 There is a moment in 2 Kings 2 when Elisha, a disciple of the prophet Elijah, rips his own clothing into shreds before dressing himself in the cloak of his predecessor, who has just been taken to heaven. In doing this, Elisha symbolically demonstrates his acceptance of his role as successor to Elijah, a prophet to the tribe of Israel. This scene provides an apt picture of what it means to take up the “cloak” of ministry begun by another. And this is exactly what John and Ester Spurrier were hoping to inspire people to do when they spoke in early March about BIC Medical Mission and AIDS/HIV Awareness at Manheim (Pa.) BIC. 
In addition to introducing people to their work at the Macha Mission Hospital in Choma, Zambia, the couple had an even more urgent message to share with the group of about 150 that gathered there. The couple senses that they are at a stage of life when they need to bring their almost two decades of work in Africa to a close in order to return to the United States. Yet neither of them want to leave Macha without finding a successor to John, the only full-time, long-term doctor working there. And so, the Spurriers are searching for a few individuals to serve in a number of different ways, including:
During the 1960s and continuing through the 1980s, Brethren in Christ doctors and nurses staffed five mission hospitals—and this with a much smaller number of medical professionals in the denomination as a whole than there are today. BIC medical personnel fulfilled needs at the BIC Navajo Mission Hospital in Farmington, N.M.; the Madhipura BIC Mission Hospital in Bihar, India; the Macha Mission Hospital and Sikalongo Mission Rural Health Centre in Choma, Zambia; and the Mtshabezi and Phumula Mission Hospitals in Zimbabwe. 
Today, the Navajo Mission hospital has been replaced with a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, the Madhipura Hospital is staffed by all Indian professionals, and the two hospitals in Zimbabwe are completely without any trained doctors at all. In short, John is the only missionary doctor in service with BIC World Missions or the global BIC Church. Filling leadership positions in all areas of the Church is vital. But when it comes to Macha, people’s very lives depend upon it. Without John—whose work with patients ranges from delivering babies and providing treatment to those with HIV and AIDS to setting broken bones and giving skin grafts to burn victims—hundreds of community members would not receive the healthcare treatment necessary for their survival. John and Esther know that moving to another country, not to mention living there on a long-term basis, would be a difficult adjustment for anyone to make. But both affirm the value and joy they’ve found in their years there. As Esther puts it, “The rewards are great. The challenges are many . . . but the rewards are great.” On a professional level, John has found that he has had the opportunity to perform surgeries on truly grateful and needful patients that he would never have been able to in the U.S. (and without the fear of lawsuits, too!). He also points out there are a number agencies that exist to help people pay off debts from their medical training so that they are financially free to practice their skills overseas. On a more personal level, Esther shares that raising a family in Zambia was a pleasure for both them and their young children, who were able “to grow and play in a safe and loving community.” She adds that their time in Zambia also greatly enriched and nourished her and John’s marriage. For information about serving at the Macha Mission Hosptial, contact John and Esther at spurrier@machamalaria.org. To learn more about medical care facilities in Zimbabwe, contact Jake and Nancy Shenk at kudu@mweb.co.zw. For a look at what a typical day holds for the Spurriers, visit
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