As I reflect on the meaning of Christmas, I remember a few months ago I stepped into a Medical Teams operating theatre at Kyangwali Health Centre in Uganda. Dr. Miriam and her team had spent the whole night doing surgeries on mothers. As they were about to go and rest, a mother was rushed in for an emergency C-section. Without the operation, she risked losing her baby’s life and her own.

Dr. Miriam led a team of health workers in skillfully operating on the mother, but when the baby came out, it showed no sign of life. The team worked to resuscitate the baby, and suddenly, the baby burst out into tears. When they heard baby cry, one health worker said, “Thank you, Jesus!”

Dr. Miriam and her assistant carry out a C-section at Kyangwali Health Center in Uganda.

As these health workers performed this delicate task, they were not alone. Jesus was with them and using them to bring healing and restoration to this mother and child.

In many ways, the story of Jesus’ birth is a reminder that we are not alone. That Jesus came to bring healing to us. Just like the lives of many mothers and babies are saved in Medical Teams clinics, Jesus seeks to heal humanity. He came to seek and save the lost and hurting. Jesus’ birth came with the hope of healing for our sins. And while he lived on earth, he also comforted the broken-hearted, healed the sick, dignified the poor and set spiritual captives free.

A jovial Dr. Miriam after a successful night of surgeries at Kyangwali Health Center in Uganda.

As we celebrate Christmas, let us be reminded that Jesus is still healing the broken-hearted. He is still comforting hearts, and he is still with us. He is with the refugee who has fled war and is traumatized. He is with the patient who needs life-saving care. He is with a health worker who is performing a delicate surgery. He is with the COVID patient. He desires to heal our hearts, so let us open them to him.

Like he uses the health worker to restore health and wholeness to the hurting world, he wants to use us to bring healing to a hurting world. As we celebrate Christmas, let us allow Jesus to resuscitate our hearts. And as we go about reaching out to our communities, know that we are not alone. God is with us and is using us as channels of transformation.

photo of Andrew Onapito

 

 

Andrew Onapito
Communications Officer

 

 

 

Give the gift of life-saving medical care this holiday season!