MedicalMissions.com Podcast: Recent Episodes
MedicalMissions.com
Resources for students, residents, and healthcare professionals who want to learn more about healthcare missions. Includes sessions from the Global Missions Health Conference.
What else might be asked of a physician, dentist, nurse or other healthcare professional serving cross-culturally that may stretch, challenge, and sometimes frustrate the committed and called servant of Christ? Being prepared for such extra tasks and determining to be flexible and joyful might just surprise the new (or old) healthcare missionary who humbly approaches the extended job description.
Speaker(s): Dave MD, MA (Bioethics)
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/the-healthcare-missionary-job-description-you-want-me-to-do-what
There are so many options of sending agencies, that many potential missionary workers don’t know where to begin. As a result, they often get overwhelmed and paralyzed. We help make that journey manageable by teaching you what to look for to find your best-fit sending agency.
Speaker(s): Josiah Harling; Steve Harling
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/finding-your-best-fit-mission-agency
Short-term missions. Whether you have participate in many or are just considering finding your first one, short-term mission trips do a lot of good around the world. We will be discussing five principles to ensure that our short-term mission efforts have a long-term and sustainable impact on those with whom we serve.
Speaker(s): Jaime Saint
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/five-principles-for-long-term-sustaining-impact-on-short-term-trip
India distinguishes itself as one of the worst places in the world to die (Lancet 2015). In rural areas, because of a severe lack of access to appropriate health care, disease often simply ravages the bodies of our precious people completely unchallenged. A host of factors preclude good quality of remaining life, and a good death. Home based palliative care in this scenario is a breath of fresh air, bringing relief, comfort and hope, thus affirming the dignity of human life grounded in Imago Dei
Speaker(s): Ashita Singh
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/impact-of-a-replicable-model-of-palliative-care-in-underserved-rural-indian-communities
After a brief overview of the global challenges that human Trafficking presents, we will discuss the role of Christians in the fight. We will present a situation report and tools that Medical Ambassadors International uses to address the problem from a grassroots perspective. We will showcase partnerships with local actors, teaching resources used in different cultural settings and the impact of networks to eliminate Trafficking.
Speaker(s): Dr. Bibiana Mac Leod, MD; Zuzana Polackova MS,M.Ed
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/taking-action-against-human-trafficking-from-within-communities
Refugees & Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) face significant challenges to their health & well-being. Caring for people in these situations requires an understanding of their unique needs as well as having realistic goals regarding what can & cannot be done for them.
Our experiences in providing healthcare for the victims of in Zaire, Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Honduras, Nepal, Kurdistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Haiti, Philippines, & other places – both natural & manmade – highlight the need to be well prepared when serving in these difficult situations.
Speaker(s): Mitch Duininck MD, FAAFP
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/caring-for-victims-of-humanitarian-disaster-and-military-conflict
I have been pursuing missions as a single female for the past 10 to 15 years. There are so many opinions from the church about what it means to be single and a believer, as well as being a single believer pursuing missions. I am no expert in the field of singleness, relationships, or dating. The goal of this session is to have a panel discussion of the extreme points of view on singleness in the church and try to find a more balanced approach to loving those who are single well in the church.
Speaker(s): Clara Formby
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/seeking-truth-in-singleness
How do you keep up with the demands of ministry while balancing the needs of your family, not to mention your own needs?
How do you keep doing more with less?
How do you protect yourself from burnout while advocating for the least of these?
How do you establish boundaries without neglecting the needs of your community?
What does work–life – balance look like?
These are some of the questions Dr. Thomas and his wife, Jessie hope to explore as they share lessons from the field. Dr. Thomas serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Dayspring Family Health Center answering a call to serve vulnerable and marginalized communities. Jessie serves as the National Director of Student Programming at Christian Community Health Fellowship (CCHF.) They have three teenage children. Serving their family and discipling their children are some of their top priorities. They are also active leaders in their local church. Despite the busyness and numerous challenges of ministry and family life, they have learned the importance of balance, boundaries, and rest.
Speaker(s): Jessie Thomas; Geogy Thomas
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/staying-alive-finding-peace-in-the-chaos-of-missional-living
Motivating People to Change Their Health Habits
Speaker(s): Dave MD, MA (Bioethics)
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/motivating-people-to-change-their-health-habits
Living on Mission in Healthcare Anywhere
Speaker(s): Bob Mason; Helena Torres
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/living-on-mission-in-healthcare-anywhere
Hear healthcare missionaries share their journeys. In the first hour hear a panel of two docs and two nurses answer your questions as well as:
- How do I find God’s guidance in the journey?
- Why and how do I connect with a mentor or agency or team or training?
- What if my spouse or family are not supportive of me doing missions?
The second hour will be small discussion group with a missionary coach and others like you in your current stage:
- Exploring full-time missions
- Heading towards full-time missions
- Single or married
One participant shared after one of these discussions, “I felt so overwhelmed at the size of GMHC. It was easy to feel lost in the crowd. In the Exploring small group discussion I was able to share my questions and fears.”
Speaker(s): John McVay
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/exploring-the-journey-to-full-time-missions-agencies-funding-singlesfamilies-guidance
STUDENTS and Residents will learn about original motivation, long-haul stamina, pearls and pitfalls of living in community, debt, vision for one’s next step to the nations, and helping those in need Today tensioned with investing in education to help others later. Hear from a dentist, physician, PT student, an international missionary doctor and a student minister.
Speaker(s): Jessie Thomas; David in Christ; Katherine Musser; Elizabeth Redican; Adam Tes
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/the-training-years-a-students-guide-to-a-missional-life
Join us for a dynamic and engaging 2-hour interactive workshop exploring "The Impact of Global Trends on Cross-Cultural Missions."
This session will delve into key global trends—such as technological advancements, geopolitical shifts, migration patterns, and cultural changes—that significantly influence the landscape of global gospel proclamation. Through a balanced mix of insightful presentations, collaborative table discussions, and lively group interactions, participants will examine both the opportunities and challenges these trends present to missionary work.
Together, we will think deeply about strategic adaptations and innovative approaches to position ourselves and our ministries effectively for the future. This workshop is designed to foster a shared learning environment where we can collectively discern how to navigate and lead through an ever-evolving global context.
Speaker(s): Michael VanHuis
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/the-impact-of-global-trends-on-cross-cultural-missions
Becoming involved in healthcare education can provide a way for healthcare workers and laypersons to be part of a strategic plan to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Deciding to use this strategy as a bridge to the Gospel means understanding what it means to serve in a cross-cultural context before ever going anywhere. Learn about this exciting opportunity to meet the needs of communities, build relationships and lasting partnerships, and show the love of Jesus.
Speaker(s): Rebecca Meyer; James D. Smith; G Randall Bond
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/using-healthcare-education-as-a-mission-field-in-a-global-setting
In Honor-Shame cultures, people can misinterpret and see in our actions merit making, proselytization or apostasy, however pure our motivation may be. We will look at honor-shame based worldviews, come to understand how people may interpret what we do and look at risks and practices that may help us show and share God’s love appropriately. The workshop will use observations from relief and urban poor work in SE Asia. Application is relevant both overseas or close to home.
Speaker: Alex T.
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/honor-shame-dynamics-how-to-serve-effectively
Aspiring missionaries face daunting obstacles that will only be overcome with spiritual weapons and practices. This session will concentrate on four irreplaceable strategies that will prepare medical missionaries for battle--and victory. We'll explore internalizing the Gospel, hearing from God through His Word, developing a theology of suffering, and operating within the Body of Christ.
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #7 at 9:30 AM EST ; speaker: Rick Donlon, MD
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/spiritual-prereguisites-for-fruitful-kingdom-work
Spiritual Building Blocks for Fruitful Kingdom Work
Session recorded on November 7 2024 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM and November 8 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Session block #2
Speaker name(s):Rick Donlon, MD
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/spiritual-building-blocks-for-fruitful-kingdom-work
This session will describe how a inner-city Community Health Center in Buffalo, N.Y. that serves at risk pregnant women and their babies can be duplicated in a diverse, rural and under-resourced foriegn setting.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Session block #2
Speaker name(s): Paul Violanti and Heidi Nowak WHNP, FNP, CLC
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/reaching-the-nepalese-himalayan-mountain-communities-through-health-care
In healthcare there is a need for motivated and passionate leadership. Having a sense of "call" to a specific place and vocation at a specific time can help providers feel a sense of purpose and commitment. However, for those whom this service has a deeper spiritual meaning, there may be a deeper sense of call that transcends these smaller calls and leads us into even greater service.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM and November 8 2024 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Session block #2
Speaker name(s):Scott Dooley
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/finding-and-following-gods-call
This session focuses on the role of women in missions including opportunities, challenges, and preparation for service.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Session block #2
Speaker name(s): Rebekah Naylor
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/women-on-mission
A spinal cord injury is so much more than just the inability to walk. This session will discuss the physical, emotional, and spiritual (and sexual!) impact of SCI that every medical practitioner needs to know.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Session block #2
Speaker name(s): Jenny Smith
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/what-you-need-to-know-about-spinal-cord-injuries-the-physical-emotional-and-spiritual-impact
In a brilliant editorial by Ralph Winter over 20 years ago, he wrote that of all those “called” into missionary service only 1 of 100 make it! Why? Because of the lack of mobilizers, or mentors. This breakout session will consider the WHY, WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN & HOW of mentoring. What is it? Who and what needs to be mentored? And, how can you find the resources that are available? Join us to hear stories, learn insights and focus on your desire to journey with God and to ultimately glorify Him through your medical (healthcare) mission ministry. This session will describe the WHY, WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN & WHY of mentoring.
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #7 at 9:30 AM EST ; speaker: Neil Thompson
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/mentoring-for-future-healthcare-missionaries
Does God want you to be happy? And how important is happiness as we pursue God's mission? We are often faced with the false choice between happiness and suffering, let's figure out a better way. In our work starting a health center in a large refugee community, we have learned so much from our staff that has challenged our "Western" perspectives on happiness. Join us as we discuss the history of happiness and the church and its relevance to today.
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #7 at 9:30 AM EST ; speaker: Andrew Kim
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/are-you-happy
I'll share what we did as a team to incorporate 10-15 hours of corporate prayer into our weekly schedule while working full time as an NGO and the difference it made on team life, personal and spiritual lives and how it expanded our hearts for the people and region in which we were living. I'll share practical ways to increase prayer times overseas and explain how vital it is for health, fruit and longevity.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM and November 8 2024 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Session block #2
Speaker name(s): Emelia J.
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/the-power-of-prayer
The Bible contains a narrative, a story, about God's gracious plan in Christ to redeem us from our sin. Believers are brought into that story. This story isn't something we just know and learn about but we are called to take our place in it. Missions is hard-wired to that story. Rather than thinking of our basis for missions as simply a collection of "missions" texts (and there are many!), the Bible tells a story that spans from one end of Scripture to the other--and you are part of it.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM and November 8 2024 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Session block #2
Speaker name(s): Brian Vickers
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/taking-part-in-the-biblical-story-of-missions
Each of our lives is a narrative. God’s word is a meta-narrative, a grand healing narrative. Weaving these narratives together in the context of the people we serve leads to missional living where ever we are called. Given our unique talents, gifts, passions, cultures and professions, how do we discern and sustain our respective niche in the purposeful and wonderful story of God?
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #7 at 9:30 AM EST ; speaker: Daniel ONeill
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/the-grand-healing-narrative-and-our-unique-niche
Many mission hospitals around the world do not have access to Rehab Professionals. Early patient mobility has been shown to improve patient’s outcomes. Visiting Medical Professionals, Doctors, Therapists, Nurses and other professionals can play an important role in teaching non rehab professional clinicians in mission hospitals when and how to mobilize even some of the sickest or most severely injured patients. This workshop will review some basic rehab patient mobility techniques.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Session block #1
Speaker name(s): Skip Roy
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/teaching-and-encouraging-early-patient-mobility-to-non-rehab-professionals-in-mission-hospitals
Spirituality is an important component of health, and assessing a patient's spirituality is a cultural competence of healthcare professionals. This session will review secular “best practice” guidelines about spiritual assessment and provide a framework for taking a spiritual history during our interactions with patients. Participants will role-play a variety of spiritual history-taking scenarios.
In this session, you'll learn how to routinely and confidently assess your patient’s spirituality, and practice your spiritual history-taking skills.
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #7 at 9:30 AM EST ; Speaker: Mark
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/how-to-take-a-spiritual-history
This lecture delves into the integration of subspecialty skills, particularly cleft palate repair, to provide a platform to advance the gospel among unreached people groups. By intertwining the healing art of plastic surgery with the principles of the Gospel, it highlights a holistic approach to medical missions. The talk also underscores the significance of sustainable, long-term engagement, aiming to create enduring health improvements and foster community well-being.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM and November 9 2024 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Session block #1
Speaker name(s): Paul K. Lim MD
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/transformative-healing-integrating-plastic-surgery-gospel-and-long-term-medical-missions
Are you:
- Interested in mission and wondering what it really means for you and your family, and if you have what it takes?
- Curious to know how one may start and sustain a ministry in resource-limited settings in a foreign country from scratch with no money, no team, and no knowledge about far too many things?
- Looking for practical tools and resources to prepare for mission?
Through the years, God has overwhelmed the Samoutou family with His tremendous grace, provision, and protection. Joyce will be the first to tell you how many humble pies she has eaten and lessons she has learnt along the way - from practicing medicine in a way that her training had not prepared her for, being far away from family and the world she knew, running a charity, leading a team, handling tricky and scary situations, raising a family, and getting over herself. She has also picked up several practical tips and tools along the way that can be helpful to those considering or having already embarked on overseas missions.
In this session, participants will, through the firsthand experience of a missionary-medic- homeschooling parent who co-founded an international ministry:
- Learn what is involved in starting, fundraising, and running an international non-profit medical organization in resource-limited settings, the challenges as well as useful practical suggestions in overcoming them.
- Be encouraged and empowered to embark and thrive on long-term missions as health professionals, spouses, and parents with ageing parents back home.
- Have an opportunity to ask questions that they have always wanted to ask a missionary who is happy to share with humor, candor, and vulnerability.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM and November 7 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Session block #1
Speaker name(s): Dr Joyce Samoutou-Wong
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/ten-things-i-wish-i-had-known-when-i-became-an-unlikely-missionary-doctor-wife-and-homeschool-mama-2
In this session, we will review 10 potentially practice changing articles for primary care in the developed and developing world from 2019-2023 and will present each of these articles in a few minutes, critically appraising the articles and highlighting the positives and negatives of each. We will also discuss issues related to applicability of this research in different settings.
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #7 at 9:30 AM EST ; Speakers: Philip Dooley and Jeff Leman
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/top-10-papers-in-primary-care-key-studies-to-know-about
We will discuss the burden of disease from severe neonatal jaundice and its progression to kernicterus spectrum disorder highlighting both the problem as a neonate and as an older child/adult living with the consequences
Session recorded on November 7 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Session block #1
Speaker name(s): Tina Slusher MD
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/severe-neonatal-jaundice-and-its-progression-to-kernicterus-spectrum-disorder-a-global-approach
Its a story of a family going through pain and suffering and seeking services for his son and journey along side with people with disability and God helped to created a model which become blessing for many
- Enabled to see the greater Problem
- Enable to see different Possibilities
- Enable to Provide the needed services
- Enable to pass on the passion
- Enable to see the greater Purpose
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #7 at 9:30 AM EST ; speaker: Robert Kumar
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/pain-and-suffering-enable-to-minister
In both domestic and international situations, dental needs often go unmet (for multiple reasons). Untreated dental conditions, if neglected long enough, can turn into dental emergencies. These emergency dental patients are often misdiagnosed and/or go untreated in a medical setting. This lecture will serve to enlighten/empower non-dentists with some basic diagnostic and treatment skills to manage dental emergencies in a non-dental setting.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Session block #1
Speaker name(s): Jonathan Spenn
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/emergency-dental-diagnosis-and-management-for-the-non-dentist
One can never be fully be ready for a crisis, even if aware of the danger. Maja and Bogdan share their first-hand experiences of helping and serving at the Polish/Ukrainian border while coordinating humanitarian aid and providing emotional and spiritual support with Proem Ministries during the critical early stages of the war. When crisis knocks at your door (quite literally in their case), a shift from a „mission trip” to a „mission-oriented” lifestyle in the face of immediate need defined their response. In their unreadiness, they responded almost instinctively, affording wholistic and practical care for Ukrainians who needed it most. What does „mission-oriented” mean and how do we develop such an attitude for unforeseen crisis? Join us to find out!
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #7 at 9:30 AM EST ; speaker: Maui Dwulat
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/going-the-distance-border-runs-humanitarian-aid-coordination-and-logistics-in-a-time-of-war
Every day healthcare workers face stressful and emotionally challenging situations at work. Numerous deaths, making difficult choices due to resource constraints, overstretched days etc also affect them mentally and emotionally. Many healthcare have these issues left unresolved. How then can we care for our caregivers as they provide care to their patients and their relatives? Care for a caregiver is such a program that seeks to address this issue - and this breakout is a revised taster of the well accepted program at the GHMC 2022.
This is an awareness and taster session that will be both didactic and interactive with role play and group discussions.
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #6 at 8:00 AM EST ; speaker: Mathew George Mulavelil
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/care-for-the-caregiver-providing-the-paradigm-of-continuing-care
The practice of medicine is inherently powerful, and our patients are vulnerable to our power. Though power can be abused, the righteous use of power, for the benefit of the vulnerable, is profoundly Christlike. We will explore the lessons of power which help us understand our roles, including the fundamental nature of professionalism and key kingdom strategies of healthcare missions.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM and November 7 2024 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Session block #1
Speaker name(s): Jim Ritchie
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/power-vulnerability-medics-and-mission-how-do-you-fit-into-gods-mission-plan
Getting to the mission field is a complex process. The decisions required are truly life changing. Once on the field, the attrition rate is high. The adjustments for many are enormous. Getting to the field and staying on the field are strengthened immensely by a healthy sending church. However, a sending church can't simply be found in the final months before departure. Discover how to make finding a local church a part of missionary preparation that is both enjoyable and extremely helpful. You don't have to go it alone, before you leave or once you arrive!
The Biblical model for sending missionaries is through the local church. See Acts 13 concerning the church at Antioch. For a variety of reasons many with long term missions interest don't build a relationship with a sending church. This can lead to lack of prayer support, financial support and counsel when the missionary is on the field.
