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Wow, it was amazing ! I am back home in Germany now looking back on all the things God has done in my life and others'. The Doctors Reaching School has changed my life and was definitely a milestone related to character development ! It wasn't always easy - quite challenging actually - but no matter how difficult a situation is God has always a strategy for breakthrough ! This I have experienced more than once and it certainly strengthened my faith and deepened my relationship with Jesus !! He never failed to "show up" when I needed Him and poured out His love and wisdom upon my life. What would I do without Him ? I just love the fact that the almighty God is a personal God whom we can experience in our daily life, who speaks back to us and loves us like our hearts desire. Whoever thinks that He is just an imagination that helps us to cope with life is terribly mistaken ! To get to know God is transformational. He is peace, love and truth. He knows you by name and wants to have a relationship with you. Wow !
The old man
I'd like to share some highlights of our time in Asia and in the South Pacific.
It was the second last day in the country before we were flying out to Vanuatu. A friend called late at night to ask for help. She had met an old homeless guy who had open sores on his legs and didn't look too well overall. We came to have a look at him and discovered that he had gangrene on both shins, black toes on his left foot and his calve muscles as stiff as a board. There was hardly any circulation in both legs. On top of that he had difficulty breathing. He hadn't eaten in a while so we bought him some food which he gratefully accepted. He agreed to be taken to a hospital and we were able to share about a loving God and prayed for him. Then we took him to a nearby hospital just to find out that they couldn't help him. Their advice was to amputate both legs which would have cost a fortune. However, they suggested to take him to a homeless place and because it was late at night my friends who spoke the local language took him there.
We went back the next morning to bring him food and some things like clean clothes, wash cloth and soap, a warm winterjacket and soft shoes. He wasn't allowed to stay at that place for very long so we went back to God and prayed about the situation and what we should do. One thing we lived by throughout outreach was doing the possible and let God do the impossible. We wanted to show God's love actively and be "Samaritans" for this man. We washed his gangreneous legs, bandaged them and put on a new pair of pants before we took him to another hospital to get a second opinion and await God's miracle.
Standing at the side of the road we were waiting for a taxi for an exceptionally long time. No taxi came which was unusual for that area. So, we thought, we might as well share more about our hope in Jesus and His love for all people while waiting. Right there the old man gave His heart and life to Jesus and felt new strength rising up in him. My friend told him to pray for a taxi so we could get to the hospital. He did and sure enough a minute later the taxi came. At the hospital they let us see a doctor immediately whose verdict was more encouraging than the previous one. The man could stay as an inpatient and have some tests done which would determine if he really needed an amputation. The only thing was that neither of us had the money to pay for the treatment. But that's where God's miracle came in ! We took him back to the homeless-home where they were gracious to let him stay for a few more nights. My friend and I had to leave the country on that day but others took over and took care of the man and the situation.
To cut a long story short: we found out that after long phonecalls with officials and even more extensive prayer times the government actually decided to pay for all hospital bills, treatment and all. That's like unheard of !!
One of our friends visited him frequently and shared more about his new hope in Christ. He could enjoy free food, a warm bed, new clothes and a new life with new friends. A short while after, God chose to take the old man home into eternity.
Nobody is out of reach for God's love ! God saves souls and lives every day ! What an honor to be part of His plans.
Ministry-turn 180°; welcome to Vanuatu, South Pacific
It couldn't have been more different from our time in Asia. The tropical, humid heat was greatly appreciated...not so much the mosquitos that potentially carried Malaria. Neither my friend or I got sick for the whole time of outreach which we were more than thankful for ! However, we had more than one opportunity to take care of other team members from the team (School of Evangelism) we joined in Vanuatu. We were also able to go into different villages and offer health check ups, gave out free medicines and joined the SOE in teaching about basic health- and woundcare. It was really awesome to see the locals soaking up the knowledge and put it into practice over the following weeks. We followed up the sick that we had treated and we saw major improvements of their physical conditions ! As in all hot-climate culture nations it's all about relationships. The locals became friends, they trusted us and were eager to know about our motivation to come so we had many opportunities to share God's love for them and to encourage the believers to enter a deeper relationship with God. Many gave their life to Jesus and were set free from addictions and a lifestyle of bondage and violence. Their transformation affected the whole village and was an encouragement and testimony to many !
