“Our clinic has always operated by faith. God has always provided.”
These are the words of Doro clinic’s doctor who, after six years at the helm is being moved by God into a new chapter. Simple words, but true.
The clinic has always been a project too big for its shoes. We’ve always felt like we were biting off more than we could chew. Running medical work in conflict-ridden South Sudan is… well… ambitious.
When SIM arrived back in Southern Sudan following the peace agreement in 2005, the old SIM buildings were still occupied by the army. Fresh off the heels of a 20-year civil war, the soldiers were well entrenched. Most buildings were destroyed and the ones remaining were at a premium. The military were not going to want to relinquish them. The church prayed and negotiated and managed to reclaim it from the military. That was only the first step.
Funds were raised to repair broken structures. An outpatient department was put together. A pharmacy and toilet blocks were added as the Lord provided funds. A leprosy department, a nutrition village, a maternity department all went up.
Is God leading you to move overseas with your health care credentials? We partner with hospitals across the globe and if you’re interested in community health and meeting the physical and spiritual needs of those in remote parts of the world where SIM serves, please get in touch with our team of mobilisers to find out more information.
But then, there were the staffing needs…
Refugees were returning to a post-conflict country. There weren’t any qualified medical personnel, so the team had to train community health workers from people who had basic literacy and numeracy. The team mobilised medical mission workers: doctors and nurses.
As the clinic grew, keeping up with all the new financial and staffing needs would be the next challenge. The surrounding population increased and so did the clinic’s reputation.
With the increase in patients, so also the finances had to grow to keep it all going. It’s resource intensive. It felt like every year was a struggle to make ends meet.
Then there’s the challenge of getting people to this field. South Sudan is, and always has been, a tough environment.
The temperatures are high, there’s lot of wildlife and always, the low hum of simmering insecurities.
Refugee versus host community conflicts flare up occasionally: inter-tribal conflicts, and even armed military conflicts. Add to all that, the seasonal flooding and subsequent food insecurity and you have a recipe for a testing field.
But, as our departing clinic doctor spoke, there was serenity in her voice: “What are you so surprised about? This whole thing has been a faith activity. How many times have we considered seeing our last patient, tidying up our desk, closing the doors, locking up and calling it quits? But God has kept everything going by an act of grace.”
We’re still in Doro because God wants us in Doro.
From getting the land more than 15 years ago to now treating tens of thousands of patients a year, every step has been made by our faith and the continuing mercy of God.
That’s the only way we know how to do this: We clinic by faith.
By Tohru Inoue
Pray
- That God would provide the staff and finances needed for the clinic to continue.
- The Lord to give strength and endurance to all SIM medical workers as they extend Christ’s love to the vulnerable.
- For the sick to get the treatment they need and to turn to the great healer, Jesus, in their suffering.