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #6 at 8:00 AM EST ; speaker: Doug Christgau
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/why-missionaries-need-a-sending-church
Nurses and other healthcare team members must provide evidence-based care for the broken, hurting, suffering, and vulnerable. Believers can do that in a God-honoring, loving, caring, and compassionate way. Nurses can be the hands and feet of Jesus while holistically providing shalom and meeting people's physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychosocial needs amid uncertainty. Learn practical ways to show everyone holistic respect, caring, and compassion.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM and November 7 2024 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Session block #1
Speaker name(s): Rebecca Meyer
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/nurses-on-mission
Surviving motherhood is a genuine concern. Maternal and newborn deaths are the 6th and 7th leading causes of life years lost in the world’s poorest nations. Sepsis, post-partum hemorrhage (PPH), eclampsia-preeclampsia, and failure to progress are the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Major interventions are to reduce family size and to provide quality obstetric care at delivery, including care for PPH and basic newborn resuscitation.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM and November 9 2024 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Session block #1
Speaker name(s): Nicholas Comninellis MD, MPH, DIMPH
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/high-risk-low-resource-maternal-care
God's call to his people are both general and specific. They are also tailored by God for each person, and for different seasons of life. Because God's specific calls to serve Him are tailored and individualized, they are never the same. Over time, God's specific calls to an individual can change. All of this can make the process of discerning God's call baffling a times! The key to understanding and obeying both God's general calls and his specific calls is the quality of our relationship with God, especially in the areas of faith and trust, hope, and love.
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/the-baffling-call-of-god
Jesus demonstrated repeatedly the connection between physical health and the gospel. This session will discuss innovative ways to leverage healthcare skills through the local church in frontier mission areas that creates exponential Kingdom impact.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM. Repeated November 8 2024 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Session block #1
Speaker name(s): Charlie Vittitow
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/innovative-ways-to-leverage-healthcare-skills-for-exponential-kingdom-impact
There are principles and strategies for creating and growing Kingdom-driven ministries that glorify God by serving the needy and engaging the international unreached. This session will explore the power of incarnational living, the centrality of the church, the link between serving the needy at home and overseas, and the importance of investing in younger disciples.
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #6 at 8:00 AM EST ; speaker: Rick Donlon, MD
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/starting-a-ministry-that-serves-the-poor-plants-churches-and-sends-international-missionaries
Living and working in settings with overwhelming poverty, malnutrition, disease, and death can result in accumulating stress, trauma, and burnout. How is it possible to endure in these settings for years? What strategies enable us to not only endure but to do so with joy? We'll discuss the value of remembering with gratitude, lamenting in community with national and missionary colleagues, and looking forward with hope.
Session recorded on November 7 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Session block #1
Speaker name: Alyssa Pfister
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2024/sessions/enduring-hard-times-with-joy
Medical education has a potentially powerful role in global health. This breakout will explore some ways that medical education can not only support patient care but also augment research capacity building to better care for critically ill patients in resource-limited countries.
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #6 at 8:00 AM EST ; speaker: Burton Lee
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/supporting-global-critical-care-in-resource-limited-countries-through-medical-education
Edyta and Robert provide a first-person localized account of working with refugees and individuals touched by war and forced emigration due to the ongoing crisis of Russian aggression in Ukraine. They focus first on defining the new wartime reality and emotional state of individuals crossing the Polish border and then move on to discuss their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs originating in the crisis of war. (shock, identity loss, grief/guilt, and PTSD). Finally, they outline a tentative way forward, using examples from Proem Ministries response as a „movement towards hope and meaning” on many levels.
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #6 at 8:00 AM EST ; speaker: Maui Dwulat
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/crossing-borders-community-development-and-healing-during-the-war-in-ukraine
Improving Healthcare Outcomes for Patients and Providers in Medical Missions via Telehealth - In this session, you will learn how coordinate continuity of care, share medical knowledge and field insights and access resources to help improve healthcare outcomes for patients by leveraging healthcare information and technology systems both in the field and virtually.
Session recorded on Saturday, November 11th during Session Block #6 at 8:00 AM EST ; speakers: Roosevelt Fenelus; Jeff Lee; Hau Liu
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/connecting-medical-mission-providers-virtually-and-globally
God is our creator and provider. It is exciting to tell people about what God is doing around the world and how they can be a part of it. Prayer is a huge part of going to work cross culturally. You can raise up a great team to partner with you to pray for you, to pray for the country you are in, also to make a difference for the kingdom so people do not live and die without hearing the gospel. It can be overwhelming to think about raising support. If God is calling you to the mission field, don't let the fear of raising support you hold you back.
You will learn...
The Role of Prayer in Support Raising
Why is raising a support team like sharing the Gospel?
5 keys to Support Raising
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #5 at 4:00 PM EST ; speaker: Herschel Rothchild
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/joy-and-excitement-in-prayer-and-support-raising
Dramatic change in mid-career may seem too much, but God can and does call certain workers to a new role and prepares their hearts, and their spouses hearts for a new adventure following Him. See how God has prepared the way and worked through career ego, family, professional and personal health and "leaving" issues, as well as personal finances and support -raising and more.
5 healthcare providers and spouses will share experience with a call from a thriving service in North America to a later call to full time mission healthcare and take questions from others seeking discernment.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #5 at 4:00 PM EST ; speaker: G Randall Bond
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/finishing-your-career-in-full-time-missions-opportunities-barriers-and-solutions
In this seminar we will redefine the labels and terminologies commonly used to describe the singleness or unmarried persons. We will highlight the leading advantages, positive gains, and additional achievements that unmarried people possess and actually enjoy. There are a lot of advantages and freedoms for serving alone in ministry— like uninterrupted focusing on tasks, managing time/schedule, easier decision-making process, setting budget/finances for spending, moving between housing and living situations, building multiple friendships, engaging in wide range of activities, planning and traveling, and enhancing local/global outreach.
However, there are also challenges for long-term singleness in ministry (being unmarried/unattached), whether serving across towns or across national borders, that can be emotionally unsettling and can create inner dissatisfaction or even chronic frustration. Not knowing how to handle our unmet needs, aloneness/loneliness, unfulfilled desires, and similar mental-emotional conditions/states, can actually hinder our sense of contentment in life and decrease our overall effectiveness in global service. We all have an innate need to nurture and care for other(s) and to be nurtured and cared for by others. Virtually, “to love and to be loved” is a universal principal... Unfortunately, people with low or poor social skills tend to struggle more than average, due to their apprehension about social mixing and their high tendency to isolate.
In this session we will highlight the joys-rewards and the challenges-struggles of the single life of people who are involved in the helping professions, especially in Christian ministry and missions. We will define terminologies, correct misconceptions, encourage realistic expectations (of self-others-life-God), differentiate between legitimate psychological intimacy and physical sexuality, rediscover a biblical paradigm for creative singleness-living (solo-operation), and press on to develop a contented aloneness, instead of struggling with isolation and loneliness.
We will present practical suggestions and guidelines for a more fulfilling life in service— How to translate our frustrations into strengths and build a Koinonia around us, as an intimate community, that is mutually nurturing and empowering; how to build healthy relationships with the opposite gender/sex; how to begin looking for a partner-companion-mate when the time is ripe (courtship); and how to cultivate single-mindedness, joy along the journey, and higher aspirations for the Kingdom, while keeping “eternity in our hearts” so that we know what God is doing from beginning to end.
Finally, the presenter will share from his own personal journey, over 40 years of cross-cultural ministry and still, single never married, with a full life and plenty of open doors, platforms, and opportunities.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #5 at 4:00 PM EST ; speaker: Naji Abi-Hashem, PhD
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/single-minded-singleness-handling-the-challenges-rewards-of-being-unmarried-in-ministry
Poverty and health are closely associated. The nations of poverty host lowest life expectancy, greatest child mortality, and highest preventable deaths. Three interventions are especially effective. First, promotion of broad-based economic development which usually enhances health infrastructure. Second, mitigation of military conflict, which especially afflicts those most vulnerable. Third, deployment of specific interventions that have proven particularly effective against the leading diseases of poverty.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #5 at 4:00 PM EST ; speaker: Nicholas Comninellis, MD, MPH, DIMPH
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/fighting-the-diseases-of-poverty
The "mPower Approach" trains and equips indigenous believers with basic dental skills to serve their communities and open doors for the gospel. This breakout will review promising practices in creating sustainable, replicable ministry, and examine how dentistry can be used to advance the gospel in difficult-to-reach communities.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #5 at 4:00 PM EST ; speaker: Luke Taylor
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/blessed-are-those-who-pull-teeth-training-equipping-through-short-term-dental-missions
God's call to his people are both general and specific. They are also tailored by God for each person and for different seasons of life. Because God's specific calls to serve Him are tailored and individualized, they are never the same. Over time, God's specific calls to an individual can change. All of this can make the process of discerning God's call baffling a times! The key to understanding and obeying both God's general calls and his specific calls is the quality of our relationship with God, especially in the areas of faith and trust, hope, and love.
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/the-baffling-call-of-god-expanded
Everyone's calling into the world of healthcare missions is different. No matter where you are on your journey, we can all be inspired by hearing the firsthand accounts of others whom God has called into this field. In this segment, you will hear from four healthcare professionals as they share what God's calling is for them and how they followed His direction. Through their stories, we hope you feel encouraged for the work that God has placed on your own heart.
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/pathway-to-missions
For the last 60 years, many have studied the population known as Third Culture Kids (TCKs)—children who grow up outside their parents’ passport country(ies)/cultures. But the world has changed greatly in that time. What common characteristics for TCKs of the past remain for today’s TCKs? What are new benefits and paradoxical complexities globally mobile families face in today's world? If being a TCK is part of God’s ‘workmanship’ in our children's lives, how can we best nurture them in a cross-cultural, highly mobile lifestyle? Come join our discussion on these matters.
An interactive presentation/discussion on how a changing world increases cultural complexity for many children who are growing up amid many cultural worlds. We will also share from audience and presenter strategies for helping our children maximize and use well the gifts of such a childhood.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #5 at 4:00 PM EST ; speaker: Ruth VanReken
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/third-culture-kids-phase-2-whats-the-same-whats-new-for-todays-tcks
Data on child and adolescent mental disorders across the globe are limited, but prevalence rates vary from 8 to 24%, with treatment gaps up to 99%.
In this breakout session, we will explore cultural aspects of child mental health across the globe. How helpful are our “western” diagnoses for children and adolescents in the Global South? Does autism, trauma, depression, etc. look the same across cultures? Are our therapeutic approaches relevant and sustainable? How do we build the capacity of local providers and encourage Christians to provide care and address stigma?
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #5 at 4:00 PM EST ; speaker: Heleen Yoder
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/addressing-child-mental-health-needs-across-cultures
The experience of healthcare missionaries is very different from most other missionaries such as bible translators and church planters. Healthcare missionaries are commonly confronted with life-and-death dilemmas, overwhelming desperate need, cross-cultural conflicting values, and great suffering. Healthcare missionaries are often powerfully burdened by moral injury, which can contribute to burnout and a sense of failure. But some healthcare missionaries have learned how to thrive in the midst of this burden. We will share what we have learned about the powerful methods that have proven to be supportive of effective, healthy service and a life of spiritual growth and vitality.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #4 at 2:30 PM EST ; speaker: Jim Ritchie
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/navigate-the-moral-minefield-of-healthcare-missions
Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the most severe form of this disease, usually occurs in persons traveling without prophylaxis or with inadequate prophylaxis. Most cases of malaria occur in missionaries, long-term expatriates, and immigrants who have returned to the country of their origin to visit friends and family (VFR travelers). Failure to take adequate malaria prophylaxis may occur for economic reasons or due to the mistaken belief that prolonged residence in high risk areas leads to immunity. Practical prevention strategies and the self treatment of malaria are discussed.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #4 at 2:30 PM EST ; speaker: Gregory Juckett
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/malaria-prevention-and-treatment-in-missionaries
Cross-cultural mission work is messy. It almost never turns out as we expect. Despite this, God still chooses to use broken people that know Him, from around the globe, to communicate His message to the world. How do we deal with the mess, yet cling to the mystery-- "Christ in you, the hope of glory"? We must expect the mess, embrace it, and engage in the details. We will unpack key concepts and how they can help one thrive, not just survive, on the mission field. This session is based on the book "Kawaja Bye-Bye: The Mess & Mystery of Missions."
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #4 at 2:30 PM EST ; speaker: Jeffrey Perry; Elizabeth Perry
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/the-mess-and-mystery-of-missions
This session focuses on women on mission and will highlight the role of women on mission, the challenges faced and some ways to overcome these challenges. Examples of women on mission in the past as well as present day experiences will be used to bring to life the opportunities and the difficulties as well as the great joys of a woman on mission.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #4 at 2:30 PM EST ; speaker: Rebekah Naylor
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/women-on-mission
In my journey, the Lord has taught me to share in Christ's sufferings and how fixing my eyes on Jesus has not only helped me serve Him differently but also how it has helped me see Him more fully and see His glory. In this session, you will be challenged to see Christ through the eyes of the writer of Hebrews. Discovering how we might remain fixed on him as we transform the way we see our calling, our ministry journeys and ultimately how we can be formed to glorify Him in all things.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #4 at 2:30 PM EST ; speaker: Susan Post
Main Plenary Session webpage https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/seeing-jesus
Session webpage https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/seeing-jesus-expanded
The Substance Use Disorder (SUD) crisis in the Middle East continues to escalate beyond epidemic proportions invading all society levels. This is while access to prevention, treatment and recovery lags especially for the most vulnerable pockets of society. Social determinants including inherent culture, stigma, unaffordable cost, and limitation of trained addiction specialists and facilities limit access to treatment and recovery, especially for populations at disparities. This session will survey the epidemiology of addiction in the Middle East, focusing on Egypt. You will learn of alternative routes to address Nicotine Dependence Disorder (NDD) through an evidence-based public health intervention for blue collar workers at their workplace, involving them as partners in their treatment and healing. Will demonstrate how the love of God turns around the lives of otherwise unreached people through your God-given talents in medicine and public health. The mission field is white already to harvest, hop on!
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #4 at 2:30 PM EST ; Speaker: Maha Asham
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/substance-use-in-the-middle-east-pilot-intervention-in-opportunistic-settings-in-egypt
Finances are where worship happens. What you truly believe is really shown through your credit card and bank statements. Many people desire to go overseas, but their aspirations get dashed by the reality of debt or overconsumption. We want to give practical advice of how not to fall into the trap of over-consumerism. Financial strategy can give you the freedom to tithe more generously, live with less anxiety and conflict, and be available to serve locally and internationally.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #4 at 2:30 PM EST ; speaker: Burton Lee, Sandy Lee
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/financial-freedom-practical-steps-to-get-you-overseas-faster
Many mission hospitals have limited or absent rehabilitation services. Rehab professionals traveling to mission hospitals for short-term visits can provide 3 very important services. They can provide direct patient care, provide education, and mentoring where no rehab services are available and can encourage and support the full time missionaries serving there.
This presentation will review the basics on how rehab professionals traveling for short-term visits to mission hospitals can prepare for and provide these services.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #4 at 2:30 PM EST ; speaker: Skip Roy
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/best-practices-for-rehab-professionals-serving-short-term-in-mission-hospitals
Kingdom Come: Medicine and the Next 100 Years of Global Christianity
Medical missions is an effective door opener for the Gospel, historically and today. Is it possible for the Gospel to grow at the rate that it grew in the second and third centuries? This talk will focus on the why?...the how?...and the where?
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #3 at 1:00 PM EST ; speaker: Ray Kuntz; John Mayer
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/circle-of-influence
Jeremiah 8:18
My grief is beyond healing; my heart is broken
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #3 at 1:00 PM EST ; speaker: Tony Weedor
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/hope-in-gods-promises-beyond-the-pain-of-grief-2
In my journey, the Lord has taught me to share in Christ's sufferings and how fixing my eyes on Jesus has not only helped me serve Him differently but also how it has helped me see Him more fully and see His glory. In this session, you will be challenged to see Christ through the eyes of the writer of Hebrews. Discovering how we might remain fixed on him as we transform the way we see our calling, our ministry journeys and ultimately how we can be formed to glorify Him in all things.
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/seeing-jesus
2 Cor. 10:4,5. Spiritual warfare is a reality that all Christians, and perhaps missionaries in particular, will encounter. However, not all spiritual battles involve open power encounters with forces of darkness. Though these may receive more attention the more pervasive conflict takes place in our minds. What is the example Paul uses? To gain spiritual victory in this one area would be worth learning the lesson he teaches. But it is just one example of the war we are in and if we are able to recognize and win this battle we will find greater freedom to carry out the mission God calls us to.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #3 at 1:00 PM EST ; speaker: Chris Jenkins
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/spiritual-warfare-and-the-mind-the-unseen-battle-that-affects-your-walk-and-service-with-the-lord
There are tens of thousands of bridges all over the world. We cross them to get over to the other side. We often take them for granted and sometimes we marvel at them. The Great Commission of our Lord Jesus to take His Gospel into all the world is meant for everyone, without exception. But most believers hardly know where to start and how to effectively communicate His Truth with the lost. We can do so by building bridges to take the seeker across the abyss and into His light. It’s a whole lot easier than we think. And there are a myriad of ways to do so. In this session we will learn how to establish a bridge in order to help expand our Lord’s Kingdom here and on earth.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #3 at 1:00 PM EST ; speaker: Rabi Maharaj
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/bridge-building-for-christs-kingdom-expanded
The healthcare missionary team is more diverse than ever with national, ethnic, cultural, generational and educational differences becoming the norm in many, if not most healthcare mission settings. The success of national training programs has led to highly trained graduates who stay on with the team to serve and eventually participate in leadership. The priorities, needs, motivations, work habits, etc. of different team members will vary between cultures, generations, and nationalities. How do we face the future of healthcare missions and not just sustain these teams but leverage them for even greater effectiveness in fulfilling the Great Commission?
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #3 at 1:00 PM EST ; speaker: Mike Chupp
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/thriving-in-the-crucible-of-cross-cultural-community
As the number of refugees surges in the U.S. and around the globe, displaced persons and migrants are increasingly becoming victims of human trafficking. Healthcare professionals serving in either domestic, short or long-term missions can be instrumental in identifying victims and providing culturally relevant care to the exploited in vulnerable populations.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #3 at 1:00pm EST ; Speaker: Sharmayne Brooks
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/intersection-of-healthcare-international-trafficking-in-persons-in-refugee-migrant-populations
Most Christian healthcare professionals and students recognize the value of whole person care in stateside and international settings. Yet such care might be one of the most complex challenges in healthcare today. How is done? When is it done? Is it ethical or legal? Can I pray with a patient? Share the gospel? And if so, how is all this done with limited time? We'll unravel these issues and more.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #2 at 10:00 AM EST ; speaker: Bob Mason; Helena Torres
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/caring-for-the-whole-patient-good-medicine-for-patient-and-professional
Hear healthcare missionaries share their journeys. In the first hour hear a panel of two docs and two nurses will your questions, as well these:
- How do I find God’s guidance in the journey?
