Village Hope

by Kristine McLaughlin

We were wrapping up a medical team outreach. Forms were spread out in front of us. We counted them. There were 1,196, thus, there were 1,196 detailed explanations of the Gospel. Patients who come to us hear about Christ both through open-air preaching and one-on-one presentations. “One by one, we heard their stories. We heard about their pain. We also pointed them to Jesus and explained that He truly is the Great Physician.” (Rachel James)

As a missionary nurse practitioner, I have the privilege of coordinating evangelistic medical teams. We partner with independent Baptist national pastors to provide unreached people groups with access to the Gospel. Medical missions is like a magnet. We see villagers walking towards us, dozens and dozens with physical needs. What thrills our hearts is to know that each patient will hear about Jesus, many for the very first time!

The testimonies that we read afterwards are touching.
• “A 14-year-old girl, Shela, told me that she wanted to accept Christ, but her father practices witchcraft. He will not allow her to go to church. Shela prayed with me to accept Christ as her Savior.”
• “A 70-year-old man, Yodé, was a Catholic. After reading John 3:16 and 18, he determined that salvation is in Jesus Christ. The joy on his face was touching.”
• “Awa was Muslim. She believed that sacrifices and fasting would save her. After I presented the Gospel, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior. Praise the Lord for her!”
• “Angel, who was a Jehovah’s Witness, accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior. At the beginning, she did not believe in heaven or hell. After hearing the plan of salvation, she accepted Christ as her Savior.”

News about free medical care travels quickly between villages. Three years ago, we first met villagers from Palme Afrique. They heard about us and went to a neighboring village for treatment. Our follow-up visits brought us there. None of us will forget that first day of ministry in Palme Afrique.

When opening a new village to ministry, we have learned that it is important to meet the village chief. We arrived, asked around, and we were directed to his house. The chief welcomed us warmly. To our great surprise and delight, he asked if our men could preach. One of our deacons preached. They asked for a second preaching session and then a third. All of which our men were glad to deliver. Our hearts could not have been more touched. In my 15 years of ministry in Ivory Coast, I have never seen this level of openness from a chief during an initial meeting. At the end of our time together, he thanked us sincerely and said, “We are thirsty for this Word. We will be watching the road for when you come back.” 

God is always doing more than we see. As we navigate new roads that lead to remote villages, there is hope. There is hope that those who have long sat in darkness will find spiritual healing in Jesus Christ.

We have openings for healthcare personnel who could serve with us on medical missions trips. If you are interested but would like more information, feel free to contact Kristine McLaughlin via her website. accessivorycoast.org

Next Article