On February 27, 麻豆传媒鈥檚 (PBA) Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy (GSOP), in partnership with the Gregory Center for Medical Missions (GCMM), hosted alumna Dr. Hannah Morris as their Annual Missions Forum speaker.听
GCMM听supports听students and pharmacists in medical missions both domestically and internationally, providing听numerous听opportunities听and resources听for students to serve.听This forum is another way they听encourage听missions, as they听invite听an expert in the field听to bring听voice to the听vocation听pharmacists may find.听听
The Forum听
The forum included a brief introduction by听GSOP听Dean听Dr. Dana听Strachan,听outlining Morris鈥檚听educational accomplishments along with her commitment to the听missions’听field. This was followed by听Morris鈥檚 own presentation of the various projects and humanitarian aid that she has contributed to.听
Morris鈥檚 work in听international听missions began听in听Sudan,听where she听facilitated听bringing an abandoned听medical center听back to functioning听capacity.听Morris听and her team听spent seven months听providing听health听care to a small, isolated village.听Not only did they听share听physical aid, but they also provided resources on proper techniques for听food preparation and听hygiene.听
Later,听she听worked in听Syria听at internally displaced persons camps听for individuals affected by ISIS. The camps听had a large presence of听children听dealing with cerebral palsy, prompting the team听to bring in a specialist听who听instructed听parents听on听how听to听assist听their children.听
Her journey continued to an emergency field hospital in Lviv, Ukraine.听There she gave aid to听Ukrainian听refugees听enroute to Poland, trying to escape the ongoing war.听After this,听Morris provided earthquake relief in听Turkey,听and听she听continues听to be involved in missions work听today.听听
Conflict in the Field听
During her听presentation,听Morris expressed many of the conflicts she faced while serving in the field.听In countries like听Sudan and Syria, not only were difficulties presented听because of the unfamiliar climate and lack of modern technology, but because of the听cultural divide between her team and听their patients.听听
On top of this,听she听also experienced terrorism.听Her clinic in Syria had been attacked by a suicide bomber, and听while none of her team was injured, some of their patients were killed.听听
鈥淚t is hard because I get to leave, but this is their reality every day,鈥� she said.听听
While in Ukraine their facility had to be evacuated听when听Russia听acquired听their location and听sent rockets to decimate the听field hospital.听Morris noted, however,听that听the Christian faith is听still听alive and emboldened in Ukraine.听听
鈥淭ruly the Lord is working there,鈥� she said. 鈥淕od wastes nothing, so I think, even though people are truly suffering, the gospel is going forward in a tremendous way that it听couldn鈥檛听otherwise.鈥�听
Where She听is听Now听
Morris听currently works听with Operation Blessing听as a听health technical specialist in听Latin听America听and听Africa, overseeing听120听health projects across 10听countries. This听position听allows听her to go on more than a few trips a year听while听remaining听domestically听based.听听
Learn more about听PBA鈥檚听upcoming events at听/events/.
