Our town of 8-10,000 people, with its surrounding region of 30,000 people, lost four of its six physicians over the course of a month.  The administrators were experiencing a crisis and approached me to persuade me to work for them.  I told them that I was here to help and I would work with them, voluntarily, four hours/day.  In the course of a month, I’ve seen over 1,000 people, treating and praying for each one.  The medicine has been fascinating as I’ve seen more pathology than I saw on my river trips, and much of it unique to the Amazon region.  The response has been satisfying as most seem quite grateful that I am helping out.  Many still don’t know what to think of a doctor who lays hands on and prays for each person.  Is he praying because he’s clueless or because he really believes that God cares about my problem?  But they accept it graciously most of the time.

I believe this is God ordained and an opportunity to leave a lasting impact on especially a few that are working with me.  Hopefully, after watching me work, they will continue their work with a different perspective.  Already, a local dentist (there are two in our town) has approached me and spoken of how challenged he has been in watching me work.  He is a believer in the existence of God but without a relationship with Him (The typical status of most people in this part of the Amazon).  He now wants to travel with me on the rivers and offer dental care to those living remotely.  I will likely also have a superficial impact on many because of all the patient contacts.

When I came to this part of the world, I especially wanted to help out where health care access to physician care was lacking.  Having this opportunity to do just that has been both a challenge and a joy.  I need to seek a balance in this work and the mentoring of young men that I had begun over the past six months.  Please pray for me that I can balance the tasks well that my Father has given me to do, and continue to do each one with love (compassion) for the person as my prime motivator.

Reminders:

The "Good News" is that screwed up people are loved and cherished by a wonderful God.

To worship is to focus one’s "eyes" on the object of worship.

Seeds of correction, instruction and discipline planted in soil not fertilized with encouragement will not yield growth.

Opinions are a dime a dozen but correction brought by one willing to contribute to the solution is worth hearing.

Love freely but trust must be earned.

One who doesn’t appreciate the value of something cannot be trusted with its care.

Aspire to that which you admire.

In what manner do you love to serve people (work)?  Pursue this as a vocation.

Variety maintains interest.

An abundance of anything can decrease its value, but the value we place on it is our choice.

Money represents someone’s (yours, another’s) work.

To lead is to know disappointment, misunderstanding, and conflict.

Sticks and stones may break one’s bones but words can wound one’s heart.

Beware of the ear-tickling "health and wealth" teachers/preachers.  They preach to the flesh rather than to the spirit.