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Not a spoiler alert: We screw up sometimes. Depending on who you talk to, maybe often. But whether we think everything is hunky dory or struggling, an important step wherever you are in life is to keep evaluating, looking, and trying to do whatever it is better.
We have done a variety of types and styles of evangelistic outreach in the clinic over the years, and the Church right next door has been doing devotionals in the morning for quite some time. But it was Doctor Darwin who had the idea of hiring Elmer who has worked closely with the Church for many years, for the mornings to not only help continue the devotions, but stick around to invite people to individual prayer, take prayer requests, invite to Bible studies, and even be available to go into the community to hand out more materials about the clinic. All with the goal of strengthening the spiritual outreach of the clinic, and hopefully producing new followers of Christ, whether far away or hopefully right next door.
Lurvin Ramirez is seen in the photo to the right, she lives in the neighborhood next to the clinic up the road. She came to the clinic to get her son looked at in general medicine, and through Elmer being available and talking with her, she is now going to Church...right next door! She was not a member of any Church prior.
Not every new initiative works. Sometimes they can fail or produce disappointing results. In work like ours, sometimes concrete "good" is seen right away. But in creating disciples for Christ, a deep long term vision is required, and that can be hard. We are praying for the physical work of the clinic, but also for the spiritual impact that comes from it. Sometimes we get to see glimpses of what God is doing there, often times seeds are planted that others hopefully water, but that growth we do not get to see.
May God help us all to be faithful to the charge that He gives us all, making more disciples for Him!
We have done a variety of types and styles of evangelistic outreach in the clinic over the years, and the Church right next door has been doing devotionals in the morning for quite some time. But it was Doctor Darwin who had the idea of hiring Elmer who has worked closely with the Church for many years, for the mornings to not only help continue the devotions, but stick around to invite people to individual prayer, take prayer requests, invite to Bible studies, and even be available to go into the community to hand out more materials about the clinic. All with the goal of strengthening the spiritual outreach of the clinic, and hopefully producing new followers of Christ, whether far away or hopefully right next door.
Lurvin Ramirez is seen in the photo to the right, she lives in the neighborhood next to the clinic up the road. She came to the clinic to get her son looked at in general medicine, and through Elmer being available and talking with her, she is now going to Church...right next door! She was not a member of any Church prior.
Not every new initiative works. Sometimes they can fail or produce disappointing results. In work like ours, sometimes concrete "good" is seen right away. But in creating disciples for Christ, a deep long term vision is required, and that can be hard. We are praying for the physical work of the clinic, but also for the spiritual impact that comes from it. Sometimes we get to see glimpses of what God is doing there, often times seeds are planted that others hopefully water, but that growth we do not get to see.
May God help us all to be faithful to the charge that He gives us all, making more disciples for Him!
1 Comments
I'm glad you encouraged Elmer; encouragement is needed far more than people realize.