- Why and how do I connect with a mentor or agency or team or training?
- What about student loans, raising financial support?
The second hour will be small discussion group with a missionary coach and others like you in your current stage:
- Exploring whether or not to consider full-time missions
- Heading towards full-time missions
- Single or married
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #2 at 10:00 AM EST ; speaker: John McVay; Panel of Docs and Nurses
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/exploring-the-journey-to-full-time-missions-agencies-funding-singlesfamilies-gods-guidance
Teaching medical procedures is one of the most "hands on" parts to medical education. We will be discussing the challenges about this topic, tips for success, and how to use our influence as medical educators to honor God.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #2 at 10:00 AM EST ; speaker: Andrew Posey; Jonathan Peters
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/using-procedural-medicine-to-build-relationships
STUDENTS & RESIDENTS: How can we deepen in our love for Jesus and see this refining, exciting time as He does? We’ll spend the first half tackling topics like long-haul stamina, time management, living in community, debt, and God’s heart for those experiencing poverty.
For the second hour, we’ll divide into small groups of the same discipline (i.e., DO/MD students, residents, pre-med, PA, NP, pharmacy, dental, spouses). With facilitators who have gone through it before, we’ll dive into the questions you have and brainstorm how God might sustain you now and lead you up ahead.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #2 at 10:00 AM EST ; speakers: Liz Redican; Jessie Thomas; Sarah; Luke Little; Luke Little
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/the-training-years-wisdom-for-whats-now-and-pearls-for-whats-next
Cultures around the world have differing worldviews, practices, and behaviors related to health, disease, healing, suffering, death, and dying. According to scripture, humility is an attitude believers need to adopt, especially when working cross-culturally, “Clothe yourselves in humility (1 Pet. 5:5). Training nurses and other healthcare workers to use cultural humility allows believers to approach another person with openness, compassion, and the love of Jesus. When believers take the time to appreciate other cultures and beliefs, bridges to the gospel will be built. This session will focus on best practices for serving on missions, ways to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and strategies for approaching other cultures with compassion and His love.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #2 at 10:00 AM EST ; speaker: Rebecca Meyer
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/training-nurses-and-other-healthcare-workers-to-serve-cross-culturally-on-short-term-missions
People interpret what we do based on their worldview. In Honor-Shame cultures, people might misinterpret and see in our actions merit making, proselytization or apostasy, however pure our motivation may be. We’ll look at honor-shame based worldviews, understand how and why people may misinterpret what we do, look at risks and practices to help show and share God’s love appropriately. We’ll use observations from relief and urban poor work in SE Asia to illustrate. Application is relevant both overseas or close to home when reaching out to neighbors from honor-shame contexts.
Session recorded on Friday, November 10th during Session Block #2 at 10:00 AM EST ; speaker: Alex Tee.
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/honor-shame-dynamics-how-to-serve-effectively
The global missions landscape has shifted and so has the role Americans now play. We'll explore the many new opportunities this has created.
Session recorded on Thursday, November 9th during Session Block #1 at 3:45PM EST ; speaker: Charlie Vittitow.
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/where-do-i-fit-in-todays-missions-landscape
Your emotional health matters as you join God in His work among the nations. Learn to apply biblical principles to experience emotional healing and minister to others. In this session you will walk away with 4 keys that will help you receive God's emotional healing.
Session recorded on Thursday, November 9th during Session Block #1 at 3:45PM EST ; speaker: Francis Bukachi.
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/get-emotionally-healed-a-training-course
There are tens of thousands of bridges all over the world. We cross them to get over to the other side. We often take them for granted and sometimes we marvel at them. The Great Commission of our Lord Jesus to take His Gospel into all the world is meant for everyone, without exception. But most believers hardly know where to start and how to effectively communicate His Truth with the lost. We can do so by building bridges to take the seeker across the abyss and into His light. It’s a whole lot easier than we think. And there are a myriad of ways to do so. In this session, we will learn how to establish a bridge in order to help expand our Lord’s Kingdom here and on earth.
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/bridge-building-for-christs-kingdom
The Great Commission is a call for all Christ followers to make disciples wherever we are. So often, however, we think that this takes place on a short-term trip where we "do" a project for the national or indigenous people. Discipleship requires more time than what a short-term trip offers. We will consider how we might have a long-term impact even on a short-term trip by working with and not just for our indigenous brothers and sisters in Christ.
Session recorded on Thursday, November 9th during Session Block #1 at 3:45PM EST ; speaker: Jaime Saint
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/five-principles-for-creating-long-term-sustainable-impact-on-short-term-mission-trips-2
Take a journey exploring the epidemic level of mental health disorders that has made primary care the de facto mental health system globally. Hear how primary care clinicians can overcome the growing lack of access to mental and behavioral health specialty services. Discover how the Waco Guide to Psychopharmacology, a free, tangible, evidence-based, point-of-care tool providing high-quality mental and behavioral health care support, is helping busy primary care clinicians to make impactful treatment decisions.
Session recorded on Thursday, November 9th during Session Block #1 at 3:45PM EST ; speaker: Carena Chai
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/making-psychopharmacology-easier-in-the-trenches-yes-theres-an-app-for-that
This session will discuss how short-term global healthcare mission trips can benefit medical students and residents, but also be beneficial to their global hosts. Ways to make these trips ethical, equitable and ecologically responsible will be presented.
Mission and academic agencies are paying critical attention to “Global Healthcare Education” experiences. Short-term mission trips in a Christian context may meet this need. How can we make these experiences ethical, equitable, and ecologically responsible? This workshop will look at the ethics of taking teams from HIC to LMIC, the preparation and training required to make these trips valuable to the hosting site and visitors, who initiates the request, the expertise visitors bring, and what needs to be considered to leave something which is beneficial to the hosts.
Session recorded on Thursday, November 9th during Session Block #1 at 3:45PM EST ; speakers: John Tarpley; James D. Smith; Maggie
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/making-short-term-global-healthcare-mission-trips-ethical-equitable-and-ecologically-responsible
Team Dynamics in low resource, high demand, multi-cultural environments is challenging. We will discuss a wide range of coping skills including clear boundaries, sabbath and transparency. We will also discuss how to build team consensus and agreement on the foundational principles related to self-care in a healthcare missions environment. The creation and communication of personal and team boundaries will be discussed with practical application examples shared.
Session recorded on Thursday, November 9th during Session Block #1 at 3:45PM EST ; speakers: Rick; Jim Ritchie
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/team-conflicts-how-to-navigate-and-overcome-challenges-with-team-dynamics-2
Join us as we share our experiences in leading women on cross-cultural short-term trips. Hear about the techniques we have developed to help team members break down barriers, connect with other women, and effectively communication the love of God. This session will focus on the wholistic approach to training and equipping women for short-term trips and the impact they leave on others they meet. Properly preparing teams to minister to the whole person (Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual) helps create lasting changes on and off the field.
Session recorded on Thursday, November 9th during Session Block #1 at 3:45PM EST; speaker: Pamella Bukachi and Sarah Boles
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/empowering-women-through-short-term-trips
Although new therapies are being discovered all the time (medical progress), current research shows that many of these advances are ultimately demonstrated to be false in subsequent studies. In order to understand which discoveries are likely to be true progress vs. mere hype, every clinician should understand these basic but surprising aspects of scientific evidence before recommending a new therapy for a patient. We will explore the concepts of the fragility (Fragility Index), flaws (Critical Appraisal), and fallacy (Ioannidis Equation) in this lecture.
Session recorded on Thursday, November 9th, 2023 at Session Block 1 at 3:45pm EST; speaker: Burton Lee
Session webpage: https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/separating-progress-from-hype-in-medicine-fragility-flaws-fallacy-in-scientific-evidence
This session will review common treatments for soil-transmitted helminths, Chagas disease, HAT, and leishmaniasis. Although these parasitic infections are often acquired outside of the United States, with a recent increase in immigrants and refugees entering the United States, more are being identified as patients present for medical care. The goal of this session is to educate providers and increase awareness of how to identify and treat these parasitic infections. The brief discussion of the treatment of each of these infections will include medications, dosing, side effects, and monitoring.
Session recorded on Thursday, November 9th during Session Block #1 at 3:45PM EST ; speaker: Charles Mosler
https://www.medicalmissions.com/events/gmhc-2023/sessions/treatment-of-parasitic-diseases
We live in the most amazing days since Jesus walked the earth. The global church is sprinting toward the finish line of the 2000-year Great Commission race, and by God’s grace, our generation may be the one to finish it. In this session, Douglas Cobb of The Finishing Fund will explain the global effort to get the gospel for the first time to the world’s last few unengaged people groups and will present the amazing promise of Matthew 24:14 that the completion of the Great Commission will open the door to the return of Christ. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_douglascobb_andthentheend
Globally, diarrheal disease is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in children under five years, accounting for over half a million deaths annually. Diarrhea arises mostly from contaminated food and water sources. Worldwide 2.5 billion people lack proper sanitation, and 780 million lack access to safe drinking water. Diarrhea contributes to the incidence of malnutrition in children as each episode deprives the child of optimal nutrition. In resource-poor communities, children under three years have about three episodes of diarrhea annually.
Medical missionaries from Western industrialized nations frequently encounter ethically disturbing situations when providing care in the developing world. This may be due to generally-recognized ethical principles being largely influenced by Western realities, beliefs and values. Individuals in resource-limited settings may have very different views on the risks and benefits of medical care, widely disparate access to reliable treatment, and decision-making that emphasizes honoring the opinions of the group over those of the individual. After briefly reviewing some basic tenets of medical ethics, this session will work through a number of actual cases with the goal of finding potential ways forward in each.
Trafficking in persons is one of the greatest violations against humankind. Human trafficking happens locally, nationally, and internationally; with all ages, ethnicities, socioeconomic levels and genders. While any person can be lured into exploitation, children have additional vulnerabilities due to their dependence on adults and developmental issues. This presentation seeks to address human trafficking in children and youth and how the healthcare provider can be integral in the prevention, identification, and intervention of human trafficking in this population.
Prayer support is just as vital as financial support. This session will explore how to thrive for a lifetime. You will need churches to send you, and a full and engaged prayer and financial support team.
Every day healthcare workers face a lot of stressful and emotionally challenging situations at work. Moreover the long drawn pandemic has had its impact on healthcare workers. Numerous deaths, making difficult choices due to resource constraints and overstretched days are some of the challenges that have affected health workers mentally and emotionally. With daily work demands being constant many of them are left with these issues unresolved. How then can we care for our caregivers who support the health and quality of life of their patients and their relatives? This is a taster of a program that uses large group learnings, small group sharing, peer-to-peer interactions and role-plays. This session will also provide an overview of the program that provides healthcare teams a platform to address their unaddressed pain, and emotional as well as psychological hurts Using a structured and sustained approach the program provides the supportive environment, caring community and appropriate skills for the healing of healthcare workers and equips them to go on to become better careers in the workplace. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_mathewmulavelil_caringforthecaregiver
How do we serve in the mission field without losing our kids? Third Culture Kids or Missionary Kids live a unique life experience that at its best can form amazing faith and character and at its worst, disillusionment and unbelief. The session will address how we can try to parent well, while living and growing up in Christian systems differentiating from what is Biblical and what is cultural.
Evidence based medicine is emphasized worldwide. An important skill in the practice of evidence based health care is the ability to critically appraise the validity of published literature. This lecture will explore principles of evidence based medicine and critical appraisal of randomized controlled trial.
Mentors are instrumental in the professional and personal growth of healthcare professionals. However, mentoring relationships often fail to realize their full potential. Attendees will be encouraged and equipped to initiate mentoring relationships that provide both mentor and mentee with a rewarding experience.
A panel of those who entered full time missions after age 50 will discuss how God overcame and is overcoming objections, difficulties and fears to place them in service. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_bond_burgess_makingamidcareermove
There are a lot of advantages and freedoms for serving alone in ministry, like super-focus on tasks without interruption, managing time schedule and work, budget/finances for money spending, housing/moving for living situations, building friendships/engaging in social activities for enhancing outreach, and traveling/planning/ decision-making. However, there are some challenges for long-term singleness in ministry, whether serving across town or across the border, which can be emotionally unsettling and may create inner dissatisfaction, even frequent frustration. Not knowing how to handle unfulfilled desires, unmet needs, aloneness-loneliness, etc., can rather hinder the sense of contentment and decrease the effectiveness of the personal servant. We all have an innate need to nurture and be nurtured, to care for other as well as to be cared for by others. People with low (or poor) social skills have a tendency to struggle further and alone. In this session we will highlight the joys-rewards and the challenges-struggles of singles on missions. We will define terminologies, correct misconceptions, encourage realistic expectations of self-others-life-God, rediscover a biblical paradigm for contented aloneness/singleness, and present practical suggestions or guidelines for Singles in Ministry: How to build healthy relationships with the opposite gender and how begin looking for partner-companion-mate via courtship. How to translate our frustration(s) into strengths and build a Koinonia around us (communion hub) that is mutually nurturing and empowering. How to cultivate single-mindedness, joy along the journey, and higher aspirations for the Kingdom while Cultivating Eternity in our Hearts, so that we know what God is doing from beginning to end. Finally, the presenter will share from his personal journey of 40 years of cross-cultural service and global ministry, who is still single-never married person. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_najiabihashem_singlemindedsingleness
Your emotional health matters as you join God in His work among the nations. There are four proven biblical keys to receive your emotional healing and use to minister to others. Using these keys will help you to stay emotional healthy as you serve others.
In this session, It will seek to help guide you on how to respond to God’s Command and Commission, The quest for discovering and following God’s will and purpose for one’s life is often an illusion to many children of the Living God, Many believers resorts to imitating others and or live a hypocritical phantom life as they are tied down to daily engagements and undertakings of everyday life, It is hoped that discovering the reason for living your life with purpose is made easier. You will discover the purpose for which God design you and gain the confidence to fruitfully be where you belong, through the power of the Holy Spirit. You will be guided through a biblical process and principles to seeing exactly God’s intent for your unique being and person, as Gods design, where you will discover that It all began with God before the foundations of the earth. Ever since, before the fall of humanity, God has you in mind, and he designed you for a purpose and through a process, but as a result of the departure of humans from God, through disbelief, you became blind and were kept ignorant of His plans for you. However, you will discover that His Deep love and Great Mercy, God called you to salvation, you became a new creature and adopted as His Child, hence He qualified you, by being a new creature in His image, He desires for you to return and rediscover His plan and purpose for your life As He God Intended. Responding to Gods Command and Commission, is a call to be ready, Dressed for service fully equipped and Lacking in nothing as you Respond through Obedience, based on a biblical Principles, These herculean task by helping you identify your uniqueness within the body of Christ, and to enable you walk confidently and victoriously where you belong in the program of God through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Finally, through the Scriptures and the Power of the Holy Spirit, You will be exposed and guided to God’s Command and Commission, That you begin to instantly manifest the reality of your purpose for living, Emblemed and empowered with full of Zeal, Passion and Fruitfulness, Genuinely ready for all the good works God has designed you to accomplish – Loving God with all your heart, soul and strength and loving others through your service of obedience to his Commission, Praying, Evangelizing, Discipling, Equipping and living a lasting fruit to the Glory of God. Our focus will be what it does take to be dressed, ready for service from your call to salvation to your call to service, Exploring your Meditational life, Family Life and a life of Obedience to His Command and Commission. AS YOU RESPONDING TO GOD’S COMMAND AND COMMISSION
Are you comfortable asking people for money? Do you understand the critical areas you must address if you are going to ask people to invest in you? This session will give you an understanding of the basics in fundraising that is fundamental to anyone in ministry. You will learn 5 critical things you must do in order to raise your own support. There is a solution to the obstacle of educational loans which often prevent many from going due to the amount of money that must be raised – MedSend. Additionally, you will understand how to qualify for a MedSend grant and what the Board is looking for in those who apply. Finally, you will gain and understanding of what you need to be doing right now if you are hoping to go to the field soon, next steps.
Globally, congenital heart disease (CHD) is prevalent in approximately 1.8 per 100 live births making it a substantial contributor to infant mortality. (Lancet Child Adolesc Health, 2020). This is especially true in LMIC's where access to diagnostic, therapeutic and corrective resources is limited. While many organizations exist to address these challenging statistics, for the child in rural Africa and elsewhere around the world, access remains limited. Missionary physicians and other providers often find themselves in the moral vortex of pursuing insurmountable logistics for one patient versus the many other needs they face in their respective healthcare setting. As the prevalence of CHD continues to rise, missionary health care providers are uniquely positioned to address this need while also being able to advance the Gospel through robust relationships with patients and their families.
This session will consider case studies of biomedical research in mission contexts, derive best practices in biomedical research that enhance the work of mission institutions, and describe how to get involved in biomedical research in faith-based settings. Presentation Slides: https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_marktopazian_biomedicalresearchandfaith
Grief Protocol: An Approach to Processing Suffering and Loss as Global Healthcare Workers https://www.dropbox.com/s/u7nmhonwddtk7cg/final%20grief%20protocol%20GMHC.pdf?dl=0
Clinicians encounter many ethical issues in practice of medicine. This lecture first explores ethics from the perspective of seminal studies on normal human nature including incentives, social reciprocity and token effect. The lecture will then focus on the impact of this human nature on every day medical practice, medical education, medical research and medical missions.
In this session participants will be exposed to the role rehabilitation professionals can play in addressing the needs of persons with disabilities around the world and how addressing these needs can advance the gospel. We'll explore the prevelance of disabilities in the world, and what God has to say about His love for and care for persons with disabilities. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022_roy_canclini_mrowiec_howrehabprofessionals
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) face significant challenges to their health and well-being that are unique due to lack of necessary resources including food, water, sanitation, shelter, security, and healthcare. Caring for people in these situations requires an understanding of their unique needs as well as having realistic goals regarding what can and cannot be done for them. Our experiences in providing healthcare for the victims of disasters in Congo, Indonesia, Pakistan, Myramar, Afghanistan, Honduras, Nepal, Kurdistan, and Turkey – both natural and manmade – highlight the need to be well prepared when serving in these difficult situations. We are called to serve “the least of these,” and the victims of disasters and crises certainly qualify. Often these events, though causing much hardship and suffering, create the possibility for doors and hearts to be open to the message of Jesus that otherwise would be closed. We must be both willing and well prepared if we are to serve well when we are called to respond to those in need.
According to the WHO, in the African Region, about 473 000 children die from pneumonia, 300 000 from diarrhea, and a further 443 000 from malaria every year. Mortality in hospitalized cases of severe pediatric malaria is 9%-10%. Many efforts to prevention infection and improve nutrition so as to modulate the impact of infection are in place but when critically ill children present, correctly preparing staff and systems to prioritize effective care can make the difference. This session will discuss why children die from malaria, reading the signs and practical prioritization of care to reduce morbidity and mortality.
