Attitude and Service

Not many of us get to make some great contribution to medicine like Dr’s. Warren and Marshall in this month’s devotion.   But everyday we can to do something in the service of our God that will have meaning for eternity in someone’s life.   Now that is significant in the eyes of God.  Are you willing to be used by God for this purpose?

We pray God may give us understanding of his purpose for medicine to care for the physically dying and offer hope for the spiritually dead.

Enjoy this month’s devotional from The Doctor’s Life Support published by the International Christian Medical Dental Association.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil 2:5-11

In 1982, the Australian pathologists, Dr. Robin Warren and Dr. Barry Marshall identified Helicobacter pylori    as causing gastritis and gastric ulcers.  How they confirmed that the organism was the cause of suffering for millions worldwide, is an example of how we can relate as Christians to healthcare and life.

Firstly, Dr. Warren did not take things at face value, nor did he accept the teaching of his predecessors as written in stone.  He raised new hypotheses to explain what he was observing.  As Christians we need to be prepared to practice from a new paradigm, a paradigm which places importance on faith and prayer in a world where Jesus Christ reigns as LORD.  We need to try and incorporate what we observe into our Christian worldview of medicine.

Secondly, Dr. Marshall, by ingesting the bacteria, committed himself to becoming an infected patient from whom biopsies were taken and the pathogens re-isolated.  He took on the condition he was trying to cure.  As a result of this, a cure for the disease was found.  This is a mild reflection of the fact that our God was prepared to become a human in the form of Jesus Christ.  He took on our human condition and experienced grief, temptation and pain.  However, as a result of his perfect life of obedience and death on the cross, a cure for the world’s most serious ailment, SIN, was achieved.

Dr. Marshall’s gastritis settled in 10-14 days.  In contrast, Jesus endured the ultimate in human suffering some 2000 years ago.  Yes, he died, but rose again and is alive today.  What is more, Jesus is alive in us now as we trust and believe him.  With him we live lives which can resist sin.

Running the Race

In Ukraine, students everywhere are preparing for and taking exams to finish the current year of study.  How can the Word of God be applied to this situation?  In 1Co9:24-25, the Apostle Paul writes, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.”(NIV translation)

First, we see there are many who want to claim the prize, but what exactly is the prize.  The prize is not only completion of the course of study and graduating to the next year of study.  The prize is how we may bring the most glory and honor to God in the process.  This is also our testimony as believers to a watching world.

Second, how should we run the race God has prepared for us?  We are required to run with integrity.  The world may lie, cheat, steal or bribe in order to get what it desires, but in the end this will not benefit the doctor or the patient.  The patient’s trust will be destroyed.  The doctor’s influence will be greatly diminished.  The healing, both physical and spiritual will be suppressed.  The cause of Christ will not be advanced.

Third, what does being in the competition require of us?  All who participate must be in strict training.  This training requires both time and effort.  One cannot acquire a semester’s worth of knowledge in a couple of weeks of study.  It is the persistent and vigorous pursuit of knowledge that enables one to not only pass the exam but retain the knowledge for use after the exam.

Finally, everyday whether still in school or graduated we are tested.  God provides us with gifts and talents to be used in His service and the means to with stand any test we must face. Therefore, be encouraged to fight the good fight and hold on to faith and a good conscience (1 Tim 1:18-19).  May God bless all students during this time of intense study.

Saying “Good-Bye”

Every missionary arrives at that day when he and his family find themselves standing before their home church for the last time before heading to the field God has called them to till.  That day was filled with so many emotions, excitement, sadness, joy and uncertain expectation.  I remember clearly our Pastor’s charge from Romans 12:9-21, the elders gathering around and praying and those last hugs and goodbyes from dear friends.

So off we went to Ukraine with our eighteen year old daughters and sixteen your old son.  Few mission boards would risk sending this couple in mid-life to the field.  How would our teenagers cope?  Would they even adapt to life in a foreign country?

