Faith in Action

Years ago, I sat at the bedside of a patient at a Christian mission hospital in the remote north of Côte d’Ivoire, in West Africa. He needed immediate treatment and had traveled for many hours to the hospital by foot, on the back of a motorbike and by other means. On the way, he had passed two government hospitals.

“Why did you pass by those other hospitals to come all the way here?” I asked.

“I knew they would care for me here,” I remember him saying.

Magdalene Gbatoe, Americares Liberia community liaison officer and registered nurse at our maternal and child health clinic in Zondo (left); Magdalene at Sunday service.

I recognize that when religion is wielded as an instrument of power, it can become a divisive and even destructive force. We have far too many examples of that in the historical record and even today. But religion is really the man-made institution we have wrapped around our expressions of faith in God and, therefore, is corruptible. Jesus himself railed against religious leaders and religious oppression.

Faith, however, isn’t about power. It is about laying oneself down. Jesus taught that the two greatest commandments were to love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.

It is that “love your neighbor as yourself” — in whatever form a religion teaches it — that powers the work of faith-based people to serve those who are in need in our communities and across the world. My organization works with government health systems, secular and faith-based organizations. Those motivated by their faith include groups like Faith in Practice and e3 Partnersthat organize medical missions to provide care for children and adults around the world and clinics all across the U.S. like The Good Samaritan Health Center in Atlanta and Grace Medical Home in Orlando providing compassionate care every day to low-income and uninsured patients.

I was in Guatemala recently, visiting residential programs for girls and elderly patients with dementia operated by an order of nuns. The sisters run a tight ship at these homes — both were impressive operations. But what stood out to me most was the love, warmth and compassion they showed to those under their care that was an outflow of their faith.

I recognize that when religion is wielded as an instrument of power, it can become a divisive and even destructive force. We have far too many examples of that in the historical record and even today. But religion is really the man-made institution we have wrapped around our expressions of faith in God and, therefore, is corruptible. Jesus himself railed against religious leaders and religious oppression.

Faith, however, isn’t about power. It is about laying oneself down. Jesus taught that the two greatest commandments were to love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Americares supports the girls and elderly of Hogar San José (Guatemala) with supplies and essentials.

It is that “love your neighbor as yourself” — in whatever form a religion teaches it — that powers the work of faith-based people to serve those who are in need in our communities and across the world. My organization works with government health systems, secular and faith-based organizations. Those motivated by their faith include groups like Faith in Practice and e3 Partnersthat organize medical missions to provide care for children and adults around the world and clinics all across the U.S. like The Good Samaritan Health Center in Atlanta and Grace Medical Home in Orlando providing compassionate care every day to low-income and uninsured patients.

I was in Guatemala recently, visiting residential programs for girls and elderly patients with dementia operated by an order of nuns. The sisters run a tight ship at these homes — both were impressive operations. But what stood out to me most was the love, warmth and compassion they showed to those under their care that was an outflow of their faith.