May 21, 2012
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - You may remember Joyce Smith. We introduced you to this 75-year-old after she graduated college with a 4.0.
She's volunteering locally, but says she went back to school so she could go on medical missions and she's finally back from her first trip.
She says she's been given a lot, so she has a lot to give. It's a way of life she chose many years ago, but didn't get a chance to really live until now.
A passage from Psalms 92 became a guiding light for Joyce Smith a few years ago.
"That we are to remain faithful, and fruitful in our old age. As plannings of the Lord."
But she doesn't consider 75, "old age."
"I don't feel old. But being 3/4's of a century sounds old, but I don't feel old."
And she certainly doesn't feel too old to learn. At 73-years-young, she went back to school.
"I graduated in June of 2010 with an associate degree in allied health sciences and became a registered and certified medical assistant."
Six months later, she was in the Dominican Republic, on a medical mission. Along with One Vision and 8 other students, she set up clinics to care for children and adults.
"We were just examining them, looking at them, ministering to them, loving on them and doing what we could medically."
For 5 days they helped hundreds who waited in line.
"A lot of skin rashes, a lot of skin diseases, high blood pressure, a lot of colds and sore throats."
She says the word of God keeps her strong.
"Just reading his word daily, listening to it, his guidance, his direction, and knowing, we are his instruments."
And she expects it to keep her going, long after 75.
"I want to keep going as long as I'm given breath."
Joyce volunteers with Dr. Kim at the free clinic and at foothills family practice. She is going on a medical mission trip to Peru at the end of May and hopes to go to Haiti with One Vision sometime soon.
To learn more about One Vision, click on the link below.
