EAST JAVA, Indonesia (BP) – A trinity of health care – including a Baptist hospital, a rural clinic and a nursing school – in East Java extends far beyond the borders of the island and even the country.
The history of Southern Baptist work in Indonesia is long, dating back to 1951, when the first missionaries arrived in the island nation. Medical work was not long in following and soon became a key strategy for accessing the gospel.
In 1955, nurses Ruth Ford and Everly Hayes and Dr. Kathleen Jones founded the Kediri Baptist Hospital. For decades, doctors sent through the International Mission Board – formerly the Foreign Mission Board – remained in charge and in service.
In order to provide trained nurses for hospital ministry, IMB missionary sister Virginia Miles founded the Kediri Baptist Hospital Health College in 1961.
Today, the medical facilities are run by Indonesian medical professionals who are committed to the gospel and have a vision to share the gospel with all nations through health care.
Indonesian Baptists work closely with the International Mission Board to maximize the reach of the gospel and assist other Christian health care professionals in meeting physical and spiritual needs.
Emphasis on the mission command
IMB missionary Jacob Stanley serves as a liaison between the medical facilities in Kediri, Indonesian Baptists and health professionals in the United States. He explained how the emphasis on the Great Commission has been woven into the history of medical work in the area.
“More than 60 churches that still exist today can trace their roots to the evangelistic work of Kediri Baptist Hospital,” Stanley said. “Evangelisation was part of the founding.”
On a typical day at Kediri Baptist Hospital, all beds are occupied and expectant mothers wait anxiously for their place in the newly renovated maternity ward.
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As is common in Indonesia, relatives of patients in hospitals sometimes wait for days for blankets spread out in the corridors. Not all rooms are air-conditioned, but Indonesians do not seem to mind the constant heat and humidity.
The hospital’s director, Dr. Iva Yuana, takes the time to warmly greet family members as she walks through the halls and passes them by. She doesn’t stay in her office long, as she continues to practice pediatrics.
Yuana says the facility is not up to date with global medical standards, but the hospital is still a trusted source of excellent healthcare.
About 500 students attend the Health College, all with the goal of obtaining a degree in nursing. The college is open to men and women and students of all faiths. Half of the students are Muslim. All students participate in Bible study and religious services.
Safe place for spiritual questions
College has become a safe place to ask questions and read the Bible, even for those who would not be allowed to do so at home. Indonesia remains the country with the largest concentration of Muslims in the world.
The college is also dedicated to training Christian nurses as missionaries who will be given the opportunity to practice medicine in unreached areas. The nursing college specifically fields requests from other countries for students who are willing to pursue training in evangelism in addition to their medical education.
Six students who have completed a Japanese language course are preparing to work in Japan. They will work in health facilities and also interact with IMB missionaries and Japanese churches to increase the reach of the gospel in East Asia.
As the need for medical care continues to grow around the world, there are also increasing opportunities to serve in countries where the gospel is not spread or where missionaries are not present.
Clinic meets needs in rural areas
The most recent addition to Baptist health facilities is the Eternal Peace Clinic. In 2020, the clinic opened its doors to residents of rural communities who can receive both medical and dental care. The clinic also includes a pharmacy so those who do not have transportation or money to travel to town can receive the care and medications they need.
Eternal Peace Clinic staff are trained to pray and share the gospel with patients while they wait for their doctor’s appointment or stand in line to fill prescriptions. Home visits provide follow-up treatment for physical and emotional ailments.
Stanley said he has great respect for the work of Indonesian leaders and wants to increase opportunities for medical professionals and churches in the United States to participate in the work of facilities in Indonesia.
As Stanley tours the facilities, he points out equipment donated by churches, even a CPR doll that he himself took through immigration when he returned from the U.S. In fact, the Eternal Peace Clinic was built with donations to the IMB’s health ministries.
Historically, this key work with the Indonesian Baptists has resulted in “churches planting churches that plant churches,” Stanley said. “We just need more people who share the vision of how health strategies reach the lost with the gospel.”
