Doing the Rounds at the Hospitals

This is Bob filling in the blanks of our journey.... We traveled from Delhi to Raipur by plane and then hit the road for a two hour plus trip to Mungeli hospital. Dr. Anil Henry, our Global Ministries missionary, traveled with us on the plane and then gave us an "ambulance" ride to the hospital. What an experience... a continuous game of "chicken" with the smallest vehicle always having to move over. Upon arrival we were welcomed at the Mungeli school by 450 plus students who all wanted to shake our hands and say very politely "Good Morning Sir!" We discovered at Mungeli a beehive of activity of all sorts. What an incredible healing minstry! And construction and building going on in every corner. What vision! Our first day here we were also greeted by Bishop Das who just assumed his temporary position of the new dioceses that had recently been created.
Now Timothy James will take over and talk about our second day at Mungeli... The India pilgrimage is quite inspiring and enlightening. We began the day with Chapel Service... 50 or so hospital staff. The liturgy was lead be the principal of Rambo school and your's truly was honored to share the message. Our day was filled with four hospital visits. We first made the rounds with Anil Henry at Mungeli. All sorts of patients and healing... and bringing life... a new baby was born during the rounds! After the rounds with Anil we participated in the ground breaking ceremony for the new school building for the Rambo Memorial English Medium School. The current facilities are bursting at the seams with smiling children who want to learn. There is no more space to provide a good learning environment for the kids. So building is the only option... We jumped in the jeep and we were off to the Bilaspur and the Jackman Hospital. After lunch at Jackman it was on to the hospital in Bishrampur for a brief visit of the hospital and then the oldest church building... 1873! They are in the process of renovating the building entirely. What a project! Our last stop was Tilda. Our whirlwind hospital tour of Disciples medical work was complete. We were moved by the commitment of the mission staff who were choosing to serve in these rural settings rather than in the urban and more lucrative settings. One of these staff gave their reason: "I know the purpose of this mission hospital, I saw it in my parents also." This commitment is providing healthcare to the poorest of the poor who otherwise wouldn't have access to it. Truly mission is not about what's in it for me, but about the God we serve and meeting the deep needs of others.