December 16, 2016

  • Ebenezer

    As 2016 comes to an end, those of you that know my story know that this has been my Annus Horribilis - my most terrible year. But - it is in such straits, in my case deserved, that one sees grace most clearly.

    As this year comes to an end, and I hear the clarion call of Jesus calling me forward, I will write an Ebenezer here - a touchstone to come back to and recall in future times of travail.

    So here I will share 2 things through which that God said to me: I am. I hear you. I stand with you.

    1) Maybe half a year ago, meeting a woman who has been called to serve in the mountains of Appalachia, she has served as a lay minister with and for the Anglican church amongst the poorest of the poor on the mountain-sides - people who trace their ancestry back to mercenaries hired by the british during the American Rebellion. Having communion with her and another brother, having been anointed with oil, I got to really experience God saying, you're done with this. It is a moment I will remember until I die. I've never experienced this sense of inner healing. I understand so much better the sense of desperation that the woman who sought to touch Jesus and receive healing.

    2) Calling. In 2009, arriving in Cleveland, I prayed to God to ask if he'd let me build stroke treatment in the Washington DC area. I also prayed to have the opportunity to do this in Asia - someday. For those of you that don't know much about Stroke - it's the world wide number 2 cause of disability, and number 4 cause of death. 15,000,000 per year - it is the number 1 cause of death and disability in China, number 1 cause of disability and 5 cause of death in the US. As near as 25 years ago, we had no effective treatments. Stroke treatment is pretty amazing - it's perhaps one of the only areas we really can see restoring sight to the blind, the ability to walk to the paralyzed, the ability to speak to the mute. To see that restoration, it is witnessing a piece of the divine.

    This year, God has seen fit to answer these prayers - and here I've been brought to work on such things - and God has aligned so many meetings and collisions that have opened so many doors - he really has just shown his presence and favour so many times and in so many ways. Yesterday, in the biting cold, we finalized some of the arrangements to start using medevac helicopters to fly surgeons in the region to a hospital that has the equipment to treat stroke but not the personnel. So, God willing, we'll be able to improve access to care for the whole northwest section of Washington.

    There are two reasons why stroke matters so much to me. I've seen so many people forever marred by a stroke - people in their 40-s and 50s, ending their careers, altering their personalities. Stroke also disproportionally affects the poor... as if the poor needed more problems. "Feed my sheep," Jesus called to Peter. I may not always have food, but seeing God's heart for people - how can we not work to improve their lives? Both spiritually and materially?

    I don't know whether this will lead to much, but God's opened doors to teach, share faith and do this in Asia (Taiwan/HK/China) in the next year... If it comes to fruition, all Glory to God. Feeling God move is such a privilege - I hope to stay here - until death.

    So - here I am, writing this Ebenezer to recall God's faithfulness.

    We Remember, God. We Remember You.