Maureen Lee has been involved in international medical missions since 2010, having served as a nurse in Vietnam, Nepal, Ethiopia, Jordan, and Burundi. In November of 2013, she accompanied Miriam Chickering (President of Nurses International) on a vision trip to Burundi. Since the founding of Nurses International, she has been a key asset to the organization. Maureen’s overall courage and passion for ministry are vivid hallmarks of her service.
In regards to her commitment to help suffering communities, Maureen shared, “My husband passed away early in our marriage due to a tragic accident. Then, my best friend died after contracting AIDS from a medical procedure. When I’m able to share a little of my story with the people I meet while doing my international work, I think it’s very surprising to them. They don’t think of a health care worker from the West as someone with a story that is perhaps, in some ways, similar to their own. When I share my story with someone, they express sorrow for my pain. When I receive that from them, then I can share their pain in a very different way. It puts us on the same level, and that’s when meaningful communication takes place.”
On her first trip to Burundi, Maureen shared her story with a group of widows at a location known as Home Care. In return, ladies from the group shared their stories and experienced a sense of unity. This past March, Maureen prepared for a second journey to Burundi, to serve as a Nurses International representative on the student selection committee for our pilot project in Burundi: Great Lakes International School of Nursing – Burundi (GLISN- Burundi).
Near her hometown, Maureen has helped begin a volunteer clinic for the needy. In addition, she participates in a nursing home ministry with her friends from Texas’ Graceview Baptist Church.
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