Meeting With a Veteran Missionary

      Last weekend I had the pleasure of eating dinner with Dr. J. D. Patterson of Searcy, Arkansas.  Dr. Patterson was in East Tennessee staying with Dr. Chris Sawyer of Knoxville.  Dr. Sawyer worked with us on the last trip to the Dominican and Haiti, and is a skilled missionary doctor.  He invited my family and I to have dinner with his family and Dr. Patterson.  Dr. Patterson was a long-time friend of my father's, and has been a supporter of the Radio Bible Hour for many years.  He has been a great supporter of Christian education in Arkansas, and the School of Natural Science at Ouachita Baptist University (my alma mater) is named for him.   

         It was really interesting hearing about Dr. Patterson's experiences on the mission field in Brazil.   He is a veteran of some twenty mission trips, and along with Dr. Sawyer, he has traveled into the backwaters of the Amazon River in Brazil in order to bring medical and dental care to people who have never seen a physician or dentist.  He has worked among the refugees in Africa, and has worked in extremely remote and dangerous areas.   As he explained to me, he uses dentistry to open doors for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Many of the people he has treated have never even imagined an automobile.  It goes without saying that he is a courageous and faithful man.

         He described the experience of traveling for hundreds of miles up the Amazon, then branching off into one of the waterways that feed that great river.  After many miles they would arrive at a clearing in the forest which appeared deserted.  They would stop for the night, and the next morning  many people would have come during the night to meet them.  Word of the American doctors would quickly spread and people would begin arriving in these remote locations.  What a miracle for those people who were suffering, to find a doctor and a dentist ready and willing to help them in such a remote region of the world. 

         Dr. Patterson is delightful person, with a quick sense of humor and a warm smile.  My children were immediately drawn to him, and he entertained them with stories and his "hooey stick" which is a small wooden dowel with a propeller attached to one end.  The stick has a series of ridges and if rubbed on one side the propeller will spin in one direction; when rubbed on the other, the propeller spins in the other direction.  Dr. Sawyer recounted many occasions when Dr. Patterson had entertained people they had met, creating good will and friendships. 

        I'm hoping that Dr. Patterson will share some of his mission experiences with all of us at some point in the future through a book or series of recordings.  He is a truly wonderful person who has given his life to helping others, and went on his first mission trip when he was in his 60's.  Because of the life he has lived, many people have been blessed, have learned of the love of Jesus Christ, and have had a Christian education over the years.  He has supported Christian education, and even now, he continues to radiate God's presence to those around him.  My daughter said that Dr. Patterson reminds her of her own grandfather (my father, J. Harold Smith), and I agreed that they shared that radiant spirit which made them both a joy to be around.

         For me, it is inspiring to meet someone who has spent a life in service to others.  A man who could have used his great abilities and resources selfishly, has chosen to make his life count for the Lord.  He has chosen to "Lay up treasure in Heaven" rather than to waste his resources on the pursuit of selfish pleasure.  A lifetime of service results in a beautiful spirit, even in this lifetime.  A life of service does something wonderful to a person.   We are praying that God will give Dr. Patterson many more years of service and will continue to bless and protect him in all his endeavors. 

         If you are a Christian young person entering into medicine or dentistry, think about making a contribution on the mission field.  Think about using your talents and skills to serve those who can never repay you.   When you do it in the name of Jesus Christ, the Lord has told us that we are doing it literally to Him.  What greater work could there be than to serve Jesus with our lives?