There is a shift happening in missions, what is God up to and what is my role? https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_charlievittitow\_whatismyplace
In both domestic and international situations, dental needs often go unmet (for multiple reasons). Many people in poverty develop a "survivalist" mindset and only seek care when in pain. Untreated dental conditions, if neglected long enough, can turn into dental emergencies. When many patients do finally seek dental care, it is often in an emergency medical setting where dentistry is not usually available. In some parts of the world, dental care may be non-existent altogether. These emergency dental patients are often mis-diagnosed and/or go untreated in a medical setting. This lecture will serve to enlighten/empower non-dentists with some basic diagnostic and treatment skills to better manage dental emergencies in a non-dental setting. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_jonathanspenn\_emergencydentaldiagnosis
We will learn how moral injury is inevitable in cross-cultural healthcare, and we will learn how to prevent and manage moral injury through proven, God-honoring methods. Presentation slides: https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_jimritchie\_protectyourselffrom
As we see an increasing number of culturally diverse patients in our US-based practices or on the mission field, our understanding of cultural influences in healthcare and our own biases is essential. How can we develop an eye to see where a patient’s values and worldview may differ from our own? We will review an approach to cultural humility highlighted by medical missions case studies. Presentation Slides: https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_davidnarita\_culturalhumility
Hand gestures? Gaps in knowledge? Use of humor? Feeling quite alone. These are just some of the questions and one of the challenges a health care educator can experience when teaching in a low-resource country or setting. This presentation is designed to first walk you through considerations one should explore when designing an international body of work. Then the speaker will guide you through the real-life ups and downs and thrills of teaching nursing in a classroom setting in rural Cambodia, complete with farm animals ambling into the classroom! The information presented can be utilized by all health care professionals as they explore the adventure and satisfaction of teaching in an international classroom setting. Presentation Slides: https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_karenreed\_challengeslivedasanurse
Like the prophet Elijah in the Old Testament, many times we as followers of Jesus who seek to make His name known, find ourselves crying out to God “I have had enough Lord”. Learning how to find God in our trials and to trust His loving faithfulness to refine us is a necessary part of our journey. Though sometimes difficult to share openly, the failures, disappointments, and hard times are important in the life of a global worker. Most often, just as in Elijah’s life in I Kings 19, the beauty and majesty and power of God meet us in these times. Sharing from her personal journey in medical missions as a general surgeon in the Middle East and in Kenya, Dr. Carol Spears will explore ways from scripture to find hope and beauty in the desert experiences of missionary service. The scripture is I Kings 19
God painted His heart for the Nations throughout the pages of His Word, from Genesis to Revelation... If we live our lives, spend our money, eat/drink, exercise, pray, and practice medicine without catching this vision, we're missing out on the greatest masterpiece ever created! We create a false dichotomy of domestic healthcare and that which is international. God doesn't see it this way and neither should we.
Today over three billion people, a third of the inhabitants of the earth, have yet to hear the good news of Jesus. They have no opportunity to believe in him as their Savior. Of all the injustices in the world – and there are many that are quite distressing – this is the worst, because of the eternal consequences. In light of this staggering need, we will explore the five Great Commission passages, where Jesus methodically unfolds the essence of the Church’s task in reaching the unreached. This is not just an opportunity to be aware of the need, but a rallying cry for believers today to respond. This presentation will cast a vision for ways to get involved in reaching the unreached. Although the task of reaching three billion people seems overwhelming, this practical presentation points us back to the words of Jesus of how it is to be done. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_marvinnewell\_athirdofus
Providing healthcare in pioneer mission settings complements and demonstrates the Gospel in action, following the footsteps of Jesus. This results in both improving the healthcare of the local community—and beyond—and the planting and growth of the church. We will describe and illustrate this from experiences in Thailand, Cambodia and the Big Country in Asia. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_narita\_thompson\_integratinghealthcare\_ https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_narita\_thompson\_integratinghealthcare\_handout\_
This session will help prepare participants for teaching internationally and/or cross-culturally. It will discuss differences in education methods that exist between different countries and cultural reasons for them; how these differences may impact how you teach and introduce new methods; and provide examples of ways to overcome or adapt to these differences. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_sharifalkenheimer\_crossculturalissues
This session is for those interested in leaving a lasting impact in one's overseas involvement. Often, the impact lasts only as long as the team is on the ground. If you would like to discover one way to have a lasting impact without creating dependency, this session is for you. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_jaimesaint\_fiveprinciples
How to develop nurse leaders: a literature review of approaches and a conversation about creating local, sustainable leadership development programs.
This lecture will describe complex humanitarian emergencies and the common diseases encountered and the persons affected. We will also discuss mental health issues encountered by victims and the humanitarian worker as well as describe how one can stay healthy in body, soul, and spirit dealing while dealing with the stress of living in working in such a context. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_cathyh\_complexhumanitarianemergencies
We live in the most amazing days since Jesus walked the earth. The global church is sprinting toward the finish line of the 2000-year Great Commission race, and by God’s grace, our generation may be the one to finish it. In this session, Douglas Cobb of The Finishing Fund will explain the global effort to get the gospel for the first time to the world’s last few unengaged people groups and will present the amazing promise of Matthew 24:14 that the completion of the Great Commission will open the door to the return of Christ.
The behavioral health literature on resilience identifies religious belief and practice as important factors contributing to psychological resilience. This literature frequently advocates Eastern religious methods of meditation and exercise as means of enhancing resilience in vulnerable individuals. Much smaller literature suggests that Christian spiritual routines might enhance resilience. This presentation proposes that the ancient Christian practice of praying the psalms enhances resilience. It describes the history and methods by which Christians usually pray the psalms. Using several specific psalm examples, the presentation describes the means by which praying the psalms provides a framework to courageously face distress as well as to endure, by God’s grace, during times of hardship. Presentation slides: https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_samueltheilman\_enhanceresilienceprayingthepsalms
Spirituality is an important component of health, and assessing a patient's spirituality is a cultural competence of healthcare professionals. This session will review the scientific evidence for links between spirituality, religious practice and health outcomes, consider what medical and nursing association guidelines say about incorporating spiritual assessments into medical practice, and describe a practical, context-appropriate framework for assessing patient spirituality in medical and nursing practice.
Breaking the Chains of Dependency: Impacting underserved communities through servant leadership Underserved communities, such as those in Africa, have been the long-time recipients of outside aid, yet there is little sustainable change. Dependency on outside resources and hierarchal, foreign leadership remains. Could following the example of Jesus’ use of servant leadership be a way to break dependency and bring sustainable change to these communities? A small, community-based health clinic in Mauritania, Africa, was a traditional, non-governmental run clinic for 15 years, relying heavily on foreign staff for leadership and decision-making. Desiring to empower local leadership and encourage ownership, a new leadership style was introduced. Using a servant leader, holistic approach along with cultural contextualization, education, guiding a shared vision, and instilling dignity and hope, in less than a year a shift happened. Personal ownership, critical thinking, shared-decision making, and local leadership are replacing previous dependency.
The 5 most common neglected tropical diseases affect over 1.5 billion people, including more than 1 billion children. Medical missionaries working in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia will certainly come in contact with most of these diseases on a daily basis. It is time for us to do more than just treat them. Mass drug adminstration programs were developed to help control and eradicate these diseases. This lecture will discuss how we can be a part of the solution.
At Life in Abundance we believe that investment in the local church is both an effective and transformative tool for sustainable community development, sustainable community health, and sustainable social and spiritual change. There are stories, there is a model and there is movement taking place across the global south and I look forward to sharing this with you.
This session will describe unique needs of Millennial missionaries in the current culture. We will discuss how building relationships with God, self and others will aid in longevity on the field, contentment, struggling well, lamenting suffering and balancing stresses with supports.
Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants can be a vital part of the mission team. We will use this session to discuss how APPs can be utilized on the field, how to prepare for missions, what to expect from your first trip, and so much more. Please join us!
A case-based, interactive review of how to diagnose and manage febrile patients in tropical settings https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_douglascollins\_approachtofever https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_douglas\_collins\_approachtofever\_handout\_
The missional landscape has changed. The recent global events, the shifting distribution of Christians, and the realities of what God is allowing; are presenting a whole new missional landscape. What then are the new structures, approaches, and strategies that are proving effective for missions in our days? This will be shared with a special emphasis on the emerging role of medical missions and the strategy for partnerships. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_florencemuindi\_ourcurrentmission
Hear healthcare missionaries share their journeys. In the first hour hear a panel of two docs and two nurses answer your questions as well as: How do I find God’s guidance in the journey? Why and How do I connect with a mentor, agency, team, and/or training? What about student loans, and raising financial support? What if my spouse or family are not supportive of me doing missions? The second hour will be small discussion group with a missionary coach and others like you in your current stage: Exploring whether or not to consider full-time missions Heading towards full-time missions Single or married Here are some comments from a previous GMHC: “My group leader was great and answered a lot of the questions that I had.” “My leader did a great job being open and honest about her experiences.”
For those in training and recently finished, we will learn how to maximize this season. We’ll spend the first half tackling topics like original motivation, long-haul stamina, pearls and pitfalls of living in community, debt, vision for one’s next step to the nations, and helping the needy now tensioned with investing in education to help others later. We pray this will infuse you with the hope of Christ and give you eyes to see this refining, exciting time as He does. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_redican\_heidenreich\_thomas\_thetrainingyears For the second hour, we’ll divide into small discussion groups with those from your same stage of the journey (i.e., recent grads, residents, M1, M2, M3, M4, pre-med, PA, NP, RN, pharmacy, dental, PT/OT/ST, spouses). With facilitators who have gone through it before, we’ll dive into the individualized questions you have and brainstorm how God might sustain you now and lead you in the upcoming season.
We are all called to live missionally. It is the Lord's plan for all peoples to know of His glory. As nurses, we may have access to those who have never heard the Gospel. We can get behind closed doors working within communities, establish trust, pray with patients, and provide wholistic care. Nurses care for the physical, spiritual, and emotional needs of people. We can use the discipline of nursing to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We can show honor, respect, caring, and compassion to everyone the Lord brings into our path, no matter where we are serving Him. As believers, we can make disciples. Healthy, authentic disciples make healthy churches. The church is not a place, or an event, it is the people. We as nurses have extra tools in our toolbox to pray, teach, encourage, advance the Gospel, and give glory to the Lord. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_rebeccameyer\_roleofnursesinmissions
Many mission healthcare programs have been started by expatriates with little or no input from national partners. These programs are often supported by external funds which is one of the reasons that control is still in the hands of expatriates. Transitioning from expatriate to national leadership is increasingly important as nationalism affects national policies. This may take the form of denying visas to healthcare personnel, leaving programs dependent on national leadership and staffing. For programs to continue, it is imperative that nationals be prepared to take responsibility for administrating and continuing clinical and educational programs. This workshop will present examples from missionaries who have made this transition, are presently experiencing the transition, or are making plans to transition to national leadership. We will discuss how transitions have been successful, some of the pitfalls of making the transition without adequate preparation and potential steps to move forward in making this transition. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_jamessmith\_transitioningfromexpatriate\_
The missional landscape has changed. The recent global events, the shifting distribution of Christians, and the realities of what God is allowing; are presenting a whole new missional landscape. What then are the new structures, approaches, and strategies that are proving effective for missions in our days? This will be shared with a special emphasis on the emerging role of medical missions and the strategy for partnerships.
Our efforts to provide excellent, compassionate treatment for our patients can open huge doors to address their spiritual needs. This session will provide an introduction to the CMDA "Faith Prescriptions" video series, a collection of 25 episodes created to equip and inspire us to communicate the love of Christ to our patients with sensitivity and respect.
Which cancer screening programs save lives and which ones actually create harm? https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_jeffreyleman\_cancerscreeningglobally
In this session, you'll learn the most important questions to ask when considering a potential mission sending organization. Find your best fit by attending this seminar!
This session will be a quick review of common treatments for worms, Chagas disease, Human African Trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis which are all parasites more common outside of the United States. However with a recent increase in immigrants they are becoming more common in some parts of the United States. The brief discussion of the treatment of each of these infections will include medications, dosing, side effects and monitoring.
Transformational Development (TD) and Community Health Evangelism (CHE) are well-established and broadly used approaches with potential to bring profound and lasting impacts on health and agency within communities and within missions. However, participatory learning trainings and open-ended applications may leave missionaries wondering how TD and CHE can be impactful or implementable in a particular context. This session begins with a brief background of TD and CHE principles, including emphasis on Assets-Based Community Development and Community-Driven programs. Missionaries will share examples of successful programs from frameworks of understanding the setting, local leadership, community-driven priorities, and existing assets. Session participants will interact with speakers and work through an additional number of cases, applying TD and CHE in a variety of real-life clinical and community contexts. This session concludes with a toolkit of resources and training options ranging from book recommendations to CHE courses and Preventive Medicine Fellowships. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_christinamiller\_casestudiesapplying https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_christinamiller\_casestudiesapplying\_handout
A medical practitioner panel from the CMDA Commission on Human Trafficking will discuss indicators of human trafficking in adults and children, root causes of exploitation, the effects of the pandemic, and tools healthcare providers can use to identify and treat victims.
This session focuses on women on mission and will highlight the role of women on mission, the challenges faced and some ways to overcome these challenges. Examples of women on mission in the past as well as present day experiences will be used to bring to life the opportunities and the difficulties as well as the great joys of a woman on mission.
In today's uncertain world, patients are dealing with more and more stress and anxiety that ultimately impacts their health. Patients sometimes have "hidden unhealed triggers" that can lead to physical impairments. III John 2 states "Above all brethren, I desire you to prosper and be in Health, even as your soul prospers." In this session, the participant will learn how to "tend to their souls" and learn to identify areas of brokenness that patients are dealing with such that they are equipped to help patients tend to their souls, in an effort to propagate physical, emotional and spiritual health.
Nurse practitioners (NPs) have been used in the USA for the last several decades. The increased scope of practice with reimbursement for services has only been since 1997. The rapid expansion of the use of NPs in healthcare and the diversity of opportunities in the USA is a guideline to opportunities for NPs around the world. Exploring and promoting the role of the nurse practitioner in other countries of the world is an exciting and often challenging process. There are many countries who do not yet recognize the role an NP plays in the healthcare setting. However, NPs (both in traditional mission roles and as marketplace workers) can be utilized to expand the level of care for patients in many areas of the world. this session hopes to provide insight on obtaining licensure overseas as well as to inspire nurses to consider the many ways their skills and talents can be utilized around the world. to improve healthcare and to bring the good news
As a health care professional on the mission field, the task of language learning is both essential and complicated. We say that language learning is a high value and priority for ourselves as missionaries, and yet it often is the first thing to take a back seat in life and ministry. Why is that? How can we do better? With over 15 years of experience in educating, training, and coaching missionaries in language and culture learning, Dr. Mullen will cast a vision for what it takes to truly become “fluent” in your target host language. She will offer biblical, theoretical, and practical advice for missionaries and missions leaders alike on how to prepare, execute, and continually improve communicative competence in a second language and cross-cultural setting.
Medical education has a potentially powerful role in global health. This breakout will explore some ways that medical education can not only support patient care but also resource and research capacity building to better care for critically ill patients in low-middle-income countries. https://bit.ly/gmhc2022\_burtonlee\_supportingglobalcriticalcare
Background. Diabetes programs are difficult to implement in low-income settings. Mentoring clinics is promising to implement initiatives. We mentored local Community Health Workers (CHWs) to implement a diabetes program for low-income Latino(a)s (N=59) with type 2 diabetes in a twophased approach, each 6-months. Methods. -Phase 1 (training, feasibility assessment): participants randomized to the diabetes program or usual care. CHW-instructors (CHW-Is) led the program, CHWs observed. -Phase 2 (mentoring): CHWs led the program, CHW-Is mentored. -The program included monthly group visits and weekly CHWs/CHWIs-participant telehealth contact. -Outcomes included baseline to 6-month clinical changes i.e., HbA1c, adherence to medications and six American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines, CHW pre/posttest scores, and hypoglycemia. Results. Significant outcomes included improved HbA1c levels, medication and ADA adherence, hypoglycemic events, and CHWs test scores.
This breakout session is will be a taster of the Formational Course of the Academy of Missional Healthcare and Initiative of COGI and CAPRO. Designed primarily for pre-internship students in healthcare, it is also open to young professionals. This session will provide a taster to the eight-core module mentorship course in Missional Healthcare. The session will also highlight the uniqueness of the program. The Formational course provides participants with “A missional context of learning” in an environment of Transformational learning, problem-based training, experiential sharing alongside practical role-plays and interactive group exercises. Continual learning and reflective engagement through “journaling” is a key component of the program. The full program gives broad insights into the health and development needs in a country as well the various expressions of medical missions. It also provides a deeper understanding of God’s mission pertinent to healthcare and the healthcare person.
Aspiring cross-cultural missionaries must develop the capacity to personally hear from and obey God. This ability is supernaturally achieved through the Holy Spirit by cultivating life-giving habits. Among them are bible reading, prayer, service, and participation in the Body of Christ.
This session will be a quick review of common treatments for worms, Chagas disease, giardia and leishmaniasis which are all parasites more common outside of the United States. The brief discussion of the treatment of each of these infections will include medications, dosing, side effects and monitoring.
Are you a nurse? Are you a pharmacist? A doctor? A physical therapist? A medical professional? Then you ARE a Market Place Professional! Bring your job, spread the Gospel, live in air-conditioning, and pay your own way!
There are few things as thrilling to see as a group of local believers springing up where it didn’t exist before! In this session we will take an initial thought-provoking and inspirational look at church planting among unreached peoples around the world using current, real-life stories. We’ll also hear from everyday people who went out to minister to the healthcare needs of others, bringing with them a passion to see new communities of believers emerge and thrive among the unreached.
Dentists have a unique opportunity to minister to the dentally needy, both domestically and internationally. These opportunities enable us to honor Christ, who has called us to care for "the least of these" (Matthew 25:40), and our compassionate treatment can also open doors to tangibly communicating the love of Christ to our patients.
Despite the recognition that successful mentoring experiences are usually the result of intentional and committed relationships between mentor and mentee, there are still challenges in achieving consistent, positive outcomes for mission driven Christ followers in healthcare. Healthcare missionaries, whether domestic or foreign, face unexpected challenges, failures, and disappointments, both on and off the field of service, across a broad spectrum of life, work, and ministry. This talk will focus on the essential commitments of both mentor and mentee during the early career of cross-cultural workers who serve in diverse living and working environments.
