Christian Medical and Dental Associations

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Giving Hope to Haiti

Stories of Lives Transformed

by Christ

Reaching the Next Generation

of Doctors Here in Atlanta

Emory Med Student, Alex Johnson in Haiti

Atlanta Christian Doctor

Annual Issue

Find CMDA Atlanta online at www.CMDAatlanta.org

CMDA Atlanta Contact us: billreichart@cmdaatlanta.org www.CMDAatlanta.org 678.350.8539

CMDA Atlanta Area Director Rev. Bill Reichart, M.Div. CMDA Atlanta Leadership Council Dr. Rick Boden Dr. Ken Rutledge Dr. Huck Whitener, DDS Dr. Mark Huffman Dr. Don Shaffer Dr. John Galloway Dr. Arif Ali Carol Shaffer, PharmD Dr. Roberto Diaz Dr. David Ballard Dr. Steven Brantley Dr. Paul Espy Dr. Ryan Cantwell Dr. Yong Kim

Christian Medical and Dental Associations pro-vides programs and services supporting its mis-sion to "change hearts in healthcare" with a cur-rent membership of more than 15,000. CMDA promotes positions and addresses policies on healthcare issues; conducts overseas medical evangelism projects through its mission arm, Global Health Outreach; coordinates a network of Christian doctors for fellowship and profes-sional growth and sponsors student ministries in medical and dental schools.

Inside

4—Letter from the Director 5—Story of Transformation, Richard Schellman 6—Mission to Honduras 8—Faces of CMDA Atlanta 9—Reaching the Next Generation of Doctors 10—Kenya, “We Treat...Jesus Heals” 16—Vision and Celebration, 2010 Banquet 17—Global Missions Health Conference 18—Commissioning Service 19—From the Bookshelf 20—Serving the Poor 21—Too Busy to Pray? 22—Hope for Haiti 30—Perspective

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From The Director

This is the annual issue of Atlanta Christian Doctor. This magazine serves as an annual report showcasing all that

God has done this past year through Christian Medical and Dental Associations here in Atlanta. It has truly been an exciting year for CMDA Atlanta. The biggest reason I’ve been so excited about what God has been doing through CMDA here in Atlanta is being able to see changed and transformed lives by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is exciting to see men, women and children have life changing encounters with the grace and love of God. That’s my passion! Seeing God’s handiwork in other’s lives is the wonderful privilege that I get to experience day in and day out in my work with CMDA….here are a couple of examples this past year that illustrate it: Being able to meet every week with an anesthesiology PA in Marietta, pointing him to Jesus and encouraging

him toward growth and depth in his new relationship with Jesus Christ. (p. 5) Taking a group of doctors and med students to Haiti in June and watching God profoundly work in the lives of

everyone who served. (p. 22) Praying with doctors and sharing one another’s burdens in prayer. (p. 21) Sitting down with a med student who is going through a crisis and being able to minister the love and grace of

Jesus Christ to them. (p. 9) But changed lives is a two way street, throughout it all, God is changing ME! God is calling me to a deeper trust in Him. I am continually sharpened and challenged by those around me. I am learning more and more of my need to cling to Him with my cares, concerns and with life’s trials. God is continuing to teach me and remind me that, in Christ, I am a deeply loved son of the King! I trust that this issue of Atlanta Christian Doctor will be a blessing to you as you read and see God’s loving hand of grace throughout the pages. May God be glorified by all we do here in Atlanta.

Bill Reichart CMDA Atlanta Area Director

Serving Him,

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Last March a team of doctors, nurses, med students, pharmacists and logistical personnel went to Tela, Honduras

