The Hands of the Healer
“I
Dr. Percy Smith
felt like I was effortlessly floating down the aisle when I gave my life to Christ at age 12 in that little Baptist church in Frederick, Oklahoma. Isn’t it great how God does things?” Dr. Percy Smith’s dad was a barber, and he’s never forgotten the confidence and support given to him by his mom. With a partial scholarship to Tulsa University and working full time, he was able to earn enough to pay his way through medical school. He’s thankful for the many lessons God has taught him along the way. As an intern, he met a pretty nurse named Vesta. They have been married 46 years now and have two sons and a daughter - a physician, a pharmacist, and an engineer. Percy praises Vesta and says what a blessing she has been to him. “She was so stable, coming from a good Christian home, and practically raised our children by herself because I was gone so much. After that she became my of fice manager.” Asbury’s David Thomas was their
ASBURY TIDINGS
draw social security. He was a truly compassionate doctor. He counseled me to always do a number of important things only two of which were: Exercise charity with a patient who can’t pay. Tell him what he owes, but forgive his debt and tell him he is responsible to repay it by helping another in need, and, secondly, always treat patients like you would treat your mother.” An elderly patient who compiled a rolodex full of thoughts and verses for Dr. Percy included one he especially liked that said, “Faith is to believe in what we do not see, and the reward for this faith is to see what we believed.” Percy said he would always tell a gravely ill or terminal patient the truth, but would also tell them to never to give up because faith and hope can produce miracles! “I certainly saw miracles during the time I practiced medicine,” he said. Percy donated all his medical equipment to the Tulsa branch of the OU Medical School for use in their free clinics. The clinic could not use his xray machine, but God had another Percy started out in family practice plan for it. Percy’s son, Scot, in in 1965 and practiced for 39 years. “I Connecticut told a friend about the xtook over from Dr. Sam Bradfield - a ray machine. This friend was a pilot tremendous man,” Percy said. “He sold and told Scot he often volunteered to his practice to me, along with all his fly medical equipment to various medical equipment, for one dollar on the mission fields for a Christian organizacondition that I keep his secretary and tion, Alpha Aviation, that was headnurse of 30 years until she could quartered in(where else?) Tulsa. The machine ended up in Venezuela. “Isn’t it great how God does things?” -Marty McBroom pastor after they married. “David was such a great preacher – so caring and compassionate,” Percy said. “I’m still learning from him!” After Pastor David was transferred out of Tulsa, the Smiths joinedAsbury and appreciated the ministry of Bill Mason and the special role Dick Read played with their kids. Vesta plays the violin and has been in the Asbury orchestra since it started. Percy is part of the Happy Christians Community.
“Exercise charity with a patient who can’t pay. Tell him what he owes, but forgive his debt and tell him he is responsible to repay it by helping another in need, and, secondly, always treat patients like you would treat your mother.”