Youngseo Choi, a senior studying biomedical sciences, completed an internship with Samaritan’s Purse in Germany and Africa over the summer, using her global experiences to live out the missional calling God placed on her heart.
Choi refers to this as the best summer of her life. She spent this time working at the Bongolo Hospital in the rural neighborhoods of Gabon in Africa. Alongside her team, Choi rotated through different departments to serve those in need and offer them the good news of Christ. Some of these roles included ministering to patients through maternity and chaplaincy.
“I just felt a lot of confirmation that this is what I want to do with my life,” Choi said.
Providing medical help with Samaritan’s Purse was a very effective ministry platform to Choi. She explained that while many people will never step foot in a church, many will find themselves in a hospital setting. When people entered the missionary hospital desperate for help, they were much more open to their worldview being altered and were eager to receive hope from the internship team.
Meeting physical needs in the Gabon community was an important part of Choi’s experience. However, she and her team felt that the news of Jesus was the only thing they could offer that would provide a lasting impact. Even if diseases were healed, money was given, or a meal was shared these things paled in comparison to the gospel truth that would determine their eternity.
“We aren’t only trying to make Earth a more comfortable place, but we are trying to impact where they are in eternity too,” Choi said.
During her time in Gabon, Choi saw death and disease. Yet beneath all of that, she was overwhelmed by new life and the goodness of God working through each situation.
Choi has seen God’s transformative power demonstrated in her own life too. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Choi grew up in an agnostic family and experienced abuse. At a young age she moved to Alberta, Canada with her mother and sister. When she was 16, Choi moved out and nearly found herself homeless.
By God’s grace, Choi was taken into a friend’s home and witnessed Christian love for the first time between the members of her unofficially adoptive family. She believed in God and wanted to experience joy, but Satan worked hard to keep her stuck in the lies that she believed. Burdened by sin and depression, the loneliness she felt led her to a suicide attempt.
“He so justly and rightfully could have let me die and go to hell like I deserved, but he let me live,” Choi said.
Choi recounted this critical moment in her testimony as a saving miracle from the Lord. When she woke up in the hospital, she was faced with the reality of his sovereignty in sparing her life. She felt God’s presence echo the sentiments of Jeremiah 29:11: the assurance that God had a sure plan for her future.
When Choi met Jesus, her life was completely transformed, bringing about true joy and peace that surpassed all understanding. However, Choi still felt an immense burden for her unbelieving best friend who practiced Islam. Because of her friend, Choi felt called to learn Arabic in order to witness to Muslims who need to hear about the true God. This calling led her to study Arabic as her minor in college.
During her summer with Samaritan’s Purse, Choi felt called to take a gap year after graduation to return to Korea and live with her family. This challenging decision represented a commitment she has to continue to go anywhere God sends her. She trusts God will do a redemptive work in those relationships and is excited to share the light and hope she finds in her faith in Jesus.
Beyond her gap year, Choi shared that she would love to teach language in the Middle East to be fully immersed in Arabic and begin ministering to the Muslim community. She also hopes to continue into Liberty’s medical school, do a post residency with Samaritan’s Purse, and then launch into long-term missions.
As Choi continues studying biomedical sciences and Arabic, she hopes to follow God’s call on her life. Similar to when she surrendered to him when she was in a time of need, she looks ahead to how God will continue to use her to minister to others.
Quam is a feature reporter for the Liberty Champion.