to serve those most in need of medical care. But even as the opportunity to serve in Honduras was incredible, it was overshadowed by the story of just one man, Richard. Richard Schellman is an Anesthesiology PA working at Ken-nestone Hospital in Marietta. A couple of months before the trip, Richard expressed interest in going on the trip with us. But there was one fact that he made very clear to us, he wasn’t a Christian. Yes, Richard was seeking. He was going to church and was in a study investigating Christianity. But he knew clearly that he wasn’t a Christian. Although it is not common for a non-Christian to desire to come on an explicitly Christian medical missions team, the leaders and I agreed that he should definitely come, as long as he was agree-able to participate fully in the mission. He was and so Richard joined us. I knew when Richard came to Honduras that he was in a process and so I didn’t push, but I did make myself con-tinually available to talk about God...and talk we did. Throughout the week Richard asked questions. Good ques-tions. The extra time that we had during the week allowed times for Richard and I to walk and talk or simply hang out on his porch and have late night conversations about Jesus. I could see as the week moved on, Richard’s questions and concerns keeping him from Jesus were starting to melt away. But yet I didn’t know how close he was to yielding his life and putting his faith in Jesus—until Thursday. On Thursday evening, Richard came up to me and said, “I want to become a Christian”. Because we were just about to participate in an evening event with the team, I told him that we would spend time later that evening to talk about how to do that, and that I would be willing to help lead him in that decision. So later that evening, af-ter the activities of the day had ceased, Richard and I sat on my Villa’s back porch. While overlooking the Carib-bean and listening to the breeze move through the palm branches, I led Richard in prayer. I prayed, Richard prayed and that evening Richard put his trust and faith in Jesus Christ and became a Christian. As Richard prayed, he wept. As we talked about it later, he said that he was overwhelmed with emotion because he was fi-nally relieved. He had been fighting God for so long, it was an emotional relief to finally surrender. The next morning at breakfast, Richard shared with the whole team that he had become a Christian. There was great rejoicing. Richard joined us on our trip having kept God at arms length , but he left Honduras a changed, forgiven and freed man.

- written by Bill Reichart, Atlanta Area Director

Story of Transformation

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Scan the QR code to watch on your smartphone Richard’s story or go to our YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/CMDAatlanta

Mission to Honduras

A team of 28 physicians, nurses, medical students, residents , PA’s served this past March on a medical mission

trip to Tela, Honduras. And as usual, we saw God do amazing things in and through our team. During the week of our trip, we saw just over 1,200 patients. Of those, 223 men, women and children indicated decisions for Je-sus Christ. Also, we had a children’s ministry team that had access to just over 1,000 children as they were in-vited into 12 schools and being given the opportunity to share about Jesus. What an adventure! Medicine and the preaching of the gospel are such a powerful combination. That’s because during Jesus’ ministry (i.e. Matthew 9), you see Him not only healing the sick, the lame and the blind—but at the same time He is preaching the Kingdom of God. When people’s lives are touched by a healing hand and made whole, it represents a picture of the future Kingdom—a time of new creation, resurrection, complete healing and wholeness.

Come and join us in 2011 by going overseas in order to make a Kingdom difference with medicine.

Going back to Tela, Honduras - March 12-20, 2011

Visit www.CMDAmissions.org for more information and to apply.

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In 2010, God gave us the privilege of seeing 246 patients indicate decisions for Jesus Christ.

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Scan the QR code to watch on your smartphone a video of the Honduras trip or go to our YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/CMDAatlanta

A Honduran man at our Tela clinic.

Faces of CMDA Atlanta

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1. You love Facebook and use it all the time. 2. You never or seldom use Facebook and aren't sure what the fuss is about - so you're curious. 3. You want to stay current on all the happenings throughout Atlanta with CMDA. 4. It would be great to interact with other people in-volved in the same ministry as you. 5. You get to see the latest pics and stories of your friends and colleagues within CMDA.

Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Become a CMDA Atlanta Facebook Fan

Dr. Paul D. Espy, Dermatologist. Dr. Espy provides dermatological services at Marietta Dermatology Associates, PA. Paul serves on the CMDA Atlanta leader-ship council and has had the opportunity over the past couple of years to serve on our medical mission teams to Honduras, Haiti and Kenya.

Dr. Deena Theiss, Urologist. Dr. Theiss practices in Marietta as part of Urology Associates, P.C. since January 2006. Deena has not only mentored medical stu-dents here in Atlanta but also has served on several of our medical mission teams to Honduras and into the 10/40 window.

Dr. Joe Wilson, Cardiologist. In 1984, Dr. Wilson began his cardiology practice serving the Atlanta area. He currently treats patients at his Sandy Springs office location and is affiliated with both, Saint Joseph’s Hospital and Northside Hospi-tal. Joe has a heart for students and missions and has invested generously in both of them here in Atlanta.

Dr. Karla Booker, Family Medicine. Dr. Booker serves on the faculty at the More-house School of Medicine. Karla invests both her time and energy into the lives of the CMDA students at Morehouse. She not only speaks at CMDA chapter meetings but she helps mentor the female medical students.

Laura McCain, GA-PCOM ‘13 medical student. Laura grew up in Nigeria as the child of missionaries. Laura is one of our student leaders at PCOM. Laura, along with other PCOM students, participated in our Honduran mission last March and plans to return again in March 2011.

Meet several of the hundreds of people involved with CMDA here in Atlanta.

Reaching the Next Generation of Doctors

It’s just great to have the encouragement of other believers who share the same challenging medical school journey as I do, yet trusting God for His strength. Upper “classmen” and practicing physicians have come to encourage us too & reaf-firm the calling of physician/minister that we hope to step into. - Tope Afon, Morehouse ‘12

God called me to medical school and scared me to death. The only way I've made it this far is that I know I can count on him to be with me. When I saw the CMDA display at orientation I knew it was there for me. Thank you CMDA for being the body of Christ at school and seeing me through. It is hard, but God is with me and I know I'll make it if I rely on God. - Renee Himmelbaum, GA-PCOM ‘13

Hear what students are saying about CMDA….

CMDA Atlanta is reaching out to emerging medical doctors and professionals throughout Atlanta at Emory School of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Mercer University of Atlanta, and the Georgia Campus of the Philadelphia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

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Scan the QR code with your smartphone to watch a video of medical student testimonies or go to our YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/CMDAatlanta

Kenya

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In late September, Dr. Ken Rutledge, Urologist from Marietta, led

the team of 11 physicians and 4 logistical personnel for a 11 day trip serving the Kenyan people at Tenwek Hospital. The purpose of our trip was to not only serve and treat patients, but also train and equip the African residents serving at the hospital. Also through the help of Geoff Baker, our team member and Covidien Surgical Supply Rep, we were able to bring over $100,000 of equipment and sup-plies for the hospital. Below is a personal story of Bill Reichart’s ex-perience on the Kenya mission. “My role during the trip was a unique one, since I don’t have a medical background. God allowed me to work alongside the chaplains throughout the week, visiting on the wards, praying with patients, sharing my faith and even teaching at their chaplain school. Although it was a blessing to serve in this way, at times it was very difficult and challenging. One such challenging situation came in regards to a patient that Dr. Ryan Cantwell, Dr. Steve Brantley, and I visited on Monday, within the ICU. His name was Wesley. Wesley had been found unconscious in his field after planting potatoes. The suspicion was that he had perhaps been poisoned be-cause of inhaling an agricultural pesticide. It wasn’t until Wednesday during my rounds with the chaplain, that I saw Wesley again in the ICU. But this time I had discovered that Wesley's health had deteriorated, to the point that he was brain damaged and on a ventilator. In fact, the moment we arrived, the doctor was notifying his family that he was dead and they were removing the ventilator. Simon, the Tenwek chaplain, and I were able to come alongside the family. We prayed with and for them, and held a bedside service for Wesley as his family grieved, mourned, and said their goodbyes. Watching the death of someone, and entering into the grief of the family, was a very difficult and emotionally draining experience. Please pray for Wesley's family, especially his wife, as they continue to grieve his loss.” - written by Bill Reichart, Atlanta Area Director

This past year, 3,216 patients were treated medically, explained the gospel and prayed for individually on our medical mission trips.

On our way to Tenwek, the Rift Valley

“We treat...Jesus heals”

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Tenwek Hospital, one of the largest Protestant mission hospitals in Kenya, began as a humble clinic in 1935. Tenwek, working under the motto “We treat, Jesus heals,” is located in rural Kenya, 140 miles west of Nairobi, in the fertile highlands of the Bomet district. In addition to being the primary hospital for the area’s 1 million people, it is also a referral hospital that receives patients from other parts of the country. Tenwek’s staff, which now totals 500 employees, treats more than 10,000 inpatients and 70,000 outpatients each year. Approximately 3,000 major surgeries and 2,500 deliveries are also per-formed at Tenwek each year. In addition, several thousand people find Christ as Savior each year, and many more are impacted through Tenwek’s compassionate ministries and training programs.

A team of 15 from CMDA Atlanta served at Tenwek Hospital in September of 2010.

On safari in the Masai Mara Reserve

A woman and young child waiting patiently at Tenwek Hospital to be seen by one of the doctors.

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Another place we served was at the Umoja children's home in Kenya. Many of the orphan children were orphaned having lost their parents to HIV.

Geoff Baker and Dr. Paul Osteen pictured above. Atlanta and Tenwek Urologists performing a medical procedure below.

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Bill Reichart preaching at the morning chapel service above. A Masai couple waiting to be seen by the doctors at Tenwek below.

Vision and Celebration

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It was a marvelous evening. During the evening, we showed three videos which illustrated our theme for the banquet - Transforming Lives with the Gospel. Also special music was provided by a local Swahili choir and from recording artist, Priscilla Berry. Josue Calzada, a mission director from First Baptist Church of Woodstock provided the invocation, and Brian Fox, previous CMDA Atlanta Area Director and now a mission director at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church ended the evening with the benediction. Dr. J. Scott Ries, CMDA VP of Campus and Community Ministries, was our keynote speaker during the evening and Dr. Steve Brantley, Radiologist and Council Member, presented the financial ask and challenge to the audience. We are tremendously grateful for all that God did that evening and for everyone who volunteered their time and gave of their financial resources to make the banquet possible.

On Thursday, November 18th, CMDA Atlanta held it’s first ever Fundraising Banquet. God exploded the doors

off of our expectations! Just over 250 people were in attendance at the Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center and just over 1/2 of our needed budget for 2011 was given or pledged. God did far more than we could have ever dreamed or expected!

Financial Goals (CMDA fiscal year starts in July and ends in June)

2009-2010 Actual—$91,000 2010-2011 Proposed—$122,900

All of the banquet videos can be viewed online at: www.youtube.com/CMDAatlanta

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"Our patients tend to place us on a pedestal and give us a trust that we have not earned. ... Yet within this sacred relationship, we can be salt and light, bring truth balanced with grace and love. What a marvelous opportunity." -- Dr. Walt Larimore , one of the plenary speak-ers at the GMHC

Global Missions Health Conference

This past November 11-13th, a group of students, physicians and residents from Atlanta attended the Global Missions Health Con-ference (GMHC) in Louisville, KY. This is the biggest Medical Mis-sions conference in the U.S. which features speakers who challenged and inspired; break-out sessions that equipped; and an exhibit hall filled with minis-tries to help network and connect with opportunities to serve. For more information about next year’s conference go to: www.MedicalMissions.com

This past spring, 50+ doctors and medical students gathered at the Church of the Redeemer in Dunwoody to

commission our graduating students. 13 students from Emory, Morehouse, PCOM and Mercer attended the service. Dr. Rick Boden lead in music, Dr. Harry Kraus, missionary doctor/author was our keynote speaker, and Dr. Ken Rutledge and Brad Schwarz, director of the PA program of Mercer, commissioned and gave the charge to our medical students and PA’s respectively. It was a wonderful evening and a blessing to all the students and everyone who attended.

During the days of April 16-18, 2010, Emory sponsored a

Medical Volunteerism Conference. And throughout the week, CMDA played an important role at the conference, but in addition we also sponsored several outside events with Dr. Bruce Steffes from the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons. Dr. Steffes was able to speak with sev-eral of our CMDA doctors Thursday evening. He also met with key mission leaders Friday morning and business lead-ers that afternoon. Bill Reichart, CMDA Atlanta Director had the opportunity to speak to the conference at the Saturday morning breakout session on the topic of Where to Begin in starting to serve within medical missions. This conference at Emory was an unprecedented opportunity to advance the kingdom and the gospel.

Commissioning Service

Emory Conference

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These are the top 5 books addressing suffering and loss from a solid Christian foundation. These books have been a

tremendous help to many people in processing grief and suffering. When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steven Estes Joni's radiant life and soundly scriptural exploration of suffering convinces us that while God does not promise to remove our suffering, he does promise to redeem it. A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser Sittser, with a unique depth of wisdom and the compassionate companionship of someone who has "been there," invites the possibility that God can use our seemingly senseless loss for good. A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis Lewis's raw emotions in the throes of losing his beloved helped us to feel not so alone in our own suffering. Disappointment with God: Three Questions No One Asks Aloud by Philip Yancey Perhaps the most lingering insight is Yancey's suggestion that we surrender our quest to understand "why?" and in-stead begin to ask, "to what end?" thus infusing the struggle with purpose and meaning. Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff Wolterstorff, a well-known Christian philosopher, lost his 25-year-old son to a mountain climbing accident. His re-flections in the wake of that tragedy are at times deeply personal, but always he expresses a prayerful anguish.

