I watched a brief, compassionate moment (pictured above) in the operating theatre this week. A young woman, appropriately worried, walked toward the operating room. A gentle nurse put her arm around the woman, guided her, and spoke with kindness.
Compassion is not a new building or piece of equipment, as important as these are to providing quality healthcare.
Compassion is a decision to see a person, understand their need, and to care for them. (Mark 1:41)
Compassion could be demonstrated by a friendly greeting from a security guard, a prayer with a chaplain, a kind interaction with a pharmacist or finance team member.
Compassion includes safe anesthesia, medical and surgical skill that can save a life in a critical situation.
Last, but not least, compassion is not limited to the walls of Kijabe! It is family in America, praying faithfully for the healthcare ministry in Kijabe. It is a church dedicating part of their mission to the developing world. It is a medical student in the UK donating to help a cancer patient. It is the people of God doing the work of God!