Missions through Medicine

By Dr. Lawrence Soh

Medical Team with Ps S E in Nepal

With strong support from the church, Grace Missions embarked on Vision 500, to pioneer 500 churches in Asia, over five years. As a result, church planting works grew from 200 in 2001 to 1,270 in 2010. We also set up leadership training hubs in East Asia, Indonesia and Nepal. The number of missions trips made annually grew from 67 to 225.

To propel Grace Missions higher, it is important we institute care for her missionaries. New missions staff were screened and certified for medical fitness before going into the field. They were also immunised against infectious diseases common in these countries. Missions policies were reviewed in line with rapid changes in the global and missions environment.

Ministries of Mercy

Another key focus of Grace Missions was in Mercy ministries. This was to support and empower our church planters in the community. Grace Missions sent medical teams and relief workers to Sri Lanka Tsunami Medical Relief in 2005, Pakistan Earthquake in Oct 2005, E Timor Medical Relief in 2006, Orissa India in 2008, Sichuan Earthquake in 2008, cyclone relief in Myanmar and the annual medical and flood relief in Nepal.

As the Missions Secretary, I had made several supervisory trips to Kazakhstan and Nepal, as well as led medical teams to the Sri Lanka Tsunami disaster relief, medical relief in East Timor and Nepal. The needs were great in all these areas. There was a local pastor called Mary, from Krinda, a small village in Sri Lanka. Because of her faith, she was badly persecuted by her community. In the Sri Lanka tsunami relief, we received heartening news that as a result of the medical relief and relief distribution, Ps. Mary was treated with respect. She was subsequently voted to be in the village council and her church grew as a result.

Large crowd waiting at the medical camp

Over the last 10 years, I have been leading medical teams for Grace Missions to various parts of Nepal. The Nepalese medical work was tough with long dangerous road trips to the far east of the country. On each trip, we treated about 3,000 patients. Many team members were blessed to be involved to reach out to the lost. One patient commented that he was seeing a doctor for the first time in 40 years! The medical team’s approach was holistic in nature. Every patient was treated and given health education, counselling and prayer.

Missions, as Scaffolding of the Church

Grace Assembly of God is one of the top churches with a strong missions programme. Many of our church-planting works have grown into independent and self-supporting churches. I am encouraged by Hudson Taylor from China Inland Missions, who once described missions as the “scaffolding of the church”. We need to be agile to the rapid changes in this global uncertain world, but we must meet the needs of the community and empower church planters to do the work at hand. As John 9:4 reads: “We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.”

Grace Missions has touched many lives. I am confident that Grace Missions will continue to grow as we celebrate her 40th Anniversary. She will continue to inspire and challenge many generations to make a difference while in this world.

Dr. Lawrence Soh is a medical doctor who started being involved in missions as a student with the Varsity Christian Fellowship. He joined the Grace Missions Committee in 2001 and served as the Missions Secretary of Grace Missions Committee from 2002-2010. Dr. Soh also has a Master in Missiology from Fuller Theological Seminary.