“We fail to see the place of suffering in the broader scheme of things. We fail to see that suffering is an inevitable dimension of life. Because we have lost perspective, we fail to see that unless one is willing to accept suffering properly, he or she is really refusing to continue in the quest for maturity. To refuse suffering is to refuse personal growth.” Henri J. M. Nouwen

From the Bookshelf

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On January 26th at Intown Community Church, CMDA Atlanta held it’s

quarterly city-wide fellowship. During our time together, we had Spirit-led worship from our Georgia PCOM medical students, and in addition we had Dr. Rick Donlon founder of Christ Community Health Services in Memphis, TN speak on his work that provides medical care and health services to the underserved and poor in our communities. Rick’s talk to our group of 35 doctors, PAs, nurses and medical students wasn’t merely an informational lecture, but rather a challenge from his

life and work on how to radical transform cities, clinic work, the church and people’s lives. Rick discussed three major paradigm shifts in his clinic work that transformed the manner in which the Kingdom of God is impacting the underserved and poor in Memphis. These three shifts that he discussed were—living among those they served (moving directly into those underserved communities); launching ministry from the city into the world (particularly the hard to reach places—called the 10/40 window); and rethinking the way they did church throughout the community they were serving (planting small house churches within the community). Needless to say his talk was challenging and left a significant mark on all those who attended. In several conversa-tions with medical students in the days following Rick’s visit, students told me that they couldn’t shake off Rick’s words and challenge. One student said that she couldn’t fall asleep that night because her mind was racing with all that she heard. While another student told me that, almost a week afterwards, he can’t get out of his mind the challenges that were presented that night. - written by Bill Reichart, Atlanta Area Director

"There are more similarities than differences between work among the U.S. poor and medical mis-sions overseas. In both cases you're working with a neglected and needy population, you struggle with limited resources, you work cross-culturally, you take risks and face your fears, and you will

probably make your mom mad." -- Dr. Rick Donlon

Serving the Poor

For more information about Rick Donlon and CCHS, go to: http://www.christcommunityhealth.org or scan the QR code with your smartphone.

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One of the biggest ironies of the Christian life is feeling too busy to pray, because it is in our busiest moments

that we need prayer the most. It was John Wesley, founder of the Methodists who said - "I have so much to do that I spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it." Finding several hours to pray every day may be near impossible for many of us, but that need not stop us from praying. There are times, within the margins of our lives and interspersed throughout the day when we can pray. Some students at our medical schools throughout Atlanta spend time to pray together once a week and

even gather before exams to pray.

Doctors gather together for fellowship at Kennestone using a portion of that time to pray with and for one another.

Doctors, in natural and appropriate ways, are finding opportunities to pray with and for their patients.

When embarking on medical missions trips, teams of individuals commit to cover the mission in prayer every day.

Those are just some examples of how prayer is woven throughout the fabric of CMDA here in Atlanta. We must be a ministry girded and propelled by prayer, because apart from God and Him at work, we can do noth-ing! Psalm 127:1-2 Let us NOT be a people who get too busy, not to pray.

Too Busy to Pray?

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It was an event that gripped the world’s attention. On January, 12, 2010, Haiti was surprised by a catastro-

phic magnitude 7.0 earthquake, with an epicenter 16 miles west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earth-quake was a catastrophe that further exasperated already difficult conditions for the Haitian people. It is esti-mated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged from the earthquake. Also, It was reported that an estimated 230,000 people had died, 300,000 had been in-jured and 1,000,000 made homeless. Immediately aide was rushed to Haiti from countries throughout the world . Food, water, temporary shelter and medical care. It was in the wake of this enormous tragedy that CMDA Atlanta felt called by God to send a medical missions team. Previous to the earthquake, plans were in motion for CMDA Atlanta to go and serve in the Dominican Repub-lic. But after the earthquake, it was evident that God was redirecting our plans to go and help the Haitians who were in desperate need. With the assistance of our partner, Oasis Church from Santo Domingo-DR, we were able to send a team in June consisting of 33 physicians, medical students, pharmacists, nurses and logis-tical personnel to serve the Haitian people. Although the situation, even six months later, was still very dire—we were able to bring and offer HOPE. Not just physical hope and medical care, but more importantly and lasting, eternal HOPE. Since the earthquake, there has been an in-breaking of the Spirit. Hearts have been pried open to the gospel. Voodoo and occult practices have been renounced by some –there has been repentance. God’s Kingdom is growing in Haiti. But the work is far from over, there is still much need in Haiti—physically and spiritually. So therefore, CMDA Atlanta is returning again to Haiti. The dates for the medical mission are June 18-26, 2011. If you would like more information about the trip and to apply go to: www.CMDAmissions.org

Hope for Haiti

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“Christ was truly the Lord of our trip, in every respect. What a joy to serve as his hands, and feet in the suffering country of Haiti” - Jacqui O’Kane, GA-PCOM ‘13

The hundreds of Haitians that would wait in line at our clinic every day.

