Faith in Action
by Sherri Jackson
CBS 42 News
2007-11-12 09:28:12.0
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The number of people around the world dying from preventable illnesses is staggering. We're talking conditions like measles, diarrhea, HIV and malaria. On my recent assignment to Africa I saw people putting their faith in action to fight disease and spread the gospel at the same time at a place called Tenwek Hospital.
You drive through the lush green hills of the Kenya highlands of Bomet to get to Tenwek Hospital. Their motto, “we treat, Jesus heals” is more than words on a sign.
"The motto speaks healing process that goes on that they believe goes on that they pray goes on beyond what they can give and they are giving everything they have as humans beings and it turns out better than you expect," said Dr. Ben Roberts.
You can expect to hear songs of praise and scripture start each day in tenweks eye ward....many of these people will have cataract surgery, but before doctor ben roberts goes in the operation room, they do devotionals...
“It’s the anesthesiologist who is part pastor - part anesthesiologist, and they pray for the operation. It sends chills down my back," said Roberts.
The miracles that happen at Tenwek are documented in the life story of Dr. Ernie Stuery, the hospital's first resident physician. He went there in 1959, 22 years after the hospital was founded by World Gospel Mission to treat the Kipsigi, the same tribe of people who travel to Tenwek today for treatment, among others.
A young couple brought their baby in at the end of the day. The child has spina bifida and club feet, and the spine was leaking. They barely had money to make it to Tenwek to seek help. This type of poverty is widespread in the Kenya highlands and often hinders medical care.
That's why Tenwek community health workers mount up on motorcycles each day spreading their work to neighboring villages. Thanks to the immunizations they take to the people they have practically eliminated deaths from measles in this area.
The patients who do come to this major surgery center sometimes sleep two to a bed in the wards. It's not uncommon to see patients up and out in the sunshine as you walk around the hospital campus. It's a labor of love for those smoothing out a path to better health for the people in western Kenya.
Just like a man whose trade was carpentry, the doctors at Tenwek may be trained in medicine, but their call is in the ministry of the gospel. Carol Spears is a missionary surgeon from Gadsden. When we talked on this day, it was following the night she lost a patient.
"It's so hard to lose patient. It's even harder to know you missed a chance to talk with them about the most important thing," said Spears.
The patient’s family told Carol they did not believe the woman knew Jesus. For Carol, telling people about Jesus is the most important step in her ministry to others.
Physicians and interns who serve at Tenwek either do visiting medical mission work for a short period of time or they are permanent mission workers.
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