Now we fast forward seven years.  Today we again find ourselves in our home church but in Ukraine, however only our son and his wife stand before the congregation to receive blessings and prayer before they leave for America.   Our son, who was reluctant to move to Ukraine, has mastered the Russian language, graduated from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music, became skillful at playing the vibrofone, married a beautiful Ukrainian young woman at age 20, worked for the National Philarmonic Orchestra of Ukraine and has led praise music at our church.  Now in just two weeks, at age 23, he will begin study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Once again my heart is filled with so many emotions.  As a father the emotion I feel the most is joy in the blessing of a son who has become a man who knows and fears God.  Our desire with all our children was to teach them to be independent, to think, to make decisions based on the Word of God and be caring others oriented adults.  We wanted them to understand God created them for a purpose and gave them gifts and  talents to use in His service and the service of others.  As Jamie played and Dasha sang for the last time in Kiev for awhile and listening to our pastor speak for the congregation about their service to our church, we know God enabled us to succeed and answered our prayers.

So now we stand in the congregation of our Ukrainian church, praying for God to continue to be at the center of their lives.  As our American church sent us, our Ukrainian church sends them back to America.  We remain continuing to till the field God has prepared for us and we eagerly look forward to learn what God has prepared for them.  We say “goodbye” knowing God has been and will be faithful.

The New Year

Living in Ukraine and being from the USA, one must reorient ones thinking regarding the celebration of holidays, particularly those holidays with special traditions such as Christmas.  In Ukraine December 25th is just like any other workday, with Christmas not celebrated until January 7th according to the Orthodox Calender.  New Year’s Day is sandwiched in between but allows two full weeks potentially for reflection on what it means when “unto us a Savior was born.”

This time of year is indeed full of reflection of what we have done and what we plan to do.  All too often my focus is look and see what I have done.  God offers His perspective on our reflections in Jeremiah 9:23-24.

This is what the LORD says, “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight, ” declares the LORD.

So as the New Year approaches let us use God’s  measure of the past, present and the future.  Let our focus be on Him!   Retrospectively, we can marvel at what God has done through us.  Introspectively, we are thankful for all God is doing in us.  Prospectively, we can look forward to what God has planned for us. 

 Finally, we can ask ourselves two questions.  First, do we understand and know God better this past year and do we have a plan to accomplish this in the coming year?  Second,was, is and will God be delighted in how we exercise kindness, justice and righteousness?

May God grant us the grace and the ability to follow Him.

The Test of Faith, A Missionary Journey

Hours of prayer and many small steps of faith over the past several years led up to the recent conference for Christian medical students and young doctors in Ukraine.  Often missionaries say, “What I thought I was going to do changed after our arrival on the mission field.”  Transforming the medical culture of Ukraine through medical students was not our initial plan.  As time passed God opened more and more doors with Christian medical students thirsting for direction regarding how they could express their faith and encourage one another.

Some of these doors were seemingly random opportunities to connect with students and young doctors, but in retrospect we can clearly see the hand of God preparing the way.  Every connection is important and provided the necessary links between different denominations, different cities, and different organizations that literally span the world that resulted in a successful conference.

These connections came from a willingness to meet with someone not knowing if or when there would ever be any possibility of cooperation.  Meeting with someone not knowing if I could clearly communicate with them.  Or maybe traveling somewhere that took me out of my comfort zone – riding on a bus or train not knowing all the details of knowing where I was going.  All these were small steps of faith and trust in what was not seen.

Our first trip to Ukraine was to Belgorod-Dinestrovski in 1999.  I met a pediatrician with a daughter.  This daughter now attends the Crimean State Medical Institution.  She came to the conference.

In the fall of 2006 Marianna met a woman at a retreat for Christian missionaries living in Ukraine.  This resulted in the presentation of the Saline Solution program to teach doctors how to share their faith in a city called Burdansk.  At this conference I met Rostyslav who Introduced me to James Tomlinson, an Englishman, who is the director of the Eurasian Region of the International Christian Medical Dental Association.  He in turn put me in touch with Dennis Gorenko, co-director of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship of Ukraine.  Also two students from Burdansk came to the conference.  

So in the Spring of 2006 I attended the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine’s annual meeting in Rivne.  There I met some young doctors from Chernivtsi.  In October of the same year  Ukraine Medical Outreach partnered with Caring Partners International to sponser a conference in Lutsk to teach how to develop an Early Intervention Program for children with disabilities.  A speech pathologist in Chernivtsi heard of this conference, found how to contact me and asked if I would hold a conference there.  We held a conference there on autism, an introduction to Biblical counseling and an introduction to Biblical healthcare in the Spring of 2007.  There were 8 students and young doctors from Chernivtsi at the conference as a result.

