The Future of Ukrainian Medicine

For several years we have been praying for God to help us develop relationships with medical students and recent graduates of medical institutes.  We realized the future of medicine in Ukraine will one day be in the hands of the next generation.  Strategically working with this group through evangelization, discipleship and encouragement seems a natural way to transform the lives of these young professionals with the Gospel.  Then they will transform their medical system.

Therefore, when Rostyslav, a young Ukrainian physician we have been praying for and working with for several years, called about two months ago and asked for my assistance in preparing for a medical conference for students and recent graduates in the field of health care, I readily accepted.

One of the many positive things about this conference was the organization was done solely by the Ukrainians themselves from beginning to end.  They did need substantial financial support and still need about $500 to break even.  This is a significant step forward.  Last year our ministry partnered with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship in Ukraine to sponsor and organize what we think was the first such conference of young Christian medical workers.

The theme of this conference was Golden Standards and Christian Values in Modern Medicine.  There were two foreign speakers with the remainder from Ukraine.  There were lectures on evidence-based medicine, how to discern truth from error using the Bible, and what is good medicine.  While the Bible is not a textbook of medicine it does provide unchanging guidelines regarding how to use the knowledge God has allowed us to discover about his creation, us.

Equally important during our time together were the many conversations during the breaks or while walking down the street in the beautiful city of Odessa.  “I learned that the Word of God is unchanging.”  “I didn’t know there were so many other Christian students.”  “I feel stronger knowing we are together.”  “How do I share my faith with my patients?”  “I want to begin a Christian medical fellowship at my school.  How do I do it?”  “We should put God and his Word first because they play a significant and functional role in our daily lives.”  “I learned over the years that  science and technology have changed due to discovery and research but, the Bible still remains the same.”  “We can discover the difference between truth and error by studying the Scripture.”

Indeed, we are seeing God at work through medicine.  Last year we had 35 attendees.  This year we expected 150 and 170 came.  Many are returning to their schools or hospitals with a desire to reach their colleagues and patients and  begin meeting together regularly for encouragement and to learn how to apply the Scripture to the practice of medicine, bringing true hope and healing to those they live with, work with and serve.

Being Available

Much of life, I am convinced is just a matter of showing up and being available.  Recently a fellow missionary in Ukraine asked me to participate in a conference for business people.  The conference was about using the Ten Commandments to develop a personal code of ethics when dealing with employees, colleagues, customers and government officials.  My first reaction was this really does not pertain to me.  I have an extremely busy month ahead in our own ministry.  What would I have to offer?  The presenters said there are always questions about medicine and my participation would provide first hand knowledge.  Eventually and reluctantly I said “Yes.”  In addition I agreed to host one of  one the couples in our flat.

The weekend course turned out to be very useful and applicable to the practice of medicine and me personally.  Many young Ukrainian physicians dream of opening their own clinics.  But, on what principles will they build their practice?  The course helped me prepare for a conference for medical students later in the month with the title, Golden Standards and Biblical Principles in Medicine.  What better standard to use than the Ten Commandments!

The couple we hosted, Tom and Ann Tannery, were extremely encouraging.  Tom owns his own business in Atlanta and is president of a ministry called Europartners.   They both have quite a testimony of how God reconciled them to himself.  The time of fellowship we enjoyed with them was just what the doctor needed.  It is always interesting how God puts people in our paths to instruct, rebuke, correct and train  if we are willing to submit to another’s authority.

During the conference I was able to make new friendships and renew some old ones.  In the end, there was not one question asked that pertained directly to medicine, but my wife and I were blessed for being available in so many other ways.