How Every Layman Can Be a Medical Missionary

DEAR EDITORS:

I have enjoyed the good articles in recent issues of THE MINISTRY. In fact I often feel prompted to write to congratulate you on the timely counsel the journal gives, but I procras­tinate. I have greatly appreciated the series by J. Lee Neil, "Sons of Strangers Shall Build Up Thy Walls." However, there were three items in the August number on medical missionary work that are more in my field, and because I feel they are very much needed at this time, they have prompted me to write. I am referring to "What Is 'Medical Missionary Work'?" on page 48; "Importance of Isaiah 58," on page 17; and "Neighborhood Evangelism," on page 10.

We are all aware of statements that tell us that "we have come to a time when every member of the church should take hold of medical missionary work."—Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 62. And I agree heartily with you that "medical missionary work" does not refer alone to our organized medical work. Our doctors, nurses, dietitians, and technicians are working at a job for which fees are charged and from which a living is made. With proper attitudes this too can be medical missionary work. But it is not necessarily so; it is only a part of what Sister White described. Our complete medical missionary work goes beyond our institutional work, beyond our Dorcas work, beyond our health food and restaurant work, and takes in "every church member." It includes all the phases I have mentioned, and gives specific in­struction for each; but I am sure that much of the instruction applies to what you call "dis­interested kindness."

In Call to Medical Evangelism, page 23, is described "the kind of medical missionary work to be done." Here we are admonished to:

"Relieve some of God's afflicted ones."

"Bring back the sunlight."

"Speak to them."

"Pray for them."

"Read to them."

"Teach the inmates of the poor homes how to cook."

"God calls not only for your benevolence, but your cheerful countenance, your hopeful words, the grasp of your hand."

This is the type of work "every church mem­ber should feel it his special duty to" do "for those living in his neighborhood."—Ibid., p. 24.

Some Suggestions

Medical missionary work is made up of simple things and is "a means of overcoming prejudice and gaining access to minds."—Ibid., p. 8. It is to "prepare the way for the reception of the truth."—Ibid., p. 9.

Your feature on page 17 on the "Importance of Isaiah 58" stresses the need of this work, and your item on page 48 ponders the question of what medical evangelism really is. It seems to me that now all our church members lack is an organized plan for promotion, and instructions on what these simple treatments could consist of. I am sure that once any church member has received a list of possible treatments or pro­cedures he could use, he will find many oppor­tunities in his own neighborhood—if he will "let Christ's plan be followed. He was eves-watching for opportunities to engage in personal labor."—Ibid., p. 21. (Emphasis supplied.)

Here are a few of these simple treatments, with a bit of discussion:

I. One of the most common complaints that we hear from our neighbors is that someone has a sore throat. Here is an ideal opening for an alert medical missionary. Offer to apply a heat­ing compress to the throat; and if the person is agreeable, do it that evening. Don't pretend to be a physician, don't put on a white coat, and don't even look down the throat—you don't profess to know anything about those things. And whatever you do, don't give any pills or lozenges you might have on hand. Leave that for the doctor to do, and encourage the patient to go to the doctor. Offer the heating compress as an extra relief. Don't merely tell how to do it, but go on over and apply it. Show "disinterested kindness," and thus you will be able to win hearts to Jesus.

You will be amazed at how grateful and friendly almost any of your neighbors will be after a simple treatment given to themselves or to their child. It is a particularly ideal situation if it is a child, because the treatment is best given at bedtime. Once it is clone and Johnny is put to bed, you can appropriately offer to have Johnny's bedtime prayers with him. It is not nearly so hard as offering a prayer in the middle of the day for an adult, but it is just as effective in winning souls, and a good way for you to start praying with your neighbors. You will find folks are very charitable and will like you even if the sore throat is no better in the morning. But of course it usually is.

