Jude 1:22 ‘And of some have compassion, making a difference:’

DAILY READING  2 Timothy 4; Jeremiah 11-12; Psalm 124

Dr. Rick Sacra is a medical missionary who has worked for many years in Liberia. Currently he serves as a doctor at ELWA hospital, outside Liberia’s capital Monrovia. ELWA stands for ‘Eternal Love Winning Africa’.

Dr. Sacra knew from a young age that he wanted to make a difference in this world. He said the conviction that he had in his heart ever since he was a little boy was that he wanted to be someone who would portray the love of Christ. The Bible story of the Good Samaritan had a profound influence and impact on his life when he was a kid, He wanted to be somebody like the good Samaritan who would help others who were in need. And that was where the idea of being a medical missionary was birthed. He made his first trip to the West African nation of Liberia in 1987 to discover if the idea of serving as a missionary doctor was even feasible. At that time, he was in medical school. But during his short term visit to Liberia, he fell in love with the people. What drew him was the calling and conviction of The Lord. It seemed God had put the love for Liberia in his heart. And so in 1995, he and his wife, Debbie, decided to move there permanently.

Rick and Debbie were on a trip to the United States when the news hit the headlines in 2014 of the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa. They were heartbroken  to hear that the virus was spreading and killing thousands across the region. When Rick heard that all the hospitals in Monrovia had closed, his concern was for women in labor who had no place to go to deliver. He knew he could help, He knew he could make a difference. And so he flew back to Liberia during the height of the Ebola epidemic. However unfortunately, a month later he got infected while caring for a pregnant woman at the Hospital.

When he got the fever on August 29, 2014, he suspected right away that it was Ebola. He was airlifted from Liberia to a treatment center in Omaha, Nebraska. Thankfully he survived. But as soon as he recovered he was itching to return to Liberia to continue helping. In an interview with  TIME Magazine he  said”God led me to become a medical missionary many years ago, the passion that motivated me then is still the one that motivates me now: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’

And months after surviving Ebola, Sacra was back in Liberia continuing his calling of loving and caring for people. For his work among the Liberians he has been acclaimed internationally and received awards as a result. Among these is  the prestigious L’Chaim award for Outstanding Christian Medical Missionary Service.

Jesus asked us to lay down our lives for others. In the story of the Good Samaritan, the priest, and the Levite saw the man in need and took to the other side of the road, but the Samaritan came by and took care of him. Jesus told this parable in response to the question, ‘who is my neighbor?’ And before His ascension He told the disciples to show love to one another by laying down their lives.

Often times, like the priest and Levite, we like to take the other side of the road when we see a need, and we even find good reasons for doing so; we don’t just want to get involved with people’s issues. We would rather observe from a distance. But the world is full of hurting people, even in the Church. They need someone to reach out in love. Love is practical; it is more of what you do than what you say. We need to go beyond the walls – we have to reach out and touch. Let us not love in words alone but also in deeds. Let us be physical manifestations of Jesus to those around us. Let us love our neighbor indeed and in truth. Though many saw Dr. Rick Sacra as a hero for risking his life to aid the sick, he only saw himself as doing only what Jesus would do. For him it was practically living his faith even if it meant risking his life. He could have chosen to do nothing and look the other way, even as many more died, but he knew he had a call to answer. Likewise we need to reach out and touch. We are the hands and feet of Jesus to our world and wherever we go we need to make a difference and let the world see Christ’s love through us. .

PRAYER: Lord, help me to show true love and compassion to people in need. Help me to reach out and touch, and show love as You would to people. Please help me Lord to live a life of impacting others positively wherever I go in Jesus’ name.

Quote

When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction