Air from the blood pressure cuff released with a whoosh. The young nurse gently patted the elderly woman’s hand and asked a few medical questions, pausing to write down notes for the doctor at this free clinic in an Armenian church foyer. It wasn’t long before the women from different countries chatted like old friends and bowed their heads to pray.
Across the room, International Mission Board missionary nurse Ginny Wheeler couldn’t stop smiling at the exchange. She’s been mentoring this nurse from Greece, Penny, to use her gifts for God’s glory and purposes. Ginny invited the young Greek to work alongside medical volunteers from the U.S. to see firsthand how health care strategies directly impact lives. It’s a lesson she learned early in her missionary career.
When Ginny and husband Cade began serving in Eastern Europe in 1998, she wasn’t sure how nursing could be used in that area of the world. It didn’t take long, however, for Ginny to realize that while she couldn’t practice in a hospital setting, there was still a way to put her nursing to use.
“My medical skills opened doors to communities. It helped build trust,” Ginny said. “I became convinced of the biblical model and importance of caring for needs as we share truth. Healthcare strategies became a big part of our church-planting efforts.”
She now uses these skills to facilitate missionary teams and national partners around the world in considering the soul, body and mind as they minister. Penny is just one of several young professionals Ginny mentors. When the Wheelers moved to Greece a few years ago, they encountered a generation of believers with a growing passion to reach the nations.
Penny said that was about the time an influx of refugees from a variety of world crises flooded her city. She and others in her church wanted to do more than just “feel good projects.” The veteran missionaries invited the Greeks to join them in meeting human needs while learning how to be a multiplying church.
“For me, nursing has always been about showing love and care,” Penny said. “It was mind blowing when Ginny showed me how to share the Gospel while using medical skills. It was my dream come true!”
The pair of nurses simultaneously turned to greet a mother and child walking into the clinic. They placed steady hands on the woman’s shoulders and flashed smiles at the toddler. As Penny wrapped the blood pressure cuff around the woman’s arm, she began sharing the Gospel.
Ginny quietly faded into the background, allowing Penny not only to minister cross-culturally but also to mentor a local church member serving as translator. The missionary’s heart burst with joy as she watched the young Greek fully invest in the great pursuit of all nations proclaiming Jesus’ name.
Pray
- Please pray for Ginny as she mentors national believers.
- Ask God to provide opportunities for IMB teams to care for the hurting with relevant health strategies.
- Pray for wisdom as Ginny and her partners embrace this task that opens access to the gospel in some of the hardest places in the world.
IMB missionary Ginny Wheeler and Dr. John Holston, a medical volunteer, pray for an Armenian. Wheeler facilitates healthcare providers in creatively partnering with IMB missionaries and their national partners. IMB Photo