God Stories
This is a podcast produced by Anchored International Relief. Anchored International Relief is a non-profit relief organization that focuses on bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to unreached people groups around the world and train and raise up chaplains to respond to any incident within the US or abroad. This podcast will showcase what God is doing through our ministry and highlight some of the people that are involved in our ministry sharing how God is using them through Anchored.
God Stories
The Heart of Medical Missions (Interview with Dr. Andy Chen)
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In this heartfelt episode, Gary Kusunoki welcomes Dr. Andy Chen, a devoted physician and friend, to discuss his journey in medical missions. From his humble beginnings in Taiwan to practicing family medicine in Orange County, Andy shares how his faith has shaped his career. Dr. Chen recounts the miraculous moments that led his entire family to discover their faith through a powerful experience in Taiwan.
Key Topics
- Dr. Andy Chen's background and faith journey
- The role of family medicine in missions
- Challenges and rewards of medical missions
- Working with local healthcare providers in third-world countries
- The impact of medical missions on patients and volunteers
- The importance of cultural sensitivity and resourcefulness
- The role of team dynamics and family in missions
- Opportunities for medical professionals to get involved
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Welcome to God Stories, the broadcast ministry of Incredible National Relief Act. Where our mission is to share the love of Christ with others around the world. We disciple and raise up leaders to preach the gospel to unreached people. Minister to the inner city and poverty-stricken areas in the US and abroad. Provide support to local police and relief organizations in response to natural disasters. We work to train up chaplains in the police and civilian industry. And we assist churches in training transformation and disaster response. We hope you're blessed by what you hear in this next half hour or so about what God is doing through this ministry.
SPEAKER_02And it's called This Hope, based on Hebrews 6.19. And our heart is to share with all of you everything that that, well, not everything, but a lot of what God is doing in the three countries that were involved in Uganda, Nepal, and Mexico. And just to be able to give God the glory, but also to let you know um how you can be involved. And remember, we always say when people ask us, well, what can I do? We always say three ways. You can pray, you can give, or you can go. So we're going to be talking about all those opportunities. It is Saturday, September 12th, 2026, and it is at Calvary South OC in San Clomenia at 5 p.m. The dinner is free. Uh all you have to do to sign up is to go to our website, www.anchoredrelief.org, and you can sign up for that. So um as we get into our program today, I want to just introduce to you uh uh a very special friend of mine. And Dr. Andy Chen is someone that I've known for a few years now, and um he has uh I'll tell you, this is what I could tell you about him. Not only is he a good friend and a great uh travel companion, but he's a good doctor because he's treated both Carol and I both in the field and and here. And so um I can't I can't say enough good things about him. So uh Dr. Andy, welcome to the program.
SPEAKER_03Thank you so much, Pastor Gary.
SPEAKER_02Well, we are so blessed. And and so what I wanted to do is just kind of start off with with you introducing yourself. I'd like we'd we'd like to know how you came to be a Christian and um also you know how you got why you chose medical school, and um and then we'll talk about why you do what you do in the different mission fields. So so if you could start off by uh introducing yourself.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, sure, sure. Yeah, so I'm Andy Chen, and um so I'm originally from Taiwan, um, and I have been in the States uh since 1990. So I grew up in the Orange County area. Um so how my family came to the Lore um was around 1988, I believe, um, that my whole family came to the Lore basically in about two weeks, uh, because uh there was one of our aunt uh in Japan. Uh she received the Holy Spirit and she uh wanted to share the gospel with our entire family. And so she came to Taiwan from Japan with one of her pastors. And so um in those two weeks, uh we experienced miracles and we were all saved, our entire family. So that was a very interesting experience. Um and uh my my grandpa, uh my dad, uh my uncles, uh they were all physicians. So growing up, I was in the medical field, um, you know, seeing what they are doing. And so um it's always been interested uh in doing medical, um in doing medicine. Um but I think what draws me really into the medical field is that I I do uh want to help people. And I do feel family medicine is the way to go for me because it allows me to be trained uh to take care of the whole person and at different ages, and it actually allows me to do missions uh because I have to see people of different ages, different kinds of conditions um in um in in that kind of setting. So so that's why I chose family medicine. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Well that that's great. And then um, you know, from from there and you know, practicing medicine in Orange County, and I I would imagine it would be easy just to you know live life in Orange County and you know, as a physician, and and you know, everything that that um that kind of comes with that. And yet you and and your wife Carol, you know, you choose to to go to these places like Uganda and Nepal and and Mexico. Um and so I gotta ask you, why do you do it?
