Transforming Church

Through God's miraculous plan Lakshmi met a caring, compassionate and dedicated American medical missionary, Dr. Betty Nilsson. A wonderful Christian love bonded them together and Lakshmi found shelter in a Lutheran hospital started by Dr. Betty in that area.

Lakshmi was amazed at the love she experienced from this total stranger, Dr. Betty. She watched Dr. Betty in her unconditional acts of love towards people in need, and was amazed at her dedication and commitment to helping others. Her observation and experience led her to the conclusion that those who accept Jesus would freely love others as Jesus did. With this realization, she accepted Jesus into her heart.

Lakshmi used to dream an almost impossible dream that with the help of The Lord, someday she and her family would build a hospital where poor people would have access to good medical care while receiving Christ's love in the same manner that Dr. Betty shared it with her.

Later in life, Lakshmi suffered with bone cancer and passed away, but her dream still lived on in the hearts of her five grandchildren. With all their trust in the Lord, her family attempted to make this dream become a reality, however many struggles and obstacles arose.

When they were about to abandon the project in desperation, the Lord kept his promise of providence and guidance. God made Lakshmi’s impossible dream come true through the loving commitment of many dedicated, faithful Partners-in-Christ who wanted to share their blessings with the people in India.

The Christian Cancer Center (CCC) opened its doors for medical care in 1987. Today, the Christian Cancer Center in Kakinada, India is a 100-bed clinic, with 12 doctors and 60 other staff. There is a radiation machine for cancer radiation treatment. Though the treatment of cancer is a primary function of the clinic, many other kinds of general and essential medical help is provided. Many babies are born here. Surgeries like appendectomies, tonsillectomies, caesarian sections, and so on are performed frequently. And each week there is a remote medical camp to reach patients in neighboring villages who are unable to travel to the clinic for treatment. Patients who cannot afford to pay for their medical treatment are treated free of charge. Others are charged according to their ability to pay.

Just like Dr Betty's hospital, every patient who comes to this hospital not only receives good medical treatment, but also receives the love of God. The hospital provides weekly medical camps in neighboring villages, which are packed to capacity with testing, medical treatment to minor ailments, immunization and referrals.

As the statistics show, India is one of the countries that is struggling with the HIV epidemic. For this reason, the CCC opened a branch where patients with AIDS can stay to get nursing care. The CCC also conducts medical camps in the surrounding rural areas providing free medicines and education to prevent the spread of HIV.

The Lord used Lakshmi's family and the loving commitment of many faithful Partners-in-Christ to make her dream become a reality in the form of the Christian Cancer Center in Kakinada, India. Today it stands as a testimony of the Love of Jesus – a place of refuge where patients choose to come because they feel that they will not only get good medical treatment but also receive the love of Christ.

The Story Of Hope Village
Lakshmi lived in Dr Betty’s hospital and worked as a “Bible Woman”, visiting the inpatients every day to pray for them and to tell them about the wonderful Love of Jesus that she had experienced. She adopted an orphan little girl and named her Hope Sylvia. Lakshmi raised her adopted daughter with loving care, nurtured her in Christian love and gave her good education. Without Lakshmi’s tender loving care, Hope Sylvia would never have had an opportunity to survive in the world. Through Hope Sylvia’s five children and many Partners-In-Christ, Lakshmi’s dream of helping others in the way that Dr. Betty did for her became a reality through the Christian Cancer Center (CCC).

Sometime after the CCC opened, a 10-year-old boy walked into the lobby leading an old woman in tattered clothes, who was panting, unable to walk and leaning heavily on his shoulder. She was diagnosed with uterine cancer which had progressed beyond help. She had no money either to buy food for the boy and herself or to pay the hospital fee.

The doctors knew her condition was terminal and admitted her at the hospital to ease her pain as her death drew near. The young boy had no place to stay and no food to eat, and slept on the floor near her bed. At that time, Dr. Rhoda (one of Lakshmi’s grandchildren) was managing CCC. Watching their situation, Dr. Rhoda used to stop by the widow’s bedside to console the boy, bringing them food from her own home. Knowing that she would soon die, the poor widow, with tears in her eyes, would beg Dr. Rhoda, "Without me he has no one. Please help my boy, Sam." She died after a few days and Sam was left by himself with no place to live and no one to take care of him.

This incident coupled with the fact that their mother Hope Sylvia, an orphan girl, was lovingly raised and nurtured in the Lord's love by Lakshmi, inspired the idea and desire in the hearts of the 5 grandchildren to try help children like Sam.

Plans were developed to help those children of CCC cancer victims who are left without anyone to care for them and no place to live–left without hope.

After careful planning, and with the Lord’s guidance, Hope Village was established in honor of Hope Sylvia in 1993. Sam was the first child who went to live in Hope Village. Although he was 10 years old when he arrived at Hope Village, Sam had never gone to school. At Hope Village Sam learned that he was surround by the love of Christ. He enthusiastically and quickly learned the alphabet. In no time he was able to read in no time. He completed the tenth grade, which is the equivalent of high school graduation in the United States.

Today, Sam has grown into a well-rounded young man. He is currently taking driving lessons in order to become a certified chauffeur. It is Sam’s goal to achieve his certification, not only to have a decent job as he begins his adult life, but also to give back to CCC by becoming a chauffeur of one of its vehicles to transport the doctors and other staff between its branches. For, it was in the halls of the CCC that he was blessed with the opportunity to grow into the young man he is today–someone with an education, confidence and trust in the love of Christ.

There are 30 children like Sam live at Hope Village. They eat, play, sleep, study, and most importantly learn the love of Jesus. It is their only home, as they do not have any other place to live and any one to care for them.

With God's help, Hope Village tries to nurture these children in God's Love. Hope Village provides them the opportunity to reach their full potential in life and develop confidence, self-esteem and necessary learning skills. Sam is a good example.

This is cancer hospital was started and is still operated by the family of Al Sagar, the dean of the Academy for Transformational Leadership. Al’s daughter, Sapna, contributed this article.
For more information about this medical mission, or to find out how you can help, contact Al Sagar at a_sagar@bellsouth.net.