November 4: Dr. Vijaykumar M. Gaikwad

The Physician Who Served the Great Physician
by Rev. David T. Myers

None of our subscribers would fail to see who the Great Physician is in our title of this post. It is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, who continually healed the sick during his three year ministry on earth. But we may not immediately come up with the name of Vijaykumar M. Gaikwad as the physician who served this Lord and Savior during his life time of service. And yet that is what this Presbyterian missionary did in several countries of the world.

Dr. Gaikwad was born on October 12, 1941 in India. He had the Christian example of a grandfather who was born again through the instrumentality of American Presbyterian missionaries. The grandfather evidenced his gratitude to the Author of his salvation by serving as a preacher of the gospel in India. And his grandson Vijay, who is the feature of this post, followed in his grandfather’s steps by dedicating himself to the Lord’s work as a missionary doctor.

Experiencing vital experience in India at two missionary hospitals first, he went nest to Nigeria to serve the Great Physician there. Yet whenever effectual Christian work is being done, you can expect Satan to rear his ugly head. And so he did when the government took over the medical facility and brought an end to Dr. Gaikwad’s ministry there.

Spending some educational time in America next, he heard of the need of an doctor in Kenya. They answered that need, only to find yet another socialist government taking over the Mwingi, Kenya mission hospital. That drove him back to his own country where he set up his medical services at what later on became the Louisa Lee Memorial Hospital. To this local med center, there was added a new clinic building twenty miles away, with a mobile outreach center being added, with a church of elect souls to present the good news of eternal life to the patients and their relatives.

Dr. Gaikwad was called to rewards in heaven when he died on this day, November 4, 2018, leaving his wife of 40 years, a daughter, and a son. Like his grandfather before him, he had served the Lord Jesus faithfully and earnestly.

Words to Live By:
Whatever is your calling in life, dear reader, we urge you to consider serving in it, first and foremost, the Lord Jesus, who loved you and gave Himself for you. Only one life on earth will soon be past; Only what’s done for Christ will last.

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