Mission and History
Mission and Vision
Our mission is to demonstrate the love of Christ to people affected by disaster, conflict and poverty around the world.
Our vision is to help build a faith-based global health movement to save lives and transform people through the power of Christ's love.
Values
We are Christians. We believe in Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of the world. We depend on God and value prayer in all we do. We are concerned about the physical and the spiritual needs of the people we serve. We serve everyone in need, regardless of race, creed or gender. We affirm the involvement of volunteers from various faith backgrounds in our work. We conduct ourselves with sensitivity and respect when working with people of other faiths.
Integrity: We are honest in our communications, transparent and accountable in our finances and trustworthy in our relationships.
Compassion: We care deeply about the dignity of people who suffer in our world and are motivated by God’s love to bring love, hope and peace to people in need.
Teamwork: We promote teamwork in our relationships with those we serve with: in our collaboration with other groups who share a common mission, in our partnerships with donors and volunteers and in our interaction as staff and board members.
Volunteerism: We enable people to contribute their gifts, time and energy in ways that truly make a difference.
Excellence: We provide high-quality, responsive and effective programs because those we serve and those who support us count on us to do so.
Innovation: We encourage creative approaches that leverage the skills, knowledge and resources entrusted to us.
History
“Bad things happen in the world. The important point is, ‘What are you going to do about them?'"
- Dr. Phyllis Cavens
Phyllis Cavens, a doctor from Longview, Washington, cared for Cambodian refugees on the first Medical Teams International team in 1979. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Phyllis Cavens)
Medical Teams International began as a call in the heart of one man in 1979. Ron Post was a businessman who had no medical background. What he did have was a desire to reach out to those in need.
Thus, Northwest Medical Teams was born.
In 1979, Ron Post watched television reports of mass suffering in Cambodia. He saw thousand of refugees hoping to escape the Khmer Rouge by stumbling across the border into Thailand. Ron had observed that these refugees looked like they were "looking for a quiet place to die."
As the picture of a dying Cambodian refugee girl filled his television screen, his compassion turned to determination. His own daughter was near the same age. “What if that refugee were my own child?” Ron thought.
He asked God to help him make a difference for people suffering in Cambodia. Less than a month later, Ron, and 28 other medical volunteers set out to make that difference by providing care for the survivors in Cambodia’s killing fields.