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Orthopedic Surgeon Maria* shares how she witnessed the impact of physical healing as part of God’s plan to bring wholism to lives in Southeast Asia.
I remember the exact moment when my heart began to beat for God`s mission. I took every opportunity to share the gospel working with students, children and in my local prison. After graduating as an orthopedic surgeon, I imagined that it would be easy to serve overseas, but this was not the case. I carried this dream in my prayers until God made it a reality with Interserve GBI, as part of their On Track community.
Gratefully, I sat on a flight in September 2021, my sixth trip to a hospital in Southeast Asia that had become so dear to my heart. Due to the pandemic, it had already been a year and a half since my last visit. I was missing the people, the work and the place, but moreover, the list of patients needing treatment was growing.
My role at this hospital has been to perform knee and hip replacements for some of the poorest patients. There are older people suffering with arthritis and worn joints due to years of heavy labour. There are also young adults with fractured bones that have not healed correctly. Many of these patients have to drag themselves with two bamboo sticks or use a wheelchair where this is available to them. With surgery and rehabilitation, these people can return to work and their daily routine as opposed to remaining this way indefinitely.
Shiva, a 30-year-old teacher in a remote village, had fractured his hip. Eventually, he could no longer walk to school, even with two crutches. The parents of the students collected money for Shiva to travel to the hospital, knowing that he would be well looked after. I operated on Shiva’s hip and he returned to teaching just two weeks after the operation. A month later, he no longer needed crutches!
Tirtha-Maya, a 50-year-old woman, suffered from severe osteoarthritis in both knees and could no longer work on her field. Her son told me that his classmates had travelled to the Middle East to earn money, but he had gone to Bible college; now he could not afford to take care of his mother’s knees. He had prayed for guidance and found our hospital; and his mother received new joints! In their remote village, this was seen as a miracle by God. Tirtha’s previously painful knees could now endure field work without problems and above all, the expensive surgery had been provided for. With this event, the number of church members in his home village doubled!
I love being used by God in a profession where I can play a part in restoring people to full mobility. This affects the whole family, sometimes the entire village. It is made extra special on occasions where something even more valuable is restored: after the patient has been prayed for, they receive the gospel of John whilst on the ward, and for some, this is the start of a new and restored relationship with the Way, the Truth and the Life. Joints may wear out again but hearts renewed in Christ never will!
*name changed
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