GMMA June 2023 Monthly Newsletter
JUNE 2023 GREETING
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35
Dear GMMA family,
Jesus is our savior to follow until we see Him face-to-face in heaven. I would like to share a personal experience of following Jesus’s example of praying to God early in the morning.
Let me give a short GMMA mission update first. Our mission trips for the school year of 2022-2023 have been in full gear. The last trip for the academic year was 6/17-6/22/23 in Honduras. Other mission trips to Cambodia and Mexico will resume in October of 2023. I have been on every GMMA mission trip this academic year which has been quite an energy and time-demanding but very filling spiritually as I witness the faithfulness of God at each mission trip meeting the members in such intimate ways. It’s an amazing phenomenon to witness all year long. Thankfully there has been strong work of the Holy Spirit where members experienced physical encounters of the Lord during the prayer meetings, true repentances, born-again experiences, re-dedications, and many very personal testimonies. Undoubtedly, our mission trips have been one of the platforms for the GMMA’s revival. I would like all of us to keep praying for the ongoing effort of the medical missions of GMMA. We pray for God to reign and lead it and for Him to bless us with big faith to follow faithfully in obedience and joy. Please look out for the mission trip schedule for the upcoming 2023-2024 academic year and join in and experience.
For the past three months, I have had the privilege of joining a newly started early morning prayer meeting. It’s an early morning (4:30 am at first but changed to 5:30 am Zoom prayer meeting), It started as an urgent prayer meeting as one of the mentors had a very emergent family prayer request. There were 2 GMMA mentors, a missionary couple (parents of a GMMA mentor), and a local pastor (a father of a GMMA mentor). It was supposed to last for one month but resumed on to 2nd month as new urgent prayer requests emerged. Starting in June, this Zoom prayer meeting was re-named as GMMA intercessory prayer meeting. I personally have been so blessed through this daily Zoom early morning prayer meeting. I have witnessed and experienced the Lord responding to prayer requests presented in such specific ways; it confirms over and over the standing truth of God’s Word becoming fulfilled. I strongly recommend this intercessory prayer meeting for all GMMA leaders (mentors, chapter officers, and coordinators). It is unimaginable how our organization has survived without this kind of daily prayer meeting. It is exciting that God allowed another type of intercessory prayer meeting to start for GMMA. It is very fitting to the time and the greater need for God’s intervention. I understand each local church of our family may have its own AM prayer meeting. For those who attend those prayer meetings, they should continue to do so. We will update prayer requests, and this will be updated on the GMMA website. For those who have not been attending their local church AM prayer meeting, please consider joining GMMA’s. It starts at 5:30 AM PST with a worship song or two, a brief sharing of God’s Word, sharing prayer requests, then a minimum of 20 min of fervently praying together. I can testify that my prayer and daily life have been transformed because of this AM prayer meeting. I would love for more of you to experience it as well.
Yes, we do have monthly GMMA prayer meetings for everyone globally, and it should continue. But I wanted to inform the GMMA family of this daily prayer time together as well. The importance of this type of daily group intercessory prayer meeting for GMMA is a gift of God that will lead us to greater victories from daily spiritual battles and closeness to God as a corporate body. If you would like to join this early prayer meeting any time it allows you to, below is the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84486921578?pwd=alhXeCtKZ3lTQzdaR0RYWWRZU2dFZz09.
David Choi MD
GMMA Mission Dir.
Professional Development
When others take long summer breaks and rest, GMMA professionals continue to be busy with mission trips, serving as speakers for six retreats throughout the summer, and training next year young leaders and new mentors. One of the key events for June was the postgrad retreat that took place in California. Students from US and Canada gathered together to meet, learn and worship our good God together. Dr. Ahn, postgrad group director, and Joy Park, PA did an amazing job coordinating the two-day event along with help from the postgrad leadership team and regional coordinators. May professionals served as speakers such as Dr. Lydia Chun who informed the postgrads on the importance of mental health, and Dr. David Roh, who did a teaching on the Holy Spirit. Much praying and sharing fellowship together cultivated new friendships and strengthened the unity of the group. All got blessed by wonderful worship filled with His presence. All glory to our faithful God who hears our prayers and pours His grace on all of our endeavors. Following the retreat, Dr. Chung spent two days with the new regional coordinators and the new national campus chapter director, Hyunji from Texas. Two back-to-back Honduras mission trip was physically challenging and the professionals got blessed witnessing the work of God. We cheer on other professionals who traveled really far to serve with the gift of medicine such as Dr. Michael Oh, UCI mentor, traveling to Peru and Dr. Luke Shin traveling to Burundi, Africa. How great it is that we can serve and share.
Mission Report
MISSION UPDATE
Please note the date change for the Philippines mission trip.
