Is the Medical Missionary
by Dr. Kenneth Strachen, Director, Latin America Mission S h e was a young missionary nurse fresh on the field and she was troubled. The first few months had opened her eyes to some of the prob lems of operating a small mission hos pital in a modem Latin American city. They had also dealt rather roughly with some of her illusions. But what had really stirred up the little demons of doubt in her mind was a flat statement in a magazine. “ The day of medical missions is over,” the statement read. “ Big mod em government hospitals, foreign-aid programs, socialized medicine, scien tific advances—all render the small mission hospital obsolete and unneces sary. Missions had best direct their efforts along other lines.” So went the article, and as she read on, a lofty and beautiful dream castle of noble service that would bring bodily healing and new life in Christ to scores of the sick and broken began to totter upon its foundations. All the bright illusions and brave hopes of the years of training were on the brink of being shattered. If there was no real need for medi cal missions, then why go on? But what about her training? And what about her call? And what about the loyal group of church folks that had sent her out and were praying so faithfully for her anticipated minis try? Was the day of medical missions really over? She had to find an an swer to that question. Not only young missionaries but veterans also, engaged in medical ministries all over Latin America and other parts of the world, are seeking the answer to that question—forced upon them by the new world situa tion in which they serve. And mis sion executives, faced with the addi tional factors of rising costs, increased government regulations (necessary but restrictive just the same), multi plying technical demands that absorb the full time of missionary personnel and reduce the opportunities for effec tive witness and spiritual ministry, are also pondering the question. And because, under pressure of limited resources of physical weari ness and discouragement the answers ventured are so often uncertain and vacillating, it is perhaps time to come out with a categorical statement. We
would like to affirm that in our judg ment never in the long history of Christian missions has there been a time which called so urgently for a dynamic, warm-hearted, altruistic medical ministry and outreach on the part of Protestant missions as the present. For the following reasons: First. From a purely medical point of view the need for medical atten tion, hospital service and nursing is just as great as ever— in the big cities and even more in rural and jungle areas. Government and other secular agencies cannot keep up with the de mands of an exploding population. Consulted on this point the head for one Latin American country of that branch of the International Coopera tion Administration (formerly known as the Point Four Program) stated that nowhere throughout L a t i n America were medical needs being adequately met. And a head nurse of the same agency confirmed his word by affirming that in every re public there is a desperate shortage of trained nurses. To the missionary whose eyes and heart are opened, the multitude, upon whom his Lord looks with compassion is greater than ever. Its proportion of lame, halt and blind—-of needy folk searching for healing of body and soul—is just as great as ever. The same need must evoke the same re sponse. Second. The ministry of healing through medical attention or nursing continues to be one of the most effec tive media for coming into contact with people of all classes at opportune moments in their lives when they are open as at no other time to the claims of Christ. No other form of mission ary service provides such excellent op portunities for effective witness to in dividuals. And no other institution can equal the outreach of a mission hospital to all strata of society nor win as much favor for the cause it serves. This has been demonstrated overwhelmingly in the long history of missions and if the evangelistic task of the Church is just as great to day (greater, some would say), then surely such a strategic and success ful medium as missionary medicine cannot be abandoned.
WHAT THE MISSIONARIES WRITE: More than 375 young people have been trained in the Biola School of Missionary Medicine since its in ception a little more than a decade ago. Miss Leonie V. Soubirou, direc tor, reports the following interesting comments. (Pictures and comments ED OSTERWIND ’54 “ I have now been to Sinematiali ( pronounced Cinnamon Charlie!) four times with medicines and Vve been able to pre sent the Gospel to a group of IS to 30 patients almost every time.” KENNETH and Gloria, (MEN DENHALL ’48) RADACH, Ethio pia: “ W e moved from our small “ tin shack” with dirt floors into the smal ler clinic building. The stove is out side, but we don’t mind for in a short time we will move into a five-room mansion.” ZETTIE FINCH ’57, Eritrea: “ Re cently some finances have come so that the four-room clinic can be equipped. Looks like we are going to have a nursery here before long, as lately we have taken in two and there are many more like these.” F R O M IN D IA : GLENOLA MARCHEL ’48, Assam, India: “ Our new doctor and family have arrived. The Dispensary is in full swing on the front veranda and the hospital school is going on both side verandas. One of the stu dent nurses assists the doctor in the dispensary but I have to be out here to be “ on call” for questions by those who give out the medicines or assist the doctor. Occasionally I have to assist by giving chloroform when the doctor lances an abscess, etc.” VIRGINIA SCHULENBURG ’57, Chinchpada Mission Hospital: “ I have started work in our hospital here in Chinchpada, having been transferred from the small dispen sary where 1 worked for a little over a year.” RUTH LINCOLN ’49, Travancore, South India: “ W e have been under great persecution and cursing here in this work. W e have bought some land and are trying to build a 150 bed hospital, but so many problems are arising.” (Concluded on page 44) on adjoining page.) F R O M A F R IC A :
THE KING'S BUSINESS
22
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker