- Naomi Haumuanching Zou
Staff Nurse, Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi
The author was awarded Certificate of Appreciation as the Best Nurses by the Rotary Club of Meghalaya State in the year 2005 - 2006.
I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY
At the very outset, I would like to bestow my immense pleasure to the souvenir board, SMGCCD for giving me this golden opportunity to share my witnessing of the Gospel in my professional line. It is my prayer that, whoever read this article got the blessings and courage to dare to witness our Lord Jesus Christ in their own professional lines. By the grace of God I have got the chance to be the witness for Christ in several ways as a nurse right from my training period, If I am to write down every incidents of my experiences it would be too long, therefore, I am in the opinion that I should write down a few incidents which I thought could be an encouragement for others especially to my nursing friends or for any one in the medical line.
GRAB THE OPPORTUNITY
One of the privilege that the medical professionals have is that, we are taking care of some one who really needs us, Like Jesus said in Mathew 9:12 "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick"and moreover it is not that we are dealing with some paper work. But, our patients are some one like you and me, who have all the senses, needs, emotions and infact everything as you and I do. On top of all, we are taking care of God's own children whom he had created them with his own image. So, I feel proud and blessed to be in service for someone who really needs me.
MY FIRST EXPERIENCE
During my first year of training in 2001, while I was posted in private ward, there was one particular patient who suffered from Cirrhosis of liver with Ascitis as a complication from chronic alcoholism, his abdomen was too big that it is difficult for him to move around by himself. So, all his cares and needs have to be provided on his bedside, as I have been assigned to care for him daily we get to know more of each other and as I gave care, I took every small opportunity to talk about the love of God and espicially for sinners like you and me, as we can see from Mathew 9:13 " where Jesus said "For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." His mother on knowing that I used to talk about the Gospel was very pleased and requested me to give more time for him whenever I am free, because he refused to listen to his mother. He was from a non- Christian background and he married to a non-Christian woman and was with three children. But, his mother got converted to Christianity in her old age and she was the only Christian in thier family. So, she had such a burden for the rest of her family but nobody listen to her.At first he was reluctant to listen and pay no interest, but with the respect as a nurse he just don't dare to stop me. Slowly as day goes by, he starts to get interest in what I have been sharing, so he started asking for me whenever I have my day offs, everyday I choose to read few portions from the Bible and give explanation whenever necessary to him on his bedside, and in over a months time he was prepared and made up his mind to choose Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. He asked his mother and me to arrange for a Pastor to give Baptism and Holy Communion in the hospital. Even if he may not recover from his sickness he is prepare to face death. We arrange for a Pastor on Sunday morning and by God's grace he became better and could get out of his bed and move about by himself, we were all very happy for him. So the pastor came and Baptised him and gave Holy Communion to him in the Hospital itself. He confess his sins with his own mouth and said that he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour and fullfilled what was written in Romans 10:9-10 "That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord,and believe in your heart that God raised him from death, You will be safe for it is with your heart that you believe and justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." The whole day he talked and was very happy and looks much better, but around 6pm, he went to the toilet and when he came back to bed suddenly his condition gets worse and within few minutes he stop breathing. Doctor came and examine but no more hope and decleared death. Everyone was shocked and alarmed but deep inside, I whisper a prayer of thanks, because eventhough he died, he will be save and he is the first person that I became a witness for Christ as a nurse to my patients.
MY SECOND EXPERIENCE
Another incident which I want to share was when I was posted in male ward, there was a young man who was doing his IInd year of LLB but have to stop due to sickness. He got Gall Bladder stone and was operated for it, but after few months some stones formed again in his common bile duct and was in and out of the hospital throughout the year, he had been operated thrice due to some complication and his wound did not heal, he was depressed and frustrated with his life and have no more hope to live on. He was from a non-christian background, every morning I was assigned to do dressing for him and as I give care to him and knowing his condition I started to share about the Love of God, and told him that Jesus love and died for us, I quote different portion from the Bible like Romans 8: 28-32 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose, He who did not spared his own son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also along with him graciously give us all things?" I told him that may be God is calling him through his sickness because we never know the ways of God’s as was written in Isaiah 55:8&9" For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways" declares the Lord" as I keep on sharing about the love of God every day, his face got brighter and happier each day and he started talking and open up himself. Slowly, he came out of his depression, at the same time as his condition gets better his wounds also starts healing day by day. By the time he was well and ready for discharge he made up his mind saying that I would become a Christian, serving the God that my nurse served because He is the one who healed me and gave me hope to live on.he fulfilled what was written in Isaiah 53:5 "But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him'and by his wounds we are healed" He asked permission from his mother and his mother said ‘Son, I am not gonna be against your decision cause you have been very sick all these time and now you are well and thats how he became a believer’.
