Tiffany Kim: Taking Time Out to Serve Others

Tiffany Kim, a training coordinator for the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) in EDC’s Health and Human Development Division, exemplifies the commitment and passion of our staff. She spent her vacation helping others.

Instead of taking time to catch up on rest and relaxation, Kim took two weeks to travel to remote villages in Gambia with a medical team that provided much needed care to the people there. For Kim, it was the trip of a lifetime.

What was the purpose of the trip?

The trip was a medical mission to Gambia through my church. About 8 years ago the church built a clinic in Bijilo, a town next to the Gambian capitol. The clinic is called HOMM—Heart of Medical Missions Clinic--and every year the church sponsors a medical mission trip through HOMM‘s mobile clinic to serve people in more remote areas of the country. We made trips to different villages and set up a mobile clinic in each place for about 2 days so we could see patients there.

Was there any preparation involved?

Oh yes. We started planning the trip 4 months in advance—there is a lot to learn, lots of logistics. Since I was part of the registration team, we had to learn fundamentals of the languages and customs, as well as basic medical diagnostics. We also collected most of the equipment and supplies, and sent them over before we left. Plus we had to fundraise to help pay the cost of the trip—the airfare, food, and lodging.

What was your daily schedule like?

We would travel to remote villages where we set up the clinics that were actually just tents. We brought all of our supplies with us and had a very rigorous schedule. Being part of the registration team was one of the more challenging positions. We would see patients constantly, there was never any lull in the day.

It was really, really, really hot and humid, temperatures were sometimes over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. We were constantly sweating! And there were lots of bugs. It was hard, but at the same time, really meaningful. There’s not a whole lot I can complain about for this experience.

How was it meaningful?

We all started to have such a heart for the people there, genuinely caring for the well-being of all of the people we saw. It was great to be able to help them feel better, for a little while at least.

I also think the relationships we built with the native translators were extraordinary. They were students who had recently graduated from a high school near HOMM, and they spoke English. We were so different from them, but we made great connections that completely surpassed any sort of language or cultural or age or gender barrier. We really got to know one another and understand where each other came from. And we learned about their culture and the Gambian people.

What was it like coming back?

Coming home was very difficult in many ways. The trip was two intense weeks where we were completely immersed in the culture and I loved that. There is no sense of urgency over there—everyone is more laid back, and so kind to one another.

When I arrived at the airport in DC, I actually found myself in tears knowing I would be back in the sea of technology, and the obsession to be up-to-date on everything. There were no cell phones or blackberries there; and it was nice not to be so caught up in these distractions. I just wanted to go back to Gambia. The experience I had was amazing; I learned lessons I would only have been able to learn over there.

How does the trip relate to your work at EDC?

For me, I know satisfaction in life is going to come from helping people, making a positive impact. The work I do at SPRC is very positive, great work, impacting a lot of people. I have a global-minded heart and really want to see the whole entire world and help as many people as I can.