Mission. What do you associate with that word? David Livingstone dispensing quinine under a baobab tree?

Let Nucleus expand your horizons: Ted Lankester shows us why mission today is as diverse as your skills, and a medical degree is a passport to virtually every place on the planet. The Saline team remind us that you don't need to board a plane to be involved in mission: the NHS is crying out for faithful witnesses. Anastasia Chitty reports from a prison visit. So many choices, how would you know where God is calling you? Pippa Peppiatt gives us wisdom rather than rules. But why mend bodies when we should be helping people with the health of their eternal souls? Emma Dipper considers whether we need to choose between declaring and demonstrating the gospel.

But we haven't just got theology and theory in this edition. We have stories from the front line: Emily Stainton from St George's University of London gives some tips for how to run your own mission on campus. Further afield, what's it like to join a short term vision trip (SVT) to Iraq and Lebanon? We hope these SVTs will have your heart racing for more adventures of faith.

How can you use your F3 to experience a taster of mission, and not just a suntan? What can you expect on your elective in a mission hospital? Why would someone choose Emergency Medicine as a specialty for mission, and work in Albania? And what's it like being a medical student in a totally different culture like Belarus? Or closer to home in Keele?

And if you want resources and recommendations, look no further. Nandi Mnyama reviews a CMF writing course that might enhance your spiritual influence, let alone improve your med school assignments. Jackie Pullinger is our remarkable missionary hero to the addicts of Hong Kong. We have book reviews, a news digest, and if you are fed up with reading, perhaps we can recommend a movie to stir your soul.

Finally, you are personally invited to the International Christian Medical and Dental Association (ICMDA) World Congress in India. It is guaranteed to give you a foretaste of that international praise party which is the ultimate goal of mission:

'After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

"Salvation belongs to our God,

who sits on the throne,

and to the Lamb."

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying:

"Amen!

Praise and glory

and wisdom and thanks and honour

and power and strength

be to our God for ever and ever.

Amen!"' (Revelation 7:9-12)

The ICMDA World Congress runs from 21-26 August 2018, beginning with a student event. The conference will be held in Hyderabad, India. For more details, and to book, see icmda2018.org. CMF will provide some bursaries to help UK and Ireland medical students attend — contact the CMF Office at: students@cmf.org.uk for more information.

Alex Bunn is CMF Associate Head of Student Ministries and a GP in London