Epperly Adventures: June 2019

Kiera trying to keep Chloe from leaving

Our days in Guatemala continue to slip by, and time to begin our journey back to Iowa is quickly approaching. We have persisted with next steps here at Hospital Adonai. The biggest of those is recent news that we will be hiring a Guatemalan nurse anesthetist. She will begin work in July, and will plan on being here 4-5 days a week. This anesthesia piece has been the biggest limiter to increasing our scope of practice in Canilla, and this is a massive answered prayer. This will allow us to start to schedule repeat C-sections, increase our ability to have laboring patients, and other scheduled surgeries.

Kiera as a VBS Mummy

Our trip has been filled with language school, and many visitors both family and friends. And as always it has been a joy to share stories of God's power with all who have come. We are currently hosting a youth group team from Iowa, and it has been great to see them hearing the many "God stories". We've also enjoyed seeing them jumping in, and serving in a variety of ways.

As we have been talking with these teens, I have been reminded once again how "upside down" we should be living our lives as Christians. Re-telling/listening to the stories of how this hospital came to be, and the sacrifices of many is always very inspirational. The selfless work and sacrifice of many in the construction of this hospital is completely counterintuitive to the world in which most of us were raised. That mindset says: "get as much as you can get, and do what is best for you and yours". This way of thinking flies in stark contrast to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I recently read a short article written by Greg Laurie. In it he describes how the early church truly turned the world upside down. Acts 17:6 in referencing Paul and Silas preaching in Thessalonica said: But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "Those who have turned the world upside down have come here too."

This early church lived a fearless and counterintuitive existence. They risked their lives to boldly share the gospel, no matter the cost. I agree with Greg Laurie, that we have, as a modern church been slowly eroded out of fear of fitting in, or being relevant. With this in mind, the world has instead turned the church upside down.

Vance Havner said: "We are not going to move this world by criticism of it nor its conformity to it, but by combustion within it of lives ignited by the Spirit of God"

Our job as Christians is not to just be "nice Christians" who sit on our hands and close our mouths. Our job is to boldly take the gospel to the world, through our circle of influence. Our job is to turn the world upside down by looking past what is "easy" and boldly proclaiming the power of the blood of Christ.

This is how the early church lived, this is our prayer for Hospital Adonai, and this is why I'm excited to see these young men and women learning about upside down living.