Medical Team

Posted on 19 October 2009.

During September, a group of Chinese-speaking doctors, dentists, nurses and pharmacists joined a week-long medical team to a village where our long-term co-workers are involved. What a blessing the team were to these poor villagers!

The team began by giving medical check-ups to all the children at the local school. Our co-worker reported, "We arrived at the school and immediately the team went to work setting up an orderly flow for the children and patients. Every child had a check-up - height, weight, eyesight, temperature, ear, nose, throat, glands, heart, lungs, abdomen and skin. The children were then given worming medicine and vitamins."

Next the families of the children and other local villagers were invited to come for help. During the week, nearly 500 people were seen by the medics. These people are normally unable to afford to see a doctor. Some told team members that they could not even afford to pay the travel costs to the nearest doctor, yet alone the consultation and treatment!

Towards the end of the week, the team was able to give health education talks to the school children. They were taught about basic hygiene and nutrition. The dentists gave each child a toothbrush and taught them how best to clean their teeth, even when toothpaste is not available.

Records were made for each person treated and the team all expressed a desire to return next year for follow-up. Our China-based co-workers will also continue to express God's love to these people through their ongoing care and assistance. We are already hearing reports that the seeds sown are leading to a greater openness to the Gospel.

Give thanks for the open door for the medical team to visit this village for the first time. Pray that the advice and treatment given by the team might have a real impact both physically and spiritually in the lives of the local people.

Until our long-term co-workers began visiting this village, few, if any, people there had heard the Name of Jesus. Pray that the practical care shown by the visiting Christians might soften the hearts of the local people and open their eyes to the truth of the Gospel.

Pray for future opportunities for medical teams to visit this village and other places where few people have access to regular medical care.