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 In the mid-eighties we served at Evangel Hospital (SIM/ECWA) in Jos, Nigeria. While in Jos several specialists visited and were able to teach Louis new techniques. After the specialists left, Louis was continued to use these newly learned surgical techniques on other patients that came to the hospital. These patients did not have the opportunity for this surgical treatment at any other hospital in our area of Nigeria. Many of these had the opportuniity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Chirst for the first time while in the hospital for these surgerical procedures.
In 1994 when we were planning to return to the mission field in late 1995 or 1996, God laid it on our hearts that we could minister to missionary and naitional physicians and surgeons by teaching them basic reconstructive and hand surgery. At that time there was only one other full-time missionary plastic surgeon and no full-time missionary hand surgeon in the world. All mission hospitals receive emergencies that require reconstructive and hand surgical treatment every week. In addition, many patients are seen with deformities and disabilities that desperately need surgery. In most cases these patients are sent away without care since the doctors have little or no experience in the needed surgery.. Oftentimes the patients have travelled many miles to reach the mission hospital. Usually they have already sought help from the local government hospital and have been turned away there. The mission hospital is often the last resort. The missionary or national doctor may ofter to refer them to one of the large university hospitals in the country, but plastic and hand surgeons are rarely found at these hospitals. In addition, though the care is supposed to be "free," it often costs something in addition to the transportation expenses. Patients from the "bush" often fear travel into the unknown, into the large cities. Furthermore and most important, when the patients leave the mission hospital without treatment, they also leave without the chance to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In all the mission hospitals that we have visited, the Gospel is presented to each patient daily and often several times a day. If a patient can be treated at the mission hospital, then he/she will hear the Gospel frequently and have the opportunity to trust in Jesus Christ as his/her Savior. In most hospitals the Jesus Film is shown daily.
Thus, the Lord has led us to go to mission hospitals around the world to teach mission doctors reconstructive and hand surgery. In this way, after we leave the missionary doctor is able to perform some new operations and assist patients who previously he sent away untreated. These patients now have the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ on a daily basis and the opportunity to trust in Christ as their Savior.
We continue to travel back to some of the same hospitals as we teach these doctors new techniques and refine their skills so that they can offer their patients the best possible care. We have found that with better results the patients are more likely to accept the Gospel message as it is presented.
In recent years we have spent more time in teaching national physicians at the mission hospitals and also in university hospitals. National physicians are eager to learn and are so grateful for time spent with them. Most mission hospitals have one or more national physicians on staff or in training.
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