Balancing too many roles, wearing too many hats. It's tough to be a missionary doctor mom...is it even really possible? Some helpful discussion to guide us into the life God wants for each of his daughters.
The average medical student graduates with over $241,000 in educational debt! This can seem insurmountable when trying to get to the mission field. But it's not! Come and hear about your options, and why student loan debt should not stand in your way of stepping out and following God's lead into missions. We will discuss how to limit debt, grant availability from MedSend, and federal programs that can dramatically reduce your monthly payment and even eliminate your student loans.
How To Proclaim and Deliver the Content of The Gospel Message, Which is, The True Saving Knowledge of God in Christ, to The hearts and minds of the Muslims Everywhere, so they could be Saved, and in a way they could understand through the power of the Holy Spirit.
How To Proclaim and Deliver the Content of The Gospel Message, Which is, The True Saving Knowledge of God in Christ, to The hearts and minds of the Muslims Everywhere, so they could be Saved, and in a way they could understand through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Any serious attempt that we undertake to walk with those in need will take an inevitable toll on our hearts, and medical missions is an extreme example of this phenomenon. The magnitude of need and tragedy can leave us wondering where God’s light is shining in the midst of the darkness. This session will use clinical stories that pose certain challenges to our hearts in order to find ways to remain faithful to God’s will and remember his promises in the midst of otherwise overwhelming need.
Any serious attempt that we undertake to walk with those in need will take an inevitable toll on our hearts, and medical missions is an extreme example of this phenomenon. The magnitude of need and tragedy can leave us wondering where God’s light is shining in the midst of the darkness. This session will use clinical stories that pose certain challenges to our hearts in order to find ways to remain faithful to God’s will and remember his promises in the midst of otherwise overwhelming need.
A story of how lives were transformed in a world with a widening mental health gap. The overwhelming need was met with the calling to be a caring community.
A story of how lives were transformed in a world with a widening mental health gap. The overwhelming need was met with the calling to be a caring community.
Some mission experts estimate that up to 90% of young people who consider missions cease to pursue it because of various fears and obstacles, including the fear of fundraising. Some workers view fundraising as a rite of passage or as an obstacle to overcome. Others understand God’s purposes to include each follower of Jesus in His worldwide kingdom work through going, serving, sending, praying, encouraging, and giving.
Some mission experts estimate that up to 90% of young people who consider missions cease to pursue it because of various fears and obstacles, including the fear of fundraising. Some workers view fundraising as a rite of passage or as an obstacle to overcome. Others understand God’s purposes to include each follower of Jesus in His worldwide kingdom work through going, serving, sending, praying, encouraging, and giving.
We left the United States for the field long-term with our four kids when they were 2, 4, 6, and 8. Many thought we were insane to take children to live in the impoverished context in the Sahel of Africa where we serve: it’s incredibly hot, disease-ridden, and everything is unpredictable. There are assault rifles everywhere, Islam and the occult seem to be in control, and every local personally knows children and young adults who have died. Now 6 years later, we have learned very important concepts for parenting, planning, and persevering in such a place that we want to share with any families who are considering missions, heading to the field, or already on the field. Come join us!
This session will share answers on how to select a mission agency. Each person who attends will receive a card when they enter the room. The moderator, John McVay, will group and select questions, direct them to appropriate panelists, and receive questions from the floor. Probable topics discussed from questions expected are: agency focus, doctrine, finances, services, leadership, locations, compatibility.
As Christian healthcare professionals, many of us will consider the option of using our training overseas to serve underprivileged populations. Even if we are willing to go, there are many barriers we face that may seem insurmountable and discourage us from pursuing this type of mission work, especially when we are just starting out in our profession. For professionals in allied health, there are even fewer resources and opportunities available to us than what medical professionals have. In this presentation, we will explore modern-day concerns for entering the medical mission field, opportunities available to allied healthcare professionals, and what an overseas therapy practice can look like: all filtered through the lens of an occupational therapist's recent, real-life experiences serving abroad.
In the past, malaria killed two out of three missionaries in certain locales. Depending on the prevalence of disease, the missionary must decide on how many layers of protection are needed. Strategies include sleeping under an insecticide-treated net, avoiding outside at dawn and dusk, screening windows and doors, wearing mosquito repellent, reducing mosquito breeding sites, taking malaria prophylactic medication, and evaluating and treating every fever within 24 hours of onset. The decision about which strategies to employ should be made in consultation with medical providers with knowledge of local patterns of disease. Diagnosis may be affected by presence of prophylactic medications, test kits that only detect certain species, or variable experience of lab personnel. Recurrent malaria may be due to reinfection, recrudesence, or relapse, and diagnosis and treatment requires knowledge of disease patterns related to P. vivax and P. ovale. Testing will often be negative and disease may occur weeks to years after leaving the malarious area, making treatment more difficult, especially if the missionary is back in his/her passport country.
As we see an increasing number of culturally diverse patients in our practices, there is no doubt of the importance of cultural competency in medicine. Specific circumstances and miscommunications have been well documented. But how can we develop an eye to see where a patient’s values and worldview may differ from our own? We will review an approach to cultural competency highlighted by medical missions case studies.
Oftentimes short term mission trips sideline the indigenous church. The local church is the key to transformation and must be empowered to participate in the Great Commission. The members of the local, indigenous church are the best people to reach their community with the Gospel. They speak the same language, look the same, and understand the culture. By giving the local church the responsibility, allowing them to be in the driver's seat, we will be able to empower them with skills that will meet the biggest needs in their own community. Missions is designed to be a relay race. We will discuss seven principles to assist us in our short term mission trips to have sustained, long term impact without creating dependency.
The United States spends more money per capita for health care costs than any developed country in the world. It, also, has the worst health outcomes of any developed country. This presentation will review US health disparities in marginalized communities from the lens of health equity, health inequality, health disparities, and social determinants of health. The health care outcome review will be made nationally, regionally, and locally in the context of historical and current policy decisions affecting US health care outcomes. The deficiencies of the current system are underscored in the increased disease burden of COVID-19 cases and mortality in US marginalized communities mirroring similar occurrences in chronic disease manifestations. Recognition and identification of factors contributing to health inequity is the first step in achieving improved health care outcomes in marginalized domestic populations. Participants are encouraged to take the Harvard Implicit Bias test prior to this session at https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html
The Present state of Missions will give fellow Christians especially from the Global North to see and experience the movement of God's Spirit in the Global South, Africa, Asia, and Latin America! A Taste of Missions on the African Continent
The ability to critically appraise the validity of published literature is an essential skill for all physicians. This lecture will explore the principles of evidence based medicine with a focus on critical appraisal of randomized controlled trials.
Public health seeks to provide the conditions for people, communities, and populations to experience physical, mental, and social well-being (to use the World Health Organization definition of health). As Christians, we can broaden this concept to
The Fruitful Practice research team believes that the mission community should be “good stewards” of the insight and knowledge we have collectively gained about Muslim ministry during the past twenty or thirty years. That is why we have studied best practices of Ministry in the Muslim world for over 15 years. Our goal has been to intentionally learn from successful missionaries, then pass that knowledge along to others who are engaging Muslims with the gospel.
The purpose of this session is to obtain an overview of the key elements of the new Christian Global Health in Perspective course designed to prepare both those trained in the medical professions and others about the biblical, historical, cultural and strategic aspects of evidence-based global health service. Wholeness from the perspective of shalom will form a sustainable framework upon which one can build effective transformational service among the nations, because health concerns everyone.
This session will present how combining cultural competence and critical thinking when teaching healthcare in a global setting, will be more effective if the participant’s previous learning experiences are included in teaching methods.
For those in training and recently finished, we will learn how to maximize this season. We’ll spend the first half tackling topics like original motivation, long-haul stamina, pearls and pitfalls of living in community, debt, vision for one’s next step to the nations, and helping the needy now tensioned with investing in education to help others later. We pray this will infuse you with the hope of Christ and give you eyes to see this refining, exciting time as He does. For the second hour, we’ll divide into small discussion groups with those from your same stage of the journey (i.e., recent grads, residents, MS1-2, MS3-4, PA/NP, pre-med, RN, PT/OT/ST, dental; optional spouse group). With facilitators who have gone through it before, we’ll dive into the individualized questions you have and brainstorm how God might sustain you now and lead you in the upcoming season.
Hear healthcare missionaries share their journeys. In the first hour hear a panel of two docs and two nurses answer your questions as well as: How do I find God’s guidance in the journey? Why and how do I connect with a mentor or agency or team or training? What about student loans, raising financial support? What if my spouse or family are not supportive of me doing missions? The second hour will be small discussion group with a missionary coach and others like you in your current stage: Exploring whether or not to consider full-time missions Heading towards full-time missions Single or married Here are some comments from a previous GMHC: “My group leader was great and answered a lot of the questions that I had.” “My leader did a great job being open and honest about her experiences.”
Our residency and training programs prepare us for professional service. Might it make sense to give heightened attention to preparation for full time kingdom service following professional training? Join Rick, Lance, Kelsey, and Chad as together we explore the need and potential for a new equipping model for long term kingdom service. For senders and those seeking to be sent: all medical, dental, and administrators, join the conversation as we explore foundational spiritual formation, life on life discipleship as we seek to be the missionaries here and now that we want to be then and there.
The Bible tells us we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness. Yet many believers don't have any idea of this reality of wrestling (warfare) or have much training on how to prevail. Spiritual warfare is an often misunderstood or neglected aspect in the preparation for missions.
As clinicians we often look at developmental milestones to guide and direct therapeutic sessions but what if there is something underlining that is impeding development? In this session, we will discuss the impact of retained reflexes (reflexes that have not integrated) and trauma on the brain. How we can support those who have experienced these and how to rewire the brain for success
This session will present sustainable development strategies and replicable transformational techniques in an interactive format.
Globally, over 240 million children under five years of age suffer from malnutrition. Approximately 85% of these children are undernourished, manifesting as underweight, wasting, stunting and micronutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies. Under-nutrition contributes to about 45% of deaths in children under five years of age. Children in low-income and resource poor communities and nations are at the greatest risk. Healthcare providers in these communities play a central role in limiting the effects of under-nutrition in this vulnerable population, through early identification, prompt and appropriate care and referral. In this session we will review evidence-based approaches to developing sustainable preventive and early intervention strategies to combat the leading underlying cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in resource limited communities.
Nutrition as Medicine: The Role of Food as therapy for chronic disease prevention and management
We've seen the church thrive around the world through missionary efforts. How do we leverage the impact of the global church to the nations where there is no church sharing all the things God has uniquely given us?
Diagnostic dilemma poses one of the challenges in the mission field due to lack of ideal or reliable tools. Integrating ultrasound findings with clinical assessments can help improve diagnostic certainty at the bedside. During this 1-hour session, we will briefly review the capabilities and limitations in assessing intracranial pressure, fractures, and acute tendon ruptures along with a more traditional assessments for pneumonia, heart failure, and DVT, among other diseases. We will also briefly compare some of the available portable ultrasound devices.
This lecture first explores ethics from the perspective of normal human nature. Then the impact of this human nature on every day medical practice, medical education, medical research and medical missions is discussed.
My family and I are Kenyan cross-cultural workers based in Kenya. We served for three and half years in Ghana. During that time, we established Hope Alive Initiatives that equips churches in poor and vulnerable communities in wholistic ministry. I have seen the impact left by short term mission teams that come to train local believers to continue ministry after the team leave. Hope Alive Initiatives is now involved in training churches in five countries: Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Malawi and Zambia.
Vaccines aren't perfect, but they prevent a lot of disease and save a lot of lives. In this session, we will review vaccination as related to those who travel internationally and to those who live in resource-limited areas. We will discuss new advances in vaccination.
Any device capable of being connected to cyberspace can be subject to surveillance, hacked, and used monitor behavior in the physical world. The lowest level of threat is probably the thief who wants to steal your smart phone. The highest level of threat is the nation state monitoring you using that same smart phone, supposing you will compromise the local believers. Between these extremes are the criminals who call your contact list, tell them you have been kidnapped and demand ransom, and the criminals who seize your data with ransomware. Mission teams may need to turn to cybersecurity professionals to develop plans for working in closed countries and nations that are fundamentally hostile to the faith or are just corrupt. Knowing when this help is needed is critical to staying safe. This session will provide participants with tools and strategies to enhance their cybersecurity.
We see the world through constructed patterns acquired through ordinary experiences in our culture. These experiences embed values, beliefs, and expectations into our worldview. The becomes the framework through which we engage with the world. What happens when this framework is used in a second culture? How does it impact how a person leads, ministers, or gives care to those with a different worldview? This seminar will unpack research examining transformative worldview experiences of missionaries. This seminar will help you understand the worldview tensions and shifts in people working cross-culturally in order to better prepare second culture workers as they consider the impact of worldview on how they lead, minister, and serve.
The pathway to healthcare missions is not a linear pathway and there is not one right way. In this plenary session, we are going to hear from experts across the spectrum of healthcare missions, from the initial exploring stage, the preparing process, and beyond. We're going to look at the many varied expressions of healthcare missions, such as the traditional long term medical missionary, but also the non-traditional marketplace worker. We'll explore short term service opportunities, medical education fields, domestic service, and disaster relief. We'll learn about what healthy preparation looks like and end with stories and lessons about thriving in healthcare missions.
The purpose of this session is to explore ways to integrate the Lord’s call to love and humbly serve others within the discipline of nursing. God created people to glorify Him, so believers are to present their bodies as a living sacrifice and life of worship (Rom. 12:1). Jesus came to serve others as He touched the untouchable and marginalized. Nurses, and other members of the healthcare team, can use their gifts and talents they have been given, as well as their training, to come alongside the vulnerable, hurting, suffering, and broken in the same way Jesus did.
In view of a changing world context, what is the future of medical missions? Does the traditional mission hospital have a place in today's world? Where does medical missions fit into globalization and urbanization and increasing populations where there is high restriction on religion? What are healthcare strategies that will work in the 21st century? This session will review the history of medical missions, where we are today, and what are the new additional approaches that will meet needs and open doors for the Gospel.
Do you ever wonder how to bring up end of life discussions without creating fear or loss of hope? What does an end of life discussion include and is it wider than creating a DNR? It is crucial to create an open atmosphere to discuss end of life beliefs, customs, and values, but how and when is this done and who can do it? This session will give you the ability to start a dialogue, set goals, and understand different resources that are available. We will discuss aspects of culture, religion, and psychology that require sensitive approaches. Every situation is unique and has its own dynamics, but in creating an open and relaxed atmosphere a plan of care for end of life needs and goals can be addressed and new definitions of hope can be explored.
Why are you heading overseas as a healthcare missionary? What's your ultimate long-term goal? Is your dream, for example, to vaccinate multiple thousands of children against preventable childhood diseases or ... do you dream of launching movements of missional-communities (churches) among a Muslim group who will share Christ with their entire people group ... AND vaccinate all their children, too? The Kingdom needs missionaries who will do both. This workshop will help you learn key aspects of what to look for when joining a team, and how to form and prepare a strategic team to go and do it together.
Parenting is challenging in any situation, but raising children while living overseas and serving cross-culturally adds new complexities. Gleaming lessons learned from 15 years of field missionary experience, and siting practical examples, the session will explore tips and tools for providing missionary kids with academic, social and spiritual success.
Characteristics of altruistic individuals, such as passion, dedication, and empathy, can under certain circumstances make them more vulnerable to experiencing psychological distress. In the last two decades, a significant body of psychiatric and psychological literature has looked at this issue. This presentation will draw from the presenter’s work with the diplomatic community and disaster relief workers to identify common stressors and stress responses among Christian workers in foreign environments. In addition, it will explain the notion of psychological resilience, describe the five resilience factors most likely to be protective against burnout and disillusionment, and will suggest ways that Christian health care workers can make use of these concepts to protect their own psychological health and well-being.
Theology is, simply put, our talk about God in Christ and his actions as shown to us in the Bible. Missions is all about witnessing in various ways to God in Christ and his actions in the world. In other words, theology and missions go hand-in-hand. Though we often think of "missions texts" - our go-to verses for supporting missions - missions is far more than a collection of verses but is part of a larger story of God's salvation and making that salvation known. In this session we will see how the Bible tells that story and how we are called not just to "know" but to take our place in that story and be Christ's witnesses in the world, no matter what gifts and opportunities God gives us.
This session is intended to help non-therapists or medical professionals provide therapeutic intervention for children with common motor disabilities. Mobility and play are important aspects in the development of young children. Autism, Down syndrome and Cerebral Palsy are common pediatric developmental disabilities that can have an negative impact on movement. In this practical session we will learn common motor and developmental impairments in children with these diagnoses and how to provide and teach parents low tech exercises and activities to address these impairments.
When we show Christ’s love in honor-shame cultures, often people first see merit making, proselytization and apostasy however pure our motivation may be. We will look at a worldview that is based on honor-shame, come to understand how they may interpret what we do and from there understand the risks and look at what practices may help us to show and share God’s love appropriately. The workshop will use observations from tsunami relief and urban poor work in SE Asia to illustrate these principles.
Health Environmental and Learning Program (H.E.L.P.) (www.missonforhelp.org) is a Christian development mission and non-profit organization registered in 1999 and founded by Tim and Lani Ackerman, an ecologist and medical doctor. The Ackermans served in the Himalayas for 8 years, and while there trained Nepali Christians to lead the organization, founding an NGO. Using the model of Jesus' ministry to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of the poor, HELP's focus is to equip the national church and assist them in developing their own community. In multiple areas, Christian Community Development works through literacy, animal husbandry, health, agriculture, income generation, environment preservation, an orphanage and sponsorship program we serve the poor of the Himalayas and see Christ transform. In a grass-roots approach, trainer of trainers methods, multi-tier discipleship, and close follow up, HELP partners with hundreds of Nepali believers and leaders, bringing non-formal education, health training, pesticide-free farming, gardening, income generation, veterinary work, and ministry to the poorest of the poor, addressing social determinants of health and championing social justice through the gospel. This session will help participants understand how social determinants of health, social justice, and health equity can be addressed through the church and with discipleship
Tuberculosis is an infection with global significant that takes on a whole new level of importance for those desiring to work internationally in underserved areas. Effective medicine in areas of high tuberculosis prevalence requires both an understanding of the current state of TB diagnosis and management globally as well as the current on-the-ground application of these principles in under-resourced settings. This session will discuss clinical updates in TB in both of these fronts.
We are all "Servants in Training", "Missionaries in Training" or both. What's the difference and how might God be preparing us? Dr. Dowell will be discussing the importance of each of those seasons in our development as yielded vessels "living sacrifices". We will learn the answers to those questions, find encouragement in times of difficulty, and be inspired to answer the call along the way as we glean wisdom, and learn a few guiding principles from the lives of biblical and historical servants who have been called and used of God in times past.
