Albania Winter 2000

February 29

    One of the new features of Sowers is the introduction of Doctor Genzi to accompany us on selected country visits. We felt it necessary to show God's love to the villagers in a more practical form through Genzi's healing hand. The doctor loved the idea and the rural people appreciate his positive, good natured approach to their ailments. (James 2:14-17) An apple a day can't keep this doctor away. 
    On this visit our group parked in the middle of the village next to the grist mill, made ourselves very conspicuous, and waited, harvesting a great batch of sunshine. It's easy to get swallowed up in the simple innocence of how these people live. We see the intervals of tranquility and idleness unloading the stresses of daily living. But once you observe the effect that isolation and structured indifference have on people you soon realize why their life is crumbling away. With one watchful gaze, you can see in their dreary faces a sad vacancy and emptiness because they are fenced out from life's economic advantages. They soon fall into a trance of desolate confusion.
    Our first candidate walked up, gave a nod of recognition to the doctor, and the villager pointed to his shoulder. Genzi prodded, pushed, looked a trifle unsure, and then smiled like a righteous performer and pleased the old man to no end. Before long we had a living wall of people, suspicious but envious of each person under the doctor's care. The one thing this impoverished village had in abundance was a random chorus of physical imperfections. 
   They saw Doctor Genzi as an honorary representative of the good life. I saw him as a diligent steward working out Christ's love. James 2:14-17- "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

    Winter 2000 Index