Whenever God calls his people to labor in a different land, there are many unusual situations to be faced. Most of us naturally like to see immediate results in our work, but God instead moves in ways other than those we often expect. A fitting encouragement for us here in Bangladesh is Psalm 37:34 – “Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep traveling steadily along his pathway.” As we seek the Lord Jesus for his direction and leading, we discover that it is through his Word that he speaks…
We of the WMPL family here in Bangladesh are involved in two main areas of work: 1) the building of LAMB Hospital and 2) the assisting in the forming and building up of the Bengali church. The call of our field conference is in these two areas of work.
Before we first started to build the LAMB Hospital in 1975, we wanted to be certain that the place was of the Lord’s choosing. We sought the counsel of many others and all said, “This is the place.” Therefore, in March 1975, we went ahead with the ground breaking near Parbatipur. The scripture we received from the Home Office was Joshua 1:3 – “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you.”
On May 4, 1975, the Ed Scott family was in Bogra some hundred miles away visiting another missionary family. While away, Ed asked the Lord what we should do in relation to starting work at the hospital site. He received this scripture: “This seems unbelievable to you – a remnant small, discouraged as you are – but it is no great thing for me. Get on with the job and finish it! You have been listening long enough!” (Zechariah 8:6,9) That same day in Dinajpur I preached on 1 Chronicles 28:19,20: “Be strong and courageous and get to work. Don’t be frightened by the size of the task, for the Lord my God is with you; he will not forsake you. He will see to it that everything is finished correctly.” It was evident that the Lord was giving his direction through the Word.
For a long time the Bangladesh government was asking if we would please take a “thana” hospital (similar to a county hospital) and run it. We felt that God had called us very specifically to build a mission hospital. We had made many trips and written many letters to the Ministry of Health pleading our case. On November 24, 1975, this scripture was given before we went to the offices: “Stay here in this land. If you do, I will bless you and no one will harm you. For I am sorry for all the punishment I have had to give to you.” (Jeremiah 49:9-12) The leading that God was giving again seemed to be very definite – “Stay at Parbatipur!”
It was during this time that there were changes in the government and it seemed like a very poor time to submit another letter with the request that we receive approval to build a mission hospital. However, that evening as we were praying and reading the Bible, this scripture came forth: “Your request has come at a favorable time.” (Isaiah 49:8) From our point of view it seemed like the least favorable time to make the request. But on January 6, 1976, Epiphany Day, we received written permission from the government to build and run LAMB Hospital! What a day of rejoicing it was for the many who had been praying and giving toward this project.
There were times when we were “knocked down,” but the Word of God served as our strength time after time. Micah 7:8 says, “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise, when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.” Yes, how precious it is to have Jesus, the Light of the world as our source of strength from day to day. “Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) Throughout 1976 the Word of God spoke to our hearts. Over and over came the Word, “Fear not, I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
On February 6, 1977, lights came to the LAMB Hospital site at Parbatipur, Bangladesh. The whole WMPL family is rejoicing in God’s provisions! The workers are rejoicing! Why? Because light has come to dispel darkness. But there is another Light that is here, the Lamb of God. He dispels spiritual darkness. Revelation 21:23-24 tells us that “the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light shall the nations walk; and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it.” We rejoice that we can bear testimony of Jesus, the Lamb of God and the Savior of the world.
We had been working on getting lights at the site for almost two years. Now the light has come and the darkness is being dispelled. It is a beautiful thing to come to the hospital site at night and see “the city set on a hill which cannot be hid.” It is a miracle of God to see those lights, and one cannot help but give thanks and praise to God for his promises. But it is an even greater miracle to see lives being changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, lives are being touched by Jesus and the Light has come to those who have responded in faith. Truly there is nothing more beautiful than Jesus the Light of the world, and his Word as the light to our pathway!