THE DENTIST

Driving down the road on the back of a motorcycle in India is an experience any thrill-seeker would love. Picture weaving through vehicles and pedestrians on narrow, worn roads where there is almost no margin for driver error. Fortunately, I was seated behind Dr. Kester Frederick, the only driver among hundreds with a helmet on.

Kester is a Jesus-loving dentist. He took me about 20 km outside the city of Salem in TamilNadu to his clinic in a rural village; there he graciously cleaned my teeth. Kester works alone without the benefit of a dental hygienist. Once or twice a month he leaves his practice and travels a day’s journey to help people too poor to afford a dentist. He has treated as many as 500 people in one day!

When I go to Peru at the end of February 2003, I hope to take Kester with me down the Amazon River. His skills and experience will be invaluable to our helping people. Our first cause is to love God and often the way we express our love to Him is by helping people. We don’t just tell them about Jesus Who came to save them. We look for opportunities to serve them so that they can firsthand experience His love working through our lives. Loving God sets in motion awesome opportunities!

Some of you reading this may be dentists. Virtually every reader knows a dentist. If you could help us obtain simple equipment for working on people’s teeth, we can send that equipment to Kester. If you are interested write me at dan@firstcause.org. By getting new or used equipment to Kester we save him money that he can then use to treat more people. Every time he travels south to minister he goes without pay and at the cost of his own practice. While he is working on people’s teeth he is sharing about Jesus Christ.

Meditation
2 Corinthians 9:13—Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

Are you willing to ask God how He could use you in your job (or whatever your life-situation) to further His kingdom? How many day’s wages will you give up each month to invest in furthering the gospel? Are you willing to share your time and energy uncompensated to serve whomever God brings across your path? I hope so! Kester is making an eternal investment. God will richly bless him in heaven for what he is doing without fanfare and at personal cost on earth.

Inspiration
Never testify with your lips what your life does not back up.—Oswald Chambers in He Shall Glorify Me