Hi everyone! I’m Christina, a final year medical student from Belgium. I would like to share with you how participating to the “Mission Conference“ in Brussels became a blessing, and how it showed me I’m not alone as a Christian doctor.
So that weekend in March 2024, I participated in the Mission Conference. Never heard of? It’s a forum in Brussels where Belgian Catholics meet, to be become stronger in their faith. During this weekend they pray together, visit workshops and gather information in the exposition village about various Christian initiatives. And not only that, you also gather some nice take-home-messages on how to become a stronger Christian in the midst of today’s world. I was asked to join the team of our Belgian Medical Association Saint-Luke to welcome visitors at our small stand in the exposition village. We informed visitors about our association’s activities, and promoted our upcoming international congress on November 16th, 2024 in Louvain, Belgium (and yes, dear reader, you’re most welcome too!).
Furthermore, we led a workshop aimed at inspiring fellow medical students and professionals to establish their own local Saint-Luke Fraternity. This is a smaller regional group, where doctors regularly meet to pray together. During the workshop, it was great to hear those inspiring stories from fellow medical students and professionals. One senior doctor explained how the fraternity prayers and the network with his Christian colleagues, encouraged him in his daily patient care. I was really moved by his testimony that despite busy practice with crowded waiting room, he tried to imitate Christ’s example in love and compassion for his patients. Furthermore the support received from his Fraternity enabled him to cope with emotional challenges, and to overcome tough events in his medical practice.
I loved his story because it reminded me how important it is to be in community with Christian colleagues. We really need one another: YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I am confident that Christ will use the Fraternities, to strengthen me in my future work as a doctor.
I now understand better that we all are sent out as missionaries in our own town or hospital. Missionaries, not on our own, but with Christ as our guide. Even better still: Christ makes it grow! Seeing how our student group in Leuven has been growing over the last years, really fills me with hope indeed. We started with few, and each time more Christian members are joining. Events like the Mission Conference allow us to connect with even more students. You are most welcome to join! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Christina De Smedt