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One of the many children in our Haiti clinic. In 2010 we had the chance to share Jesus with over 1,000 children during our 4 medical mission trips.

Sharing the love of Jesus with children at the clinic was a very important component of our medical mission to Haiti.

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Emory medical student Phil Mitchell assisting with a patient.

Emory medical student Trey Nunnery assisting with the IV.

“We were able to share God’s story of redemption with the people of Haiti as God worked in and through us. As we strived to love them God in turn used the Haitians to impact us in countless ways.” - Noelle Hagen, Dr. Hagen’s daughter and children’s ministry worker.

Scan the QR code with your smartphone to watch a video of the Haiti medical missions trip or go to our YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/CMDAatlanta

The canal in front of our clinic.

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During this past year, 82 CMDA Atlanta medical professionals and students traveled throughout the world on 4 medical missions trips.

One of the hundreds of tent villages housing the displaced Haitians.

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Perspective

Recently I had the honor of attending a presentation delivered by medical school students from Emory University –

they had recently returned from a medical mission to Haiti. The sponsor for this mission was the Christian Medical and Dental Association in partnership with Global Health Outreach. The students not only had the opportunity to serve but to learn from the lead doctors on the team and to their surprise, from the people themselves! The team expected to see and treat complications resulting from the earthquake last January when in fact, most of the maladies were circumstantially endemic. Ophthalmological, dermatological and many familiar issues were all too common and resulted primarily from lack of hygiene, nutrition and access to basic and routine medical care. An all-too-common frustration was realized when the team saw that their seven days of effort might not have as sig-

nificant nor as long-lasting an impact as they wanted. I wanted to tell them not to worry about this; although this is disconcerting, one has to realize that they don’t know the fruit that will result from their seeds of compassion and service. This also encouraged me to continue to work with mission teams to integrate short-term missions with efforts of a more sustained vision. When we take a multi-year plan and leverage tactical teams to affect strategic goals, both sides win; not only from an implementation and impact per-spective but also from providing a feeling of inclusiveness and fol-low-up to the members that only see a time-slice of the entire jour-ney. I was particularly touched by a young lady who was motivated to

participate in this mission partly by a compelling need to escape the isolation and relative safety of academia and immerse herself in a brutal reality outside her norm. She commented that marching down a challenging but predic-tive path through medical school and on into a (hopefully) successful practice and the further cocooning elements of that success felt suffocating at times. All members of the team commented on the shock of experiencing a radical change in culture and economy. Out-side the expected experience of witnessing poverty and suffering, they were truly in awe over what they didn’t ex-pect. What was not expected was seeing people in these conditions enjoying life, albeit a life that looked cruel from the outside. Children seemed to manage to still find happiness in simple games and song. Many people, despite their circumstances still had hope; hope that in many cases exceeded what was experienced by those from the U.S. who had “everything”. “Do something simple, anything, just do”, seemed to be a resonant chord struck during this meeting. Extending grace, love, and the gift of health through works and experiencing life outside your comfort zone promises rewards beyond what you can imagine sitting in the comfortable existence you may have carved out for yourself. Challenge yourself….you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Perspective written by Steven Thiltgen, Director of MedicalMissions.org and used by permission.

Christian Medical and Dental Associations of Atlanta relies solely on the prayer and financial partnership of doctors, dentists, medical pro-fessionals and community leaders. Your gifts help reach and raise up the next generation of Christians in medicine. Your generosity brings hope, healing and the gospel to the underserved around the world. And Your financial partnership helps trans-form the lives of doctors, dentists, nurses and medical professionals with the gospel through-out the Atlanta area.

Help underwrite this crucial ministry by making a gift today. You can do so by visiting:

www. CMDAdonate.org

Partners in Ministry

“I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” - Matthew 25: 40