Giving Honor
to the Little Man of Mindoro
for
the Glory of God!
Doug
Nichols
International Director of Action International
Ministries
Published
in Global Missiology, Spiritual Dynamics, October 2005,
www.globalmissiology.org
Margaret and I began our ministry in
the Philippines in 1970 on the small island of Mindoro. As new missionaries, we
were discouraged. We not only struggled to learn a new language and a new
culture, but we also had no income for three months. In fact, we did not even
have one dollar.
Early one morning during a typhoon,
Margaret shook me awake and groaned in pain. “Doug, my side hurts!”
I ignored the wind and rain blowing
against our little house and jumped out of bed. Flipping through our medical
book, I decided she might have appendicitis. But how could I find a doctor at
this time of night? Perhaps the neighbors could help. When I woke them up at 2
a.m., they told me of a Christian Filipino doctor who had a small mission
clinic about 15 kilometers away. When they let me borrow their scooter, I
wrapped Margaret up and put her on the back.
I drove slowly in the pouring rain,
trying to miss the potholes in the muddy dirt road. About 4 a.m., I knocked on
the doctor’s door. Even though Filipinos are friendly and hospitable, I was
nervous at the reception we might receive at that hour.
A small man in his nightclothes
opened the door. He smiled graciously and asked, “May I help you?”
“Doctor,” I said, “my wife seems to
be seriously ill. Can you please help?”
After examining Margaret, the doctor
announced that he needed to operate for appendicitis right away. We laid her on
a table, and I held a lantern while he gave her a spinal shot and performed an
appendectomy.
The doctor wanted to watch Margaret
closely in case of infection, so we cleared a space and set up a bed in his
storeroom. For five days, this little doctor and his assistants cared for
Margaret. They even fed us, as we were penniless. While Margaret rested and
slept, I helped at the clinic by cutting grass, sorting medical supplies,
helping with record keeping, sharing the Word of God, and caring for patients.
When it was time to leave, we were
embarrassed over our lack of funds. “Doctor,” I said, “you’ve saved my wife’s
life, and we’re so grateful.” Jokingly, I added, “I have no money to pay now,
but I can give you my watch, my wedding ring, and the gold in my false teeth.
But seriously, how can I pay you?”
This loving, gracious man took my
hands in his, looked up at this tall new missionary and said, “Brother, there
is no charge. The Lord brought you to my country to serve my people in the name
of Christ, so I can serve you. There is no charge, brother, no charge!”
Margaret and I left that little
out-of-the-way clinic no longer discouraged but with a renewed love for Christ,
His work, and for the people He had called us to serve. Because of the
kindness, graciousness, and compassion of this little man from Mindoro, we have
been able to continue in ministry for 35 years.
Recently, I spoke to a church of
2,400 people in Metro Manila, Philippines. The title of my message was, “Don’t
Just Stand There, Put on Something,” based on
Colossians 3:1–14. As I spoke about the garment of kindness that we should put
on, I told the story about the little doctor of Mindoro. I then said, “It has
been 35 years since I have seen that doctor—until this morning. Ladies and
gentlemen, may I introduce Dr. Romeo Santiago, the godly little doctor from
Mindoro!”
Dr. Santiago was sitting near the
front. His daughters had heard that I was speaking that morning and had brought
him from bed rest, since he had been in a Manila hospital for various physical
problems.
When the doctor staggered to his
feet with the help of a cane and his daughters, the church erupted in thunderous
applause. The congregation wept and continued to applaud. The pastors
immediately went to shake his hands, and people encircled him, embracing him
and thanking him again and again. It was a wonderful outpouring of praise to
God for this doctor’s faithful Christian life.
God, in His gracious and sovereign
will, encouraged over 2,000 people in their Christian walk with this simple
story and in personally meeting Dr. Santiago, who has served God faithfully for
many years.
Dear friend, you may never be so
honored. You may not have even ten people applaud your name, but you will never
know the impact of what simple acts of compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness, forgiveness, forbearance, and love will have on the gospel to God’s
glory to the ends of the earth.
Because of the kindness of Dr.
Santiago, Margaret and I were encouraged to remain in the ministry. You, too,
can reach out to others with simple acts of kindness in Jesus’ name for His
glory. Who knows? Perhaps 15, 25, or 35 years from now someone will say to you,
“Remember when you helped me? Your kindness so encouraged me in my walk with
God that I have served Him for many years. Thank you so much. To God be the glory!”
Editor’s Note: Doug Nichols (with
Rex Lee Carlaw and Agnes Lawless), International
Director of Action International Ministries, nichols.doug@gmail.com,
www.actionintl.org, PO Box 398, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043-0398, Tel.
425-775-4800