Kompiam District Hospital sends out health patrols, through the partnership with MAF, to serve people living in remote areas. They focus not only on healing diseases but on transforming the heart too.
Nurse Jacklyn Peterson is employed by Kompiam District Hospital and works in the local clinic in Yenkisa. She knows firsthand how important the health patrols are.
“The people in the bush might not have any income and can’t go to a bigger hospital. They come to the local clinic, which is free during a health patrol. It is our privilege and goal to give the patients the best treatment possible here in their own area,” said Jacklyn.
Because of their partnership with MAF, Kompiam Hospital is able to send health patrols to Yenkisa four times in a year, as well as to many other remote communities in Enga Province. Their patrols consist of a medical team and a pastor. They support the local health workers and educate the local communities in health and Bible teaching.
The spiritual part of the health patrol is essential for the community of Yenkisa to experience long lasting change. Tribal disputes have become increasingly deadly because of an influx of guns in the area. MAF recently medevaced a young girl after she was shot in her abdomen. You can read her story here
We have to give the Word of God to the people
Pastor Jackson, who is the hospital pastor, was born and raised in Yenkisa. He often accompanies the health patrols to give spiritual guidance, and to encourage the tribes to stop fighting. He doesn’t believe that the tribal issues of Yenkisa will be healed if only the wounds get treated. When the health patrol arrives, the tribes gather at the airstrip and Pastor Jackson shares with them the Word of God. As a pastor, he is well respected by the community.
“We have to give the Word of God to the people. It dissipates the clouds that are covering the mind, so they can see a new light. That’s the only way they can get peace,” said Pastor Jackson.
Doctor Camy Thomas, an Indian missionary dentist at Kompiam Hospital who often attends health patrols, underlines the uniqueness of the hospital’s holistic approach.
“We see the person as a child of God. You don’t just heal the broken leg, but the reason why the leg broke. The more I live here, the more I realise it's really a healing of the heart,” said Camy. “It's a turning of a hardened heart into a heart of flesh and I don't know what is a better way of doing it, if it's not by telling them about the love of Christ.”
Below you can watch how MAF supports the Kompiam Hospital Health patrols.