Mutually Transformative Power of the Gospel Through Medicine in China

by Peter and Antonia Lee

In the Gospel of Luke, we read the account of a young Jesus who went to the temple in Jerusalem, and sat with the teachers “both listening and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46). After his parents found him in the temple, Jesus returned to Nazareth with them. Luke described Jesus’ growth in the following way: “And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52). Physicians appreciate Luke’s focus on three dimensions of health in this verse—physical, emotional, and spiritual. 

In the Gospel of Luke, we read the account of a young Jesus who went to the temple in Jerusalem, and sat with the teachers “both listening and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46). After his parents found him in the temple, Jesus returned to Nazareth with them. Luke described Jesus’ growth in the following way: “And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52). Physicians appreciate Luke’s focus on three dimensions of health in this verse—physical, emotional, and spiritual. 

As followers of Jesus Christ, we recognize the significance of the spiritual dimension on the overall health of people. The gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to transform people in all dimensions of life, but the aspect that is often overlooked is the transformation that takes place within those who serve.

A few years ago, while serving in China, a young man named Wei Li (a pseudonym) was introduced to our community development project with a number of challenging physical issues. We first became aware of him when one of the physicians from our NGO found him begging on the streets of our city. Wei had burn contractures, which are the result of skin literally melting together to prevent the movement of an arm or leg. 

Growing up in a rural village, Wei had been burned when he rolled into a village fire as he slept. As a result of Wei’s physical disabilities, he was unable to find and keep a job. More than the physical disability, the sense of shame surrounding his disability had a tremendous effect on his identity and confidence. Wei had lost his sense of worth and value. 

Although several people from our NGO tried to encourage him to seek rehabilitative care through one of our projects, we do not know what finally persuaded him to seek medical treatment. Wei Li received special surgeries to separate the skin surrounding the contractures on his legs, and he began the long process of rehabilitation. His rehabilitation took many months of work and effort, which at times was discouraging for Wei Li. 

During the rehabilitation process following Wei’s surgeries, he became acquainted with Hua Mei, who had also been a patient in the medical clinic. Hua Mei had tuberculosis of the spine and was unable to walk, so she had come to the medical clinic to seek rehabilitative care. Wei Li and Hua Ma formed a most unusual friendship that was strengthened through the power of the gospel. 

Hua Ma had become a Christian only a few months prior to meeting Wei Li, and had resigned herself to never finding a soulmate, in part because of her physical disabilities and because of few godly men her age. 

Following the surgeries and rehabilitation for his skin contractures, Wei became familiar with massage therapy training that was available through our project. During the rehabilitation process, Wei Li gave his life to Jesus Christ. Once he completed rehabilitation and after careful consideration, Wei trained to become a massage therapist and was hired by our group. A few months later, Wei and Hua Mei were married in a wedding that was both a celebration of their union and of the tremendous transformative power of the gospel through medical missions.

Healthcare workers in general, and physicians specifically, have often struggled with the place of medicine in overseas mission. In addition, medical missions has sometimes been embedded within ‘Christian development,’ which remains an ever-changing construct, thus muddying the waters further. 

Part of this ambivalence rests on the fact that Christian development partners often require, as they should, measureable results for the funds we receive. The focus is often on individuals like Wei Li, who in fact are transformed by the power of the gospel. However, as we reflect on Luke 2:52, we are struck by the transformative power of the gospel on our lives, as those who serve. 

Christian development has itself experienced a transformation in the last two decades and has begun to shift away from changing to transforming communities. In a case study highlighting the transformative nature of one dental project in rural China, Veronica Davidson (2011) reports that participants in a dental training program not only reported learning dental practices that they passed on to other practitioners, but they also expressed a depth in their moral development as measured by a modified proxy tool using L. Kohlberg’s (1984) stages of moral development. 

Despite the common criticism that Kohlberg’s theory remains too Western and fails to address culture sufficiently, the participants of the case study reveal that the dental training was not merely professional but included a spiritual dimension. Davidson argues that this dental training is an example of transformative change because the participants were empowered to continue the lessons with others for long-term transformation. 

Indeed, development projects such as this typify the shift in Christian development away from a change in knowledge to transformed lives of communities. However, if we only consider communities that are transformed, we miss half the picture.

