2015 Adventures in Medical Missionary Work - Part 1

A CALL TO BE EQUIPPED

'Remember, my brother, that medical missionary work is not to take men from the ministry, but is to place men in the field, better qualified to minister because of their knowledge of medical missionary work. Young men should receive an education in medical missionary lines, and then should go forth to connect with the ministers.' . . . {PH095 33.1}

The big rocks at the farm...

Wonderful location, surrounded with nature!

God has shone an abundant light as I spent time reading about medical missionary work and other health-related counsels. But my desire for this line of work was even more ignited when I was in Kenya --- when I saw the eagerness of the people to learn more about how to take good care of 'God's temple', their hunger to listen on lectures about health reform, their desire to go about or practice the principles/laws of health, and their determination to change the way they live to prevent diseases, to have a clearer understanding of His Word and discernment of His will, to better serve Him in the ministries they are involved, and to teach others to live healthfully --- all to the glory of God! What a reality that God has shown me only in that place. How much more if we will see its reality for the rest of the parts of this world! Oh, how many people in the world needs to be educated, needs to understand, and needs to be ministered to, applying all of what encompasses the medical missionary work.

Indeed, there is a great need to labor in this line that is why the God, who doesn't want anybody to perish, is calling us to be equipped in the medical missionary lines. I thank Him for letting me hear the call. What else could I respond but 'Here I am, Lord!' Then he opened the way for me to spend the 3 months of training at Aenon Health Care in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

With my classmates from Malaysia, Thailand,
Myanmar, Australia, China, and Germany;
and Bible teacher  Mr. Ronny (man in yellow)
and MM teacher Ms. Pui Mun (beside Mr. Ronny)

I never took a medical course in my tertiary years 'cause I love numbers; but I didn't expect that learning things in the medical field is also fun! I especially love Dr. Lee's class on Physical Diagnosis, Patient Evaluation and Disease Management. It was also exciting to learn Physiology and Anatomy of the Human Body. And I found the Massage class so beneficial ---- not so much about being massaged but giving massage. And the rest of the lectures were really packed with information which are significant for the work. 

After pulling and piling branches at the farm

Combined with the classroom training is doing manual labor --- we call it 'farming' in Aenon. We have the light that:

"The usefulness learned on the school farm is the very education that is most essential for those who go out as missionaries to many foreign fields. If this training is given with the glory of God in view, great results will be seen. No work will be more effectual than that done by those who, having obtained an education in practical life, go forth to mission fields with the message of truth, prepared to instruct as they have been instructed. The knowledge they have obtained in the tilling of the soil and other lines of manual work, and which they carry with them to their fields of labor, will make them a blessing even in heathen lands."  {SpTB11 29.2}

Yes, we have been trained to do it! Aside from helping in the kitchen, laundry, and health center with various tasks, we also labored in the farm. In my batch was a lot of 'pulling the branches' as part of clearing the land to be planted with durian. It was tiring but we enjoyed the work and indeed, we experienced the benefits of working with our hands.

So happy with the almost-cleared-out land!

Most importantly was the spiritual nurturing. Aenon is far from the city and we are blessed with the 'second book' that is why we can feel the tranquility of the place and the solemnity of worships that made us hear the voice of God clearly speaking to us through the messages and even nature itself. For me, I appreciate the basic Bible Classes and the FAST Survival Class that we had and also learned new things especially the object lessons that I had related to some of the practical things in the Christian life.

And of course, the new friends that I met there will I surely cherish. They are lovely people and it is a lovely thing to be given by God an opportunity to be a blessing to them and be blessed by them.

New friends with Aenon's President, Mr. David Fam (in the middle)

"Both men and women can be much more useful as medical missionaries than as missionaries without a medical education." --M. M., V. II, p. 215.  {HL 249.2}

I Praise God for the knowledge acquired in medical education during the short-time of training up in Aenon, even the challenges with the visa. It was faith-testing but God had provided and sustained --- this is more than enough to be grateful for the One who sees, cares, knows best, and in control of everything!

Now, it is time to GO!