by Lukas, a Swiss medical student
These words are written in Colossians 4:14. My name is Lukas, and in a few months, God willing, I’m hoping to qualify as a physician like Dr Luke in the Bible. I hope you will be blessed as I tell you how I was blessed by the Lord on my visit to Mandritsara.
Why did I decide to go to Mandritsara?
At the age of eight years, my ten-year-old brother died in an accident. By God’s grace, that day I understood that I was a sinner and separated from my Creator, the God of Love and the Good Shepherd. From my parents and the church, I heard about the Love of God and about forgiveness through Jesus Christ. So on that day, as I understood the gospel, by grace I received Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord and became a newborn child of God, sealed with the Holy Spirit. At the age of 10 or 11 God put a desire in my heart: to become a physician. He also gave me an interest in mission work. My cousin and I saw some postcards of Helimission, and we dreamed of becoming a team as pilot and physician. (My cousin is currently training to be a helicopter pilot with the aim of going to the mission field with Helimission!).
As I thought about Mission, I heard of an opportunity to get a taste of missionary life as an elective student during my medical studies. I thought of Madagascar because of two Swiss missionary families that I pray for. Then I heard about the Good News Hospital. After praying I was sure that God wanted to send me to Mandritsara. I wrote to the hospital and was accepted and booked my trip to Madagascar.
Getting to know Madagascar
For the first two weeks I went to Diego in the far north and spent time with the two Swiss missionary families. From there I travelled 400 miles south to Mandritsara by bus and car. By God’s grace I arrived safely. I was welcomed to the wonderful “Oasis” guest house.
As soon as I arrived, I realised I had a new challenge. In Diego I had been talking in Swiss German, French and a few Malagasy words. But now I needed to add English and ‘Tsimihety’ (the Malagasy dialect around Mandritsara). During my first week, helping in fitting out the new maternity building, two brothers taught me some English. I learnt the word “screwdriver” that I’d never heard before. In God’s grace he wants to use you and me as His instruments - like “screwdrivers” for his glory!
Assembling hospital furniture
In Mandritsara, I really enjoyed the fellowship with brothers and sisters in the faith from whom I learnt a lot about spiritual and medical things. I was often invited for a meal, or we went hiking together. What a blessing to be part of God’s family!
With my friend Rija
I was happy that God gave me the opportunity to serve the children in the village of Ambohimandroso (next to the hospital), to play floorball and soccer with them and to share the Good News of Jesus with them. I also had the opportunity to visit the Mandritsara youth football team, and share “Good Seed” gospel calendars in Malagasy with them.
Sports with the children
Time in the Good News Hospital
I am thankful to God that most of the time I was in good health, especially compared to the many suffering people in the hospital. With the help of the foreign and Malagasy doctors I learnt a lot about treating ill people in Madagascar with a minimum of diagnostic and therapeutic options and much less “paperwork” compared to home. And what a blessing from God to see the missionaries and staff serving the Lord by helping people, teaching them about the Gospel and praying for them.
Taking part in the daily prayer time of the physicians and surgeons was a privilege. Before all operations an anaesthetic nurse or the surgeon prayed with the patient. Now that I am back in a children’s hospital in Switzerland I miss these prayer times, but God gave me grace so that I could talk with the chief surgeon about sharing the gospel in Madagascar.
The Good Seed calendars in Malagasy
How good it is that we can pray to the Lord, the Great Physician, for help for patients and for all lost souls. How wonderfully he can treat and heal sick people, both physically and spiritually. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 This is the most wonderful and powerful healing: The gift of God’s Salvation so that we can live for him.
One of my most exciting days was a journey on a motorbike to a small village with the Community Health team, to vaccinate some little children, (I’m hoping to be a paediatrician!), to talk to people about health issues and to share the Good News of Christ Jesus. We distributed the Gospel “Good Seed” calendars, Ilay Voa Tsara Nafafy, with a Bible verse and gospel story for each day of the year.
Back to the cold!
After coming back to Switzerland, I heard God’s call to me through the Bible to become a missionary. So now I believe He is preparing me for it. He’s teaching me a lot of things. And I am seeking to spend more time on my knees before the throne of grace.
“Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favour and honour; no good thing does he withhold from those whose way of life is blameless. Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” (Psalm 84:10-12)
Please pray for:
The children and youth of Mandritsara: that they would listen carefully to the Good News of Jesus, understand about their sinful hearts and have an encounter with Christ Jesus the risen Lord and Saviour.
The missionaries: that they may have grace to love the people, not being anxious about their lives (Acts 20:24), and having wisdom in all they plan and do.
Everyone involved in the project: that they may do everything for the love of Jesus and not just out of routine.
The community health team: that they may focus on sharing the love of Jesus with the many lost souls in the villages.
Pray also for me, that I may be able to say with Paul: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me,” (Galatians 2:20) and that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.
May our hearts be full of praise to God and may we set our hope on the grace that is to be brought to us when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. Maranatha!
Hybrid Prayer Day 2025 - London
Join us from 1:00pm for lunch with the prayer meeting starting at 2:00pm. There will be the option to join online, and further details will be sent out closer to the time via the stories emails. Click Here for more info.