KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers the cities of Shawnee and Mission. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of health care, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.
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A Kansas City nurse on a medical mission to Jordan found herself witnessing the Israel-Iran conflict unfold from her balcony nearly two weeks ago.
Roxanne Jones, a nurse with the nonprofit Global Care Force in Lenexa, was only on day two of her trip to Jordan in early June when she saw missiles in the sky.
"It was bright and loud," Jones said.
She and her volunteer team traveled to Jordan to provide health care to people with limited access, including many refugees who had fled from other conflict areas.
"We would love to get in, back to the West Bank. Our goal is to get into Gaza," Jones said.
Jones and her team continued their mission despite air raids and loud bursts that occurred throughout their trip, especially as they got closer to the Israeli border.
"So we were always going, was that the short sound or the long sound? Does that mean it's over? Or is it starting?" Jones said.
For many refugees they treated, this was a traumatic reminder of what they had fled from.
"And now they thought they were in a safe country, and now they're hearing air raid signals in the country where they're supposed to feel safe," Jones said.
The team focused on providing both physical care and mental health support to their patients.
"The patients really just, they didn't know that they could just talk to somebody with no judgment, in peace," Jones said.
Despite the conflict surrounding them, Jones and her team managed to treat approximately 600 patients during their trip to Jordan.
"I think the biggest thing they leave with is hope somebody has not forgotten them," Jones said.
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