The following are testimonies from some of the volunteers who joined the outreach to the different Life-Child Day Care Centres and rural communities of South Africa.
Margarita - Trained Nurse, NY
My experience in South Africa surpassed any of my expectations. The land itself still displays some of God's beauty in nature. First of all the small medical team that consisted of six women, myself included, was able to fulfill God's plans and purposes for our time in S. A. As a result of this trip I've learned there is more than one way to evangelize. Due to the language barrier there were instances where we couldn't verbally communicate, yet we were able to communicate the gospel by offering our bodies as living sacrifices. We were able to display some of the attributes of God, like Jesus did while he was on earth, through the work that was done. If that means taking us out of our comfort zone and taking us halfway across the world to serve him ( in my case one of my tasks was sterilizing dental equipment) then so be it. I'm grateful for my experience in South Africa in allowing me to be an extension of his love for the people of South Africa.
Dr. Karen - Physician, NY
I saw the effect of sin and life without God in the surrounding areas. Ancient beliefs and practices such as ancestral worship and witchcraft have taken their toll. The statistics report up to 33% prevalence of HIV in Southern Africa. With experience in treating patients with HIV, I was eager to test patients, and if positive encourage them to get further help in surrounding clinics. I soon found out, however, that the health care system was overwhelmed and that patients often did not have the means to even get to a clinic. I was then faced with the dilemma to test or not to test?
More disturbing was the discovery of dangerous mixtures of ancestral beliefs with Christianity. While in Wasbank, we met a young witchdoctor in training. On further questioning, we learned that she had been introduced to her trade through an “apostolic” church that mixes traditional and Biblical beliefs. She was like a lost sheep without a shepherd, and offered no opposition to our suggestions to contact our Christian hosts in Wasbank. I am reminded of the words of Jesus to the Church in Laodicea: I know your deeds that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev 3:15-16)
I learned to trust God to help me function with jet lag and fatigue, to shower in a bucket of cold water and to deal with spiders. I am thankful for the opportunity to partner with Doctors For Life in bringing this message of hope and forgiveness to the people of South Africa. Before any medicine was dispensed, the word of God was spoken and a clear distinction between healing of the body and healing of the soul as made. Then a team of doctors, nurses, and a dentist attended to the physical needs of the community. At the end of the day a film depicting salvation and was shown.
We were blessed by a story that Uncle Martin overheard between two Zulu women at the end of the day: “The medicines that they use are the same medicines, but they bring the word of God with it,…that’s what’s different about their medicine.”
Upon my return to New York, I was asked “was it really as bad the reports say?” “Were the children starving?” Although my eyes had seen a great deal of sickness and hardship, I was always comforted to have God at my side.
THE FOLLOWING AMOUNTS ARE EXCLUDING THE ORPHANS THAT WERE TREATED:
