Incredible Opportunities for Witness

Our patient was a Sunni Muslim man, a Syrian refugee, one of an estimated 2-3 million currently living in a nearby country. One of a very proud people, he had been somewhat humbled by his status as a refugee and by his terrible physical problem. He came wearing a suit for his appointment in order to show respect for me as a medical professional. He was once a handsome young man but now was disfigured by someone who had done a needless surgery on his face. He had had a tremendous swelling and pain on the left side of his face and the “not so professional” surgeon had cut open his cheek to drain the infection. Then a poorly done skin graft completed the care given, but none of it relieved the pain.

He was told that cancer was the cause of his problem, thus adding to his anxiety over the unrelenting pain. He came with x-rays that had been taken and one glance told me that his problem was from abscessed teeth, not cancer. In fact, he had two abscessed teeth on each side of his lower jaw. There had been no need to cut his face and then place the skin graft. His beard refused to grow in the grafted area, making it even more obvious.

He was hoping for some kind of help with his situation. He received that, and also something better! Through a translator I let him know that he didn’t have cancer and that his problem was treatable. We would remove the four abscessed teeth in two visits. We first removed the painful teeth that had caused the swelling and had him come back for the other two a few days later.

In the meantime, we prayed that we would be able to share the Gospel with him on his return. After extracting the two teeth on the other side of his mouth, I was able to share with him through a translator my testimony of salvation and the Gospel. He sat and listened respectfully. I wasn’t sure what his reaction would be as I told him he was a sinner in need of a Savior. He got up out of the dental chair and came at me as I was standing there. Not sure what was about to happen I took a step back, expecting the worst. I was shocked and touched as he wrapped his arms around me and held onto me for a few moments, overcome with emotion. Was it compassionate care in Jesus’ name that brought him almost to tears or hearing that a Savior had paid for his sin? I can’t say for sure, but I do know that the door had now been opened for the local missionary to have further spiritual discussions with this Muslim man. This is medical missions.

Incredible Opportunities to Assist Church Planters

Zambia

In 2013, a local Chief in Zambia recommended to missionary Todd Beaman that the village of Chijayezo would be a good location for a church since it had a primary school and was a crossroads village. There were no true believers in this village, but it did have a Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. In September, Todd Beaman invited a dental team to come and show the love of Christ to these villagers, during which time the Gospel was shared with prospective patients. Some trusted in Jesus Christ during that outreach. Subsequent follow up saw additional professions of faith and in December the first official church service was held! Todd reports that since that initial dental outreach in September of 2013, more than100 people were baptized and over 200 made professions of faith. He also reports that a second church plant has also been started in another local village as a direct result of two medical and dental evangelistic outreaches there. This is medical missions. 

Papua New Guinea

On the other side of the world, a nurse practitioner and a church planter, along with several others, traveled for five hours over rugged terrain from one remote village (Aibai) to another remote village (Amia) to hold a two-day medical outreach. The nurse practitioner, Rachel Langendorfer, treated over 100 patients during this time. More importantly, missionary Michael Berbin shared the Gospel with each of the patients, and several professed faith in Christ. Following this clinic, men were sent to preach every other weekend. In July of 2019 literacy classes began, and soon a temporary church building was built. As the Word of God was faithfully preached, more people from Amia were saved, and some were baptized. Today, there is a more permanent church building in Amia, and God’s church there is growing. This is medical missions.

Stories such as these can be repeated over and over as we travel and come alongside church- planting missionaries and national pastors around the world. For me personally, the most exciting story is the one when the patient is brought to the dental chair and I am told by the evangelist that “this patient has just accepted Jesus Christ as his or her Savior!” This is also medical missions.

Yes, medical missions is relevant today. God is still using compassionate medical and dental care to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to people who do not know Him, to open doors for gospel presentation, to save souls, and to start Bible-believing churches throughout the world.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).