My Physician's Diagnosis

[MrJim]

I went to the doc yesterday to hear the results of my lab work for my thyroid.

What actually went on in the office...the doc mentioned that he actually wasn't supposed to be there but in Louisiana on a work crew cleaning up Katrina. He went on to talk how a nearby church sent crews down regularly and he was hooked up into this until his partner's wife went into labor early so he had to stay back to cover for him. He was going down to clear trees & swing a hammer. I asked if he wasn't going to do "doc" stuff, but he said they didn't have a need for physicians, so he'd do whatever they would need

Then he went on to talk about a mission opportunity to use his physician skills. He is intrigued with a work in Siberia with some native Indians up there. Said in his emails with other docs that there are diseases up there that have been extinct in the "civilized" world for a long time. Doc said he'd never seen rickets (calcium deficiency) but understands it is rampant up there.

Then we got to talking about the church in America today, how rich it is. He was telling me how he was working at a mission on Thanksgiving and when sent to a back room for some paper plates he walked past so much food he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He said he was called out to help unload a car that brought some bread from a local restaurant and it was just filled with breads, pies, cakes, and pastries. Doc said the poorest in the US is far richer than realized. He too struggles with the wealth of the US church, spending money on carpet and chandeliers when brothers and sisters are looking for something to eat or a tin roof.

But then he said those that were coming through the line at the mission were a very gracious sort, when asked for choices they weren't particular just grateful.

I was a fascinating doctor trip...

(Oh, and he said he needed to increase my thyroid meds )

 

[Danfrey]

Menno,

Thank you for sharing this encourging experience. We talk about doctrines quite often, but without putting our faith into action as this doctor is obviously doing it is nothing but a waste of breath.

 

[MrJim]

Nice to have a doc that can use the word "gospel" and "mission" in the same sentence...he inadvertently challenged me too.

 

[ZiSunka]

The US has many very poor people. There are families in this country who live on $4500 a year and singles who live on less than $1500, and I'm not talking about the homeless.

I used to be strongly certain that we Americans should share our wealth with the world, until I realized that tens of thousands of Americans go to bed hungry and cold every night.

 

[Danfrey]

I tend to believe that there is enough to feed the hungry in this country and put a pretty big dent in the hunger around the world as well.