All of these were thin but vital threads God was weaving into a still not completed tapestry, yet more opportunities to trust in God.  In January of 2008 I met with Dennis Gorenko.  We developed a budget based on 65 people attending the conference including staff. Based on this educated guess, we determined how much money we would need to raise. Amazingly one Church responded with the whole sum.

About five weeks before the conference we learned the cost of the conference almost doubled due to the decreased value of the dollar and an inflation rate in Ukraine of almost 30%. Then we learned the two main speakers for the conference could not come, one from Belarus and one from Russia.  Next my assistant resigned to return home to care for her sick grandmother.

Events were rapidly spinning out of control.  I began to realize we planned in faith, but God planned from complete foreknowledge.  He knew exactly how much money we would need because He knew how many would attend.  One by one God provided for each of the challenges I faced.  The solutions did not depend upon my ability, but upon God’s.  He gave me the desire to make contacts within the Ukrainian medical system and now He was using these circumstances to increase my faith in Him.  He provided sufficient funds to meet all our needs.  He provided for two speakers from Lithuania plus the non-budgeted money to get them to Kyiv. 

Now we are looking at the possibility of a winter conference and several regional conferences.  Our only desire was to glorify God through medical ministry.  When we began we did not know what would happen or how it would happen, but now we clearly see the hand of God at work.

Surprised by Suffering

When we watch the news are we numb to the seemingly ever increasing amounts of suffering taking place in the world.  As a missionary in Kiev, Ukraine when we have visitors we enjoy showing them the historical sites of this city dating back to 482AD.  We currently have a guest who is a retired US Air Force physician, served on the mission board of the Evangelical Free Church and now travels extensively assisting the Christian Medical Dental Association ministry for International Medical Education.

Over the past several days in between appointments we visited the Golden Gate of Kyiv where many died when the Mongols attacked and captured Kyiv in 1240 AD.  Then we went to the World War II museum where we reviewed the history of Nazi Germany’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent explusion.  The concentration camps, the weapons, the instruments of torture as well as the personal letters of some of the heroes who fought in these battles.  Then the hall of remembrance at the top of the base of the Motherland Statue, where all the names of officers who died are written on the walls.

Perhaps the most sobering of all was the visit to Babi Yar.  Three days after the capture of Kyiv in WW II,  Jews were told to report to this location which is a ravine and simply shot for no other reason than their Jewish heritage.  Walking on this ground, knowing the remains of over 33,000 who were murdered in just three days are intered, is quite an emotional experience.

Now for the past two weeks we have witnessed the rumbling of tanks, armored troop carriers and missles down our street.  They are not preparing for war, we pray, but practicing for the parade to take place on August 24th to celebrate the 17th anniversary of Ukrainian independence from the Soviet Union.

What is so striking in all of this is the seemingly unending number of ways man has learned to kill his fellow man over the years and in increasingly greater numbers.  More people have died in battles during the past 100 years  than the rest of human history combined.   Why we ask?  The answer lies in our own hearts.  James 4:2 states, “You want something but don’t get it.  You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.  You quarrel and fight.”

But for those who believe in Christ, we have hope.  He died so that we may live.  His death was not in vain.  It was a purposeful act required by a Holy God that we may be reconciled to Him.  Therefore, in this you may greatly rejoice, though now for  a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1Peter 1:6,7).

Will I be able to withstand the test of suffering?  Will may faith remain strong?  I am thankful God who enabled me to believe will also enable me hold up under such circumstances.  So do not be surprised by suffering, but be filled with the inexpressible and glorious joy for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your soul (1 Peter 1:8,9).

Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Teamwork

Very few people desire to work completely by themselves.   As doctors we often take pride in our individual skills.   Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 4:8, “there is a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother.”  Why do I work so hard if I cannot take the fruit of my efforts with me or leave my material possessions to someone I love.  “There was no end to his toil yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.”   The more I accumulate the more I want and the harder I must work.   “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”   If I work too hard or long there is no time to enjoy what I have earned.   All of this results in “a miserable business.” 

The remaining verses in Ecc 4 describe the benefits for man when he works together with a like minded brother.   God designed us to work in relationship to others reflecting the work of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Often as a missionary, I think of how much more God good accomplish through me being part of an effective team.   There are at least 13 lessons on the value of teamwork that I could find.  Can you find more?

