Emmaus Road Ministries - Doctor Price

Emmaus Road Ministries
Its mission is to improve the physical lives and spiritual well-being of individuals, families and communities through:

  • medical
  • education
  • social outreach efforts

Since 1997 ERM has been working to improve lives by mobilizing local support and the caring.

JANUARY
At the invitation of the hospital director, David Printy, Stella and Steve Price undertook a 3 week mission at Oasis Hospital, Al Ain. The hospital has ministered to the people of the region for over 50 years, and was the birth place of the present rulers, Sheik Zayed and his family. It had developed from a ‘medical post’ serving Bedouin families into a modern, fully accredited hospital, which is presently administered by Cure International.

The hospital is staffed by persons of many different nationalities, most of whom are Christians. A good number of the staff has served there many years, establishing trust with families who, as a result of the present ‘oil-wealth’, have moved from living in tents to opulent mansions.

Stella’s contribution at Oasis was to evaluate patient-flow through the Out-patient Department, as well as billing and record keeping. Stephen updated diagnostic and treatment protocols for the physicians, which was useful for the pending accreditation survey. Both Stella and Stephen were able to link with both the medical and administrative staff of Twam Hospital, a large Emirate facility. Steve had previously worked with Ann Khairy, director of the Al Jimi Clinic, when he was in practice in the town of Winchcome, England! Ann, and her husband Ghazi [who had studied at Swansea University, Wales…..and was the former financial director of Twam] introduced the Prices to other local clinicians. These relationships proved useful in terms of understanding the medical systems in the UAE, and in Steve’s design of an architecturally feasible blue-print for the proposed new facility at Oasis. Worshipping with many Christians of different nationalities, as well as renewing the friendship with Beth and Dave Printy, proved an added bonus. Opportunities for visiting Emirate families, and taking part in the Arab farm-workers Church service were highlights of the visit. The Prices also visited Mark and Pritt Yaminali, long time family friends, as Mark and Huw Price had studied at Swansea University together in the 80’s.

Oasis Hospital has the unique ability to become a ‘hub’ of a network of hospitals and clinics, which despite the politics of the region, can reach out, with the pragmatic expression of Christ’s love, to the whole of the Middle-East, Africa and Asia.

MARCH
Stella visited England and Wales as she concluded her research into the life of Robert Jermain Thomas for her book “Chosen for Chosun”. With the help of Sheila Bowden the fact-finding trip to Oundle and Fotheringhay in Northamptonshire provided valuable information concerning Caroline Godfrey, who became Robert’s wife. Details of the marriage were gleaned from the archives of Kentishtown Congregational Church in London, where Stella was able to photograph the entry of the marriage in the Church Registry. London Missionary Society Archives, at the University of London, as well as visits to Princeton and Yale Universities, elucidated considerable information about the Thomas mission to China and Korea. Stella’s book was published by Emmaus Road Ministries in August, just in time for Steve and Huw Priday’s mission to Korea and China . Cazzy Smith, a family friend, did a great job on the lay-out of the manuscript.

APRIL
What began for Steve as a brief visit to Hanover Chapel, Llanover, Wales, 5 years ago [read “A Modern Don Quixote” on the Home page] culminated in visits to China, Mongolia and North Korea.It became evident that the Holy Spirit had placed ‘stepping-stones’ along the route. An invitation to a prayer meeting in Cambridge, MA, resulted in Steve meeting a professor from MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] who had links with Yan Bien University of Science and Technology [YUST] in Yanji City, Jilin Province, China. Steve was then invited to present a lecture at the university. His subject was “Building Bridges in the Midst of Disaster”. YUST was established by Dr.James Kim, along with his dedicated faculty, 15 years ago and is situated in a city near the North Korea border. The faculty is Christians who are committed to providing an excellent education for the students, and at the same time sharing in a personal way, their love for Christ. President Kim had studied at Clifton Theological College, Bristol, England, which was next door to where Steve lived when he was a medical student at Bristol University. Kim had worked at the Mueller Homes, ….orphanages set up by Mueller, who ‘lived by faith’. Adopting the same principles of prayer and faith, Dr.Kim has been instrumental in building a magnificent university on the site of the former city graveyard in Yanji. The insignia of the university is an adaptation of that of Clifton theological College. The lectures Steve gave to the students and the School of Nursing were well received, but he was overjoyed to present a 10 minute account of the Thomas story to a faculty gathering. They were especially blessed by the film [see ‘video’ section of Home page] of Huw Priday singing in Korean, along with the Treorchy Male Choir. They realized that the Holy Spirit had placed a passion for North Korea in the hearts of believers in Wales!

