International Medical Relief: Providing Critical Care in Global Emergencies

By definition, being a missionary involves going. It might be near or far, but God sends missionaries to the places that fit His plans and purposes. Of course, that raises an important question: How do we identify the best countries to do mission work?  After all, the world is a big place, and the needs are everywhere. So, finding the best countries to do mission work can be a challenge. It’s hard to know where to start.   Starting Your Mission Work His Way Of course, the best place to start is on your knees. Prayer is a non-negotiable part of every aspect of every mission endeavor. And that includes figuring out the best nation for your mission work. Spend time in prayer and enlist a network of trusted friends and family members to pray with you. From there, you can consider a few other things. For example, think about what kind of missions you want to pursue. Medical Missions might be your calling, but you also might be interested in teaching, church planting, or disaster relief. They are all viable options, and they will help you determine your best country for doing mission work. Language is another thing to keep in mind. In some nations, English is a common second language, so little or no extra training would be needed. Others will require you to learn a whole new language before you leave. Again, you need to be careful to discern God’s will and trust Him to give you His directions. Finally, finances are an important matter. If you’re thinking about short-term missions, you need to be sure you can afford the trip. If you’re thinking about long-term or career missions, you have to be able to live on the support you raise. Different locations require different financial investments, and God will certainly provide for your needs. But He also may use finances to guide you as you seek to find your best countries to do mission work.   Choosing Your Best Country to Do Mission Work As mentioned, the needs are great no matter where you might go. So, determining the best nations for mission work provides a ton of possibilities. To help you out, we’ve identified ten nations that could be good fits for your mission work. The list represents a mix of needs, opportunities, locations, and languages.  While you need to follow God’s lead, these ideas might prime the pump and help you discover your best countries for mission work. To learn more about organizations that sponsor mission work in these nations, click the links provided. You can also browse our full list of partner organizations to find the right medical mission for you.   Haiti For centuries, Haiti has been one of the poorest nations on the planet. In addition to the rampant poverty, natural disasters, like hurricanes and earthquakes, have devastated communities. Yet, the people are warm and receptive, which has traditionally made it one of the best countries for doing mission work.   Kenya Kenya represents one of the more advanced nations in eastern Africa, but the people still have many needs. Like Haiti, poverty has a stranglehold on many people’s lives in Kenya, so it’s still a nation in great need of mission work. While Christianity is welcomed, churches are scattered across large areas of the country. Proper medical care and clean water are also primary needs in Kenya.   Tanzania Kenya’s next-door neighbor in East Africa, Tanzania, shares some of its same problems in terms of being a country that needs mission work. While Kenya has some industrial and economic stability, many Tanzanians are dirt farmers struggling to raise enough to sustain their families. That means it doesn’t take much for something like a drought or economic instability to lead to hunger and even starvation. Such issues make Tanzania one of the best countries to do mission work.   Thailand Behind the natural beauty of this Asian gem, human trafficking has become a big business in Thailand. Again, poverty plays a role in this tragedy. While many women are lured into the sex industry with promises of wealth or security, others are sold or traded into it by families trying to survive. Along with our moral imperative as believers to protect the weak, mission work that improves farming and reduces poverty can bring light to this darkness.    The Central African Republic A lack of literacy and a lack of electricity has many residents in the Central African Republic living in almost primitive conditions. This also makes the CAR an underserved medical region, so medical missionaries have a lot to offer in this impoverished nation. It is a needy country physically and spiritually, making it a great option for doing mission work.   India One of the most densely populated nations in the world, India is a stronghold for Hinduism, which makes it a fertile area for evangelism. But, like Thailand, it’s also a hotbed for human trafficking. Because girls are considered much less valuable than boys, even those who aren’t sold into sex slavery could be sent to orphanages by families who don’t want to spend money raising them. In addition, large economic gaps exist between the upper class and the lower classes.   Honduras Located in the middle of the Central American isthmus, Honduras has a large population of professing Christians. However, residents still have great spiritual and physical needs, and it’s considered one of the best countries for doing mission work. In addition to missional work, construction and home building are major needs in the country. Honduras’s northwestern neighbor, Guatemala, is also a popular destination for mission organizations.   The Philippines This collection of more than 7,000 islands in the Far East has a strong Catholic heritage, but the spiritual condition of many today is nominal at best. In fact, more people in the Philippines identify as Muslim (11 percent) than identify as Protestant (8 percent). In addition, many remote regions in the nation have little or no access to quality health care, making medical missions vital.   Australia While Australia might be a bucket list item for many tourists, it’s also a nation in great spiritual need. Only one percent of the population professes to be evangelical. Yet, the government is open to missionary efforts at almost every level of society. In addition, a large segment of Australia’s population is made up of immigrants, providing a melting pot feel to missionary work.   The United States Missionary work is crucial to serving those with medical needs, offering hope to those without food and water, and fulfilling The Great Commission. And the USA is no different. Whether it’s offering medical care to underserved populations, serving in disaster relief, or building homes for those in poverty, the U.S. has plenty of options for mission experiences.   Why Mission Work Matters Again, you need to prayerfully listen to God’s voice as you determine the best country for you to do missional work in. He will lead you in the right direction and help you find the place where your skills and talents best fit the needs of hurting people around the world. Remember,      Learn More About Medical Missions God has given you a heart for healthcare. He’s also given you a heart for missions. Those two passions don’t have to be an “either/or.” They can combine to be a beautiful “both/and” through medical mission trips. Medical Missions serves to connect your professional skills and biblical calling to the largest database of healthcare mission organizations, professionals, and thought leadership. Join us at the Global Missions Health Conference to find your Medical Missions calling. Or, browse our full list of partner organizations to find the right mission for you.