1)  A good return, which usually means a profit

2) Good verses not so good or bad, a return without trouble as with  something illegal.

3) A good return provides what is needed not necessarily what is wanted.

4) A good return means our work will be meaningful.

5) When you work as a team there is someone who can offer encouragement.

6) It takes two to be able to support one another.

7) There are some tasks that you cannot do by yourself. 

Two are better for defending.

9) You yourself alone cannot see all of your own weaknesses.

10) There is safety in numbers.

11) A team has more strength.

12) There is a synergistic effect.  when two work together there effort does more than double.

13) Emotional stability increases because when one is down the other is up.

14) You become more aware of forgiveness and grace.

15) You discover different approaches from an additional set of eyes and thoughts.

16) You have someone to share your experience.

As I typed these lessons out I came up with three more, with my final thought being when you know Jesus you are never alone.  I am thankful that God has chosen me to be part of His team, although He doesn’t need me to accomplish His purposes.  What a privilege it is to serve on our LORD’s team!  May we not only be a good member of God’s team but our earthly teams as well bringing unity in Christ to all we do.

The Medical System in Ukraine

The world is a much smaller place than it used to be thanks to instant communication via the Internet. Yet, as individuals living and working in different countries we tend to focus on our own problems where we work and live.  We don’t do this in a vacuum but within the context of our individual cultures.  Each culture has the same basic needs, but our thought process and how we meet those needs are different.

Often I am asked what is the Ukrainian medical system like, how does it function, how is it similar and different than our system.  Recently there have been two articles published that accurately describe the Ukrainian medical system from what I have experienced after living in Ukraine for seven years.  The links to the two articles are Ukraine’s Hybrid  Healthcare System, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7484095.stm, and Healthcare Deteriorating, Physician Shortage likely to grow, http://alisterandsarah.blogspot.com/2008/06/more-on-medical-situation.html. 

Therefore, as an Americian living in Ukraine, I tend to look at the Ukrainian medical system through a different set of cultural glasses.  Native people often accept their culture and traditions as correct giving little thought to how the same task is accomplished in another country.  But once exposed to a different culture, the question becomes which perspective is correct, maybe both are invalid.  It is here that a belief in a God who is sovereign and the author of absolute truth is a blessing.  Either God is the God of all cultures or He is not God.  May we all look to God who knows all and His wisdom to answer how we should provide the best medical care drawing from all cultures he created. 

The Value of $300

In world’s economy the value of $300 does not seem like much.  But when seen through God’s eyes the value greatly increases.  What we think as being insignificant, might be of great value to someone else.  Things we take for granted such as access to any book, on any subject, at anytime, are not common place in the rest of the world.  Such is the case with medical literature in Ukraine.  Physicians in the USA have access to hospital libraries, the latest medical journals and textbooks and of course the Internet.

So, what would bring tears combined with giddiness to a grown woman who happens to be the most knowledgeable doctor in all of Ukraine regarding the treatment of children infected with HIV?  The answer is a textbook about pediatric oncology.  About two months ago I was visiting Dr. Svetlana where she works at Okmadet the National Children’s Hospital.  When she learned of my previous training in pediatric hematology/oncology, she began to talk of her 12 year old patient who developed lymphoma and the challenges of treating a child with AIDS for cancer.  Pediatric oncologists were consulted but there is a tremendous stigma associated with anyone who is HIV positive in Ukraine.  The oncologists were hesitant to treat and slow to respond when called.  So Dr. Svetlana said, “What I need is to learn how to treat these kids myself!”  ” I need a textbook.”  “I have the money, but I can’t buy it in Ukraine.”  “Can you help?” We also take for granted a reliable postal service.

About the same time Jim and Donna Houston from the Church at Brookhills in Birmingham, Alabama were visiting with a team from Lifeline Adoption agency who I have assisted from time to time with adoptions.  After hearing the story above they promised to present this need to their church.  

After returning to Alabama and sharing the need, the Ladies Bible Study Group at Brookhills led by Betsy Parker responded to the plea.  They purchased the latest edition of Principles and Practices of Pediatric Oncology .  Six weeks later the text was hand carried to Ukraine by short term missionary from Brookhills to insure safe arrival.  With the current weight restrictions on luggage and the book being heavy and quite large this was a huge and timely favor.  When I carried the book last week to Dr. Svetlana, she immediately developed a huge smile when she saw the text and tears when I told her the cost had been paid in full. She quickly scanned the pages with delight, saying over and over I need to read about this or that.