2. Another common back-fence topic revolves about various headaches. Here again you should only be an adjunct to the physician and treat only the very simple ones on your own. For an acute occasional headache a hot foot bath with a cold compress to the brow is very soothing and relaxing. Chronic and recurrent headaches may also respond to this, but the patient may also require advice on reducing the amount of sugar in the diet or eliminating constipation, if this is a problem. Here you should use your library of Life and Health journals. Pick out a number that fits and give it to the neighbor. Or it might be even better medical missionary work to "read to them" and make sure they understand it; dis­cuss it with them.

If the headache starts in the neck and back of the head, a set of hot fomentations and a good deep massage will give relief and win the patient's heart. If you don't have fomentation pads, a heating pad will be better than nothing. And at least you can give the massage. Pick out a nice-smelling hand lotion for this, and the treatment will leave your patient happy.

As you give the massage, or as you give the hot foot bath (be sure to gently swish the water and rub the patient's feet gently as you do it), the patient will relax and you can talk of the beauty of the flowers that God created for us, or of some favorite text, or of some special blessing you have received. And thus, without a Bible anywhere in sight you have nevertheless given a Bible study. Always remember that our Lord used every opportunity for healing to point souls to their Father in heaven. Don't waste these golden opportunities, these opened doors, in idle gossip or in discussing the calamities of the day.

3. Corns are talked of lightly, but they give their owners real pain and are very common. When some acquaintance complains of her feet, don't just recommend a corn plaster. Offer to come over and pare her corns for her. Pick a time when she can relax. First get her comfort­able, soaking her feet in warm water. Then gently wear the corn away with a pumice stone, if it has a large callus around it, and pare it with a sharp knife or small scissors. But remember, this is only for relief. You should never draw blood and never cause pain. Again massage the feet gently with a nice-smelling lotion and leave your neighbor rested, relaxed, and with some pearls from God's treasure house in her mind.

Now all this may seem very simple and elementary, and some may protest, "Surely, doctor, you don't propose that we may win souls by paring corns!" But I would remind you that our Saviour set us an example of humble service by washing His disciples' feet.

Why Not a United Plan for Action?

I could list another fifteen items, and I am sure that in consultation with others there could be added still other simple treatments that would help us to win our neighbors to Christ.

I am sure that Life and Health has covered every one of these topics and could make a compilation of reprints to cover the treatments that might be given, so that "every church member" could "educate" himself "to do this work." Almost any single issue could be used to give to or read and discuss with neighbors, and would serve the purpose even without a treat­ment. But we are also advised to use "the grasp of your hand."

May I put forward a suggestion?

It occurs to me that it would be an excellent plan for some department of the General Con­ference to promote such a project during one particular quarter sometime soon. This would get the plan started. Then, too, our Life and Health editors might think it worthwhile to plan for a special series of articles during that quarter, to fit in with the plan. Extra copies of these issues could be made available. Instead of one specific Home Visitation Day for that quarter the members could be alerted weekly to be ever watching for opportunities. One or two of the suggested treatments could be discussed each week during the home missionary period.

We would have to specify a few cautions such as these:

1. Never treat serious illnesses at all, or at least not without telephoning the patient's doctor.

2. Never use any literature except our recog­nized church literature, since so much of the health-food-store type of literature is full of exaggeration and error, and frequently contra­dicts Sister White's instructions—for instance, in regard to thorough cooking of milk. It also often condemns surgery, whereas she said she saw angels assisting or guiding surgeons. We should not use literature that is "mingled with error" regardless of how much we like the "sentiments that are entirely true."

3. We should advise that except in the case of the very young or the very old, medical mission­aries should never treat members of the opposite sex. There is no doubt that the human contact in giving a massage or a foot bath, in clipping the toenails or paring corns, is a very potent force in relaxing the patient and winning his heart for Jesus. But since "every church member" is to do this work, we can always offer to have someone else give the treatment when we find someone of the opposite sex in need.

These are just a few suggestions to set us thinking. May God help us to practice medical missionary work as He has outlined it for us.

G. H. HOEHN, M.D. Temple City, California