A prayer for the dying is a simple way to show your love and a way to ask God for mercy, peace, and His presence for someone nearing the end. If you want to know how to pray for someone who is dying as a healthcare worker, you do not need a perfect script. Instead, relying on the language God gave us in the Scriptures is all we need.   Key Takeaways Begin by asking a simple, respectful question, “Would it be alright if I prayed for you?” Even when a patient’s faith is unknown, offering a prayer for the dying can bring comfort because it communicates your love for them. When words are hard to find, reading directly from the Psalms provides clear, Scripture-rooted language for how to pray for someone who is dying. Psalm 23 offers reassurance of God’s presence and comfort in the face of death, making it a grounding prayer when fear is near. Psalm 51 reminds patients that God’s mercy is abundant, giving those who feel regret or guilt a hopeful prayer of repentance and renewal.   Start with The Quiet Question That Opens the Door When a patient is dying, the room can feel heavy in a way that is hard to explain. You might want to pray, but you may also worry about crossing a line. A simple question can help open the door: “Would it be alright if I prayed for you?” If they say yes, you can offer a short prayer for the dying right there. If they say no, you can still pray for them later on your own. Ministering to someone who is dying can feel like a delicate moment, but if you are feeling hesitant, just remember that it is out of our love for them that we should pray and share the truth with them.      Remember That Comfort Still Matters When Faith Is Unknown You do not have to assume the patient is a believer to offer a prayer for the dying. Many people who do not claim faith still find comfort in being prayed for because prayer shows you love for them. Even so, dying can bring mental and emotional shifts that affect how a person responds. Confusion, agitation, withdrawal, or sudden fear can appear with little warning. It helps to expect that possibility and to stay calm when it happens.  Just be patient and continue to show them your love through your care.    Use Prayers from the Psalms to Help Give You the Words You Need In a high-pressure moment, you may not know what to say. That is one reason the Psalms are such a gift. You can read them slowly, or you can speak them as prayer, line by line. Below are three Psalm passages that work well as a prayer for the dying.   1. A Prayer for the Dying When Fear Is Close (Psalm 23:1–4) “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”  This prayer for the dying gives comfort in the midst of death. If the patient is alert, you can ask if they want you to read it again later.   2. A Prayer for the Dying When Grief Is Heavy (Psalm 34:18) “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”  This is an encouraging prayer you can share with the patient. You can even write it down for them to keep on hand.    3. A Prayer for the Dying When Forgiveness Is Wanted (Psalm 51:1, 10) “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions…Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”  As the end draws near, some patients begin to speak about regret. Others grow quiet but carry a visible weight. Psalm 51 makes for a powerful prayer for the dying because it does not deny sin, and it does not deny mercy either. This is a prayer of repentance, but it is also a declaration that God’s love is steadfast and His mercy abundant. If a patient expresses guilt, fear, or a desire to make peace, you can read these verses slowly and explain the story behind them. Even for someone unsure of what they believe, hearing that God is rich in mercy can steady the heart. And if they want to pray along, Psalm 51 gives them language that is honest and hopeful at the same time.   Pray Throughout The Day One short prayer at the bedside matters, but you can also carry the person with you through your day. A prayer for health and for the dying does not need a room number attached to it. Pray while you wash your hands. Pray while you chart. Pray when you step outside for a breath. You can also read Scripture passages about healing to help give more language to your prayers.   A Next Step If You Feel Drawn to Hard Moments If you find that prayer for the dying is not just something you do, but something that weighs on you in a meaningful way, it may be worth exploring places where both medical skill and spiritual steadiness are needed most. In times of crisis, disaster settings often bring you face-to-face with people confronting loss, trauma, and mortality all at once. Consider serving in disaster relief missions that allow healthcare workers to serve in those fragile spaces, offering both competent care and loving presence.   Related Questions   What prayer do people say before dying? Many Christians take comfort in praying Psalm 23 or Jesus’ words in Luke 23:46 as they entrust themselves to God.   How do you say goodbye when someone is dying? Say goodbye with simple gratitude and a gentle presence, letting them know that they are loved.   What is a simple prayer for the sick and dying? Psalm 34:18 is a short prayer that reminds the suffering that God is near to the brokenhearted.   What’s the best way to comfort the dying? Offer a steady presence, ask permission to pray, and share the good news of the Gospel with them.