Reflection on China Trip (May 09)

I have never wanted to go on medical mission trips.

The reason I went on this trip is because I have wanted to explore options on how to serve people in need, especially those who are neglected by most.

That was why I went to visit this leprosy village.

Many of these people were scarred by their disease, not just physically, also psychologically. Many of them were treated badly as they were lepers. I heard a story that one was almost killed by her own parents as a kid after she contracted the disease. Most were isolated in these villages for their whole lives.

They hadn't seen children in years (they were thrilled when some volunteers brought their own kids there to visit them last time), and they were excited when volunteers brought them to a restaurant.

The leader asked if we thought it was worth it, for over 10 of us travelled for 6-7 hours (and spent several hundred dollars) in order to visit a few surviving residents in the village. In my heart, I immediately answered yes, it was definitely worth it.

God never evaluates if a mission is "worth it" by the number or the statistics. It's the people that He values, and God is especially concerned about the poor, the neglected, the oppressed.

While I was in the village, an old man asked me about the pain in his leg. In that moment, I really don't know what to do. I think there may be some infection, I'm not sure. I touched him, that was the only I could think of then. I thought touching him while trying to check out his pain probably could help a bit, not because I could heal by touch like Jesus, but because it showed that I care, and I am not afraid of touching him. However, I don't know what else I can do, and then a preacher who was with us prayed for the old man.

I don't know what I am expected to do here, and I'm still thinking about it. I know if God wants to heal the old man, He can, but I don't know if I'm so brave as to be able to pray for the man like that. What if he did not get well? What would he think? At that moment, I just prayed to God, "Please heal him."

Then the next day, we went to take a look at Leung Fat's home, he was the first Chinese Christian and pastor. I was not used to doing this kind of "sightseeing" or even "shopping" during mission trips because my ex-church pastor would never allow these to happen in mission trips (which is a good thing, I think). However, God used even that sightseeing bit during sharing with staff in the hospital we visited in the afternoon.

I was told to give a talk on the treatment of pain to the staff in the hospital, actually this was kind of outside my expertise. I know a bit, but not a lot. Then to my surprise (and shock), someone asked a question!! On the management of a "real life case"!!! When he started talking about the case, and when I talked to the patient, I started to recall stuff I should have forgotten and then offered to seek answers for him after I come back to HK from others. That was when I realised God really uses you in places where you're not good at, and it's His power that accomplish things. Where you are weak, He is strong.