1 September 2011

One of our nurses was pushing an empty wheelchair down the hallway when she noticed my raised eyebrow. “There’s a girl outside who can’t walk,” she said. “I’m going to bring her in.”

Soon I met a very worried Quechua mom hovering over a too-thin teenager named Lisbeth. The girl had scraped her knee at school four days ago, and yesterday the knee became swollen and too painful to bear weight. They came in on a truck. Her knee was hot and red—a large abscess had formed between the skin and the muscle below. I told them we would need to drain it. “Do you mean cut into it?” asked the mother. “Yes, it is the only way.” “No!” they said in unison.

The girl refused for fear it would hurt, and the mom for fear her husband would scold her for authorizing something invasive in his absence. I explained the benefits of treatment and the risks of waiting, but neither relented and eventually the girl was wheeled back outside to sit in the sun while the mother traveled to her village to call the dad. When I left for lunch Lisbeth still trembled there—feverish and afraid.

At 5 pm her father arrived. He stayed with her while I drained and packed the cavity. Then she slept through the night with no need for pain killers. Lisbeth was on the ward for three more days and looked like a different person once her fear was gone.

For “upcountry” kids like Lisbeth, mine is the only white face they’ve ever seen, and stories of the dreaded bogeyman are uppermost in their minds. What is different is dangerous. By being honest and gentle in doing good to her, I try not only to heal her knee, but to “cast out fear” by making known the gracious and merciful character of God. I hope that learning to trust me makes it easier for her to trust in God, who is also as yet unknown, but who wants to bring her joy.

Watch this video of Dr. Steve Hawthorne’s ministry in Yawisla, Bolivia:

PRAY

for children such as Lisbeth to have authentic encounters with Christ through SIM's medical ministries, encounters that will free them from fear and superstition and lead them to Christ.

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SIM has a large number of openings for medical personnel in Bolivia and around the world. If you or someone you know would prayerfully consider serving in cross-cultural medical missions, we would love to speak with you today! Please view a list of our current Medical Openings.

Steve and Mary Hawthorne have served the Quechuas of southern Bolivia for more than 20 years through medical work, discipleship, church nurturing, and theological education.