In the photo: Incoming international volunteers join CMMB staff for a special commitment ceremony where volunteers share their intention to serve. (Photo credit: Elena Solana for CMMB)

What does it mean to be an international volunteer? It means you’re selfless with your time and skills. It means you’re as committed to driving change for others as you are to embracing it for yourself. It means that you heard your call to mission—and you answered it. It means you serve with intention. 

We’re humbled that a new group of talented clinical and public health professionals chose to answer their call to mission with CMMB. Together, we will help save lives. 

Before setting out on their life-changing journey in 2023, our new group of international volunteers joined the CMMB team in New York City at the end of last year to complete their new volunteer orientation with a full day of meetings and training, followed by their commitment ceremony.

Training session during CMMB international volunteer orientation_Dec2022

In the photo: Incoming CMMB international volunteers participate in pre-departure trainings at winter volunteer orientation.

During this inspiring event, everyone shared their intentions for serving as a volunteer and committing to our brother and sisters around the world. Here are some highlights of what was shared: 

“My intention would be to strengthen the opportunity for that hospital to be able to enhance every dollar they have to make it effective.” – Beverly Farinelli, Hospital Administrator, Nzara, South Sudan 

“I can only hope that this is as meaningful and as beautiful an experience for you as it has been for me in the past.” – Ginger Chapman, Nurse Midwife and returned volunteer, Mutomo, Kenya

“I really feel like I’m just a cog in a wheel of something bigger that’s going to happen in Zambia. There’s a larger mission behind it, and I’m hopefully just one little pebble that creates a ripple for a much bigger scope.”  – Debbie Rayhab, Nutrition and Marketing Specialist, Lusaka, Zambia. 

“When I think about an intention, it’s really about feeling very privileged and blessed and wanting to give something back.” – Pamela Avila, Nurse Educator, Mutomo, Kenya

“I have some very close friends from South Sudan. After hearing their stories, getting to know them and what they left behind, I want to go and make South Sudan even a fraction better so that when they return home, they have a better life.”  – Morgan Rodriguez, Psychiatric Nurse, Yambio, South Sudan 

We look forward to sharing updates from more of our international volunteers in the coming months.