Alabama nursing fellowship sees God move in Dominican Republic, invites others to join

Alabama nursing fellowship sees God move in Dominican Republic, invites others to join

By Grace Thornton
The Alabama Baptist

From stretching the medications to assembling a team with just the right skill sets, Regina Mobbs says God’s hand was in every detail of her team’s trip to the Dominican Republic in October.

“It was wonderful,” said Mobbs, who led the Alabama Baptist Nursing Fellowship (BNF) team. “We could see Him orchestrating everything.”

For the two months leading up to their trip the 11 team members from all across the state fasted and prayed, she said, and God answered. The team — including nurses, medical assistants and ultrasonographers — saw 785 patients, working out of three empty houses that were used as clinic and pharmacy space.

God gave them everything they needed, all the way down to good weather, said Mobbs, a member of Lifepoint Church, Decatur, in Morgan Baptist Association. “There was no grass in between the houses, and it could’ve been sloppy muddy if we [had] had rain.”

They also saw 45 people pray to receive Christ.

For Mobbs it was a special trip, but it was also the fulfillment of a promise she made God years back.

“I went to nursing school when I was 30, and I told God if He would help me get through it and I could get my license, I would serve Him anywhere He chose to send me,” she said.

Heart for BNF

Mobbs graduated in 1997, and in the years since she’s been on 15 international trips to 13 countries and done medical missions in four states.

“I feel honored that He’s chosen to use me, to use the skills that He has equipped me with medically and the heart He’s equipped me with spiritually,” she said. “My heart for Alabama Baptist Nursing Fellowship is just to make that known — to help people in all fields of medicine experience that gift of serving God. You do it with the intention of blessing someone else, but you’re always blessed more than you give.”

Alabama BNF — a ministry of Alabama Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) — currently has members all across the state as well as organized chapters that offer missions and ministry projects in their areas, said Candace McIntosh, Alabama WMU executive director.

“The Baptist Nursing Fellowship provides a place of common heart, thought and desire to serve the Lord through their calling as a health-care professional,” McIntosh said. “Alabama BNF provides a place for these professionals to encourage and pray for one another while giving them a place to serve the Lord together as well.”

Continuing education

Alabama BNF also provides continuing education opportunities at an annual retreat and training for faith community nurses through a partnership with the Center for Faith and Health at Samford University in Birmingham. There’s also a scholarship available through Alabama BNF for student nurses.

Mobbs said she would love to see the organization grow.

“It is called BNF but we welcome anyone in the health profession who desires to share their love for Jesus,” she said.

For more information about Alabama BNF visit alabamawmu.org/bnf.