Sharing God's healing love with a hurting world
Each day, hundreds of people--each with their own unique physical, emotional, and spiritual needs--pass through the doors of Loma Linda University Medical Center. And each day, our staff skillfully and prayerfully attends to their needs in fulfillment of our mission "to continue the healing ministry of Jesus Christ 'to make man whole.'"
Sharing God's healing love with a hurting worldRecently, I was touched when I heard Kathy Spykstra of Denver, Colorado, share the story of her interactions with Loma Linda. Her two-year-old son, David, underwent a heart transplant here--his second--in May 1999. He subsequently enjoyed a few months of childhood, but passed away in January of this year. Mrs. Spykstra stressed how much she appreciated our staff being attentive, not only to David and his needs, but to her and her family's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
"Each day, as we came to Loma Linda," Mrs. Spykstra says, "you gave us gifts--God's peace, trust, love, true concern and compassion, outstanding medical care, and hope. Your nurses and doctors wept and prayed with David and me. They played with David and knew him almost as well as I did. They listened to me; this was a huge gift."
Mrs. Spykstra sums up her feelings for Loma Linda and the work we do with a reference to Psalm 41, verse 1: "Blessed is he who has regard for the weak." We consider it a privilege to minister to people's needs when they are at a low point in their lives and to share God's healing love with a hurting world.
It takes the commitment of many people to fulfill this mission of whole-person care. As a supporter of the Medical Center, I thank you for believing in our mission and for expressing your commitment through your contributions. Your continued support will help ensure that this focus on whole-person care--through treatment, research, and education--continues well into the new millennium.
Stories in this issue of Expressions highlight just a few of the programs through which you are helping us further this mission. Also in this issue is the 1999 Annual Report to Donors, a tangible expression of the more than 3,000 individuals, businesses, foundations, and organizations whose partnership last year was vital to our success. This support totaled more than $4 million and was given in a variety of ways: memorial gifts, sponsorship of and attendance at special events, bequests, trusts, gifts of stock and other property, as well as outright gifts of cash.
As president of Loma Linda University Medical Center, I thank you for your support and for making a difference in the lives of patients and their families. May God continue to bless you as you join us in sharing His healing love with a hurting world.
B. Lyn Behrens, MBBS
President and CEO
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