A reflection from Faith Alive Hospital Team member, Bill Baird, on his time serving at Faith Alive Hospital:
Faith Heals! I describe my experience in Nigeria as humbling and an incredible experience in faith. Our trip to this amazing African town of Jos, Nigeria and Faith Alive Hospital was, as I expected, a true test of my boundaries. I told my daughter Emma that this trip we were taking was "routine" for her given her previous mission experience but was way outside my comfort zone. Emma broke those boundaries down in her presentation at a morning devotional at the hospital (through a Hausa translator in front of dozens of patients and staff) that she challenged us to "open the eyes of our hearts". She said we needed to not limit our view of life and the people around us through the myopic, critical view of our eyes but with the compassion and love in our hearts. It was this perspective that would give us a clear view of the people around us, the needs that they have and a clear path that God had provided us to him.
It was through this heart centered view that I saw God in Dr. Chris, Pastor Ben, Goddy, Greg, Pastor Esther, Joshua, Daniel, Blessing, Ezekiel, Vanessa, Ibrahim, the children and so many others for the joy, care, love and commitment they brought to their work and to all they came in contact with. Through this view, God was in my teammates Emma, Brian and Jonathan as we shared our experiences each day in our time spent together, our reflections and our prayer. HE was present in our kindred connection to our partners at Anawim and in our faithful connection to the Home Team and our Nativity parish. God was even in the simple greeting we received everywhere we went, "You are welcome!", and they meant it. The eyes of my heart were opened. Faith Heals!
Faith Heals! I describe my experience in Nigeria as humbling and an incredible experience in faith. Our trip to this amazing African town of Jos, Nigeria and Faith Alive Hospital was, as I expected, a true test of my boundaries. I told my daughter Emma that this trip we were taking was "routine" for her given her previous mission experience but was way outside my comfort zone. Emma broke those boundaries down in her presentation at a morning devotional at the hospital (through a Hausa translator in front of dozens of patients and staff) that she challenged us to "open the eyes of our hearts". She said we needed to not limit our view of life and the people around us through the myopic, critical view of our eyes but with the compassion and love in our hearts. It was this perspective that would give us a clear view of the people around us, the needs that they have and a clear path that God had provided us to him.
It was through this heart centered view that I saw God in Dr. Chris, Pastor Ben, Goddy, Greg, Pastor Esther, Joshua, Daniel, Blessing, Ezekiel, Vanessa, Ibrahim, the children and so many others for the joy, care, love and commitment they brought to their work and to all they came in contact with. Through this view, God was in my teammates Emma, Brian and Jonathan as we shared our experiences each day in our time spent together, our reflections and our prayer. HE was present in our kindred connection to our partners at Anawim and in our faithful connection to the Home Team and our Nativity parish. God was even in the simple greeting we received everywhere we went, "You are welcome!", and they meant it. The eyes of my heart were opened. Faith Heals!
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