THE LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST
The last incident which I want to share was the one which I came across while I was working as a school nurse in PATHWAYS WORLD SCHOOL, Gurgaon. It was a big International school where we had students and staffs across 38th countries, Life and environment over there was totally different from the hospital set up. Every month, as a rule all the staff collected Rs 100 each from our pay as a staff collection that is used mainly for a staff party at the end of the academic session, where they usually drink and enjoy the party, on knowing the purpose I knew it would be of no use for me. So, I requested them to stop cutting from my pay, as I would not be attending the staff party, so they granted my request. On June 10th 2008 the staff party for the session of 2007-2008 was arranged in New Delhi where they booked one Restaurant for the night, most of the staff went by the school bus while few of them went by their personal car, among them was our head of IT department who went along with his family, when the party was over around 1 a.m. in the morning and every one was ready to go back home mostly drunk. Being not confident in himself our head of IT department put his wife and 2(two) children in the school bus while he came driving in his own car with a sports teacher, both of them absolutely drunk came driving with such a high speed that their car flew in the air and hit a tree where it rolls to a few distance, luckily he felt out of the open door while his friend got stuck inside and was hit badly over and again as the car rolls, after few minutes he gain his consciousness and went looking for his friend but to his surprise he was just too shock to see his friend lying dead on the spot as he open the car door. Too shock by the incident he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder where he was haunted by the accident over and again and every time he close his eyes to sleep he was scared thinking that he may never wake up again like his friend, weeks passed and he still couldn't came out of his trauma, with no proper food and sleeps his physical appearance have totally changed in a weeks time, one afternoon he rang up to the health center and asked me If he can come and rest for an hour or two because he don't dare to sleep in his house as he was haunted by fears, I told him that he can always come and after few minutes he was right here in the Health centre, I saw him the room where he can take rest and left the door wide open as he was scared to be left alone. In the meantime, I have such a burden that I should share the love of God to him but somehow I was ashamed of myself thinking that I'm just a small girl as everyone thinks of me in the campus. He slept for two hours and when he woke up he said, thanks and started to leave. I stop him for a cup of tea which he refused at first but I requested him again so he agreed and we both have a cup of tea together. Straight away while we were having tea I told him that God still loves you, thats why he spare your life from such a bad accident, if you still turn your back to Him and go your own way next time he may call you with your life and it would be too late for you to repent. I read from some Bible portions Like Isaiah 55:6-7 "Seek the Lord while he may be found, call on Him while he is near let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.Let Him turn to the Lord and he will have mercy on him, and to our God for he will freely pardon." John 3:16 "For God so love the world ........." As we keep on talking and discussing from the Bible, he did not want to go anymore, he said its been the first time that he heard of all this as he was from the Hindu background, when we looked at the time, three hours had passed so I prayed for him and we say bye. He requested me to spend few minutes every day for him and to read from the Bible and share a few words about the word of God. I told him its my pleasure not only to spare few minutes but even an hour or two would not be a problem, the next day he called up in the morning and told me that he slept soundly and peacefully for the first time since he had met with the accident and he was just too grateful.
I said praise God for that. He made a point to come and meet me everyday, within two to three days he has changed a lot and everyone in the campus was surprised to see him so cheerful and full of life once again. To every one he met, he told them “I am who I am now” not by myself but because of Muan and the Gospel that changed me. He said he also wants to serve the living God so I bought two Bible and gave him and his wife. Every night we make a point to have a prayer meeting in his house. They said we have never lived such a happy and peaceful life before, within few days we became very close and share lots of time together and read and share from the Bible, one day we arranged a pastor from DBF church, Gurgaon and the Pastor gave some of the basic counselling related to Christian life, but soon after I have to leave them as I got a post in Safdarjung Hospital. Just because of witnessing the Gospel to the needy, I was known to all the officials in that big big school. Praise the Lord.
CONCLUSION
Inspite of having other several experiences in witnessing the Gospel, i cannot share each and every incidents due to the limit of the souvenir pages. So, if we are willing, their are lots of opportunity where we can share about the Love of GOD and be a witness to many for Christ, lets not deny the opportunities for who knows that may be for all this reasons that GOD brought us out from our home town and put us hear and there among the non-believers or lets say, in the darkness. That we can bring light in the darkness, hope to the hopeless and Salvation to the captives. So let us shine out for JESUS in all our workplaces or anywhere as we get the chance for non of us can be so sure that we will see tomorrow for our lifes are not in our hand, so let us make use of the time and chances that we have. Let our light so shine as we celebrate the Gospel Centenary. May God bless us all..... to be able to witness the Gospel.
Source:
GOSCENT
(Southern Manipur Gospel Centenary Celebration, Delhi)
1910 - 2010
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