Buying Viagra for the glory of Jesus Christ.
This blog post is based on another missionary’s post and this one will be a lot easier if you stop for a minute and read their blog post (from which this one is based) first. Here is the link: https://hotzesbeyondtheborder.blogspot.com/2019/06/gravida-13.html (hint, I show up towards the end of the story in a somewhat embarrassing fashion)
Now, I want to be careful here to let you know that there is a certain amount of humor I’m going for in this post, while telling you the honest truth, and that this post a) is not meant to be taken too seriously and b) not told to offend. Ok, here, we go.
Did you hear the one about the man who walked into a pharmacy and asks for….
I am often perplexed by the question, “What do you do at Loma de Luz?” I frequently give the pat answer, which is
completely true, that I manage IT and Medical Equipment and then I usually
throw something on the end of the sentence like “and other things.” This really becomes hard when we make a fundraising
need known. You see, Dr Anne and Dr.
Isaac write incredibly compelling stories of God saving very sick people to the
praise of His Glorious Name! If you
aren’t a regular reader of their blog (link above), you should be. And while I get to play an important role on
this team of medical providers and support staff here at Loma de Luz, I don’t
ever get to write about babies that
God saved while under my care. That just
isn’t part of our experience here – I have computers and vital sign monitors
that God saves under my care. This is
not nearly as compelling! So back to
that “and other things” that I usually tag on to the end of the “what do you do
here?” question. The truth is that I do
a lot of other things here and I sometimes get to play a small role in some
of these medical dramas that you read about in the doctor’s blogs. I usually get absolutely no recognition for
this, which is entirely appropriate!
God is the hero of all of our stories at Loma de Luz and none of us
wants it any other way. But my flesh, my
ego if you will, well that’s another story.
I confess to you that I do sometimes read these stories knowing full well that I may have played a part in helping this or that patient or that my medical equipment that I take care of really did play a part in helping this or that patient (a fact that our doctors very graciously point out on a regular basis) and I confess, I sometimes yearn for more recognition. Isn’t that true of all of us? I have recently learned something about weakness that I’d like to share. I struggle with the desire for attention, wanting affirmation, wanting recognition and have struggled with it most of my life. It is a weakness. The thing that I have learned more recently is that our weakness should not be something we hide as Christians – not even close. Indeed, Paul said “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. [10] For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV
So why am I telling you this? I don’t know about you, but in my past, growing up, weakness was nothing to boast about. It was to be hidden. I am learning that, in Christ, all of my weaknesses simply go to show Him more beautiful in that He chooses to use morons like me to help save a life.
Did you hear the one about the man who walked into a pharmacy and asked for….
….two tablets of Viagra!!!???!! I should have known that this would be the story that a doctor would choose to name me in. I’ve played roles in lots of other stories and not been mentioned. God, in his grace, decided to have Dr. Anne mention me here. The part in the story that is so funny is me walking into the pharmacy where everyone knows exactly who I am (Norm from Cheers has nothing on me at this pharmacy) and walk right up to the counter and ask for Viagra (for a baby with pulmonary hypertension). The best part of it (and there are so many parts to choose from in this story) was that I only asked for two pills! LOL! I don’t want to know what those poor girls behind the counter were thinking as I turned around, face burning, and marched out of there with my two pills of Viagra.
As it turns out, the Viagra made a difference in a little baby’s life. Is that worth bragging about? No, not really. What made a difference in that little baby’s life was God caring enough to put a hospital out here, way off the pavement, on this little forgotten road to nowhere, in the jungles of Honduras, so that there would be people here who love and serve HIM, so that HE could show HIS love and save lives for the people that he cares so much about. So, is that worth bragging about? You bet! Is my need for affirmation what you are taking home from this story? I hope not! I hope you’ve been able to laugh with me and at me to see how God chose this moment that I be recognized in a story so that he could make HIS name great once again. If that happened at my expense – then that’s ok. If I get to wait until heaven to hear my name called again in relation to one of these stories, that’s ok too. I know that there is a treasure waiting for all of us who have purchased Viagra, or done any number of other embarrassing things, for the Glory of Christ! Now, how am I going to word this on my expense report? Purchase of Viagra? Nope. Purchase of life saving medications? Yeah, that sounds good!
If you would like to help support us and be a part of many more stories here at Loma de Luz for the Glory of Christ, please see this recent blog post about a recent financial need.
