Does a mission hospital treat everyone?
This is a question that we get asked a lot. So we wanted to address it. And the answer is... yes!
Our hospital is a mission hospital. You can read all about our mission and values here. But suffice it to say, that we exist not just to treat people with excellent medical care, but to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and make disciples.
But do we treat anyone who comes in the door, no matter what their faith or background? Of course we do! We are proud to serve the people of this part of Ethiopia. Fortunately, as our reputation has grown, now we are also seeing patients referred to us from all over the country. And these patients come from all types of backgrounds. Some are Ethiopian Orthodox, some are Muslim, some are animistic, and some are Protestant. We see and treat them all.
In the hospital, our staff will offer to pray with patients regardless of their background. We believe that a person's health should be attended to physically and spiritually. We find that our patients really respond to the fact that we care about them in this wholistic manner.
Often, if a patient is open to hearing about it, we will share with them the life-giving message of the Gospel. We don't force it. But we do give them the opportunity to hear. We play the Jesus Film in the hospital. We will often provide a Bible in Amharic. By God's grace, we have seen over 500 patients profess faith in Christ since the hospital opened its doors. But even for those that kindly decline, we aim to provide excellent care just the same.