But what of the girl with lymphoma?  Tragically, her immune system and body were just too weak.   She died just a couple of weeks ago.  But this was the opening I had been waiting, the moment to discuss Biblical medicine and Jesus Christ, who also paid the price in full so that we may have eternal life.  Only Christian physicians can offer this true hope.  Only we can explain the diagnosis of our greatest illness, sinfulness, and then offer the healing that comes only through knowing Jesus Christ.

Pray for Svetlana and her staff that the may become believers in Christ as our work at Okmadet continues,  whether teaching English to the medical staff, helping provide resources or just showing the love of Christ to the patients and their families.  We pray they will one day be able to be used by God to offer spiritual healing to their patients and families.

So what is the value of $300?  It is the proper use of what God has given us to build relationships, encourage others, advance His Kingdom and ultimately bring glory to God.   And thank you Church at Brookhills for sharing your resources.

Children of God

During the past several weeks I have been privileged to assist in the adoption process of four American families.  Typically these adopting parents arrive full of expectations for finding the perfect child.  Each story is unique. They quickly learn they are not as much in control of the process as they thought.  They find themselves somewhat tossed about in a sea of emotion without the cultural cues of language, alphabet and rules of behavior that are customary if not taken for granted in their native land.

At the adoption center they are typically presented  with three options of children to choose from.  The adopting parents look at different factors, gender, siblings, ages and  medical issues.  How do you say no to one and yes to another?  Is it selfish to want a child that meets all of your expectations?

Do you ever wonder how our heavenly Father choose us?  What expectations did he have of us?  How could we ever live up to these expectations?  The Scripture tells us we are dead in our trespasses and that no one is righteous, no not one.  It is difficult to imagine a completely holy God, perfect in every way who finds all sin and evil totally abhorrent and in opposition to His character choosing any of us, particularly me.

I often share with parents before they make their final decision to adopt or not that it is OK to want a perfectly healthy child.  You do everything thing to make the best decision.  But once the decision is made you agree to accept this child or these children forever and deal with whatever challenges arise.  They will arise because we are human and more importantly fallen creatures living in a fallen world.

Isn’t this how God deals with us.  When He adopts us, it is for eternity.  His love for us as His children is unconditional.

How reassuring to know God, our Father is the perfect example for us as parents.  He remains faithful to us even when we are unfaithful to Him.  Because He is perfect and cannot make a mistake, He works out everything for His glory and as well as the best for all those who love Him, even those things that are not so pleasant.  God knows and understands all of our circumstances, using both the good and bad things that happen to mold us into the likeness of His Son.

Now with the decision behind them, almost all the paperwork complete, it is time to pick up their new sons and daughters at the orphanage to take them to their new home.  It is a time of sadness and joy.  The children must say good bye to their old lives, friends and caretakers and begin the next phase of their lives in a new home, new parents, new country and new language.  They did not ask to be in the circumstances of living in an orphanage.  They might not have even realized they needed to be rescued from this situation.  How many of us thought we needed to be rescued from our sin or idols that we worship instead of the God who created us.

In some cases one of the new parents must return home to work and prepare for the arrival of their new children.  Our Lord has left us for a while but has promised to return after preparing a place for us heaven.

When the children leave the orphanage they take nothing with them.  All is left behind.  The new parents are expected to bring clothing for the children.  So when we become children of God we bring nothing to the relationship.  Taking nothing to chance, our God clothes us in robes of righteousness based upon what His Son accomplished for us by His death upon the cross.

Once at home some children have a difficult time becoming attached to their new parents.  Medically the earlier children are placed in orphanages and the longer they stay there the greater the possibility of developing an attachment disorder.  I am comforted by the fact that God repeatedly tells us that He loves us unconditionally.  He is able to overcome our lack of attachment to Him.  His grace is more than sufficient.  His ability more powerful.  His love more able to overcome a multitude of challenges.

How wonderful to participate as an instrument in God’s hands to serve these families and observe God at work in the hearts of the children, their new parents and their extended families.  We praise Him for what He has done and rejoice in His faithfulness for what He will do!  Thank you God for this privilege.