I
had always believed in early retirement. In fact I planned to work only fifteen
years for the government after my residency in paediatric cardiology and then
retire whilst still strong. And so I started planning on increasing my revenue
base even before marrying. I partnered with a friend of mine to invest in a
vehicle spare-parts shop which we sited at a part of Jos surrounded by Muslims.
Muslims; they have hurt me. When in 2004 I was travelling from Tambuwal to
Sokoto the cab driver assumed I was one and began speaking of the terrorist
attacks happening in the West with relish. “Soon
we will wipe out Israel!” he asserted. I can still remember his face. Since
there were other passengers in the vehicle I simply nodded to his talk.
Well
this incident was in 2008. It followed the riots in Kano where my aunt was
wounded by the same Muslims. Back here in Jos there was a riot and my shop was
burnt down and looted. All my life savings had gone into that shop and in one
day it had all gone away. The following Monday I got to work at the teaching
Hospital and the first patient that met me was wearing a hijab. She was a
Muslim! I could see other patients waiting for me too - all Muslims. Hatred
welled up within me and the thought just came to me, “If I get insulin and inject into them no one will be able to trace what
happened.” They would all certainly die there. But God rebuked me
immediately. The word came into my heart: “If you die now, you know where you
are going. You will be with me, but if these ones die now they will surely go
to hell. Now who is winning if they die and go to hell? Is it Jesus who
sacrificed His lifeblood for them or the Devil who is carrying so many in his
train?” I was rebuked. I had been
born preterm and spent the first weeks of my life in an incubator. Survival
then in the 1970’s was dicey yet God delivered me and I am a consultant. God
has made me see that this Boko Haram matter is just another manifestation of
the flesh. The prostitute and Shekau (their leader) are controlled by the same forces.
While the prostitute’s own manifests in this way his own manifests in violence.
In fact all of us (myself inclusive) were like them. We ourselves were once
foolish… Tit 3:3(ESV)
My attitude
towards them has changed completely. I now go out of my way to help all my
patients - Muslim and all. In fact most of my patients are Muslims. A little
while back one of them after discharge from hospital could not pay her bills
and I used my own money to help out. Maybe she appreciated it but she did not
return to thank me. One of the nurses (her fellow Muslim) on noticing that
chided her, and discouraged me from such an attitude. “Such people are not worth helping” she said. But I won’t stop.
Interestingly I have noticed Muslim patients prefer to come to me, a Christian
doctor, than their fellow Muslims. Some people have wondered how I behave this
way. I make it known to them the reason is Jesus Christ living in me: the Lord's servant must
not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone … patiently enduring evil, correcting
his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to
a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the
snare of the devil, after being captured by him … 2Tm 2:24(ESV).
Chris works in University of Jos Teaching Hospital
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