And a suddenly a patient’s fate comes very close to home
Patients come and go; currently we treat around 4,000 a month. Many return home highly satisfied. Hardly any give us feedback. However, last Saturday we received a mother’s written thank you letter from which I now quote. After having treatment at other hospitals the daughter was operated on by Dr Jens Haßfeld. The thankful Peruvian’s words are revealing:
“…for many years now my daughter has been suffering from pronounced anaemia. We had no idea why. Last year (2017) was particularly bad. (My daughter) could no longer work. Her HB-value crashed to 3.9. Three times a month an external hospital gave her intravenous iron treatment. But soon she reacted allergically to these infusions. The hospital then said that she needed to have an operation and asked for 10,000 Soles (USD3,000). As a family we had often realised that money-making is medical field’s main aim, devoid of sympathy, focused solely on the bottom line. That is why one simply could not trust the doctors at all.
In my distress I called out to God. One day I heard about the hospital about which many say that it is the best in Peru. It has modern equipment and its name is Diospi Suyana, which in the Quechua language means: Trust in God! Located in the Apurimac Hills the German couple Martina and Klaus-Dieter John had built the hospital with the God’s help. These missionary doctors had seen for themselves the indifference and the contempt shown to the Indian rural population and decided to build a hospital for them…
… Immediately I wrote to the doctors Martina and Klaus describing our situation. Martina replied saying that my daughter should come immediately, bringing all documents with her. But added that she would also have to join the queue and wait. My daughter was overjoyed and thanked God. She bought a bus ticket and a good friend accompanied her…
She entrusted her life to God and asked for his blessing for the journey. On Friday she reached the missionary hospital. The Thursday before the queue outside the hospital stretched a long way down the hill. Everyone was hoping to be treated the following Monday. The first 100 people in the queue were given coupons; the others received tickets via a lottery system. My daughter was one of the lucky ones and was operated on the same week.
In the way she was treated my daughter saw God’s love in action. The doctors personally called the patients from the waiting area and took care of them with patience and dedication. All the nurses were bilingual: speaking Quechua and Spanish. Before the operation Dr Haßfeld prayed with her and asked for God’s blessing for the surgery.
May God bless the missionary doctors Martina and Klaus-Dieter John and their whole team for their selfless work and one day reward them abundantly. Is not is written in the Bible: it is more blessed to give than to receive…FM
