Bio
Cynthia grew up in a Christian home and trusted in Christ for salvation just before her third birthday. At six years of age, she followed the Lord in believers’ baptism. As she grew, her parents encouraged her in reading missionary stories and praying for missionaries. She studied Spanish in high school because she desired to be a missionary in Mexico. Later, she attended Bob Jones University and majored in nursing.
During her college years, Cynthia had the opportunity to go on a summer mission trip to Mexico. After graduating from the BJU nursing program in 1994, she gained four years of experience in many areas of nursing that would later be useful on the mission field, including labor/delivery, outpatient clinic, emergency care, general medical/surgical nursing, and pediatrics.
In 1998, God called Cynthia to teach in the nursing program at Bob Jones University where she taught for 17 years. During that time she graduated from Clemson University with a Masters in Nursing and a Family Nurse Practitioner focus and also completed a masters in Biblical counseling and a doctorate in education.
While teaching at BJU, God allowed Cynthia to spend twelve consecutive summers in Mexico working with a traveling youth camp ministry – Campamento Meta - as their camp nurse, as well as fulfilling many other roles including teaching classes for the girl campers and counselors.
In 2015, God unexpectedly led Cynthia out of the educational realm and back to bedside nursing for two years. During these two years, she was able to go on five one-week medical mission trips with Medical Mission Outreach to the countries of Guyana, Peru, Ecuador, the Philippines, and Kenya.
In the spring of 2017, Cynthia’s early desire to be a full-time missionary was about to be fulfilled. One of her BJU nursing graduates, Rachel Langendorfer, contacted her regarding a need for another nurse in a medical missions clinic in Papua New Guinea.
That email hit her like a lightning bolt! She prayed for a number of days about the possibility, and it quickly became apparent that God had finally opened the door for her to participate in the kind of missionary service that she had desired for many years. None of her previous education, job experiences, or mission trips were wasted – all were preparatory for God’s calling her to PNG!
From February 2018 to November 2019, Cynthia completed a short-term assignment in Aibai, PNG, during which she learned Tok Pisin (the PNG language), served in the medical clinic, participated in ministries with women and children, gained some understanding of the culture, and built meaningful relationships with the nationals.
Cynthia left PNG in November 2019 to complete deputation as a career missionary. After raising her support, she again returned to PNG in July 2021 and has completed her first term on the field. She continues to minister full-time in the medical clinic, caring for patients with acute and chronic illnesses, giving prenatal care, providing well-baby checkups and vaccines, intervening in emergency situations, and delivering babies. She is amazed as she sees how physical needs pave the way for sharing the word of God and showing the love of Christ. She also organizes the church nursery and has many opportunities to give the Gospel to the unsaved mothers who come to the Sunday services.
Cynthia marvels that God has given her the desires of her heart by calling her to full-time missionary service in PNG.
To view Cynthia McGuire's photo gallery, click the picture below.