PUC Serves Thousands of Patients In India

In only a week, faculty and students from Pacific Union College and health professionals served over 3,000 patients in India. 

Professor of Biology Dr. Backil Sung planned this mission trip to Falakata, India. From July 10-21, the goals were to treat patients with health issues, introduce Jesus’ love, and for students and volunteers to learn how to practice God’s command to love others. 

All to Heaven is Dr. Sung's charity organization that helps with these yearly mission trips, and his organization raised around $80,000 . Out of the donated funds, $35,000 supplied medications and materials and assisted with local transportation and meals for the mission trip.  $37,000 was donated to construct the theology school's boys' dormitory, scholarships, the great controversy book to students, and donation of a dental chair at the clinic. The remaining $7,000 was reserved for next year's mission trip.

“I was very impressed with Dr. Sung’s ability to organize and lead this international mission trip,” said Professor of Biology Floyd Hayes. “His mission trips provide a tremendous opportunity for our students to participate in health care, and I hope that many will join him each summer.”

Joining Dr. Sung and Hayes were seven biology students from PUC, eight medical doctors specializing in medicine, ophthalmology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, eight dentists, one dental hygienist, five nurses, and one lab technician. The team also included medical and allied health professionals in an on-site clinic. 

The clinic on site was one of two where their teams were stationed. The first clinic was a fully equipped diagnostic facility with an X-ray and blood chemistry analyzer, where doctors and students saw patients who needed medical and dental work. The second site was in a community center between the border of India and Bhutan. Medical and dental professionals provided attention for those who needed vital checkups, rehabilitation, medication, and reading glasses. In their dental clinic, they extracted and cleaned teeth and provided restorative treatment. 

With the abundance of people treated, they quickly reached capacity and carefully controlled the flow of patients. Student volunteers actively provided medical and dental services by guiding patients to specialized doctors. They also checked patients' blood sugar and visual acuity and had the opportunity to practice medical and dental techniques with patients under the supervision of professionals. By attending this mission trip to India, PUC students learned to overcome challenges caused by a different culture and environment. 

“The students were awesome!” shared Hayes. “They were cheerful, worked very hard beside the health care medical professionals, and enjoyed interacting with the volunteers and Indian people. I was proud of them all!”

Outside of treating patients, PUC worshiped with the locals, with Dr. Sung giving a sermon on the first Sabbath there. Students learned spiritual practice by joining morning devotion at 6:30, where speakers shared personal messages about their spiritual experience and the need to help others. 

Dr. Sung hopes his students see that mission work is God’s command. “If they understand God’s love, all the people will love God back and follow His command that we should help other people,” he said. “I want every PUC student, but not limited to, to learn the value of how important it is to help other people.”