HEALING HANDS: IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS

Mrs. Comfort
Adewenu Taiwo

Psalm 103:1-5

Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

HEALING HANDS

Thank God for those He gifts
with healing hearts and healing hands,
who follow closely in His steps
blessing all of us who suffer.

Mrs. Taiwo In Her
Early Days Of Nursing

They follow in His Way,
Jesus, their Lord who deeply cares
for those who suffer any pain,
sharing loving and healing power.

With their knowledge of the
healing arts, and with His
grace to
inspire hope they use each tool
the Great Physician shares.

As they pray they work even
as He leads compassionately
and give God glory
as He lovingly heals.

In His Gospel ministry among us on this earth, Jesus beautifully demonstrated God’s compassion for suffering children, women and men as He reached out and healed them. What a beautiful picture of God’s Messiah touching those in pain as He gifted them healing for their bodies and souls. God’s Way incarnate in Jesus so often declared His Love when He looked deep inside the hearts of people and saw their deepest need, then lovingly and powerfully met that need.

In this world today we are similarly blessed by doctors and nurses, therapists, techs and other health professionals, who continue blessing those in need as God uses their gifting and training to bring healing. In our own time in Nigeria, Mrs. Comfort Adewenu Taiwo, a school nurse at Baptist High School, (We called her Mrs. Taiwo.) epitomized this ministry of healing. For many years Mrs. Taiwo worked as a nurse at the Evangel Hospital in Jos, along-side missionary doctors and nurses,

Mrs. Taiwo Admires A New Baby.

even as she and her husband, Moses Adekojo Taiwo, raised six children During that time, she miraculously survived the original Lassa Fever outbreak in Jos. Maybe this played a part in giving her such a Christ-like heart for all her patients. She brought to each patient she treated an obvious faith in God and a strong sense of confidence in the medical care at Evangel. Every patient Mrs. Taiwo treated was encouraged by her tender care and by her obvious knowledge and skill.

We at Baptist High School were excited when she agreed to establish a school clinic for our students and our staff. Now, BHS had been blessed to have a Journeyman nurse, Ruth Robertson, who cared for our students with Christ-like love and compassionate care. We had all kinds of illnesses at a boarding school of 450 students. Students suffered from the usual varieties of viruses, the flu, malaria, and injuries; but also chronic and occasionally critical issues, such as asthma and sickle cell anemia. Ruth and Steve made many a “midnight “ run to a particular local hospital where our students received excellent and timely care. So, Ruth’s excellent service set us up to recognize how much our school would benefit from a school clinic.

Then Mrs. Taiwo, came in and immediately set up a clinic, stocked medications, won the students’ and staffs’ trust, and built an ongoing ministry, which made life for all us healthier and so, better in our faith and work. I particularly recall Mrs. Taiwo’s strong, yet comforting hands. Time after time I watched her calm a frightened and hurting student, give them expert care, pray

Mrs. Taiwo Ready To Treat Students At Baptist High School

with them and either put them to bed, or send them back to the dorm or classroom. She made rounds through the dorms to check on students too weak to get out of bed, and in general, gave encouragement and appropriate treatment to all in need.

Like any good nurse, she knew when to smile and encourage, and when to give the “look” which said, “For your own good, do what I say, or else!” She could “mother” with the best of them when ten or eleven year-olds grew homesick; but she could also play the “drill-sergeant” when tough guys needed a strong dose of fear-emphasized good sense. She also had a great sense of humor, which she used at just the right time to distract a whining student.

Most of all, Mrs. Taiwo  clearly loved others in a Christ-like way. With her strong hands and her big heart, she brought hope and healing to those in distress and pain. She joyfully shared her love for Jesus in everything she did. Teachers, students, and staff members,knew instinctively

Current school nurses, Mrs. Aliti Matthew and Mrs. Sarah Koda, consult with ailing student.

they could trust her, even if the medical treatment might occasionally seem painful. Everyone knew they could trust the school nurse, Mrs, Taiwo. She fully walked in the footprints of Jesus. Because of her and so many others like her, we bless his holy name!