Dr. and Mrs. McDonald have served in international ministry with over 30 years of experience. Offered an international career with the UN and World Bank, they took the path less traveled, and it has made all the difference…for eternity! With work experience in over 50 countries, together they have helped set up or empower scores of development projects that continue today. These include hospitals, clinics, medical training, orphanages, community centers, schools from preschool to graduate level, businesses, farms, plantations, factories, safe houses, all providing products and services for the local community and export. Trial and error have revealed ten important principles foundational to success in social enterprise. One of them of particular interest in ministry is the issue of multiple “bottom lines.” Profit, the usual bottom line, cannot stand alone. Their core value is that any effort must produce spiritual results, at least in opening doors. Results are God ordained, not man driven. For what profits a man to gain the whole world, and lose his soul? Other principles flow from this core foundational premise. How do you determine the most strategic set of needs when there are so many? And how do you prioritize? How do you find a competitive advantage? How do you diversify to minimize risk? How do you write a business plan to know viability? How do you find the “Champion” if you are not on the ground yourself? How do you avoid colonialism while creating accountability? How do you measure results? How do you avoid corruption? Be encouraged that there is nothing greater than empowering a people group sold out to Christ to become independent to leverage the gospel in their own community! The story of McDonald’s journey is there’s no greater joy than seeing men, women and children come to know the True and Living God while standing free and reaching their own through economic, social and spiritual empowerment! Phil holds a Ph.D. from Michigan State in international development and is the CEO of L.E.A.D. Inc. Rebecca is the Founder and CEO of Women At Risk, Int’l, addressing multiple risk issues in 56 countries and licensed in all 50 states to train medical professionals in anti-trafficking. As a family, they raised four children in the developing world and know the unique challenges of marriage, family, career, ministry, business, and social entrepreneurship in a cross-cultural environment. They never expected to be serial entrepreneurs. Last year Phil authored an Amazon bestselling book entitled, “unreal: Adventures of a Family’s Global Life.” Written in memoir form, the book recounts 90 stories that highlight 60 principles learned from more than 30 years of experience.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken it’s toll on every family, from frustration with being stuck at home, to job loss, to loneliness and social deprivation. But for many families, those three factors have been the perfect combination to provide an environment ripe for trauma. For children, we see that trauma has an impact on the development of the brain that effects learning, relationships, and emotional regulation. This seminar will give you a greater understanding of the developmental impact of trauma and tools to help children and adults grow in resilience rather than destruction through hard circumstances.
Already, vaccines prevent millions of premature deaths and avoid bothersome days of sickness each year. Now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines have again risen to the level of headlines, conspiracy theories, and active research. During this session, we will discuss the mechanisms and means of appropriately vaccinating patients, review ethical and social concerns about vaccines, identify sources of appropriate vaccination information and administration for international travelers, and provide updated information about the development of COVID-19 vaccines.
Some mission experts estimate that up to 90% of young people who consider missions cease to pursue it because of various fears and obstacles, including the fear of fundraising. This session will help participants: 1. Identify various obstacles and fears relating to fundraising 2. Consider ways that God can help us overcome these barriers 3. Become aware of best resources and training materials used to help missionaries build and maintain a full and engaged prayer and financial support team 4. Know what questions to ask about support raising with possible mission agencies when evaluating where and how God will have you serve
This session focuses on women in mission and will highlight the role of women in missions, challenges faced, and some practical ways to overcome those challenges.
We tend to perceive our health by the physiological functionality of our bodies. The gospel message and the Kingdom perspective of the parables paint a wholistic picture of health that defines us as spiritual beings with specific roles to play in God’s Kingdom expansion around the world. The life-giving attributes of God’s Spirit seen in Jesus’s life and stories depict an intentionality worthy of deeper assessment so that we too can have a greater impact in and through our lives.
Advanced practice providers (APPs), such as nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, and physicians assistants, have and can continue to bridge gaps by increasing access and quality of health care in cost effective ways especially in underserved communities in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Interviews with APPs and other healthcare professionals, personal experience living and working as an APP in LMICs, and literature reviews reveal similar results: utilizing APPs provides cost-effective health care access, improves morbidity and mortality outcomes, and enhances patient satisfaction without compromising the quality of care given in underserved areas. Challenges to APPs in LMICs include lack of access and standardization of higher education programs, role and title variability, physician resistance, limited research, and inconsistent legislation and licensing restrictions. When these challenges are overcome, APPs improve health care access in difficult to reach locations, exhibit adaptability and flexibility in challenging circumstances, and fill in the gaps of physician shortages particularly in primary care and rural locations. APPs are a vital, but underused role in health care. Enhancing APP training programs, defining roles and titles, educating health care providers and legislature writers, and promoting research in LMICs can improve the availability and implementation of APPs in LMIC and thus bridge gaps in global heath care. This presentation will provide personal perspectives from APPs who have worked around the World as well as present research that addresses advantages, challenges, and the necessity of APPs worldwide in bridging healthcare gaps.
When I arrived in Nigeria I thought my main role would be taking care of my 6-month-old daughter. When people asked before we left, “What are you going to do?” I almost apologetically said I would be a “homemaker.” Shortly after arriving I struggled to know my role as “an accompanying spouse.” I was not prepared for this undefined role and sometimes felt like a “second class missionary” because I was not in a specific ministry. It did not take long before the Lord opened up for me amazing opportunities for ministry, some in our home and others in our community. During this workshop I will share my journey, the many wonderful doors of significant opportunity God opened for me to serve using my past experiences, education and gifts to eventually serve many unreached women and children in our community and in Nigeria. We will also explore ways in which male “accompanying spouses” also got involved and had an impact in their own unique ways and the significance of culture on these decisions.
Fear, in its various manifestations, is one of the Enemy's most effective means of limiting our obedience. The Bible offers practical strategies for overcoming fear with faith--many of which are demonstrated in an Old Testament story of sex trafficking, racial hatred, and genocide.
As a health care professional on the mission field, the task of language learning is both essential and complicated. We say that language learning is a high value and priority for ourselves as missionaries, and yet it often is the first thing to take a back seat in life and ministry. Why is that? How can we do better? With over 15 years of experience in educating, training, and coaching missionaries in language and culture learning, Dr. Mullen will cast a vision for what it takes to truly become “fluent” in your target host language. She will offer biblical, theoretical, and practical advice for missionaries and missions leaders alike on how to prepare, execute, and continually improve communicative competence in a second language and cross-cultural setting.
Sending organizations spend tens of millions of dollars each year sending clinicians and support staff overseas. They invest very little in comparison on the leaders who are essential to preventing their burnout. Competent and compassionate administrative leaders are not only essential for developing and sustaining resilient healthcare and ministry teams; they also shepherd the systems that optimize human, technological and financial resources and prevent waste of resources and harm to patients. Despite its necessity, health care leadership and management training often scarce in many of the world’s most marginalized places. In this presentation, Anderson makes a case for the necessity of building leadership capacity and introduces practical tools that help address this training gap while building vibrant, sustainable mission teams.
When we think of God's global mission, we cannot overlook the U.S. as a mission field. It is a nation in spiritual decline, and widening gaps between the church and groups that are becoming increasingly unreached. What works in international missions, works here. This session will focus on the medical missions movement here in the United States, how it relates to overseas medical work, and how the two go hand in hand. We will look at several case studies, and address challenges and bottlenecks in this growing movement.
This session will present the need for healthcare workers to understand that their response to women who are being abused can make a crucial difference in whether the patient feels safe or shamed. Behavior that can incite fear will be identified: Physical gestures, facial expressions, distance, tone of voice, etc. This session will also discuss how showing skepticism, insensitive questioning, and telling the patient what to do can shut down the opportunity to help her . Helpful ways to communicate concern, respect, and autonomy to make her own decisions, will be identified.
The idea that missions is about going and doing for people in other countries is being replaced by seeing missions as a relay race. We need to train indigenous Christ followers with skills their people need so they can meet real needs in their communities as a door opener to share the Gospel. This training must be focused, in-depth, and self sustaining so that we do not create dependency.
A surgeon in training may be feeling called to and exploring a future career in medical missions or may simply be desiring a heart for God; to serve Jesus Christ unconditionally in a US based practice with or without short term missions service. This session will focus on the practical ways that students and residents pursuing a surgical sub-specialty, including general surgery, can fan the flame of God's gifting and calling in obedience to the Great Commission. What are the critical spiritual disciplines in a walk with Christ during training that protect and nurture such a mindset, even during a demanding and stressful surgical residency? What type of volunteering activities or short term missions service play a key role in maintaining a passion for missionary service? Are there resources available which will help develop a heart for and understanding of evangelism and disciple-making in the life of a short or long term missionary? Will share perspectives from several surgeons who are actively serving in missions today.
This session will explore the value of healthcare education as a form of mission experience, both in the short and long term, as well as to inspire and equip participants to explore healthcare education opportunities as an answer to God’s call to missions.
This is not our grandparents' world, with clear First, Second, and Third World nations. Accelerating worldwide social, cultural, and political changes call for reflection and alteration of our missionary strategies.
In India, it is not easy to witness to Urban dwellers about the Lord. Cannot go from door to door. Most of the church planting has been done in rural areas.Home based care gives health care workers an opportunity to develop relationships with our Urban non-Christian neighbors. More than 60 million Indians go below the poverty line each year due to medical care expenses. Often the hospital admissions and investigations are unnecessary. Home based care can help reduce health care expenses. We present what our home based care company PISCES health and Wellness is doing in India.
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) face significant challenges to their health and well-being that are unique due to lack of necessary resources including food, water, sanitation, shelter, security, and healthcare. Caring for people in these situations requires an understanding of their unique needs as well as having realistic goals regarding what can and cannot be done for them. Our experiences in providing healthcare for the victims of disasters in Congo, Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Honduras, Nepal, Kurdistan, and Turkey – both natural and manmade – highlight the need to be well prepared when serving in these difficult situations. We are called to serve “the least of these,” and the victims of disasters and crises certainly qualify. Often these events, though causing much hardship and suffering, create the possibility for doors and hearts to be open to the message of Jesus that otherwise would be closed. We must be both willing and well prepared if we are to serve well when we are called to respond to those in need.
How are we Christian medics different from non-Christian humanitarians? How do you answer a patient who asks, "Why didn't God answer my prayer for healing? Did the devil win?" Does our role as medics conflict with God's highest plan for healing, such as the Miraculous? In this session we will search the Scriptures and consider natural revelation to answer these questions. We will show that God has an active, deliberate role in "natural" healing, "medicinal" healing, and "miraculous" healing, and that our role in this spectrum as Christian medics is vital and profound. We will expose the falsehood of the "medical prosperity gospel" and show that God is actively working in our spiritual lives in the "artistic medium" of illness and healing.
The Changing Face of Missions in An Age of Pandemic: * Is to Help Christians see the Movement of the Holy Spirit in the Spread of the Global Church around the World in Spite of the Global Pandemic.
As we see an increasing number of culturally diverse patients in our practices, there is no doubt of the importance of cultural competency in medicine. Specific circumstances and miscommunications have been well documented. But how can we develop an eye to see where a patient’s values and worldview may differ from our own? We will review an approach to cultural competency highlighted by medical missions case studies.
We’ve seen the church thrive around the world through missionary efforts. How do we leverage the impact of the global church to the nations where there is no church sharing all the things God has uniquely given us?
Despite very different settings, HIV care in the United States and sub-Saharan Africa share a lot in common. This breakout session will explore similarities and differences in HIV care between these settings including the widespread challenge of HIV-related stigma.
We have all witnessed how quickly the world has shifted and put our lives on pause. Short-term and long term sending has been halted in almost every major region of the world. In that, we have people God is calling to take the gospel to those places who are forced to wait. In this waiting, how do we walk alongside and guide our participants, donors, and teams through this unexpected season? Today we are going to walk through how to keep people engaged when we are not sending and some practical tips to help you care for and guide your team, participants, and donors in to missional living in the absence of sending. Resources Links: https://www.unitedstateszipcodes.org https://calendly.com/drewmiller/consult https://www.servicereef.com https://www.missionsmadesimple.com
This session is for those considering full-time missions internationally. Hear two healthcare missionaries, a doc and a nurse, share their journeys, key resources, and answers to your questions. Topics include: God's guidance, agencies, funding, singles, families.
Why does it often seem that each generation describes the other with skepticism, negativity and suspicion? Answer: we have become experts at comparison and novices at teamwork. What if God wants generational leadership to take place, where two-way mentoring occurs? What would it look like for each generation to brings its strengths to the table for maximum Kingdom impact?
In a world characterized by pandemic, poverty, war, and terrorism how do we assess risk and serve with confidence? Expand on the theology of God’s gracious and guiding divine intervention for those called to faithful service in a fallen world.
Are you a woman health professional, for whom God has opened doors for education and training leading to a career in healthcare? Is God calling you to be involved in missions? Do you also dream about having a family? Do you wonder how on earth you would ever be able to combine those roles? Relating from my personal story and experience, we will explore lessons learned from 16 years as a medical missionary in Kenya and discuss how to incorporate a family, missions ministry and a medical career.
Dental disease is the most prevalent disease world wide. When the call to make disciples is combined with the dental vocation, opportunities to care for people in new ways emerge. Join this strategic session to learn how organizations, teams and individuals can have kingdom impact through dental care.
For those in training and just finished (i.e., recent grads, residents, med students, pre-med, PA/NP, RN, PT/OT/ST, dental), we will learn how to maximize your current season. We’ll tackle topics like falling in love with Jesus, original motivation, how to suffer well, pearls and pitfalls of living in community, debt, vision for one’s next step to the nations, and helping the vulnerable now tensioned with investing in education to help others later. With leaders live from the different fields and stages, we’ll answer the individualized questions you have, brainstorming how God might sustain you now and lead you in the upcoming season.
This session will focus on the history, symptoms and treatment of flaviviruses such as Zika, Dengue and Yellow Fever. This session will be focused on symptoms to watch for, personal protection, transmission and currently available treatments. We will also take a look at medications and vaccines currently undergoing investigation for the treatment of these flaviviruses.
The average medical school debt at graduation is $232,000. The average salary of a medical missionary is $48,000. You need help! Come and learn how to bridge this gap through reducing your initial loan burden, apply for grants from organizations like MedSend, and qualify for Income Based Repayment and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Act.
For many years, hormonal and surgical treatment of persons deemed to have gender dysphoria was offered almost covertly by a handful of endocrinologists and surgeons as a tiny part of their practice. With the enormous increase in social acceptability of transgendered people in parts of the world, this area has become a hot topic from medical school to subspecialty fellowship programs. High-visibility guidelines for care have been developed and transgender specialty clinics are now widely available in North America and Europe. This session will be focused upon the current definitions, processes and practices currently used by transgender clinics with additional review of potential safety concerns. Potential ethical and societal questions and global acceptance of transgender medicine may be raised to stimulate later discussions.
Theology is thinking and talking about God and his work in his world. This is God's world and it is filled with poverty. How Christians think about, engage, and talk about poverty is fundamental to who we should be as followers of Christ. We, of all people, need a theology of poverty.
The session will provide an overview of ophthalmic conditions commonly seen in primary care practice as well as the presentation, management and referral of ophthalmic emergencies by primary care physicians. Emphasis will be placed on ophthalmic conditions that are encountered in international settings that may be less common in the United States.
In this session we will discuss how telehealth and technology can be used to improve patient healthcare in medical missions, streamline the continuity of care through digital health records and improve patient health outcome with technologies that enables physicians to continue to monitor their patients' progress long after the short-term mission trip.
- Mixing healthcare with politics: medical service opportunities in China All official services in this and many other countries are part of a broader plan, designed to support the goals of the government. Come join this discussion of how Christian medical professionals can contribute significantly and bring blessing without compromising on our core values. 2. Mixing healthcare with politics: public health opportunities in China All official services in this and many other countries are part of a broader plan, designed to support the goals of the government. Come join this discussion of how Christian public health professionals can contribute significantly and bring blessing without compromising on our core values.
Have you ever wondered how to find or know God's will? Have you ever asked, "How do I know if God is 'calling' me into missions?" We've all asked those questions at one time or another, and maybe constantly! In this session we will take a look at how the Bible teaches us about knowing and discerning God's will, and how God guides us as we seek to follow Christ. It's less like a blueprint and more a call to faithfulness.
Jesus commanded us to heal the sick and to make disciples. In this session I will teach you how I use a story-telling format to share the gospel, and share stories of healing and human needs ministries that were paired with disciple-making. These stories are taken from twenty-five years of medical missions experience among unreached peoples.
Have you longed to integrate your Christian faith into your patient care – on the mission field abroad, in your work at home, and during your training? Not sure how to do this in a caring, ethical, sensitive, and relevant manner? This “working” session will explore the ethical basis for spiritual care plus provide you with profession, timely, and practical methods to care for the whole person in the clinical setting.
Nurses and other members of the healthcare team who serve on the mission field have the chance to be the hands and feet of Jesus as they care for the whole person. They have the opportunity to touch the untouchable, love the unloved, and be with people from a variety of backgrounds, in the same way that Jesus did. Serving others is sacred work, by showing compassion, grace, and humility with power from the Holy Spirit. People are sometimes on a search for their purpose, so this session will examine the ways nurses and other healthcare professionals can use their discipline, and all the gifts and talents the Lord gave them, to build relationships, serve others, and provide honor and dignity in a cross-cultural context. The importance of a solid spiritual foundation will be included, and culturally appropriate approaches to health promotion strategies will be explored. Some of the ways cultural values and beliefs influence healthcare practices will also be discussed. And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send Me” (Isaiah 6:8)
In this session we will look at several clinical tropical diseases seen in nationals and expatriate travelers. Real clinical cases and research studies will be described as unknowns. The challenge will be to recognize various travel related illnesses and making a diagnosis. We will explore cases of fever, skin rash, abdominal complaints, and some emerging tropical diseases around the world.
Jericho Road is a Christian federally qualified community health center in Buffalo , NY that provides care to marginalized and vulnerable populations , including many refugees from over 80 nations. Since 2009 Jericho Road has followed some of their refugee friends back home to their countries of origin and have helped them start and operate health centers that also serve the most vulnerable. Today Jericho Road operates health centers in Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo and Nepal. Each of these health centers is led and operated by local folks from those countries. By empowering local leaders Jericho Road in Buffalo has been richly blessed and our ability to demonstrate the love of Jesus has been enhanced. This workshop will focus on the lessons we have learned along the way.
