Every year we host a ministry from Montana which brings doctors and nurses to put on free medical clinics in different areas around San Carlos. Today we're on a day off having already visited four places, seen over 750 people, handed out a lot of vitamins, glasses, and other medications, as well as Bibles. With three days left to go, we're enjoying a rather odd for San Carlos day, cool and cloudy with a little bit of drizzle here and there.
Monday was the busiest day we've had so far, being a holiday, Aniversario de la Constitución, and there were people waiting for us the moment we got there. I don't think the line of people waiting to get in ever depleted until about 3:00 in the afternoon when we had to stop accepting people so we could ensure that the backlog of people waiting to see the doctor would get a chance. 300 made it through that day, either wanting to see a doctor or to get a pair of glasses, whether reading, prescription or sun glasses.
Recently, I was reading in Matthew, about how Jesus had compassion on the people. Four times the word "compassion" is mentioned in Matthew. Each time its used pretty much the same way. "Jesus had compassion on them..." He saw their needs and He had compassion on them. But it never stops there. He saw their needs, had compassion on them, and then did something about it. In every case, his compassion lead Him to action, to do something to meet there needs. Jesus' compassion led Him to provide food for them, heal them, give them sight. Though He did what He could to meet their physical needs, He also saw their spiritual needs, the condition of their hearts, and turned to His disciples and said, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
I don't mention this to pat ourselves on the back to say how we've been doing just through something like the medical clinics that but rather, that it was a big reminder for me. Perhaps you are not the same task-oriented type of person that I am, but sometimes I get caught up in the task before me and forget about the needs of the people around me, their physical needs and their spiritual needs.
It's interesting the connection there is between the physical needs and spiritual needs. Many people who come down on missions teams comment about this as well, how people who are in physical need tend to be more open to hearing about the Lord. It's easily seen on a large scale when you compare Mexico with Canada or the US. With such prosperity in Canada and the US, you see hearts that, in general, are very closed to God or anything to do with Him. Here on the other hand, with conditions being a little harder, people are open to hearing and it is exciting to see them respond!
Of course, I need only look at my own life and I can see that it is in the times of crisis that I have been brought down to my knees and have been drawn closer to God. And times of "prosperity" are the times when I may tend to drift away.
Although many people come to these medical clinics with some very basic needs, whether it be reading glasses, or with cold symptoms, or even just wanting some vitamins, some do come with some more serious medical issues. But the doctors take time to pray with each person whom they see. And every once in a while we see a transformed person coming out of that tent, seeing it written all over their face that they have in fact given their life to the Lord.
If you think about us over the next three days, pray for the people that come, not only that they would see Jesus through the acts of compassion, but that we would have the opportunity to introduce them to the One who can meet the deepest needs of their souls.
