To Angela Jeffries, a WVU School of Nursing lecturer and certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), Africa was a bucket list destination. When she was offered the opportunity to travel to Africa on a mission trip, which was something she had always wanted to do as well, she couldn’t say no.
A group of Jeffries’ fellow nurses and nurse practitioners, along with a few pharmacists, formed a group called Appalachian Angels 304. They participated in several mission trips to Haiti, Africa, and India within the last few years. Jeffries, having known and worked alongside many of them for several years, had no doubt they were using their skills and talent in some of the places in the world that need it most. Jeffries decided she wanted to be a part of a group of people making a difference in the lives of people in such remote areas.
The group consisted of Jeffries, an advanced practice nurse, three nurse practitioners, four ICU RNs, two pharmacists, one lab technician, and two clinic representatives. They began their trip Aug. 23, 2024, with a combined 20 hours of flying from Washington, D.C., to Lusaka, Zambia, with a stop in Doha, Qatar, arriving on a Saturday. The next day involved a nine-hour bus ride to the district of Sinazongwe, where the clinic was located. The team started seeing patients at Matambo Clinic on Monday morning and continued daily until Thursday afternoon. After clinic hours, they traveled into nearby bush villages by bus and on foot to provide medical care, medications, and food to those unable to visit the clinic for various reasons. Their patient volume also included the employees of the bush club that provided food and lodging during their stay.
Jeffries explained, “There is no question that we have poverty and lack of medical care here in the U.S., but we also provide resources to those people to obtain with more ease than what is available in more remote areas. Internationally, the need is next level. The people we cared for were miles away, on difficult terrain, from medical care, food, water, and the basic amenities we take for granted. Travel to international destinations to provide mission services opens up opportunities for personal growth, education, and prosperity to everyone involved. I would highly recommend joining a group and traveling abroad for this type of cultural, emotional, and spiritual enrichment.”
Jeffries' role involved seeing patients as a provider, performing physical exams, addressing complaints, diagnosing conditions, prescribing medications, offering patient education, and referring individuals to hospitals or clinics for further treatment when necessary. The group treated a wide range of patients, from infants to those over 90 years old, with medical conditions including bacterial, viral, and parasitic skin infections, STDs, respiratory illnesses, peritoneal infections, and musculoskeletal pain likely caused by years of physical labor. In total, the team treated nearly 800 patients over four and a half days.
“Most rewarding for me was twofold. First, the look of gratitude and appreciation the people had for us and our presence was inexplicable. The smiles, hugs, and words of thanks and praise left my heart full of joy and warmth.”
Jeffries continued, “Secondly, I had reaffirmation of my choice to become a nurse and care for the people who need it the most. Sometimes it gets easy to question why you chose your profession. Especially if conditions are difficult or suboptimal. This trip served as a reminder of the reasons I chose nursing as a career. I genuinely care about helping people.”
“It would take much longer than this interview to list what all I learned from this experience, but probably the most significant is how impactful our presence in another person’s life, even if for a short time, can be. No matter the reason we cross paths with others, the indelible mark that is left behind is unforgettable,” Jeffries said.
If interested in traveling on a mission trip, please check out the Appalachian Angels 304 Facebook page or contact me at angela.jeffries@hsc.wvu.edu for information.
-WVU-
ap/10/14/2024
MEDIA CONTACT: Wendy Holdren
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304-581-1772; wendy.holdren@hsc.wvu.edu