Julie Taylor, ATP
West Tennessee Cerebral Palsy Center
2009 Medical Mission participant, held at NCS:
Spending a week in Nicaragua was an amazing experience, and not one that I will soon forget. My name is Julie Taylor and I am a pediatric physical therapist and I specialize in custom wheelchair seating and mobility. David McCrary has been coming by my office for the last several years to get equipment to take on his mission trips, and he always returns to tell me the best stories of the school and medical missions. He started bringing pictures and telling me of the great need of the children in the area. Well, the pictures and stories left an impression, and the next thing I know I am headed to a foreign country with people I didn’t know… I was anxious. My anxiety melted away as the people on the trip welcomed me to the group and truly blessed me with their spirit and enthusiasm for what they were doing in Nicaragua. Under difficult and remote conditions and very hot weather this medical team worked very hard and was willing to give whatever it took to see the patients, paint the school, and lay pavers weighing 120 pounds!

We were welcomed by the people of Ojoche, and we were able to see 881 people during our 3 day medical campaign. I was amazed to see how poverty stricken they were, and how primitive they lived. Their joyful expressions and large smiles surprised me. Being with this group of people was a reminder that the simple things in life are what matters. The people were so grateful. It didn’t matter that they had stood in line for hours…or walked 12 miles for a tooth extraction just to return again the next day to complete the dental work for a total of 48 miles walked. One gentlemen stood by the fence all day just waiting for us to pack up so he could help us haul the equipment back to the bus just because he wanted to be apart of what we were doing and to show his appreciation. Not only was I touched by working in this area and with this team of talented people… I was invested.

By Tuesday morning we were at the school. And wow, what a great school! And great teachers! The kids were buzzing around and excited that we were seeing them in action…and they were cute in their school uniforms, and singing their songs. I had several families waiting to see me, and I was ready to work. Christian and Eduardo I will always remember… both kids are severely limited secondary to neurological problems and they have no resources. These kids do not go to school, and stay at home all day with limited means to have a quality life. Fortunately, the school was able to reach out to this needy population of special needs kids.

Eduardo’s mom walked several miles carrying her 10 year old child… but she left rolling him home in a wheelchair. Her smile will not be forgotten! Christian who has abrasions along his spine from sleeping in a make shift wooden bed with no mattress received a custom made bed. The team all pitched in so he could have a safe place to sleep. So many special kids with no means to receive basic care… When the week came to an end I was sad.

It was hard to believe that I had been so anxious earlier in the week. Blessed beyond what my words can describe, I want to thank the 22 people that I spent the week sweating with…you are all amazing! Thanks to Campbell Street for doing such an amazing job in missions, and know what a fantastic job you do at this school and on this medical campaign. I only hope that my part doesn’t stop with this trip, and that I will be able to continue to give back to those kids and families less fortunate. I thank God for putting this opportunity in my path.


Whitney Carter
2008 Medical Mission participant, held at NCS:
My experience in Nicaragua was nothing but an incredible blessing. Having never been on a medical mission trip, I was a little nervous at first, especially not having a medical bone in my body! But I found that there were many other ways for me to help than just knowing about what to prescribe to someone who is physically sick, because there were many other kinds of sicknesses there- mental and spiritual. I worked in the pharmacy, but mostly in the optical section, giving out glasses.

Being able to interact with the people of Nicaragua, meeting there needs with a smile, and seeing them see words in the Bible clearly for the first time, seeing some cry, get chills, and even point upwards in praise to our God for answering his prayers. Watching a boy with downs syndrome receive his first pair of glasses and get up and dance around and give everyone high-fives because he was so excited. Watching Mr. David interact with the people there, taking his time, never getting overwhelmed, and just seeing his patience with them. Being able to hold a child in my lap at the evening services and try to make them laugh, letting them just hold my purse and wear my sunglasses because they have nothing else.

The people of Nicaragua were amazing. They were joyful despite poverty, and thankful despite their suffering. Our team pulled together and accomplished more than we thought we could. I have always thought that mission trips are like Heaven on Earth, and I can definitely say that that is true about my experience in Nicaragua and I am so thankful that I was able to go.