Integral mission, as Saúl Cruz-Ramos (2014) explains, focuses on the notion that both the participants and facilitators of Christian development are mutually transformed through relationships. Wei Li’s life provides a profound example of how the Spirit removes the stigma and penalty of sin and transforms individuals spiritually, physically, and socially for God’s pleasure. 

As partners in transformation, we join Jesus Christ in completing the work that he began. Cruz-Ramos argues, “Integral mission, where the kingdom of God is brought into being in our social realities, relies upon this facilitating role of the practitioner” (2014, 118). As we reflect on Wei Li’s life and our years in China, we are reminded again that we have been transformed spiritually, physically, and socially.

First, we now understand the tremendous change the gospel had on Wei Li’s life. We do not often see this level of transformation in someone’s life, but these changes were merely reflections of more profound changes within his heart. Although we could not see his heart, we could get a glimpse of the depth of change occurring in his life. 

In development, we often look for outward changes as measures of success or failure, but the irony of development is that true effectual change is often seen only by God. This does not mean we should not have accountability. Rather, as servants of Jesus Christ we can trust that mutual transformation occurs through the power of the Spirit as we serve others.

Second, our understanding of development has been challenged and reshaped. For example, having lived in China for nearly fifteen years, we thought we understood the construct of ‘face’, which is a complex construct for westerners to understand. Stella Ting-Toomey (1988) developed the Face Negotiation theory that explains how people navigate conflict management. 

Within this theory, the concept of ‘face’ refers to the value that people place on their own sense of identity within their relationships. The image people have of themselves within their social structures preserves and maintains ‘face’. Wei Li’s story convinced us that we had only a cognitive understanding of this construct. The profound transformation in his life reshaped his identity in tangible ways that we had never considered. We will never fully understand this construct even though one of us is from a Chinese-American background and we both lived in China for over a decade. We are humbled by the example of this young man in helping us reshape our own thinking.

Finally, we are transformed socially when we walk with the poor and oppressed. For example, in following up with reconstructive surgical patients, we are more mindful that patients whose limbs are freed from contractures are deeply grateful. Their lives cause us to reflect on our own sense of dependence and gratitude. 

However, we are mindful that socially we are not working among wealthy patients, so we may be regarded as ‘wasting’ our time on those who cannot pay for medical services. In considering Luke 2:52 for those who serve in medical missions in China, particularly those serving in development, we offer two recommendations, which are reflections of our own transformation.

First, Christian development, despite its challenges, provides an authentic way to be involved in mutual transformation. As practitioners of Christian development, we must give account to partners regarding our stewardship of resources entrusted to us. Let us remember that part of the transformation process occurs within as we walk with those we serve. Build these mutual transformation experiences into the context of future development projects.

Second, be prepared to walk with those you expect to serve. Mutual transformation often occurs within the context of suffering, but the results, whether physical or unseen, have the power to change the course of a life. We are thankful for the opportunity we have had to walk with those we have served.

Remember that the gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to transform the lives of those who are in relationship with him. Jesus offers us the perfect example of transformation. Philippians 2:5-8 reads, 

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. 

As we serve others, we will be transformed more into his likeness. As servants of Jesus Christ, we are given the opportunity to serve others by walking with them. Christian development provides a tremendous opportunity to engage our souls with those we serve in mutual transformation.  

References

Cruz-Ramos, Saúl, and Pilar Valdivieso de Cruz. 2014. “Integral mission and the practitioner’s perspective.”  Journal of Psychology and Christianity 33 (2):114-120.

Davidson, Veronica J.D. 2011. “Emowering Transformation: A Contemporary Medical Mission Case Study from Rural China.”  Transformation 28 (2):138-148. doi: 10.1177/0305829811400271.

Kohlberg, L. 1984. Essays on Moral Development:  The Psychology of Moral Development. Vol. II: Harper and Row.

Ting-Toomey, Stella. 1988. “Intercultural conflict Styles: A Face-Negotiation Theory.” In Theories in Intercultrual Communication, edited by William Gudykunst and Young Yun Kim. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

 

Peter Lee (pseudonym) and his wife, Antonia, worked in Yunnan, China, for fifteen years with the Evangelical Free Church of America—ReachGlobal. Peter, a family medicine physician, led a community development team, and Antonia taught at several universities. They currently live in the U.S. and work with international students.

EMQ, Vol. 53, No. 4. Copyright  © 2017 Billy Graham Center for Evangelism.  All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from EMQ editors.