, all our medical supplies were carefully inspected by customs officials. With God’s help, however, each step of the journey proceeded smoothly.

After a flight of approximately two hours, we finally arrived at Yanji Airport. The airport looked quiet and unfamiliar compared with those in Korea.

Staff members from Yanbian University Veterans Hospital came to meet us and helped with our luggage. Because customs procedures were strict, we had to open and display every item we had brought with us.

After completing the inspection, we went directly to church for worship. Because Christianity was not widely accepted in the region, the service was held quietly and discreetly.

Even so, the missionaries and church members there were filled with tremendous faith and passion. In Korea, we have a relatively comfortable environment in which to practice our faith, yet many believers do not always live with that same sense of dedication.

Seeing people who continued to hold on to God and share the Gospel despite the possibility of facing serious consequences caused me to reflect deeply on my own faith.

After worship, we went to the hospital and organized our equipment.

Yanji was on holiday from April 28 through May 1, so the hospital would normally have been closed. Nevertheless, several local nurses came in to assist us.

My first impression of the hospital was that it looked like a medical facility from my parents’ generation. The building and equipment appeared old and worn, which showed how limited the local medical environment was.

The following morning, we began the day with worship and then traveled to the hospital to prepare for surgery.

We had originally planned to perform surgery on approximately 50 patients over two days. However, because of the patients’ eye conditions and issues involving medical insurance coverage, only 37 patients were able to undergo surgery.

The surgeries had also been scheduled over two days, but Dr. Gyung Bai Choi decided to complete them all in a single day so that the local nurses would not have to return to work for another day during their holiday.

There were several difficult cases during the procedures, but with God’s help and Dr. Gyung Bai Choi’s skilled hands, every surgery proceeded successfully.

The surgical schedule continued for 12 hours, from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.

Remaining focused and alert in the operating room for such a long time was physically exhausting. However, I was deeply grateful because I could feel God’s guidance and support in every moment.

By the time we had finished the surgeries and packed all the equipment, it was already late in the evening. We then shared dinner with the local nurses.

I found some of the food difficult to eat because I was not accustomed to the strong spices, but it was also exciting to experience so many new and unfamiliar dishes.

Looking back, I sometimes wonder whether we may have received even more help and encouragement from the local nurses and mission team than we were able to give them.

I sincerely pray that every patient who underwent surgery will regain good vision and that this experience will also lead them to encounter and believe in God.

As soon as I returned to Korea, I felt deeply grateful that we had completed the journey safely. I was also reminded of how greatly God has blessed and cared for Korea.

Although I feel that my own contribution was small, I am thankful to God for allowing me to participate in this medical mission and to Dr. Gyung Bai Choi for giving me this precious opportunity.