When I pull up in this ministry vehicle, people aren’t sure what it is. They see a simple box truck with four aluminum walls and solar panels. They step into the back and see two rooms with exam beds, yet the rest of the inside looks fun and homey with themed decorations.
A border official in Europe once asked me if it was a house or a medical truck. The answer: a mobile medical clinic custom made for carrying out global health strategies in Europe. Your generous gifts to the Dr. Naylor Preach and Heal through Medicine Fund made this vehicle a reality.
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My team of IMB medical missionaries and national partners began dreaming about this ministry aid a while back. We’d set up medical clinics in churches or community centers. Most were one room that we divided into exam spaces by hanging blue tarps from the ceiling. This didn’t provide much privacy. Also, during disasters and war time, our response was often hampered by a lack of supplies ready to go quickly and whether the location had electricity or enough petrol for a generator.
We knew a mobile clinic could address these needs. The problem, however, was no such truck existed in our part of Europe. We’d have to make it ourselves. We researched, googled and found a plain box truck. We had an electrical system with solar panels attached and then, we were on our own for the rest of the renovations.
Imagine building something in a country where you don’t know the language well. To get around this issue, I went to the local hardware store, phone in hand with a picture of what I needed and Google translate queued up. Slowly, our clinic took shape in the back of the truck.
Getting people to ask questions
Instead of creating a sterile clinical environment, we tried to pull Bible stories into the room decor. I installed a boat shaped bed to depict parables Jesus used around the Sea of Galilee and other things to start gospel conversations. When you have a short time with each patient, prompts get people curious enough to ask questions.
Thank you, for being a part of meeting physical and spiritual needs throughout the world. As we begin using this truck regularly, please pray that we find favor with customs at border crossings, and they allow us to enter their countries with this unique ministry aid. Ask God to use this truck to open gospel access in places that might be closed using traditional methods of evangelism.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Harrison Martin and originally published by the International Mission Board.