May 25-30/2023 Honduras team consisting of Canada Chapters returned safely with abundant testimonies of witnessing God’s sovereignty and grace throughout the trip. The entire team including the professionals went through some challenges but it drew the team closer to God and to each other. In the midst of it, the team pressed onward to serve the people of Honduras through clinics, community development, and children’s ministry. During the daily evening team worship time, students rededicated their lives to Christ and five students even got water baptized by the missionary. We look forward to receiving the mission update from the two June 2023 Honduras teams! Thank you, God!
Regional Health Reports
West Coast
Praise Reports:
We thank God that a lot of our senior officers have graduated this year! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness throughout their college years and time serving in GMMA. We also praise the Lord for His faithfulness for another finished school year. He has used these student chapters as His lights on campuses throughout the school year and has taken care of our monthly Mexico mission trips.
Needs:
A lot of our west coast chapters have been struggling with finding board members to serve for the upcoming year, please pray that God would send faithful servants to help our student chapters. We would also appreciate your support through prayer specifically for campuses like UCSB, UC Davis, UOP and Cal Poly SLO who are struggling with members.
Regional Coordinator:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:10-11, 13)
As believers in this day and age, we must be vigilant standing firm in the faith. It can seem like we are attacked non-stop by enemy, yet we take heart knowing that we stand not by our own power, but the strength of the Lord and His might. I encourage all of our students and mentors to turn to the Lord for His strength in our weakness and to take up His armor.
CENTRAL
Praise Reports:
Central Region’s Honduras team safely came back from their mission trip this past weekend! We have been praying for our team the past couple months and we praise God for His goodness through our team to share His love and Word to those in Honduras! Not only were they able to share the Gospel there but also 10 people on the team were able to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior! We praise God again for His faithfulness among our team and to our region. We Thank God for His gift of Salvation and how He is moving among and through us in GMMA throughout this Summer.
Needs:
As our students are still in their summer breaks, please keep the officers in your prayers as they continue to stay rooted in God’s word, accountability and fellowship among the officer boards as they slowly prepare themselves for the next school year. Please also continue praying for the people our Central missions team encountered in Honduras and that God’s word would take deep root in their hearts and lives to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and to live in His truth daily.
Regional Coordinator:
Psalm 119:37 says, “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways” I pray this not only over our Central Region but our GMMA family nation and worldwide to have our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ and His kingdom. Would He take our eyes away from worthless things in this temporary world and would our lives be preserved according to His truth as a living sacrifice for His glory daily!!
EAST COAST
Praise Reports:
Praise God for His unfailing love and faithfulness for each and every student in our region! God met so many students in such intimate ways throughout the past year- during mission trips, in their quiet time with Him, and in many more ways we could not even imagine. He also allowed us to experience the joy that comes from serving Him and His people. Thank you God for continuously revealing Yourself to us and allowing us to experience You!
Needs:
There are many new chapters in the Northeast region that are recruiting board members. Please pray that they will trust in God’s sovereignty and provision throughout the process. Also with many students going back home, or moving to a new environment for the summer, please pray that they will continue to spend time with God wherever they are and grow in their relationship with God.
Regional Coordinator:
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:4–6)
Father God, please help us to remain in you and remember that we are truly nothing. Help us to remain in you in all circumstances – in times of mourning and in times of joy – so that we may bear fruit as your children.
You can explore all of the GMMA chapters, including information about the leadership, meeting times, contact, Instagram handles and more, on our website here.
If you know any healthcare professionals who would gladly serve as mentors for these chapters, please email us at admin@gmma7.org.
Please make sure to use Amazon Smile so that a percentage of your purchase comes back to GMMA/Kamhc incorporated in the form of a donation.
Simply click on this link: smile.amazon.com/ch/26-0268289 and start shopping through smile.amazon.com!
There are many incredible ministries and organizations you can choose to support through Amazon Smile, so we thank you in advance for choosing to support GMMA and partnering with us to help others smile through His kingdom work!
GMMA CONNECTS!
Our healthcare community serving together for His glory.
As many are facing new challenges due to changes in education, professional training, and
workplace due to the pandemic, we’ve created “GMMA Connects” as a space for
networking.
Please share and connect to the inquiries if you can assist in
any way. You can send inquiries to newsletter@gmma7.org by the 15th of the
month to be listed in this section.
Prayer Requests
How fruitful is your life now? When have you recently humbled yourself and sought God’s face and repent your ways? God promises that He will hear from heaven, will forgive our sin and will heal the unproductive land. Do you want to live a fruitful life?
Please join GMMA’s prayer movement and click the button above for the GMMA Prayer Requests from Regional Coordinators.
GMMA adapted ECHO prayer app so every GMMA member can pray together at 9 PM every day.
Here is the link for GMMA-Echo Instruction for your information. https://youtu.be/zchhVrmtPSM
CONTACT US!
- 18549 Hawthorne St
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Are you interested in serving with GMMA? Utilize the talents and gifts that God has provided you and serve with us! Please contact your area of interest above!
Until next time,
Please share about GMMA and let us all remember to Arise and Shine for His glory.
Global Medical Missions Alliance | 714.444.3032 | admin@gmma7.org | GMMA7.org