The Cancer of Sin and the Skill of a Surgeon

Twenty years ago, I spent six months in Liberia aboard a hospital ship (January-June 2005). While I was only there for half of a year, it remains one of the most impactful seasons of my life. Before I went, I was considering PhD programs in Neuroscience. After returning, I attended seminary and completed a Master's degree in Christian Thought. I credit my time in Liberia with this dramatic shift in focus.

It was in Liberia that I was called to write. On the 20th anniversary of this season abroad, I want to revisit and share some of the lessons I learned in this small West African nation.

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One day, a patient arrived from Guinea after a three-day journey through the African bush. I first saw her in the ship’s hallway, standing at the top of the stairs, looking terrified. She either had never seen stairs before or didn't understand how a ship worked, and she feared that if she descended into the ward, she might drown.

When she turned toward me, I tried not to react. Her face, partially covered by a scarf, was disfigured by a massive tumor. The ship’s staff was searching for a translator to explain that it was safe for her to walk down the stairs.

My heart broke for her. I wanted to tell her, “Just walk down the stairs and everything will change. The tumor that’s consuming half your face will no longer control your life.”

That night, I woke up consumed by these thoughts. Are we any different than this woman? We may not have visible tumors, but we are all marred by the cancer of sin. And like her, maybe we’re terrified to take the step toward healing. We may fear that entrusting our lives to the Healer might hurt or even cost us our lives.

But that’s the beauty of this Christian life. We have a skilled Surgeon who gave His blood for ours and knows exactly how to cut away the cancerous parts of our souls and restore us to our original, created state.

The woman did take that step. She walked down the stairs and had the surgery. After a long recovery, she returned to Guinea. The first thing she did upon her arrival was join her peers and dance in the city square. Before the surgery, she had been scorned by society. But now, she was restored.

When sin entered the world, it damaged our relationships with God and with one another. But Jesus, our Healer, restores not only our relationship with Him but with others as well.