SPEAKER_03Well, I think from the very beginning of why I want to become uh a physician in the first place, I I always have in mind that I wanted to do medical missions uh because I I think I'm always a Christian first and uh a doctor second. And so for me, it is a way for me to share the gospel. Um and so I've been doing uh missionary uh medical missions uh since I was in medical school. And so um that's something that is always uh deep in my heart that that is um what drives me and what excites me. And so I feel like if I don't do it, then I feel like the fire inside of me is kind of burning out. So I actually uh love to do on mission trips to to help people, and uh that keeps me going actually.
SPEAKER_02Well that's great. So and then your wife Carol is uh in another aspect of the the medical field. What does she do?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so she's a pediatric dietitian. Um, so she takes care of uh children who are actually more uh she's specialized in nephrology, in uh patients with uh on dialysis and kidney failure uh for those kids uh on their nutrition. So yeah.
SPEAKER_02And she's been a blessing to our feeding center in Uganda as they've you know discussed with her our nutrition program and and when she came um was it last year we started the growth charts or the year or two years?
SPEAKER_03Uh yeah, last year. Last year we started the growth charts, yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So we just started the growth charts. We'll we'll we'll see if we can put some up that uh from the last year that will show you. We we've been we track the the children, we track their weight and and among other aspects of of their growth and development. And so um, you know, that was something that that that uh Carol said, oh we should do this, and it's like yeah, we need to do this. And and some I I think maybe you uh you got some of the the charts from last year. And um I mean to me looking at from from you know a layman's point of view, I'm like, wow, that's pretty dramatic.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, definitely they are, they are, yeah.
SPEAKER_02So uh let me ask you kind of uh um you know a personal question, and and that is you know what when when you're out there in the field, um what would you say the the the greatest um experience that you've had in in doing medical missions?
SPEAKER_03Um greatest experience. I I don't know if I can speak of just one event because every mission is uh so unique and every mission I learned something about it. Um I think uh experiences where I can see God actually works uh in a person's heart um and see a person change, that's always very rewarding to see. Um I feel like as a medical team, uh not only me as a doctor, but other medical staff that I bring along, uh we are all just part of the big picture. Um we are just part of the team. Um so we could be just a bait uh for patients to come, and uh, but more importantly, that they hear the gospel. And when we see that people's lives are being changed, uh that's that's when we really feel uh fulfilled uh what we're supposed to do. Um so yeah, so there there are so many uh different experiences I I I guess um I experienced in every trip uh that I've been to. So um, yeah, so it's it's always very rewarding. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And what would you say one of the most difficult parts has been uh medical missions?