While recognizing the medical limitations in the developing world, one must also capitalize on the "assets" present there. "Specialists" are rare, unavailable, and/or too expensive for most of the poor, disabled people. "State-of-the-art", while the aspiration of the west, is usually unavailable in the developing world. How do we capitalize on the assets and provide a reasonable alternative for the numerous disabled of the developing world? Some African countries have modified their medical approach and have found their solutions in alternative medical practitioners with less training and credentials but sufficient skills and judgment to reasonably meet the needs of many of the disabled. Some of these objectives were achieved in a mission hospital in Africa not because it was the first choice, but it was seemingly the only choice. Now, at that facility, a higher level of care has been achieved. However, can such a model be replicated in other settings in Africa?
This session will review the most common medical considerations you should be aware of before traveling on a short-term medical mission trip. I will review common malaria prophylaxis medications, immunizations, treatment of traveler’s diarrhea as well as other tips and tricks to know. This session is ideal for those with minimal international travel experience.
Can short-term health care teams play a key role in indigenous Gospel movements? Come hear the incredible story of God’s indigenous-led movement in a corner of Asia and the important role that short-term teams played in its advancement. Join in a discussion of the dynamics of an effective short-term partnership that bolsters indigenous work. Understand the key aspects of an “opening doors” access strategy using mobile health and dental clinics. Identify advantages and pitfalls of short-term indigenous partnerships, key contributions of short-term health care workers, and the central role of prayer and encouragement in God’s kingdom work. Christ-centered health care teams can play a strategic role in promoting sustainable indigenous ministry and Gospel advancement.
The COVID 19 pandemic has many similarities to the early days of HIV/AIDS in Uganda when I worked with the National Control Program for AIDS while advising the Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau. Communication resource, scientific advances, technology, and knowledge have all advanced. This session will compare the two pandemics and present some observations and lessons learned, both professionally and spiritually, that might be applicable to this generation of healthcare professionals as they navigate a worldwide pandemic.
Historically, the vast majority of physicians who provide pediatric care on the mission field and other resource poor settings are not pediatricians. They are brave and innovative physicians who made the determination to make a difference, drawing on available resources. Every physician on the mission field wants to be equipped to deliver quality care that is Christ-centered, patient-focused, evidence based, and culturally sensitive. Recognizing that the leading causes of death in children worldwide are mostly preventable through basic public health interventions, the mission-minded physician is presented with the perfect intersection between clinical medicine and public health practice. In this session your confidence in treating pediatric illnesses and emergencies will be enhanced as you gain a better understanding of evidence-based protocols, using clinical cases drawn from Dr Ojuola’s many years of experience providing pediatric care in various resource-poor settings.
Exploring how the story line of the Bible is the theology of missions and how we take our part in that story. We all have a story--like a testimony, for instance--but how often do we think of how our personal stories are connected to the story of God's work in the world? In this session we will take a look at how the story of missions unfolds throughout the Bible and learn how each of can learn to internalize, communicate, and actively participate in that story. In other words, how to build and live out a Biblical Theology of Missions.
Spiritual warfare is an often misunderstood or neglected aspect in the preparation for missions. This session will briefly overview the Biblical understanding of spiritual warfare and examine how our Western worldview (which is not entirely Biblical) is often limited in addressing the broad needs present in a host culture. As some illnesses may be spiritual in their origins, an appropriate understanding and application of spiritual warfare can bring a comprehensive view to treating illness. Also, some basic weapons necessary to prevail in warfare will be presented.
This is a breakout session about sustainability in missions. When called into ministry, our passion to serve Christ and our love for people often motivate us to engage in God’s work with joy and excitement. As we hope to continue to serve the Lord and grow in our work, it is important to consider sustainability in ministry, when the work is hard, whether that be difficult work itself, disappointments, life challenges or even faith challenges. It is important to acknowledge difficulties and we may face, and consider how we can face challenges when they come. Together we will consider how God helps us sustain our faith for ministry when we are surprised by difficulties in ministry.
Faith Based Mental Health Care in Post Crisis Populations. Even when this abstract is being prepared during the active early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, signs of significant mental health problems are emerging not only in patients who have suffered with the disease, but in their families, colleagues, work associates, friends, and the health care workers that are active in prevention, sub acute care, acute care, rehabilitation care, and post pandemic phase of life changes. Strategies are already being developed for population surveillance and early intervention after the worst of the crisis has resolved. This session will address the strategies being developed during the pandemic for post pandemic care and what has been learned over the months following the peak of the pandemic
Whether or not they all identify as Christians like us, tens of thousands of Muslims from diverse corners of the Muslim world are transferring allegiance from Mohammed and the Qur'an to Messiah Jesus and His Kingdom. They welcome you and your medical skills to serve with them in the Muslim World. But what's your ultimate objective? Is it physically healed Muslims, a few of whom join churches? Or is it a Church Planting Movement among Muslims who transfer their allegiance to Jesus and then bring in His Kingdom? It's easy to focus on the former and pay too little attention to the latter. You'll learn of "Muslim Believers" who focus on both ... and how you can participate.
Missionaries and other overseas Christian workers are subject to unique stressors, and providing proper support for this group requires a commitment from sending organizations. Despite the fact that in the past mental health problems in missions have been neglected, missions organizations have developed an increasing capacity for supporting missionaries. This presentation describes best practices for behavioral health support. We will discuss how the organizations we have worked with have reduced stigmatization, developed sound procedures for evaluating, supporting, and triaging missionaries and their families who develop psychiatric problems. We will review current medical thinking about resilience, compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatization, and burnout and discuss how these concepts can be used to inform medical support for expatriate Christian workers. (This is Part 1 of a 2 part presentation)
Christian healthcare professionals working in cross-cultural settings need to understand medical anthropology from a perspective that goes beyond the classical "knowledge-attitudes-practices" model. This session will cover essential questions about how people of different backgrounds can understand the body, illness, health and healing as well as highlight some of the challenges in walking the line between "cultural relativism" and Biblical truths.
Strategic indigenous medical training to impact the Church Planting Movement and the Kingdom of Heaven.
Learn about GMH (Global Mental Health) and resources for integrating this into your general medical and global health practices - through clinical vignettes from our practice in LMICs.
Sending organizations spend tens of millions of dollars each year sending clinicians and support staff overseas. They invest very little in comparison on the leaders who are essential to preventing their burnout. Competent and compassionate administrative leaders are not only essential for developing and sustaining resilient healthcare and ministry teams; they also shepherd the systems that optimize human, technological and financial resources and prevent waste of resources and harm to patients. Despite its necessity, healthcare leadership and management training often scarce in many of the world’s most marginalized places. In this presentation, Anderson makes a case for the necessity of building leadership capacity and introduces practical tools that help address this training gap while building vibrant, sustainable mission teams.
How do I know if it's Sensory? Screenings and clinical observations to identify sensory processing delays.
A challenge to see the world the way that God sees it, under a curse and under the management of the devil. The good news is all of that comes to an end when the cure, Jesus, is taken to all nations. How will you be a part of this big thing that God is doing?
God's timeline is different for each of us. This session will look at the particular challenges and blessings of entering medical missions in "Round Two."
Exploring what the Bible says about how God's active guidance and how we can have confidence to follow by faith .
In this breakout we will take a look at the current state of missions and the Gospel worldwide. Where is the church struggling to penetrate? What are some strategies that are being developed to get into those areas? What role can medical professionals play in getting the Gospel to unreached people?
Understanding Simple, Non Threatening Steps and Strategies to Communicating the Gospel of the Kingdom, Christ Crucified, and The wisdom of God to the heart of the Muslim through the power of The of the Scriptures and of The Holy Spirit. Resulting in Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption from God.
Are you in Medical School? Pre-Med? Mid-level Training? Come hear practical steps to make your dream of serving a reality. When you have a heart for God’s people and a passion for medicine, how do they connect? How do you prepare? This workshop is extremely practical when you know you want to use your medical vocation for Kingdom purposes.
This session will describe the challenges and issues involved in the initiation of a new residency program in a country open to this type of development. We will draw on the experience gained in starting a new family medicine residency program in both Ecuador and Rwanda, as well as the observed experience in other countries.
This break-out session will describe how global learning experiences affect the practice of healthcare students and professionals after they return home, beyond cultural competence.
Explore a strategy used to transform lives physically and spiritually. Participants in this session will engage in participatory learning activities that investigate the Community Health Evangelism model and its application to wholistic individual and communal health.
This session will cover both the technical and social engineering side of protecting one's personal information & organizational data in the missions field. In this we will cover the dos and don'ts of using technology services as well as train user in identifying social engineering scams hackers use to bypass security technologies.
What does the Bible have to say about mental illness? Are Psychiatry and Christianity diametrically opposed? What is the global burden of mental health and what is our role as believers? In this session, we will explore answer to these questions and the need for a holistic approach to care that addresses the mind, body, and spirit.
Working as a single in your home country is hard. It is as hard or harder working as a single overseas. God provides for the single just as He provides for a couple. Are you single? Are you satisfied? Or are you waiting? Living in 'the in between' is hard mentally and spiritually. There is hope in the journey!
Our generation faces the reality of a world where 3 Billion will spend a lifetime never hearing the good news of Jesus. We are simply not in the neighborhoods and marketplaces where the majority of these unreached live. We dream of a different reality - a follower of Jesus imbedded in every community. A follower of Jesus in every place of work - embracing their God-given design to reflect the glory of God to those around them. Join us for this session as we dive into the open opportunities around the world and how real professionals are being intentional in strategic cities.
Andrew and Deborah Wynn have been helping missionary doctors acquire and source affordable medical equipment for Christ-centered medical missions for over 4 years. They will give a talk and practical demonstration on the tips and tricks in acquiring the highest quality medical equipment at the best prices and showcase a variety of important medical tools useful for practicing in remote conditions. Whether physician, students, nurses, or administrators, all are welcome. Please bring lots of questions!
This breakout session will discuss key issues surrounding health effects of prenatal exposure to opioids and provide information on some of the successful approaches to treating withdrawal in these children.
Sharing personal experiences from 16 years of field medical missionary service, the session will highlight lessons learned on the journey to balance medical practice, mission ministry and motherhood.
Come for a hands-on session with ultrasound! We will be going over the basic principles, application via the eFAST exam (Focused Assessment with Ultrasound in Trauma), and hands on time with procedural models. We will also be providing IV, LP, and Central Line Models to practice on. All are welcome. This is a basic introduction to ultrasound.
this session will describe the magnitude of human trafficking in the US and globally. It will look at the typical health problems of this group , clues that a patient may be a trafficked victim, and suggestions for treatment principles for them
This break-out session will describe how global learning experiences affect the practice of healthcare students and professionals after they return home, beyond cultural competence.
This session will look at the reality of suffering in this world and how to reorient our hearts and minds to face it well.
Exploring how the storyline of the Bible is the theology of missions and how we take our part in that story.
Explore the role of women in missions, challenges women face, and ways to overcome challenges
In this roundtable discussion, several staff of Lawndale Christian Health Center and a local ministry leader, all residents of North and South Lawndale neighborhood, will share their experiences and discuss the principle of Relocation in the context of Christian Community Development.
Do you love hearing a good story? Jesus’ ability to connect a story to a person’s heart is one reason people flocked to hear his teaching. During this session, you will learn to use Bible stories to communicate the story of Jesus to others. You will participate in a story fellowship group to hear and learn a story, and to discuss the story in the context of a small group.
This detailed session will decribe 3 shorterm mission opportunities shared from experienced Physical Therapists who will speak first hand regarding short term trips( Global Health Outreach) , teaching opportunities ( Medical Education International) and foreign hospital service ( Tenwek Hospital).
Clear communication is essential in any effective healthcare environment. Working in another language adds a whole new layer of complexity to the communication process. Learning another language can seem like a daunting task, especially if you had a negative past experience with a foreign language, or it can be viewed as an exciting adventure. This session will focus on practical tips that engage your internal motivations leading to appropriate language proficiency for kingdom impact.
“Service is the sign of true love. Those who love know how to serve others. We learn this especially in the family, where we become servants out of love for one another. In the heart of the family, no one is rejected; all have the same value.” – Pope Francis
The money spent for missionary work to cover their costs of a mission trip to fly to Central America to repaint an orphanage would have been enough money to hire two local painters and two full time teachers and purchase new uniforms for every student in the school. When White Saviorism becomes more important than the people, what are we left with?
On the flip side, there is a need, and we can all help. What can we do to make sure we are working responsibly and sustainably?
Step 1: Knowing the context and identifying the key needs.
- Ensure the identified needs and assets of the community, as determined by a wide range of community members, are upheld and prioritized within the program aims and objectives.
- A host partner that defines the program, including the needs to be addressed and the teaching of volunteers
- Ongoing leadership of programs by nationals
- Driven by demand and built with synergistic partnerships
Step 2: Defining your values and principles
- Respect for governance and legal and ethical standards
- Make local community members partners in the relationship and rely on local knowledge in all stages of developing, implementing, and evaluating the program/experience
- Reciprocity: promoting an environment in which the human rights, dignity, values, customs, and spiritual beliefs of the individual, family, and community are respected.
Step 3: Enabling Sustainability
- Provide fair compensation for all direct and indirect costs associated with the program and its projects, such as transportation, housing, food, clean water, translators, and other staff, supplies, electricity, and fuel
- Symmetry of priorities and resources between visiting volunteers and host community members assisting them
Step 4: Selecting the most suitable candidates
- References must be obtained and candidates must be evaluated in stressful, complex, and culturally diverse settings
- Candidates must value diversity of opinion, beliefs, culture, and perspectives
- Appropriate screening for qualifications, experience, and background checks
- Scenario based interview questions
Step 5: Preparing them to serve
- Ensure that faculty, staff, or chaperones working with the programs are properly trained in working with host communities
- Ensure that the chaperones understand the social, economic, and cultural contexts of the project at hand and are prepared to help students navigate and reflect on the cultural, economic, social, and physical differences they encounter
- Orientation at every stage of the process
- Extensive orientation pre-deployment and in country
Step 6: Evaluating and learning
- Develop an appropriate mechanism for evaluating outcomes and local impact
- Regularly evaluate and assess all partners to ensure that goals and responsibilities are being met
- Regular program evaluation for impact
- Monthly report for facility/medical volunteers
- End of service report with recommendations for program development
- Emphasis on extensive storytelling from those in the field/volunteers
- Training attendance sheet
- Volunteer satisfaction survey
Let’s continue to work together to leave a legacy to God’s global family.
About Marcia Grand Ortega:
Marcia Grand Ortega has over 10 years of international experience working in project management, communications, and evaluation in the private, academic and not-for-profit sectors. Before joining CMMB HQ, she volunteered with their Peru programs. During that time in 2015, she had the opportunity to meet with beneficiary families both in Trujillo and Huancayo and work with the incredible community health workers, volunteers, and staff involved in providing healthcare services that truly changed lives. It was this experience that brought Marcia to New York in 2016, where she took on the role of manager for the international volunteer program. In the last 2 years, Marcia has relaunched the medical mission program for health professionals available to serve only for a short-term, and has coordinated medical teams visiting Haiti and Zambia, while recruiting and deploying another 30 clinical volunteers to the field for long term service.
A review of the lessons learned from surveys of mission hospitals in 7 developing countries to identify the key best practices that have been successful at improving the spiritual ministry of the hospital, involving staff more fully and improving effectiveness of evangelism with patients and families.
Living "incarnationally" (among a culture different from your own), especially among marginalized people (the poor, immigrants, etc.) is a proven way to face your own cultural biases, muster courage, learn greater dependence on the Holy Spirit, and develop meaningful relationships with people very different from yourself. Besides being good for your soul, it's ideal preparation for international healthcare missions.
Are you in Medical School? Pre-Med? Mid-level Training? Come hear practical steps to make your dream of serving a reality. When you have a heart for God’s people and a passion for medicine, how do they connect? How do you prepare? This workshop is extremely practical when you know you want to use your medical vocation for Kingdom purposes.
This session will look at the reality of suffering in this world and how to reorient our hearts and minds to face it well.
About 25 years ago, while sharing an early morning cup of coffee with my dear friend and practice partner, family physician John Hartman, MD, he asked, “Walt, how come we don’t bring our faith to work with us more often?” It was a question the Lord used to convict me of the fact that although my personal relationship with God was the primary and most important relationship in my life, more often than not I tended to leave Him at the door when entering the hospital or medical office. The question was the catalyst for this talk: Spiritual Interventions in Patient Care.
Research findings, a desire to provide high-quality care, and simple common sense, all underscore the need to integrate spirituality into patient care. It is highly ethical for healthcare professionals and healthcare systems to assess their patients’ spiritual health and needs and to provide indicated and desired spiritual interventions. Clinicians and health care systems should not deprive their patients of the spiritual support and comfort on which their hope, health, wellbeing, and longevity may hinge.
Before you get started, I must share this caution from Stephen Post, PhD: “Professional problems can occur when well-meaning healthcare professionals ‘faith-push’ a patient opposed to discussing religion.” However, on the other side of the coin, “rather than ignoring faith completely with all patients, most of whom want to discuss it, we can explore which of our patients are interested and who are not.” Simply put, a spiritual assessment can help us do this with each patient we see. We can potentially gain the following from a spiritual assessment:
- The patient’s religious background,
- The role that religious or spiritual beliefs or practices play in coping with illness (or causing distress),
- Beliefs that may influence or conflict with decisions about medical care,
- The patient’s level of participation in a spiritual community and whether the community is supportive, and
- Any spiritual needs that might be present.
Several fairly-easy-to-use mnemonics have been designed to help health professionals, such as the “GOD” spiritual assessment I developed for CMDA’s Saline Solution:
G = God: − May I ask your faith background? Do you have a spiritual or faith preference? Is God, spirituality, religion or spiritual faith important to you now, or has it been in the past?
O = Others: − Do you now meet with others in religious or spiritual community, or have you in the past? If so, how often? How do you integrate with your faith community?
D = Do: − What can I do to assist you in incorporating your spiritual or religious faith into your medical care? Or, is there anything I can do to encourage your faith? May I pray with or for you?
However, this and other spiritual assessment tools fail to inquire about a critical item involving spiritual health: any religious struggles the patient may be having. A robust literature shows religious struggles can predict mortality, as there is an inverse association between faith and morbidity and mortality of various types.
Sir William Osler, one of the founding professors of Johns Hopkins Hospital and frequently described as the “Father of Modern Medicine,” wrote, “Nothing in life is more wonderful than faith…the one great moving force which we can neither weigh in the balance nor test in the crucibIe - mysterious, indefinable, known only by its effects, faith pours out an unfailing stream of energy while abating neither jot nor tittle of its potence.” You can experience that driving force of faith when you apply these principles of spiritual assessment in your practice of healthcare, thereby allowing you to minister to your patients in ways you never imagined possible, while also increasing personal and professional satisfaction. One doctor recently shared with me, “Ministering in my practice has allowed God to bear fruit in and through me in new and wonderful ways. I can’t wait to see what He’s going to do in and through me each day. My practice and I have been transformed.”
