Day 8 and it's surgery. John Rennie and Colin Binks gave such an encouraging presentation that we all now feel we could do a laparotomy! We learnt some other useful skills too, including suturing (useful or the laparotomy of course) and taking skin grafts, practised on oranges so it's fruit salad for lunch tomorrow. The most gruesome session so far (but great fun!) was learning how to take out a tooth. Tim Cudmore had even brought along some pigs' heads for us to practise on – takes an amazing amount of force to pull out a pig's tooth!
In the evening Ira told us her story – she's an Indian doctor who's been doing medicine in the UK for 15 years – as an SpR and then a consultant. She felt God calling her back to India to serve her own people – she was encouraged by the 'Who is my Neighbour' workshop we ran in London and then set off in January to a Leprosy Mission hospital. She found herself on a 1 in 3 covering the 60 bedded hospital and seeing 200 outpatients every day, and the pressure of work began to take its toll. After about a month she was in her room, composing her letter of resignation when one of the hospital staff visited her and showed her Gideon's story – a man disheartened and overwhelmed by the constant attacks of the Midianites. God's words to him spoke powerfully to Ira;
'Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?' - Judges 6:14
Ira knew that God is sending her and will enable her if she trusts in him. She is planning to return long term.
Vicky Lavy
Head of International Ministries
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