MediAccess Manoah Team — A Place of Rest for Migrants

A Warm Place of Rest for Migrants
MediAccess Manoah Team

The MediAccess Manoah Team is a medical mission team serving migrants and multicultural communities in Korea. Begun to help under-resourced churches, the team now regularly serves Pocheon Harang Center and Dongducheon Africa Church, and this summer it is also preparing for an overseas outreach to Lampung, Indonesia.

“MANOAH” means “rest” in Hebrew. What migrants living in an unfamiliar land need most is rest and comfort. As one migrant shared, “This is the first time in Korea that I’ve met someone who treated me with kindness.” Beyond simple medical aid, the Manoah Team conveys love and comfort to those in loneliness and hardship, becoming a warm place of rest for them.

Love Shared Through Medicine, Encounters That Lead to the Gospel

Pocheon Harang Center, which the Manoah Team visits, is a community for multicultural-family youth and migrants. In 2022 it was a small worship community of just five or six people, but it has now grown into a community of around 90 people from 14 countries. The center welcomes not only children but also parents and local migrants, offering a wide range of ministries, including Korean-language education, visa counseling, and resettlement support.

The center’s pastor says, “Trust in the center grew greatly once the medical team began visiting.” More than simply treating illness, medicine has become a precious channel through which prepared souls meet the community and come to know God.

To Be a Team That Shares Jesus’ Love with the Sojourners of This Land

The Manoah Team comprises specialists in internal medicine, ophthalmology, orthopedics, dentistry, and Korean medicine, who serve alongside dedicated volunteers. Even those who are not medical professionals can take part in reception, interpretation, administration, and hair and beauty services. Built on teamwork developed over many years of serving together, the team carries on stable, dependable care. We long to be used as one united team that shares the incarnational love of Jesus with every soul we meet and reveals the glory of God.

On-Site Electronic Records — Data That Connects the Ministry

The Manoah Team uses an electronic medical records (EMR) system even in the field. Past records of returning patients can be looked up, and the system runs much like a real hospital — from reviewing ultrasounds and printing prescriptions to compiling clinical statistics. This makes more systematic and continuous care possible. The entire system is sustained by the devoted service of one engineer volunteer who has taken part in the medical ministry for eight years, faithfully supporting the work from behind the scenes.

Migrants Left in the Blind Spots of Healthcare

Many migrants in the Pocheon area work in manufacturing and often report musculoskeletal conditions, chronic illness, and mental stress. Yet quite a few cannot receive proper treatment because they have no health insurance. During a recent clinic, one Pakistani patient with suspected heart disease needed detailed examination, but without health insurance it was difficult to arrange further testing and treatment. We prescribed the medication he needed and guided him to seek prompt care back in his home country, leaving us with a heavy heart.

Where Learning Meets Service — Medical Volunteering by CHA University Nursing Students

Through the cooperation of Pocheon City, CHA Hospital and the center partnered for a one-day outreach, and for this ministry first-year students from CHA University College of Nursing joined in a meaningful time of service. As future medical professionals, they experienced guiding patients, assisting with care, and supporting the field, gaining a first-hand look into the lives and healthcare challenges of migrants. Beyond classroom knowledge, it became precious field education in the calling of a medical professional and the value of service, and they saw directly the impact that medical mission has on people’s lives.

Please Join Us in Prayer

1. That the gospel and love may be conveyed well to migrants despite language and cultural barriers
2. That a path of help and treatment may open for patients who cannot receive care due to a lack of insurance
3. That Pocheon Harang Center may grow into a healthy community for migrants and the next generation, and that needed workers may be raised up
4. That the Manoah Team may be united and used as a community that shares Jesus' love and reveals God's glory
5. That interpretation support may be provided for patients from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, and beyond, so that care and service may cross the language barrier