In a little over a month, I will be traveling to Senegal to participate in the “Africa Cries Out” medical mission. It has been two years since I last went to Africa. I got involved in the volunteer medical mission trip because of a very touching article I read a few years ago by Dr. Xu Jun about Dr. Faye who gave his life selflessly offering his medical services. Since then, I have volunteered and left my footprints in Haiti, Cambodia, and Senegal.
At the end of 2022, as I was preparing for that first trip to Senegal, my oldest son, Alex, who was a senior in high school at the time, suddenly came to me and asked if I could take him with me. I looked at him with surprise and said, “Are you sure you want to go? It’s not exactly a vacation spot.” He replied that he wanted to experience something that he was passionate about. And so, in March of 2023, we traveled to West Africa together.
Father and son on their first medical mission trip together.
The most memorable part of that trip was the bumpy ride in the dump of a heavy truck to the village of “Jing Jing”. I was speechless when I saw that nearly 200 people in the village relied on a nearly dry well for drinking water. The villagers waited in a long line under the hot sun to be seen. Everything from malnutrition to wound infections to arthritis, overwhelmed me as a doctor. The good thing is that there are doctors of all specialties in the team, working together and learning from each other. Alex and the rest of the youth volunteers helped dispense medications, triage patients, learn physical exams, and even participate in acupuncture and joint injections. This is an unimaginable opportunity in the United States. On the plane back to the U.S., Alex told me for the first time that he wanted to study medicine. Of course I was optimistic. It has been two years since then, and this time he is going to West Africa with me. I remember Dr. Xu Jun always said that volunteering in medical mission is very good opportunity and eye opener for teenagers. This is true for Alex.
My son, Alex, helping me treat a villager.
Alex with an Africa Cries Out kitchen staff.
Below is what he wrote about his first experience as a volunteer in Africa Cries Out’s medical mission trip.
“A couple of spring seasons ago, as a junior in high school, I had the opportunity to serve on this medical mission trip. Beforehand, I always had an interest in the biomedical sciences and liked working in team environments while serving my local community. However, I definitely wasn’t set on what kind of future I wanted to pursue. When my father, a physician himself, told me about this opportunity to volunteer on the Senegal medical mission trip, I agreed to join him to explore medicine further. Reading the account of Dr. Faye beforehand was particularly inspiring to me, as he showed what degree of sacrifices physicians can make in their work. The experiences of this trip were profoundly enlightening and highlighted the significant impact healthcare providers can have in diverse environments. Following this trip, I was further inspired to pursue a career in medicine, actively seeking additional clinical-related opportunities over the following year. The initial experience in Senegal and the following events is what ultimately helped me decide on a career in medicine. During my medical school interviews, I brought up my experiences with the mission trip, emphasizing how the mission trip shaped my understanding of medicine’s impact. This year, I will be entering my first year at SUNY Stony Brook’s 8-year BS/MD medical school program, where I can further pursue the field of medicine throughout my undergraduate education. I am truly thankful to have had this opportunity, and I plan to continue serving with this group in the future.”
Alex getting a hands-on training in the practice of medicine.
About the author:
Dr. Eric Wang is an anesthesiologist/pain specialist practicing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. His son, Alex Wang, is an incoming first year student of an 8-year undergraduate medical school program at the State University of New York (SUNY) in Stony Brook, New York, USA.
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If you are moved and willing to support our African ministry, you can give your donation by:
-Writing a check to Africa Cries Out and sending it to Jun Xu, MD, 1171 E Putnam Avenue, Riverside, CT 06878 USA. You will receive a tax-free receipt recognized by the US Internal Revenue Service.
-Zelle: Africacriesout@gmail.com.
-Online credit card donation https://africacriesout.net/ (note that credit card company will charge a handling fee), you will receive a tax-free receipt recognized by the IRS.
Our team assures everyone that 100% of your donation will be used for the people of Africa, and that we do not take even a penny for administrative fees.
Jun Xu WeChat: jun9174343767
Public WeChat account: LifeExploring (人生天路)
Webpage: https://africacriesout.net
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Editor: Doris Cruz
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