SPEAKER_03Well, difficult part is you always kind of uh expect unexpected, I guess. So um being on the field for many years, I I I encounter a lot of different situations, but there's always something that's new every time I go on a trip. Um so uh that but but in my mind I know I I kind of prepare for that, you know. Um but nothing is going to be perfect, and we just do the best that we can. Um a lot of times we are surprised with certain situations. Um, but yeah, we're there to serve. So whatever um tools that we have, whatever gift we have, we serve to the best of our ability. And and there are times we wish that we could do more, but we just you know have limited resources of what we can do. Um so I always come in with that mindset. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So that that brings up a good question. So, you know, uh a lot of uh medical personnel doctors or whatever, nurses, they're they're used to all the equipment that we have in the US. So then we go over, you know, take you to a third world country, and you don't have that. You don't have any of it. So and and plus, you know, especially with um well, wherever you go, there's unique uh diseases and illnesses that you're gonna find that you don't really see here, like like malaria. So so how do you deal with all of that? The lack of resources and and you know, our equipment and and all the different types of things that you see.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so uh first of all, as far as the lack of resources, that's kind of a given. Uh whenever we are going into a third world country, uh, we are there because they don't have resources. Uh so we bring what we can bring. Um, and you know, it could be a simple bulbisha cuff, you know, stasel scope and you know, autoscope, and just simple things that we can bring with us. Um but we kind of expect that yeah, they there might not be electricity, there might not be water. And so, you know, uh it's it's kind of you have to kind of prepare ahead of time, uh, make sure you have battery and you know you have flashlight and things like that, that you gotta anticipate any unexpected situations. Um, but yeah, it it is really of um whatever we are able to do. I I think my focus is always that we are part of this team and we are there to do part of our job. Um and so I I never feel like overwhelmed uh in terms of lack of equipment because I feel like um you know, whatever equipment we have is better than what they have, you know, and so they they have never checked their blood pressure before. So at least we check their blood pressure. I mean, you know, even if we don't have enough medication to give them, at least we let them know that their blood pressure is high, you know. So uh whatever we can use to bless them, it's to me, you know, it it's good, you know. And then as far as um the other question you were asking, um, sorry, I kind of lost my train of my start. What was the other question you were asking me?
SPEAKER_02The the different types of diseases you encounter in the field that you don't have here.
SPEAKER_03Yes, yes. Um so uh Mexico and and um California is very similar since we are you know pretty much the same continent, same location. Uh Nepal is is definitely different, um, and uh Uganda is definitely very different. Um so I think it's good to work with the local doctors over there. Um what I learned from working with Anchor is to really use uh the local staff and doctors as resources to teach me, to teach us who are going there to do missions. Because they are dealing with these diseases that we we just never encounter, like like Pastor Gary said. Um I remember when I first arrived at Uganda uh about three years ago, uh Pastor Charles, you know, he was the one who taught me how to see patients who have uh malaria and uh what kind of signs and diseases to look for. Um and you know, it's like whatever I read in the books, it's it's not going to be real until I see a patient. Um and so once I see a patient and once uh we have malaria uh testing that we can do, and it confirms uh what I was taught by by Pastor Charles that that you know, whatever uh conditions that whatever uh symptoms they have, uh that is prolonged, uh fever or prolonged um intermittent fever, or they have like cough, they have um abdominal discomfort, headache, you know, those kind of scenes like we kind of just have to remember malaria is number one in diagnosis. And so once we get the uh testing kit and to test, and then I can confirm, oh, actually, this is you know, confirms my suspicion, this is malaria. And after I get to see, you know, 10, 20 patients, I'm like, okay, well, there's a lot of malaria in this area. So then I'm like, okay, I'll be more confident in making my diagnosis even without the testing. So yeah, it does take practice, you know. We we say medicine is practice anyway. So we practice until we get we get good at it. Um so yeah, yeah. So so I'm I'm very grateful that the Anchor works with the local doctors. Um, because I've been with uh other medical teams that are uh not with Anchor, and uh we were just going in with um what we have with our local support. Um and it is actually very difficult for us to figure out what kind of diseases they have, and and even getting the medic the right medications for them, uh it's very difficult too. So so I'm I'm I'm very grateful that we have the local uh staff and doctors to help us. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and I I should say Pastor Charles is not only a uh pastor of a Calvary Chapel, but he's a clinical officer, or over here we'd call him uh physician's assistant. And so um he is invaluable. Uh my own son, uh Anna Peter. He just finished his medical school and has one year of internship, so he just got his his permanent medical license. And so he's been with our team in the past, and now he'll be he's he's the um medical director of our feeding center, so he's there. We usually get them instead of trying to bring medicine from the US to uh the country that we're going to, whether it's Uganda, Nepal, um, or even Mexico, we actually buy it there. And one, it's easier to because it's already in the country, two, uh it tends to be cheaper um if we had to buy it here. I mean, even donate it. Um the problem we've had in the past, and we've been doing this for decades now, um, is that that uh most of the governments require that nothing that comes in is short dated. In other words, their expiration has to have at least six months on anything. Well, a lot of the medications that might be donated here in the US are usually donated because they're very close to the expiration date. And so um, and it so it makes it difficult to to bring it into the country. And so we as much as we possibly can, we try and have everything we need um on that side. And so, you know, um talk about this. So not only you, but but I think of the uh Dr. Peter and his wife Christy, they brought their kids, and and uh I mean we've had other doctors that that have have brought their whole families in.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02What maybe talk a little bit about the experience that that you saw of uh being bringing your family.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah, definitely. I mean, it's it's one of the joys that we can share um our experiences with our spouse, with our kids, with our family members, right? Because there are certain experiences in life that you know you experience yourself and you are very touched at the location, at the situation, but your spouse or your family members are not there, they they really cannot identify with what you are experiencing. And they cannot understand the change that you have uh through that experience. And so therefore, I think it is very important. And you know uh like what Pastor Gary was saying, uh Dr. Peter Chen and then his wife Christy, you know, Ethan Cariz, you know, they are they are fair, they are like family friends, you know, we we we are like best friends and we we you know travel a lot to other places already together. Um and going to mission together is it really is uh it's a wonderful experience. And and even now, like that's kind of we talk about Uganda so much that that you know that's a lot of times we go out for dinner, talk about, oh, what's going on with Uganda, what's going on with Anchor, uh, you know, anchor hope and kids and things like that. So it's it's like a very strong bond that we share together, you know. And yeah, and and last year, uh Dr. Lester uh brought his uh Lester Chen, you know, but his uh son Matthew as well. And and he is also very touched, and and Matthew actually rotated with me in my clinic as well. And so, you know, we we have this strong bond that we we can always refer back to, you know, as uh teammates, you know, in the mission field. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Wow. That's great. Well, so you know, it's not just doctors that come, but what kind of you know, medical workers um do you do you feel like we need there in the field?
SPEAKER_03We we will get whatever help we can get, uh as many as we can get. We definitely need nurses. Uh I'm really blessed that some of my nurses have traveled with me through uh different medical mission trips, you know, not only to Uganda, but also to Mexico as well. I have some uh nurses that are interested in the medical uh field. And so uh last year uh I brought uh Aisha uh from my clinic that she joined us. And so uh a nurse can really help to triage and make sure uh which patients are stable, not stable, where they need to go. Uh we we need um, yeah, if we can get physical therapists, physical therapists will be great because there's so many people with muscle aches and things like that. Uh we're still looking for dentists. Well, we have been looking for dentists, and we are still looking for dentists as well. A dentist that definitely can be very helpful. You know, as you can imagine, their teeth are not in the best condition. So if they just need their two teeth to be pulled, then they can do it right there. Um and um, yeah, I mean, you know, and any anything that you can do in the medical field, or if you are not a medical professional, we will train you to do something. Okay. So, like, for example, uh Ethan, you know, he he's just a college student, uh, but he's interested in medicine. So I I gave him a sheet of uh paper to tell him to teach patients how to do some physical therapy exercises, and that was his job, you know. And you know, we talked about Christie. She was managing the pharmacy because she's very she's a very organized person. She likes organized stuff. So I said, okay, well, organize the pharmacy, organize all the medications, you know. So, you know, everybody can use uh whatever tools they have, you know, to help out. Even if you are just bringing patients from one location to another location. Um, you know, and one of our good friend, um Eric, who actually recently passed away, um, he was on our team last year, and and his job was to bring patients, you know, from uh the nurse station, uh, all the way, walking them to the different, you know, different uh doctors um uh clinic, you know, and to make sure people go where they need to go and and direct people. I mean, those things you do need a lot of manpower. So yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'll tell you, one of my greatest memories of Eric was at one of our outreaches and watching him do just what you said, walking them from the intake tent to where they're gonna receive treatment and and loving them along the way. And I'll tell you what, boy, he had the biggest smile on his face all the time. Yeah, and uh he was like a kid in a candy store. And so, and and I know from his own testimony he actually got saved on the mission field.
