15 Years in the Making
Steven J. Repas, MD, MBA MS originally found his passion for mission work at age 13 when he went to Jacmel, Haiti after the devasting earthquake in 2010 with Ministry in Mission. Ministry in Mission founded in 2007 by Jackie Rychel, provides short mission trip opportunities for people interested in sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ in foreign countries, particularly the Caribbean. MNM originally focused its efforts doing human care and disaster response in Haiti and has now expanded to the Dominican Republic and has plans to do mission work in Belize, South Florida, and other Caribbean countries. MNM is a Registered Service Organization (RSO) of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) and has worked with the LCMS disaster response co-ordinating earthquake and hurricane relief work. While on that trip, Steven found his calling: Medicine. Since that point in time Steven has done mission work with Ministry in Mission. This included creating mission trip opportunities for college and high school students.
While in medical school, Steven had first-hand experience of the changes COVID-19 pandemic caused both domestically and internationally. He noticed that the way in which global health was practiced was very dependent on the ability to be in other countries on a regular basis which was derailed by the pandemic. This in turn showed several weaknesses of this way of practicing and emphasized a change was needed.
While applying for residency, he partnered with the LCMS to visit several countries to find opportunities for healthcare professionals to serve abroad. He focused on collaboration with host countries and ways to practice sustainable medical missions even in the event of an inability to travel to said countries on a regular basis. The foundation of medical missions should be host country led, and American supported. It should also focus on sustainability through utilization of the host country’s pre-established healthcare system, support through educational initiatives and collaboration with research. The responses from the countries he visited was overwhelmingly positive and Medicine in Mission was created in 2022.
Medicine in Mission launched their inaugural medical mission trip with Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine in June 2023. Dr. Repas has since led annual trips of medical students and is actively expanding opportunities for other healthcare providers.