One of the great highlights of visiting the missions is the celebrations. The community often comes together to greet us as we arrive and say good bye when we are preparing to leave, even for a brief visit.This week in the North East of Cameroon they celebrate National Youth Day. Terry Hake’s class, the entire school, and all young people across the country take time away from class (although I know one math teacher who may think more time in class is called for) and celebrate this national holiday together!We are getting ready for our annual celebration and while not a national holiday, the Mission Doctors Auxiliary is once again hosting the Gala Benefit. This year on February 19, we will be ‘Celebrating the Mission, Creating the Possible’ at the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles.
It is important to celebrate and this year we will honor a couple who 
have done so much for the work of MDA. Dr. Ed and Mrs. Mary Lou Malphus have been involved for many years in this work and we will thank them for their commitment and service. Dr. Malphus, outgoing president of the board of MDA will also be the recipient of the Msgr. Anthony Brouwers Award.So we celebrate! There will be dinner and dancing, working together for the mission. We are gathering to ensure that we will be able to continue to make it possible for doctors like Jim Hake to serve and dance in the missions. Visit this YouTube video that I took while visiting the Hakes in Cameroon he is just back from an emergency at the hospital and joins in the dance!If you can join us, please contact our office, tickets are still available!
When doctors and their families make a commitment to serve for three years this calling, taken out of context seems absurd. Why would a doctor leave their practice in the United States to serve in the missions receiving a stipend of $150 a month? Why would anyone leave their friends and families to serve those in need half a world away?
The readings for the second Sunday of Advent, taken on their own, may be confusing at the least, but we are reassured by Paul, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
As we continue to make this Lenten journey, of prayer, sacrifice and striving to do good works to renew our own baptism, we read of Abraham being put to the test, and Jesus transfigured with Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets.
Taken on its own, Abraham is being asked to sacrifice his only beloved son, to us an obvious foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Taken in context, Abraham is willing to do so because he deeply believes in the promise God had already made, and he believes that if he carries out what is asked, God will raise Isaac from the dead to deliver on that promise.
Jesus appears transfigured with Moses and Elijah. On its own we can completely understand Peter’s reaction – "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents...” In the context of the Resurrection we see that Jesus is the fulfillment of both the Law and the teachings of the Prophets, his transfiguration a foreshadowing of the Resurrection, with the exhortation from the Father, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
Mission Doctors and their families serve in the context of their faith. Called to live our Baptism, we too, with prayer, sacrifice and good works, believe in the Promise and know “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
This First Sunday of Lent --- taking the first steps on this journey to renew our baptism, where we were washed clean in the waters, signed with the cross and received the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us today that; "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."The old covenant has passed away – the covenant made with Noah that prepared the world for the Son of God. The new covenant was made through Jesus’ sacrifice bringing to us the opportunity for forgiveness, wholeness, perfection, and union with God. Our baptism begins with God's love and continues with us, living and bringing God's love and care to the world. Our mission doctors strive to do this each day and those who support are partners in this care. As we walk this 40-day path together we can strive to remember that we must act in a way that both recognizes Gods love for us, and also calls us to act in a way that reflects God’s love to others. How will we do this? Step, by step, with prayer, sacrifice and fasting.What are you doing as you begin your journey? Please share your experience with me here, by posting comments on this blog, I would love to hear how you are living this Lenten journey.
On this 40-day Lenten journey we are called to renew our baptism that begins with God's love and continues with us, living and bringing God's love and care to the world.Ash Wednesday, our first step on this journey gives us the Gospel reading with Jesus speaking of three important things we should be about on this path: sacrifice, prayer and fasting, all to be done without a desire for recognition. What we do recognize is that we are in need of conversion, and the ashes that are on our foreheads today publicly acknowledges this and reminds us that we are to called to "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel." The prophet Joel tells us that we can rely on God who is "gracious and merciful...slow to anger, rich in kindness and relenting in punishment," And the reading from Paul expresses the urgency of the message – the time is now, this very day is our “day of salvation”. As we walk this 40-day path together lets remember that it we must act in a way that both recognizes Gods love for us, and also calls us to act in a way that reflects God’s love to others. How will we do this? Step, by step, with prayer, sacrifice and fasting.What are you doing as you begin your journey?
What does a black tie party in Los Angeles have to do with the medical needs of patients at a mission hospital or clinic?
On Valentines Day the Mission Doctors Auxiliary hosted the celebration of 50 years of ‘Hearts and Hope” at a Benefit Gala at the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles.
So much work goes into this type of event – and I continue to be completely impressed by the generosity of the Mission Doctors Auxiliary members with both their time and treasure! Everything from addressing invitations, assigning seating, collecting donations for and making the beautiful silent auction baskets, handwriting the placecards, overseeing the beautiful decorations and then running around all evening to ensure that all went well.
If you’ve been to other such events you might think you already know what this one is like, but I think you would be surprised. First there are the doctors and their wives who came who have served in the missions, happy to share their stories with supporters and occasionally huddled in a corner with other doctors sharing stories of unusual surgeries.
Individuals who have been involved in supporting this work for many years bring friends to introduce them to the work and engender their support.
All evening I was struck by the sense that this is all part of a chain – each individual a critical link bringing health and hope to a child in Zimbabwe, a women in Cameroon, a family in Uganda.
We celebrated the work, honored both those who served and those who make the work possible, and introduced the mission to others. On top of all this we raised money to make the mission a mission possible. Quite a bit of work, but the outcome, as always truly outweighs the effort.
have done so much for the work of MDA. Dr. Ed and Mrs. Mary Lou Malphus have been involved for many years in this work and we will thank them for their commitment and service. Dr. Malphus, outgoing president of the board of MDA will also be the recipient of the Msgr. Anthony Brouwers Award.