Column by Rev. Stewart Rawson: Let us not forget the plight of our brothers and sisters at home, abroad

I had the privilege of participating with a mission group from Shandon Presbyterian Church in Columbia to Zambia in southern Africa. We had an eye surgeon with us, and so we set up an eye clinic in the rural village of Mwandi in Zambia. There is a hospital there called Mwandi Mission Hospital, and it is run by the United Church of Zambia. The hospital was built almost 35 years ago; most of the construction was completed by mission groups from South Carolina. Throughout the hospital there are plaques acknowledging the contributions of churches from Columbia and Orangeburg and Chapin. The faithful work of those who had come before us helped to create a hospital that now has more than 150 beds and provides services for the Southern region of this very poor country. We had the humbling experience of seeing more than 650 people in the six days we were in the clinic; some folks walked two days to "see the American doctor." Zambia is below the equator and is in the Kalahari Desert, so as you might imagine, it is hot, dusty and windy. The people do not have the luxury of sunglasses, nor do many have corrective eyeglasses, so most have no relief from the bright sun and the dusty conditions. We take so many things for granted, the conveniences we ignore and the comforts that we feel entitled to. The things we complain about, the people of Zambia would find puzzling.

We fitted 300 adults and children for eyeglasses, allowing them to see clearly and with a clarity that they did not imagine possible. We distributed as many pairs of sunglasses as we could, wishing that we had brought a thousand more pairs. The people of Zambia are joyous and kind and tenderhearted; their gratitude for our presence in their midst was overwhelming.

When I returned to my comfortable home here in Sumter, I got sick. I spiked a fever and found myself in the Emergency Room at Tuomey. Being sick forces you to confront the things you are grateful for. I was thankful that I had a loving wife that would take me to the ER. It was Friday evening at 5 p.m., and I was grateful for a hospital nearby with seasoned professionals and wonderful facilities. I could not have been more impressed with the care I received at our local hospital. The receptionists and the nurses, the nurse practitioners and the techs that helped them and the doctors were all attentive and thorough, kind and professional. They made sure I was hydrated and isolated the source of my illness. I realize that my privilege extends to the fact that I have health insurance, and I am conscious that not everyone has access to these resources.

Hopefully the experience of traveling literally to the other side of the globe has given me a more profound appreciation for the work that we must do. One of the great sicknesses of our modern predicament is that we are selfish and turned inward. We are conscious of our needs and the needs of our family, but we easily forget the plight of our brothers and sisters in need at home and abroad. May we all be inspired to focus beyond the walls of our homes.

Stewart Rawson is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in downtown Sumter.