SPEAKER_03Yes, that's right.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, so that's incredible.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, you know, the other thing I would say is is you know, um paramedics, EMTs, those are all people that can help, uh pharmacists for sure. Yeah, pharmacists, yeah. We we could use help with that, and and so, but again, as you emphasize too, um, just people with a servant's heart, they don't have to have medical training. Um, and there's so much that that they could do, you know, whether it's holding a a baby in our feeding center or playing with kids or you know, recording names as they they come into the the field medical clinic. And maybe just real quick if you can um maybe paint a picture of of what it's like in our field medical clinics. Um when we go outside of the walls.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. I mean, uh in Uganda it is kind of chaotic. Um and uh yeah, I mean you you will be expecting hundreds, uh close to a thousand people lining up in the morning, and uh and everybody wants to be seen. So you are trying the best that you can of you know uh getting their blood pressure, getting the initial triage done. And then after that, uh so all the doctors are in individual rooms, and um so we have like a seating, like a patient waiting area for each doctor. So we will um bring the patient, they they will try to bring the patients in. And and for for physicians, I mean you're expected to see around 100 patients a day. Uh no kidding, okay. So so that's uh uh it is a challenge for for uh physicians who are here in the United States, you know.
SPEAKER_02Ums?
SPEAKER_03Oh, I I see uh probably like 24 to 30 people, I guess, you know. So it's yeah, I see less than 30 patients a day, you know, um for sure. Um so yeah, so it's it's uh it's a big challenge, you know, to see patients that fast, you know. Um but you know, you you'll get used to it, you know, when once you get through the first hour, then you'll you'll kind of get faster. Um and then um, yeah, so after they see the physicians, and what we do is we uh we will walk them to the prayer tent for them to get prey. And so they have to turn in their medication, they turn in their uh the sheet that we write their medications to the pharmacy, and then they get to the prayer station, they have to get prey before they can be discharged. So that's that's one of the great things that we work as a team uh with with this anchor team, is that there are dedicated people who are praying for them, and it's a way for us to share the gospel with them. And I think the the prayer team is is more important than me being a doctor because I feel like that's where they get their spiritual healing and they can get to know the Lord through the prayer tent. Um, and of course, we also have a time that we share the gospel with them in the beginning of the day, um, and so that a lot of people can hear the gospel as well. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we always we always make it clear to them, you know, you don't have to accept the Lord in order to receive treatment. And but we share with everyone the the reason for the hope that lies within us. And so um, you know, we do medical missions in in Nepal. I know you've been to Nepal, we do medical missions uh in Mexico. I know you've done that extensively, multiple times a year, right?
SPEAKER_03Uh usually once a year, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Once a year, okay. And um you know, just just been so blessed. So let me um, you know, we're kind of coming to the end of our time, but but um, you know, on these mission trips, um are you just going morning to evening doing medical stuff, then you go to bed and then you know, um you're there for three or four days and then you're just out of there without a lot of contact with the people.
SPEAKER_03Well, uh not with the anchor team. With other teams I've been to, it is like that. That I I've been with teams where Yeah, you it you go there for seven days in Kenya. I was in seven days in Kenya. Basically, I just see patients every single day and uh you know, and and just get tired, don't really get to know and talk to people. Uh, but I I really what I appreciate with going with the Anchor uh International Relief Team is when we get to Uganda, we actually get to meet the people, we actually get to talk to them, we actually get to really know the staff uh really well. And I'll tell you, like even nowadays, I'm getting texts uh from uh from people from Uganda like almost daily. And uh and they're just very friendly. They just say, How are you doing? You know, I just want to say hi, what's going on, and you know, and we share our lives. And it's kind of like you make new friends uh that are um not around your world. And sometimes it can be um sad to see that you know they they don't have the resources we have here in the United States, but that they have so much hope, they have so much joy in their life, um, that that is uh really admirable for us here in the US too. That you know, we we really uh shouldn't be caught up with all this um material uh wealth that we have, um, and really coming down to the heart of just uh just enjoy life and enjoy helping people and enjoy friendship, you know, and and that those are the value that we can take from uh a lot of these uh third world countries, you know, that they that people do have that joy, you know.
