Rachel Milbey served as a volunteer nurse during our 2014 outreach in Peru.

When my husband passed away, I was in shock…it was so final. Initially, I kept myself busy to stay distracted. But later, I started feeling depressed. Not long after, I looked on Joyce’s website and saw a medical missions volunteer ad. I felt inadequate, but something compelled me to apply, and they accepted me within two days!

I was scared. But I took that step…and it changed my life. At this medical outreach, I was a part of something so much bigger than myself. It was hard, but it didn’t matter. I realized that giving to others is just such an awesome experience—there’s an energy that lifted me up and propelled me.

This is my purpose, and I love it. And I’m going to do it until I can’t do it anymore.