My story? This is a report about my two years spent in Samaritan's Purse Post-Residency Program. A wonderful program, I wanted for nothing and I had much freedom to do what I needed to do. In synopsis, I have taught Asian doctors better medicine and how to sacrifice for their patients. I have tried to encourage many Asian and American coworkers to fight the good fight. They encouraged me more and outdid me. Actually I feel like others have outdone me most of the time, but that is all ok! There are some amazing people out here.
Actually I wish all of you could do what I have had the opportunity to do. Short term m work is good, but long term has such an effect on the community and it molds your heart day after day until you don’t even recognize yourself after a while. Here’s what you might gain from doing long-term work:
1. You switch from building your own life to allowing it to be deconstructed and built according to other’s needs and the king dom cause. Such as you stop worrying about how to make your life improve by a better place to work, buying stuff, learning the right skills, and doing what makes you fulfilled. You see whatever needs are around you and start learning skills to do that instead, not because it makes you fulfilled, but because the “cause” needs it. Because failure of the “cause” is not an option.
2. You stop choosing your friends. You try to impact anyone that will listen to you, no matter how odd or different from you they seem. Even if they are one of those “draining” people. You know who I am talking about!
3. You realize how easy it is for you to get cranky and how much infrastructure you demand on a daily basis. And how stuck on you are on “your rights.”
4. You realize that you are not smart. Really, your opinions and GPA are useless to you and the world. Whether studying language or trying to do something simple like change a light bulb. You rely on the locals for most of everything.
5. After a while, you realize that you will always be “odd” and never fit into the new culture. So you don’t care about fitting in as much. You are released to be who you really are a little bit more.
6. You start to need Father more. I once hoped to want Father like I wanted chocolate. Never happened. Instead, I want Father like I want food. I need him or I will fail. And failure is not an option as I said before. I am doing things I can’t easily succeed in and I feel the need of him in pr more.
7. You learn to complain less. All your complaining does is demoralize your coworkers, and then they will fail. If they fail, you fail, and as stated...failure is not an option. Only complain to select people that are stronger in their resolve and unaffected by negativity. Those people are rare, especially in a “newly reached” area.
8. You realize that the real people of Father are the most beautiful things in the world.
9. People often think that you will see all the poor people in “m” work and become content with what you have. Not so in my experience. You become content when you realize that you are doing all that Father wants you to do and that you have no right or need to ask for more. This is his best, He calls it good. Therefore it must be despite how your limbic system (your emotions) are feeling that day.
10. Most of the people that told you that Father is good on a daily basis are gone. You feel that noone can understand you. You feel alone. Except for the presence of One. You get mad at him at times. But you experience His presence in a pure way at these times. I don’t know how to explain it but it is a very good thing.
If you have an small notion to do "m" work, do it. A secondary gain you will get is that you will never be the same, the rest of your life.
Actually I wish all of you could do what I have had the opportunity to do. Short term m work is good, but long term has such an effect on the community and it molds your heart day after day until you don’t even recognize yourself after a while. Here’s what you might gain from doing long-term work:
1. You switch from building your own life to allowing it to be deconstructed and built according to other’s needs and the king dom cause. Such as you stop worrying about how to make your life improve by a better place to work, buying stuff, learning the right skills, and doing what makes you fulfilled. You see whatever needs are around you and start learning skills to do that instead, not because it makes you fulfilled, but because the “cause” needs it. Because failure of the “cause” is not an option.
2. You stop choosing your friends. You try to impact anyone that will listen to you, no matter how odd or different from you they seem. Even if they are one of those “draining” people. You know who I am talking about!
3. You realize how easy it is for you to get cranky and how much infrastructure you demand on a daily basis. And how stuck on you are on “your rights.”
4. You realize that you are not smart. Really, your opinions and GPA are useless to you and the world. Whether studying language or trying to do something simple like change a light bulb. You rely on the locals for most of everything.
5. After a while, you realize that you will always be “odd” and never fit into the new culture. So you don’t care about fitting in as much. You are released to be who you really are a little bit more.
6. You start to need Father more. I once hoped to want Father like I wanted chocolate. Never happened. Instead, I want Father like I want food. I need him or I will fail. And failure is not an option as I said before. I am doing things I can’t easily succeed in and I feel the need of him in pr more.
7. You learn to complain less. All your complaining does is demoralize your coworkers, and then they will fail. If they fail, you fail, and as stated...failure is not an option. Only complain to select people that are stronger in their resolve and unaffected by negativity. Those people are rare, especially in a “newly reached” area.
8. You realize that the real people of Father are the most beautiful things in the world.
9. People often think that you will see all the poor people in “m” work and become content with what you have. Not so in my experience. You become content when you realize that you are doing all that Father wants you to do and that you have no right or need to ask for more. This is his best, He calls it good. Therefore it must be despite how your limbic system (your emotions) are feeling that day.
10. Most of the people that told you that Father is good on a daily basis are gone. You feel that noone can understand you. You feel alone. Except for the presence of One. You get mad at him at times. But you experience His presence in a pure way at these times. I don’t know how to explain it but it is a very good thing.
If you have an small notion to do "m" work, do it. A secondary gain you will get is that you will never be the same, the rest of your life.
