Being a busy BMS worker seconded to the International Nepal Fellowship (INF) and supporting a variety of programmes and initiatives Alan could have been forgiven for discarding this publication which he didn't have time to read.
However, he took a moment to stop and think about who could find it interesting and spent a few minutes preparing to pass it on to a friend at the TB clinic in Nepalgunj. Alan hadn't even noticed the wonderful story of Gauri* which was in the brochure and could not have known how his decision to share rather than shed this literature would influence the next chapter of Gauri's life for the good.
Had he read the story, he would have learned what he later found out, that Gauri had already been treated in the INF TB clinc in Nepalgunj. Unfortunately she had developed multi-drug resistant TB and at the worst point of her illness she weighed just 34kg. She was placed on a special drug trial which saved her life, and when she was ready to leave the clinic; she weighed a much healthier 54kg. This was one of those stories with a happy ending, which the clinic staff would long remember!
But this was not the end of Gauri's contact with the INF clinic; she was so moved and inspired by the amazing care she had received at the clinic that she decided to start the process of becoming a medical worker herself. Gauri passed the entrance exams for a basic nursing qualification and yet she had no money to support herself or pay the college fees, so she went back to the clinic to see if they could offer any help or advice.
Unfortunately the clinic had no means of financially backing their former patient, but some of the staff offered to give what they could afford and even after this generosity and selling her treasured gold necklace, there was still only enough money to cover the entrance fees. Where would the money come from for the rest of the course?
It was at this point of frustration when Guari's hopes for the future were looking doubtful that the 'throw-away' brochure arrived on the desk of Alan's friend and it gave her an idea. As she read and reflected on the familiar story of Guari's recovery, she had a classic 'light bulb over your head' moment and she began to think of another way of meeting Guari's financial needs and fulfilling her desire to train as a nurse. She contacted the organisation who produced the brochure and asked whether they would like to help, after all they had been very happy to use such a positive story, why not become part of the next chapter in Guari's life? She was told that the suggestion would be taken to the board, which it soon was and a few days later the answer came back that they would support Gauri through the whole of the course and cover all of her fees.
We've all asked ourselves 'What if?' about significant moments that could so easily have been missed. For Christians like Alan it leads to a humble reflection on the wonder of God's sovereign interaction with our lives. He puts it brilliantly when he says: "It brings a lump to my throat to think about how God used that brochure, which was about to be thrown away. Does he work in mysterious ways? I think so!" And how much more can God can use us if we are willing.
* not her real name
BMS World Mission workers Alan and Megan Barker have worked in Nepal for seven years. They are in Surkhet, western Nepal, seconded to INF. Megan is involved with the Surkhet Programme in occupational therapy while Alan is concentrating on programme support initiatives.