SPEAKER_02Well that's great. I do want to in the the you know couple minutes that we have and um at the end of the show, I wanted to announce something else. So we talked about our anchored missions update and dinner on September 12th um at 5, but also on October 3rd, I'm also really excited about a luncheon we're having for specifically for medical people and professionals, and it's called a prescription for healing. And it's uh gonna be in uh San Juan Capistrano at Bad to the Bone in their banquet room, and and we're hoping to have doctors, dentists, nurses, you know, medical assistants, anybody that that has a medical background uh to come. And um you know, Andy, I I know you and I kind of talked about about the heart, but what's your heart for this event?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I I really wish that uh more more healthcare professionals can get to uh listen and to be um to be challenged and to be touched um through that event, that people would feel called uh to go to the mission field, um, no matter which country it is. Um, because it really puts your life in um a different aspect and that you understand uh the meaning of life a little bit more than just your world here in the US. So I I do I do think it's really um every time I go on a mission field, I I feel like it's a life-changing experience. Um, and it truly is. And so I I really hope that uh many of you can join us uh with our next trip together. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and if it too, if you want, if you're interested in the the luncheon on October 3rd, the prescription for healing, um, again, you can go to our website, anchoredrelief.org, and um under events you'll see uh a link for that. Um also I just wanted to list a couple of our different links. You can follow us on Instagram, and our Instagram is at Anchored Relief, and it's also the same for our Facebook page. Um and you can always call us at our office. Our office number is 949-432-6777, 949-432-6777. Um we have a uh a text uh chain that's uh a prayer chain that that we have. And what you can do for that is you can t text the word AIR air to 949-384-9282. 949-384-9282. You text the word air, and whenever we have updates or or prayer requests that comes out, we do not, we will not fill your inbox. We won't spam you. Um, you know, I would say maybe we send out I on the average of of you know one or two or three a week, uh, at the most, more like maybe one a week. And so um, so you can sign up for that. Also, our blog is anchoredrelief.blog. And so we are updating that also when our teams go out. That's what we we do our blogs on. I mean our updates on is the anchoredrelief.blog. Well, um Dr. Andy, maybe as we close, if you wouldn't mind just uh closing our time in prayer, and uh, you know, let's be praying for people to come alongside.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah, definitely. Okay, let's pray together. Just share our experiences of uh working in the medical field, um, in uh in Uganda, um and in different countries. And Lord, just um thank you for giving um us the gift um to be able to help. Um and Lord, we know that we are your vessel and um we we're only doing our part, um, and Lord, you will take care of the rest, and you will be the one who is able to touch people's heart. You are the one who is able to change their heart and change their lives. And Lord, just uh uh ask that you can help each and every one of us um to just humble ourselves and that you uh use us in whatever capacity that you want to. Thank you, Lord, and pray it is in Jesus' name. Amen.
SPEAKER_02Amen. All right, thanks for being on the show, Dr. Andy.
SPEAKER_03Thank you, thank you, thank you for inviting me, PetroGary. Good to see you. Uh great, it's great to have you. Take care.
SPEAKER_00We like to thank every single one of you for listening to God's stories. To connect with us, go to anchoredrelief.org and follow us on Instagram or follow us at our blog at anchorrelief.blog. You could also subscribe to our YouTube channel, as well as our Apple Podcasts and Spotify. To subscribe to our text thread, text the word Air AIR to the number 949-384-9282. Again, that's 949-384-9282. Or you can call us directly on our office line at area code 949-432-6777. That's 949-432-6777.
SPEAKER_01The proceeding was a production and broadcast ministry of Anchored International Relief.