SMI Student Blog

Browse the SMI Student Blog Posts

The blog entries below were submitted by past participants of the SMI program during their time in Philadelphia. There are also some yearly recaps from our Summer Program Director.

The Goodness of God

The Goodness of God

by Kristie R.“The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” -Psalm 145:9   Stepping into SMI I did not know what to expect. I knew the program would be an enriching experience as it included all of my passions: ministry, underserved urban...

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God at Work Beyond our Understanding

God at Work Beyond our Understanding

by Silas B.“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways!‘For who has known the mind of the Lord,or who has been his counselor?Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’For...

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Seeing God in Everything

Seeing God in Everything

by Layo F.When I initially applied for SMI and even up until when I arrived at the train station, I didn't quite know what to expect from this experience. I had visited Philadelphia a few times but I had never heard anything about Kensington or its surrounding areas....

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Better than I Expected

Better than I Expected

by Ashley A.Hey everyone! My name is Ashley and I am in nursing school in Birmingham! Coming into SMI, I had no idea what to expect. Being from out of town, I assumed everyone would already know each other and I would be the outsider. I assumed Kensington would be a...

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Kensington

Kensington

by Jaz J.Kensington…. You’ve taught me a lot. You’ve shown me a lot. The first day I saw you, I was afraid of you. You looked like something that was shot right out of a movie scene. I had never seen anything like you. But over the last 3 weeks, I’ve come to know you...

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How does one pray… in Spanish?

How does one pray… in Spanish?

by Samantha E.“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” 1 Corinthians 1:17During college, I was introduced to the world of global missions, in that I would...

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An Avenue for the Gospel

An Avenue for the Gospel

by Lindsey F.I have wanted to be a doctor for a long time. The past three weeks in North Philly have only fueled my desire. One of the most important reasons that have influenced my desire to be a physician is the opportunity for patient relationships and the chance...

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Transformational: 30 Years of SMI

Transformational: 30 Years of SMI

A Report of the Philadelphia Summer Medical Institute, June 26-July 17, 2021 By Holly Favino, Summer Program Director   Who would imagine that a vaccination effort to combat a 1991 North Philadelphia measles outbreak would adapt and continue today as the...

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Simple But Powerful Lessons

Simple But Powerful Lessons

By Tolulope I   The Summer Medical Institute (SMI Philly 2020) is over and here I am reminiscing on the experiences I gained throughout the course of the program. The image of paintings on the wall of the conference room where I worked still lingers in my memory....

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Supporting Health Care During the Pandemic

Supporting Health Care During the Pandemic

By Katie V   The COVID-19 pandemic caused the Philadelphia Summer Medical Institute (SMI) to be different this year. Instead of going door-to-door to provide health screenings, we worked with Esperanza Health Center (EHC) to complete some clerical and...

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The Gift of Hope

The Gift of Hope

Top row, left to right: Elizabeth Centurión, Larissa Dean, Tiffany Wang, Jessica Bedele; Bottom row, left to right: Abby Weems, Juliana Bonilla, Nadine Kamel, Sosela Rrusho   I have no words for describing how grateful I am for being part of this huge...

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