Hello from Tonj again. We just finished our first entire week here, and are enjoying the weekend again. Suzie and Sabet gave us a bit of history today on how In Deed and Truth came to be what it is today. One particular phrase really struck a chord with me. I might be a little bit off, but the gist was this: we are not here to die for a bandaid. In their 11 years of serving southern Sudan, they have both certainly put their lives in danger, especially considering the various other places this world they could surely call home. So in their eyes, it’s got to be worth it.
Though IDAT serves the community in an immediate way by administering health care, this is not the focal point of the ministry. For if the clinic were to disappear tomorrow, sickness would surely persist. They strive for a more lasting and elemental effect. At the heart, I think it should be our goal to leave a footprint that will not wash away when high water comes, and Suzy and Sabet have certainly done much to this end. Primarily, they accomplish this by bring the message of Jesus to the people. By looking to plant this seed in hearts, minds, and souls, the many changes it can bring to people’s lives can outlast any medicine prescription ever will. It can be spread from person to person, making each subsequent generation see God and his creation differently than the previous one.
Additionally, there are other programs I have seen in my short time here that favor true change over bandaids. One obvious example is the medical training we share with a staff of young Sudanese men. They come to work and learn 6 out of the 7 days a week, and in return for their work, they obtain real world clinical knowledge and hands-on experience, among other valuable skills. And recently, we have begun serving a village about 45 minutes away from Tonj with healthcare services. But again, the bandaid is not the point. Though we do administer healthcare, there is also a representative from this village who has begun an integrated medical training with us, so that he may take this education back to the village. Again, lasting solutions.
Those are my thoughts from today. Thanks for reading, and see you in a week!
John Lazar