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Yercy’s First Steps: A Journey 18 Years in the Making

Yercy's First Steps: A Journey 18 Years in the Making At Scalpel At The Cross, we believe life-changing care goes beyond surgery. At our Miracle Campus in Pucallpa, Peru, patients receive ongoing orthopedic care, rehabilitation, and the support they need to heal....

On Earth as It Is in Heaven: The Yi Family’s Vision Trip

On Earth as It Is in Heaven The Yi Family’s First Scalpel At The Cross Vision Trip Lima + Pucallpa, Peru | July 28–August 5, 2026 At Scalpel At The Cross, we often talk about the power of a simple “yes.” For more than 20 years, God has used the yes of surgeons,...

Resilience, Mission, & the Power of Showing Up

Resilience, Mission, & the Power of Showing Up Through the perspective of Isabella (Isa) When I traveled to Pucallpa to serve with Scalpel At The Cross, I was simply hoping to make an impact—however small. What I did not expect was how deeply the experience would...

From Patient to Volunteer: Nikki Lavin’s Full-Circle Journey of Healing

One of the most powerful aspects of Scalpel At The Cross is the way stories of hope and healing intertwine—between patients, providers, and volunteers alike. Few stories capture this intersection more clearly than that of Nikki Lavin. Before Nikki ever served in...

What is it like to serve on a medical mission in the Peruvian Amazon?

Written by Erica Saxey SATC medical campaign volunteer - January 2025 One of my favorite things to do is to travel the world with my husband Chris, we like to hike mountains and canyons and see the culture and archeological sites, but recently, for the first time, we...

Ever Wonder What It’s Like to Go on a Mission with Scalpel At The Cross?

For years, Suzette, a CRNA, dreamed of providing anesthesia on a medical mission trip. In June 2022, that dream came true when she, her husband, and their two 19-year-old children joined Scalpel At The Cross for a mission trip to Pucallpa, Peru — and it changed...

Fullness of Joy

LIAM THIAGO, is a 6 year old boy who was born with a congenital limb defect, missing the bottom part of his left leg. However, over time he had developed a prominent bone. The fibula on one of the two bones of his leg became overgrown with symptomatic neuroma, meaning...

Two decades towards eternity

ARTICLE WRITTEN BY: Channing Cole What began as a modest family project and a childhood jungle gym, blossomed into a living organism that is growing before our very eyes. Scalpel transcends purely human construction; instead, it reflects God’s divine presence that...

The Art of Eager Anticipation

"In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps," Proverbs 16:9 When we had to cancel our first campaign due to Covid in April of 2020, we were holding out hope that it would pass quickly and travel could resume that year. It did not....

Another year of Gods faithfulness

Every year brings a new set of reasons to give thanks. As an organization, we are aware that gratitude is a command from God, not an optional feeling that rolls around once a year. Scripture tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give...

April 2017 Update

May 7, 2017

April 2017 UpdateDear Family and Friends,I have been impressed by the calling on our lives … a calling to humble ourselves like little children so that we might know the joy of being in the presence of Jesus … the kingdom of heaven … a...

March 2017 Update

Mar 13, 2017

March 2017 UpdateDear Friends and Family,Today marked two weeks since our last team operated on a patient. With two weeks of healing behind them, patients came to our first of four follow up clinics to have stitches removed, xrays...

January 2017 Update

Jan 26, 2017

January 2017 UpdateThe walkway between our apartment here in the jungle and our main guest house we lovingly call “Jungle Bunks” or JB for short … is a continually changing pathway … though you would not be aware of those changes unless...

Christmas 2016 Update

Jan 24, 2017

Christmas 2016 UpdateRain dripping on a tin roof, tropical bird calls, the whine of a hungry, rather-largish German Shepherd puppy, and the background Christmas music of Kenny G. These are sounds heard as I sit writing in Cashibococha,...

December 2016 Update

Dec 8, 2016

December 2016 UpdateFriday was to be a day of travel ... by car ... up into the mountains with a friend ... for several reasons. The one I was looking forward to the most was time with this friend … time to talk … time to share in each...

Oct 10, 2016

Agape LoveThe young pastor moved slowly off his hospital bed and stood looking down. I wondered why he was gazing downward. Without lifting his head, he said, “This is the first time in 14 years that I have looked down and found my...