On the Mission Field

On the Mission Field by Sarah Thebarge

Yesterday I had a boiled sweet potato and a cup of black coffee for breakfast.  I spent the morning finalizing changes on the manual we’ll be using to train teachers how to treat their students’  basic illness and injuries.

Then I sat down with a South Sudanese young man and did a practice training with him to make sure the manual was culturally sensitive and relevant, and explained medical practices and protocols clearly.  I listened to his questions and suggestions, and made some adjustments to the training materials.

Yesterday was close to 100 degrees, and after sitting at the table for a few hours going over the manual, we were both tired and hot and sweaty.  I was looking forward to taking a cool shower and drinking a liter (or five!) of water.  

But as I was getting up from the table, he put his hand on mine and said, “May I tell you something that has been on my heart since you arrived yesterday?”

“Yes, of course,” I said. 

He proceeded to say, “When the war started, many, many people left.  The citizens left.  Many doctors left.  The NGO workers left.”

I nodded.

“Many people do not want to come to a war zone,” he said.  

I nodded again.

“But — “ he added.  “You did not run away from South Sudan.  You ran in for us.”

I smiled, and blinked back tears. 

“You are love,” he said.  “Because love runs in.”

Love runs in.