I always love reading the stories of miracles in the Bible. And I fully believe that miracles can happen today.
Take Pau for instance. He came to us for an unrelated illness, but then while he was in the hospital started getting weaker and numb. He eventually ended up paralyzed from the neck down and we finally diagnosed the cause, tuberculosis of the cervical spine.
While his miracle didn't happen with me saying those few words in Jesus' name, it did happen! Slowly, day by day, with prayers and antibiotics, Pau is recovering.
I was so thrilled to see him come to the hospital to drop off his walker because he didn't need it anymore! He is walking around well now, and gaining strength in his left arm, which has been his weakest limb. God is so good.
Pau also became a believer during his stint at the hospital and it has been a joy to share scriptures and Christ's love with him, and encourage him.
-- Dr. Becky Wallace is a missionary doctor at Kudjip Nazarene Hospital, Papua New Guinea.
After being closed for a period of time, the wards tend to get pretty empty as you get down to two or three patients. We opened again just before Christmas and now the wards are now quite full.
Not too long ago, there were days I wished it wasn't full, days I wished there were only a few patients so it wouldn't take me forever to do my rounds checking on them. Now, after not having folks to visit, I am thankful for all the patients; thankful for the opportunity to minister to God's people who are suffering in different ways.
There are folks who know the Lord and some who don't; those who are hurting physically, spiritually or emotionally; those who have a serious illness and might die or those with a minor "something" and should go home in a few days; those who have been the victim of domestic violence, enemy violence or self-inflicted violence; those who caught a bad bug that their body is fighting and those whose bodies are simply failing; those who are waiting for a miracle and those who have received one; those whose lives have been changed by their time at the hospital and those, who we pray, will have changed lives by the time they leave the hospital.
It doesn't really matter why they have come to our doors or what circumstances brought them to need our attention. All that matters is they are in front of us now and are asking for help. Jesus reached out to folks from all different walks of life and showed them compassion, love, grace and mercy, and that, too, is what He asks of me and those of us who work here -- to love because He first loved us. There are times I do this well and times I don't, and I pray God would help me to do it better.
-- Dr. Erin Meier is a missionary doctor at Kudjip Nazarene Hospital, Papua New Guinea