Ezekiel wheeled the gurney out of the operating room, eyes on the tiny figure covered in blankets. As they approached the recovery area, he prayed Ayoub would quickly recover from the hiatal esophagectomy, during which Ezekiel had removed and reconstructed his esophagus.
The surgery had successfully saved the little boy’s life, and Ezekiel was eager to relay this good news to the anxious parents in the waiting room.
After leaving Ayoub’s relieved parents by their son’s bedside, Ezekiel spent the morning hurrying in and out of patient rooms, busy with the demands of being a resident physician in a West African hospital. Sometimes, it was so overwhelming that he wondered why he had left his home in a more developed part of Africa to train here.
He tried to follow the Spirit’s leading to share the Gospel and pray with patients and their families.
As he rushed past an open door, Ezekiel caught a glimpse of Dr. Lee, his supervisor, praying with a patient.
Dr. Lee, a Frontiers field worker and surgeon, was busier than anyone else in the hospital. But he had explained to Ezekiel from the start that he tried to follow the Spirit’s leading to share the Gospel and pray with patients and their families.
“There are always pressing needs—consultations, surgeries, broken equipment. It’s easy to lose focus on our mission,” Dr. Lee had once said. Surgery could heal a physical problem, but it could not heal a patient’s deep, eternal wounds.
“I would like to learn about Jesus.”
As he watched Dr. Lee, Ezekiel’s thoughts turned to the little boy with the new esophagus and his Muslim parents. The surgery team had repaired the physical issue, but Ezekiel worried he’d missed an opportunity to address the deeper need.
After grabbing one of the solar audiobook devices Dr. Lee often gave to patients, Ezekial ran back to Ayoub’s room. The mother and father watched their little boy sleeping, some of the worry gone from their faces.
Ezekiel pulled up a chair to sit with them by the bedside. It felt strange not to be rushing around the hospital, but after a few moments, he asked if he could share a story about Jesus with them.
“Yes, of course,” Ayoub’s father said.
Ezekiel shared the truth about Jesus. The couple listened intently.
His career in medicine could also be a ministry.
“If you’d like, you can have this,” Ezekiel offered, holding out the audiobook device. “It has more stories about Jesus.”
“Thank you.” Ayoub’s father tucked the gift into his pocket. “I would like to learn more about Jesus if He’s the reason you and Dr. Lee have shown so much care to our son.”
Ezekiel’s smile lit up his face. He had grown up as a Christian in a country filled with Muslim peoples, but until his training under Dr. Lee, he had never considered his career in medicine could also be a ministry. Saving a life was a wonderful experience. But being a part of God’s plan to save souls was even more incredible.
Pray:
- Ask God to give Ezekiel more opportunities to introduce Muslims to Jesus through his medical practice.
- Pray that Muslim patients who receive audiobook devices with Bible stories will listen and seek to know Jesus.
- Ask God to raise up more doctors who follow Christ to partner with Dr. Lee in his work and witness.
God is at work in Annisa’s Muslim community as she shares the Good News, prays for the sick, and sees people healed.
This account comes from a long-term worker. Names and places have been changed for security.