Other than that we, my friend and I, were welcomed into the local central hospital to volunteer as doctors for the rest of our time there. The first week we spent in the paediatric outpatient clinic where we supported two experienced nurses with checking and treating the 0-5 years olds. It was great and I learned more about tropical medicine while we were building relationships with the nurses there. They became friends as well and took us out for lunch at the end of our time at the hospital. The majority of the time we spent in Obs/Gyne where we saw God move in a special way.
Primegravida, IUD (intraunterine death) at six months
She was transferred from another clinic on Tanna Island . She was feverish due to severe pneumonia and malaria plus having a dead fetus inside of her womb which nobody knew how long it had been dead. She was severely anaemic (bloodloss, Hb 4 !) The consultant assumed placental abruption and amnionitis (separation of the placenta from the uterine wall and infection of the fluid in the bag of membranes due to fetal maceration). The ultrasound scan had confirmed the dead fetus but hardly any details were given. The lady (I will call her Annie) was in a critical condition. They started her on oxytocin which was supposed to cause contractions so that she would be able to expell the dead fetus. Surgery was contraindicated at that point because of her pneumonia and the anesthetist refused any operative intervention. Besides there was a high risk of spreading germs into the blood by cutting the uterus plus the risk of impaired wound healing because of the infected tissue.
However, after much oxytocin in increasing dosages there was still no positive response. My friend and I had been praying for and with Annie daily which she had gratefully accepted. Even one of the nurses joined in wholeheartedly ! It was a spiritfilled and hopeful atmosphere despite the circumstances.
After a few days the antibiotic and antimalarial treatment had improved Annies health enough to make surgery an option which she had a week after admission. Another ultrasound report said that the placenta was covering the os and preventing the fetus to come out. We were with Annie in the operation room and watched in amazement what nobody had expected. The uterus (womb) had ruptured and the fetus was out in the abdominal cavity so there was no way the fetus could have been expelled vaginally. There was no infection of the womb but Annie happened to have a uterus bicornus which means that she had two uteri that emerged into one opening, her womb was heart shaped. The fetus had developed in the left part until the uterus had ruptured for some reason which resulted in the massive bloodloss. The surgeons took out one side of the uterus and preserved the other part which was perfectly fine and still attached to its fallopian tube. Annie would be able to become pregnant again. Although miscarriage rates are high in this case we are in hope that she will eventually give birth to a healthy baby.
The doctors and consultant were amazed that she actually survived despite of her life-threatening condition. They say it's a miracle and we believe so too !! God saved her and brought her to a deeper understanding about His love for her. It turned out that she had been with a witchdoctor who gave her some leafs to drink after massaging her pregnant belly. It was after that that her condition got worse and she went to the clinic.
Witchdoctors are very common in Vanuatu and they are widely trusted and consulted by the locals. We have seen much harm done through them and we have prayed for God to expose their evil practice and bring more understanding to the locals. It's a battle but we have also seen breakthrough and God's miracles heal and transform the people beyond the possible.
It was such a privilege to go to "the end of the earth" and to be a blessing but also be blessed ourselves beyong expectation ! There is so much more to tell, these were just some of the highlights of the past 3 months.
One of the most impacting things was certainly the crosscultural experience in my team ! Through all struggles and differences because of our different backgrounds, upbringing, personalities and level of medical experience we have come to unity and were able to partner in the same heart and spirit. It's all about God, it's all about Jesus. He is the reason I do what I am doing. And I am absolutely loving it ! |
