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POPULATION
HEALTH

expect was a foreigner, an unlikely candidate indeed. What stands The Barton Family relaxing at home in Shell, Ecuador.
out to me is that my neighbor isn’t only the poor and unhealthy
overseas but the one with whom I interact during the natural course you to see your profession as an opportunity to participate in God’s
of daily life. renewal of all things and that every interaction to bring health to
our patients serves this purpose.
Finally, a Christmas carol you may have heard, Joy to the World,
describes how Christ has come to ultimately make everything as it
was intended by reversing the curse of sin that has damaged all
things. This gives insight to another lesson learned. This carol re-
minds me that all of nature was damaged and not as God intends
due to sin entering the pure and perfect creation of God. Various
parts of nature rejoice that the curse is broken and all things are new
again as they were intended to be because of Gods renewal. As a
physician, both here and abroad, I see in human form the curse of
sin that I believe breaks human bodies daily. It’s my privilege to have
a small part in reversing this curse with the gifts and opportunities
that God has granted me in medicine. I’m able to participate in the
cure to the brokenness in human bodies and have the privilege to
offer God’s blessings in the form of excellent medical care to reverse
a part of this curse. This form of service to my neighbor gives me
joy and God glory.

I’m blessed to have had the opportunity to serve abroad and
thankful for the insights it has given me into God’s daily work in
my life and the lives I encounter daily. I hope that I’ve encouraged

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