Many Christian professionals today find themselves in a similar situation to Esther's, so long ago. Your education, speciality and experience are the contemporary equivalent of her "royal position." Facing the plight of people, the disintegration of the family and society around you, you can choose the security and shelter of the sidelines and risk the consequences, or you can make yourself vulnerable, use your professional position and in sacrificial service make a difference.
James H. Taylor in Medical Services International Bulletin January - March 1999 Nol6.
"Twenty Jumbo jets falling out of the sky each day"
The impact of this currently treatable disease (TB) is equivalent to 20 fully laden jumbo jets falling out of the sky each day..... TB kills more women across the world than all combined causes of maternal mortality .... The cost to build, equip and staff a modern hospital in the West is the money required to bring the global spread and death of TB under wraps ... A six month course of TB treatment in China costs less than a meal for 2 at MacDonalds (US$11).
Rod Macrorie, Director, Tuberculosis Leprosy Project in Toda in Nepal, International Nepal Fellowship Number 183 Spring 1999 (Rod is now in the UK)
The computer programme that I wrote for our own TB control work in the Mid West Nepal has now been sponsored by, WHO. It is called EPI-CENTRE...
Ros Walley ibid
Epidemiological Forecast
Health sector reforms have killed off the national TB programme. No drugs are available. With one of Africa's highest TB rates and a worsening AIDS epidemic, the lack of TB control is of grave concern.
The TB treatment observer, WHO, No7, January 31 1999 referring to Zambia
"The forgotten billion"
There are over 1 billion people in the world living in absolute poverty ... Health, Dr Brundtland emphasised, can be a primary lever for improving people's ability to earn a living, thus improving their economic status and the development of their countries as a whole.
Gro Harland Brundtland, Director General, WHO Note for the Press No 16, 10 June 1999. Director General calls on C-8 to use health as a lever to rescue the "Forgotten billion."
A Christian response?
A heart to love our neighbour
Jesus did not let any institution interfere with His love for the individual. If our activism drives out love, then we have misunderstood Jesus gospel. We are then stuck with law, not the gospel of grace. Jesus declared that we should have one distinguishing mark: not political correctness or moral superiority, but love. Paul added that without love nothing we do ... will avail..... If we fail, it will not be a failure of money or methods, but a failure of the heart and soul.
Excerpt from 'What Is so amazing about grace' by Philip Yancey quoted in Monitor, Emmanuel Hospital Association, March 1999.