“If only Huw could sing at our 15 Anniversary in September”, was the request of a number of the faculty, and little did Steve know that President Kim and his staff knew much more about the Thomas mission! The next day found Steve overwhelmed with emotion as V.P. Jin Ho Zong showed him the documentary “Continuing Passion” [see video section of the Home Page].
YUST had been invited at the highest levels of the North Korean Government to build Pyongyang University of Science and Technology [PUST], and had been given 1 million sq.metres of land on the South bank of the Taedong River, near to Suk Island, where Thomas was martyred. As the foundation of the university was being laid the remains of the Robert Jermain Thomas Memorial Church were uncovered!

The seed of the Gospel and the love for Christ which Thomas had set in the ground was now 150 years later producing more fruit……God’s presence through time….in the hearts of many believers! The passionate commitment to building Christ’s Kingdom by Dr. and Mrs. Kim, and the YUST faculty, has resulted in Emmaus Road Ministries seeking to support their vision in any way possible. It was with much thankfulness and excitement that Steve was able to take Huw Priday to Yanji in September. They have also been invited to the opening ceremony of PUST, in North Korea, next April. Please pray that this will prove a reality.

MONGOLIA

Steve and Stella have known Sylvia Leftin and her family [some from Nova Scotia] for over 30 years. Sylvia had been one of Steve’s special patients [they were all ‘special’] and she left the USA to teach in Ulan Baatar. It was arranged for Steve to visit her in Mongolia. What an agenda Sylvia had for Steve! ‘His feet did not hardly touch the ground’ until he flew back to Beijing in late April.

Enjoying every minute of his time in Mongolia he found opportunities to undertake medical clinics with Dr.Paul Choi, visit hospitals……meeting dedicated medical staff and special patients like Nomin [ a 17 year old paraplegic]…..take part in worship services…..visit the countryside and ger-churches [tent churches]……and even talk to Sylvia’s precious students [with Sylvia censoring his presentation!]

A highlight was to join ‘David’s Men’ as they ministered to others who found themselves in difficult circumstances.
In 1990 there were zero Christians in Mongolia…….there are now over 40,000 and the Church is growing exponentially by the dedication and passion of the Mongolian people. A delayed flight to Beijing, due to a sandstorm from the Gobi Desert, provided an opportunity for Sylvia, Steve and ‘Boggy’ [ a wonderful Mongolian leader] to minister to a needy patient who required prompt medical attention .Steve arranged Intensive Care admission as she was hypotensive from blood loss. [I learned later that she ‘went home to her Lord’ 2 weeks later]

The four year period of preparation for Steve’s visit to North Korea was not wasted as it was during this time that he learned about Thomas’ life, the history of Korea and the growth of the Korean Christian Church despite persecution. As part of a medical team composed of S.Korean doctors and nurses he was able to ‘build bridges of love and relationship’ to the people of Pyongyang.

A special blessing was his visit to Suk Island, the site of Thomas’ martyrdom, and also the attack on the SS General Sherman [read “Chosen for Chosun’]

In 5 days the surgical team undertook about 30 operations, as well as teaching fellow North Korean physicians updated surgical techniques. Steve assisted in hip replacement surgery and also in liaising with various medical agencies. The ‘deaf’ were able to hear again…through the cochlear-implant surgery [and even acupuncture in one case]…..the lame were walking…..and cancer patients treated! All were expressions of the love Christ has for all persons presented by the hands of His obedient servants! What a great privilege to be part of this group! The North Korean Health officials provided a farewell superb for our team. It was at this function that Steve was able to express his gratitude and declare, “Wales is here again!”…..and “Jo-o-shin Hananim!” [phonetic Korean ….’God is Good!’]

Emmaus Road Ministries has made an on-going commitment to support Wheat Mission International and Steve has been elected to the Board of Advisors of the mission. He hopes to be a member of the next medical mission to Pyongyang in the Spring of 2008.

WALES

JULY and AUGUST
Following the untimely death of Steve’s brother Phil, the Prices traveled to Wales to be with their family, and to help with funeral arrangements. It was a very difficult time, but the realization that Phil was no longer suffering but with his Lord proved of great comfort.[read ‘Tribute to Philip Eleazar Price’ on the Home page]
Following an abbreviated vacation in Nova Scotia, Stella and Steve returned to Wales on September 2 in preparation for the forthcoming mission to Korea and China, as well as Stella’s ongoing ministry in Wales.