Volunteer Reflection: Miki H. Boyle, DNP, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, ACHPN, PHN

From the time of the mission application to the conclusion of the trip, I felt welcomed by my fellow mission team members. Though I have been to overseas healthcare mission trips in the past, it was my first time traveling to Africa. Due to the Ebora outbreak in East African counties, the plans for the summer 2026 missions evolved. We were well-informed by the Mission to Heal team on the situations in the host country, and I was able to modify travel plans accordingly. I felt safe throughout the mission trip.

It is imperative that we, volunteers, keep ourselves open to any opportunities and possibilities. While we were serving at the host facility in Laisamis, there were very few surgical candidates. In between the tutorial sessions with the local providers, my fellow volunteer and I quickly shifted focus to assisting with care among the facility’s nurses and other providers. Additionally, the facility staff were generous with their time answering our questions. As a US-trained nurse practitioner and former nursing educator, I appreciated learning about the high level of education and training required for Kenyan nurses.

Most of all, I enjoyed interacting with people: patients, patients’ family, hospital staff, local host, and fellow Mission to Heal volunteers. It is not easy to be away from my own family. However, I now have a new set of Mission to Heal and Kenyan family through this incredible experience. Even after a long exhausting travel back to my home in the United States, I am energized and have a renewed appreciation for my daily work as a nurse practitioner. Looking forward to the next Mission to Heal experience!