A lovely couple from Malas Village

We visited Tokain village with the medical team. Tokain is a little over 3 hours from Madang town. There is an aid post. The Community Health Worker showed us around and he is the only one there. The aid post serves the villages around. They ran out of vaccines and some of the medications. They had malaria tests but not medicine to treat it. The community authorities had invited us when they heard we were at Malas settlement, a village nearby. They wanted us to do a service after the clinic and welcomed us into their village.

There was an elderly couple who came in the afternoon. Luis saw the man and I saw his wife. They were in their 60's, maybe more. The man had an infected tooth and had been in pain for a while. His wife had a dental abscess that was swollen and causing her pain to eat and wouldn't go away. Their daughter brought them as soon as she heard there were dentists in Tokain. They had walked 1 hour to come see us.

Before dental extractions we check for sugar levels and blood pressure. Her blood pressure was really high. I talked to one of the nurses and we worked together to be able to solve her dental problem that day for her. The nurse talked to her and the daughter. She kindly explained what high blood pressure is and the risks and how important is to control it. The nurse gave them a referral for the High Blood pressure program at the local hospital and encouraged them to go next week. I loved to see their daughter wanting to know how she could take care of her parents, listening and asking questions and being so loving towards them. During the time we were waiting for the blood pressure to go down, one of the volunteers came to talk with her and she got prayer and a bible to take home with her!

After a while I got her in for the dental extraction. I explained that I would want to keep her close until all bleeding stops. I wanted to make sure she is doing better, before they walk back home. She smiled and nodded. After an uneventful extraction, the tooth causing the infection was gone. Her daughter told me how they have been in pain on and off and how it was such a blessing when they heard there were dentists at the aid post, and they started to walk to seek dental care. I asked her where is the closest health center or aid post for them, and she said it was Tokain Aid Post. She explained how it was hard to go to town. She was so grateful to all the team that came that day.

Later in the day, they started the journey back home. This family came to seek help and assistance for their physical struggles. They were welcomed with love and surrounded with compassion and kindness. They found more than medicine. They saw Jesus's love in every person at the clinic. His never-ending love pursuing them and meeting them that day. The kingdom of God had come near them.

"Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’" Luke 10:9

This is the heart of medical missions.

Medical professionals have the incredible opportunity to bring His love through the services we can provide. We have the privilege to serve them with love, kindness, excellence as unto the Lord. We love to see them smile, we love to let them feel cared for and encouraged to live healthy lives.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We love that we can bring that to our patients.

No matter how far or remote the village, we love to go because Jesus loves them, and we want them to know that love!

What do you have in your hands to bring His kingdom near? What has the Lord given you to be His light?

May you find the incredible joy it is to use whatever God has given you to make Him known right where you are. Maybe, even in the corners of the earth.