Brain drain of healthcare workers is a huge challenge in low income countries, particularly in rural areas, and yet these locations represent arguably the greatest healthcare needs in the world. This session will discuss rural medical education as a potential solution to brain drain in raising up compassionate, competent healthcare workers in the local setting.
This session will address five common misconceptions about missions that are based on assumptions and conspire to prevent people from exploring their own fit in mission.
this session will describe the magnitude of human trafficking in the US and globally. It will look at the typical health problems of this group , clues that a patient may be a trafficked victim, and suggestions for treatment principles for them
Using a Functional Medicine Model as a Paradigm to Help Our Patients with Chronic Illness Improve
A Partnership with long term missionaries, Indigenous evangelists and a short term medical training team in one of the most persecuted areas in the world brings light to the darkness.
The origination of the idea behind 'A Practical Guide to the Complex Issue of Addiction' was to approach battling addiction from a non-medical practitioners experience and view of addiction and those suffering from addiction.
The session painted a broad picture of addiction locally, around the country and around the world to set up the question, 'What do I do about it?'
From there, we discussed practical signs and symptoms of someone battling addiction and action steps for those wishing to help.
In the midst of this, we discovered that truly helping someone battling addiction oftentimes requires some of the most difficult decisions of your life. Through real-life examples, attendee participation and practical application, hopefully attendees and listeners can find a nugget of hope in the midst of the devastating effects of addiction.
Marriage, Family and Missions:- Joys, Challenges, and Pitfalls- Reflections from those who have walked (and stubbled on) this road before. (2 hour intensive)
Do you participate in short-term medical relief trips? In this session, relief organizations and volunteers (both medical and non-medical) will be challenged to think deeply about the practices they employ in the field and the impact they make on foreign patients/communities. We have high standards for health care in the United States, but there currently exists no standardized way of assessing the methods implemented and services offered by short-term medical missions in the field. This session hopes to build off of participants' brainstorming and also introduce participants to a novel self-assessment framework to assess the efficacy, sustainability, and long-term impact of your organization(s).
Short term missions can leave an impact on receiving communities if done well in partnership with hosting churches and ministries.
Being a missionary is no easy task. So many hopeful candidates head for the field with dreams and plans, goals and identified targets. Yet a staggering number of medical mission workers end up with their dreams dashed, their plans gone awry.
This breakout session addresses the unfortunate incidences of burnout and premature return from the place of ministry for both short-term and long-term medical missionaries. The world in which we live is increasingly complex. Issues of safety and security have become significant in many of the places where medical missionaries are needed most. Yet the pressures of the work, relationships, and other challenges continue to undermine the longevity, joy, and capacity to thrive for medical missionaries. We must examine what is going on and collaboratively seek wise responses to the challenges, for the sake of both the lost and the called.
Medical missions remains one of the most impactful types of mission services, and perhaps one of the key opportunities into many communities that are otherwise closed or hostile to the gospel. Yet at best, many medical missionaries only try to survive in their work; at worst, others return home prematurely and burnt out. Thankfully, counseling, mentoring and support for medical missionaries is more available today than it used to be. However, what if there were ways to diminish the stress on the medical worker and equip them to flourish? Could making a few changes to recruitment, combining home and field efforts in appropriate placement, and intentionally designing supportive work environments make a difference? This session offers a compelling case study that reveals what works, what has not worked, and what else should be considered.
This breakout session will benefit all medical professionals, including those preparing to go and those already serving in medical missions.
The words of Dr. Bogunjoko, the International Director for mission agency SIM will encourage, inspire, and equip anyone that is exploring the idea of Medical Missions.
Come for a hands-on session with ultrasound! We will be going over the basic principles, application via the eFAST exam (Focused Assessment with Ultrasound in Trauma), and hands on time with procedural models. We will also be providing IV, LP, and Central Line Models to practice on. All are welcome. This is a basic introduction to ultrasound.
Working as a single in your home country is hard. It is as hard or harder working as a single overseas. God provides for the single just as He provides for a couple. Are you single? Are you satisfied? Or are you waiting? Living in 'the in between' is hard mentally and spiritually. There is hope in the journey!
Through sharing personal experience and case studies, current demographics, trends, treatment and challenges of HIV care will be discussed
Exploring the Journey to Full-Time Missions: Agencies, Funding, Singles/Families, God’s Guidance
Marriage, Family and Missions- Joys, Challenges and Pitfalls: Reflections from those who have walked the road before.
"A system of Fragmentation in Addiction" The current models of treatment were mainly developed in the 40's , 50's , 60s and for alcoholics. Todays user is much different and most likely poly substance. Holistic wrap around models are what's needed
How to leverage and use social media to find seekers, supporters, and more for your non-profit or ministry.
God's timeline is different for each of us. This session will look at the particular challenges and blessings of entering medical missions in "Round Two.”
As we consider the commission that Jesus gave his followers, while realizing that over 3,000,000,000 have never heard the name of Jesus, there is too much work to be done for us to not work together. While there are many ways we are different, we have One God, One Savior, One Spirit, One Body and One Mission. If we are going to fulfill the Great Commission, we must not only work together, but we also must empower indigenous, national Christ followers to further the Great Commission. Only by handing the baton off to them will we be able to fulfill this commission. We must do God’s will, God’s way.
When we understand the Mission we have been given, we will understand the only way to accomplish the Great Commission is by doing it together -- across language, culture, national and other boarders with those who love and follow Christ.
The session we are featuring today explores unique ways to partner and empower people around the world.
Sending organizations spend tens of millions of dollars each year sending clinicians and support staff overseas. They invest very little in comparison on the leaders who are essential to preventing their burnout. Competent and compassionate administrative leaders are not only essential for developing and sustaining resilient healthcare and ministry teams; they also shepherd the systems that optimize human, technological and financial resources and prevent waste of resources and harm to patients. Despite its necessity, healthcare leadership and management training often scarce in many of the world’s most marginalized places. In this presentation, Anderson makes a case for the necessity of building leadership capacity and introduces practical tools that help address this training gap while building vibrant, sustainable mission teams.
Family physicians, nurses and primary care providers regularly encounter “extracurricular” situations when practicing in developing countries especially in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and clinical needs, a “golden platter of opportunities” sort-of-speak. New estimates for 2014 show staggering gaps in SRH and basic clinical services fall far short in developing nations with gaps between countries regions. Yet SRH is significantly underrepresented in medical and nursing education, and in continuing medical education (CME) programs in some developed and most developing countries. Grab your gear for this session will describe clinical, cultural, systems and contextual realities of SRH and clinical unmet needs in developing countries, zooming on the Middle East. You will find out that “you can do it” regardless of your clinical background. This session will introduce you to tools to equip yourself culturally, clinically and from a public health perspective. You will present opportunities for short and long term interventions.
We fool ourselves if we think we can enter the Enemy's territory on behalf of God without thorough spiritual preparation. Potential healthcare missionaries must be grounded in robust spiritual habits of seeking and hearing from God.
Objective of the session is to inform other Medical Missionaries, other doctors and other Missionaries about Evangelism through caring for people living with HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe.
Emerging and Re-Emerging Vector-borne Viral Illnesses - Chikungunya, Dengue, Yellow Fever, Zika
In this session we'll be talking about discerning the Lord's calling in your life, how to move forward with exploring medical missions and, most of, how to avoid letting educational debt keep you from following God's calling to use your medical skills for His glory!
Theology is thinking and talking about God and his work in his world. This is God's world and it is filled with poverty. How Christians think about, engage, and talk about poverty is fundamental to who we should be as followers of Christ. We, of all people, need a theology of poverty.
Many times in the missions world, we follow culture by implementing solutions borrowed from others in our same field. But what if we created in such a way that changed our industry? With more than 3.5 billion people living without access to the good news of Jesus, we need to start changing the way we look at solving our challenges. At this session, you will learn a process and tools to bring your God-given creativity to the way that you approach the challenges you face at home, work, or on the missions field.
In this breakout called "For all to hear" we will take a look at the current state of missions and the Gospel worldwide. Where is the church struggling to penetrate? What are some strategies that are being developed to get into those areas? What role can medical professionals play in getting the Gospel to unreached people?
Do you want to "live on mission" with your patients regardless of whether you are stateside or abroad? This session will present proven and practical methods that will help you assess and address the spiritual needs of your patients in a professional, ethical, and compassionate manner. These tools have been utilized in secular and faith-based healthcare settings worldwide. Bob serves as executive director of Medical Strategic Network, which for 33 years, has been equipping healthcare students and professionals to care for the whole person.
Empowering nurses and nursing students through education and experience to maximize their potential as effective nurse leaders, thus creating positive and sustainable outcomes in their communities and nation.
Over the last 7 years, in partnership with short term teams, Hope Alive Initiatives has been able to set 6 community clinics in Northern Ghana. These clinics are run in a sustainable way by their respective churches. In this session we will share the lessons we have learnt to help you in ministry.
Short term missions usually involve a team of people contributing their skills to an indigenous people group. When that team leaves the work often ends. This session will present an innovative alternative to that model, where sharing knowledge and skills with local believers empowers them to serve their people group long after the teaching team leaves!
Values and assumptions vary widely from culture to culture. This gives rise to potential conflicts and barriers in the communication process. This session looks at Not the American values and assumptions which can create misunderstandings, damage relationships, and even pose significant danger in the delivery medical treatment in a cross cultural context.
Samaritan’s Purse disaster response has expanded to include an Emergency Field Hospital (EFH). This workshop will demonstrate what we have learned in adapting modern surgical and medical techniques to a disaster environment. Our EFH is a self-contained modular tent-based system which can adapt to the particular need. Whether it be an earthquake, tsunami, typhoon, or refugee crisis, we can respond very quickly with this airlift relief hospital.
During this session some of the unique challenges and opportunities for women in missions will be presented. Participants will gain understanding regarding overcoming obstacles and barriers and how best to prepare for mission service. The presenter will illustrate the ideas through her own story.
Bonded labor is still a massive issue in the Subcontinent and despite all the technological advancements in the field of brick making, in Pakistan and India, still the centuries-old skill of manual brick making is used. The laborers are paid very less and are totally deprived of not only the health facilities and clean water but also the gospel. They don't know the Lord and they are bound to work regardless of the work conditions. We are working with the unreached groups like these in Pakistan and we exclusively share the good news of Christ's love with them through medicine and health care education. God has given me the burden to take my family medicine practice and skill of public health out in the remote areas of Pakistan to reach out to these unreached and untouched people who are neglected not only by the society but also the so-called top most Christian leadership of the country. We have seen excellent results as not only improved health status but also people being won for Christ.
In this breakout we will discuss the obstacles to empowering excellence in nursing in resource limited areas and provide evidence based and accepted guideline methods to promote excellence in nursing. We will share experiences in working with nursing and nursing education in developing countries.
Short Term Missions in the "Spiritually Darkest" areas of the world are becoming a challenge as access is being denied to western missionaries. The Lord has provided a model to equip indigenous believers with medical skills that will provide opportunities to share the Gospel. These believers know their language and culture that allow access to evangelize and transform communities in the name of Christ. Dr. Tom McKechnie founder of Teach To Transform and Kingspride Hammond founder of Alabaster Project in Ghana will discuss the impact of this model as an evangelical tool.
It is a privilege to be called by the Lord to serve him in Medical Missions. Keeping our spiritual health is vital to walking in the journey of caring for others, particularly in difficult circumstances for the patients or for the ministry. This session will be a time of considering the many ways difficulties in ministry might have us lose our focus or joy as we serve. We will look at ways to keep our spiritual and emotional health in difficult circumstances as well as how Scripture leads us to lean on the Lord during these times and other helps that we might have during these times.
This interactive session will help attendees to better understand the current opioid crisis and possible public health responses. Attendees will leave the session with evidence based plans for approaching opioid abuse in clinical as well as community settings. The session will engage participants using technology and discussion.
Operation mobilization medical in Disaster Response -- Opening and operating an emergency field hospital in a disaster setting has many interesting challenges. Operational areas such as base operations, procurement, communications, staffing and others must function differently when in disaster response mode. This session will talk through some of those challenges and lessons learned from several of our past responses.
This session will discuss how triage fits into the overall plan for patient treatment in disaster settings, and how it is an imprecise art. There will be a discussion about who should be a triage officer. Consideration will be given to the necessity of designing incident specific triage, or multiple triage areas. Factors of pre and post triage flow is discussed, as will be the limitations and challenges of international settings.
Daily headlines of disasters and crises can overwhelm or prompt us to action. This session will empower participants to effectively contribute to international response efforts through knowledge and application of life-saving and dignity-upholding elements as outlined by the international response community in the “Sphere Handbook: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response.” Participants will explore legal, ethical, and Biblical principles for responding well.
Serving as a medical provider in a disaster requires some preparation. Serving in a conflict zone takes that preparation to another level. Are you ready to serve? Let’s talk about that.
This session will cover the topic of sourcing medicines for missions. We will discuss the following: counterfeit medication, substandard medication, risks and benefits of obtaining medication in the united states and transporting it overseas versus obtaining the medication in developing nations, how to source medications that will be used in developing nations.
Public health measures such as vaccines and clean water are certainly critical and foundational to transforming health in a limited resource setting. However there are times as a long term medical missionary when the huge health disparities between specialty medical care in the developing and the developed world motivate one to initiate specialized treatment programs where none exist. We will discuss the factors to consider in beginning and sustaining these programs in extremely limited resource settings with examples from neonatology, hematology, and oncology at Kibuye Hope Hospital, a 170 bed teaching hospital in rural Burundi.
Nearly all Christians acknowledge the Bible as God's word, but many disciples, including aspiring health care missionaries, struggle to consistently apply its power to their lives and ministries. Come be encouraged to systematically read, love, and be transformed by the Holy Spirit's most powerful tool. Your future fruitfulness depends on it.
If you’ve spent any time with children or adolescents overseas, you know that behavioral problems, learning difficulties, and developmental delays are not restricted to the United States. Yet across all environments, we find that the traditional approaches often leave us feeling frustrated and unsuccessful. What if delays in social interactions, academics, emotional regulation, and daily living skills are actually symptoms of a more rudimentary concern? Children living in environments of poverty, turmoil, and/or disease are not in ideal circumstances for optimal development. By using the brain hierarchy of neuro development, participants will leave this session understanding how a child’s history may impact their overall potential and how to unlock success in a culturally sensitive manner.
This session will discuss removing educational debt as an obstacle to missionary service
Learn what a disaster response nurse does and what life is like before, during and after a deployment. Hear stories about caring for patients after earthquakes, typhoons, Ebola, Cholera, and war. Learn the skills you need and the next steps to take to be a part of a DART team.
When a couple young doctors approached me after a plenary session and requested I mentor them, I had no idea what that meant or even how I could do it. When this request was repeated after another conference more, it caught my attention and I laid out a plan. I then enlisted 17 young medical doctors and medical students as mentees in an innovative but structured 3 year mentorship program. The impact in advancing cross cultural medical missions has been significant. I wish I had started this earlier and set time as a priority to pass on what I have learnt to others. What really is mentoring and what lessons can we learn, together, from this model and the cohort’s, experience. This session will be testimonial, hearing from mentees and the mentor.
Neonatal survival in resource-limited countries is much lower than in industrialized nations. Twin pregnancies and breech presentations are at higher risker for poor neonatal outcomes. Birth asphyxia and prematurity are the two of the leading causes for neonatal deaths. Risks factors for stillbirths and early neonatal deaths such as post-term pregnancy are discussed. Treatment of birth asphyxia with hypothermia is highlighted as well as treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) with bubble CPAP. Specific patient case scenarios from the Zimba Mission Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) have been collected. Cost-effective strategies modified for the developing world can improve neonatal outcomes.
Single medical professionals are resilient in a cross-cultural setting and have the opportunity to be highly effective in service. The greatest challenges impact the personal home life of the individual. Applications to increase resiliency in the personal life will be explored with attention given to the relational and sexual domains of life. The worship will include a presentation followed by designated time to pose questions and dialog about the material.
The experiences that mold oneself are commanded by the Lord. We can’t chose where we are born, our skin color, or our primary language. Coming from the inner city of Caracas, Venezuela through the plantations of Georgia, winding through the Ozarks, and culminating with the hoods of Memphis, these experiences have served to equip me with the tools that are needed for the job. God placed in my heart a desire for the underserved, uninsured and undocumented of North America and he has given me a variety of experiences to wade through the waters of entrepreneurship. Come see how God can use my experiences to catapult you into your own adventure, where it is God who gets the glory.
“FIELD” in medicine usually refers to the areas of proficiency for which you have been medically trained. For those of us who see medicine as a calling to serve Christ, “FIELD” has a different meaning. It has to do with where we are serving Christ. You are in a field right now, even if you think you may be headed to another field in the future. Jesus calls us to an uncompromising view of ministry that applies in every “field” throughout our lives. As a student, a resident, in a domestic setting, or in an overseas placement, are you living out the gospel, engaging the lost, living intentionally, and being a prophetic and evangelistic voice where you are? We will examine Mark 4 to see how Christ calls us to a total life-vision for missional living.
When you feel God leading your life (generally or specifically), you know need others to support you on this journey. Unfortunately, even though we engage people daily on a variety of levels, we often times find ourselves overburdened and distracted by life. As a result, even though your heart desires deep and long-lasting community, you cannot engage as deeply as you would like. When the time comes when support is truly needed, it feels like you are starting from square one again. I know what this feels like and I want to show you today how you can begin to create the community that you need so when God finally begins showing you specific actions to take, you will have an army at your back supporting and encouraging you. We will take a deeper dive into the Missional.Life Roadmap tool that you have been introduced to in the main sessions. Additionally, we will dig into principles and practices to guide your next few months... and give you time to start your plan today. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step... and you are never alone. Find out more by visiting missional.life or joining our engaging session!
This session will address systems solutions to short-term mission (STM) drug-related quality of care problems. The quality of care various STM systems are capable of providing varies tremendously: -Well designed STM systems enable physicians, pharmacists and other providers to deliver high quality care and have the greatest possible impact for patient health and for the Kingdom. -Inadequately designed STM systems provide poor quality care and often cause more harm than benefit regardless of the training and expertise of team leaders and providers. We will assess mistakes made and lessons learned on over 45 global STMs, as well as 15 years long-term missions clinic practice in an area frequented by STMs. STM systems based on the work of missionary mentors, Jesus’ teaching and evidence based guidelines will also be reviewed.
Being a medical missionary is not easy. Now try leading a team of them! These folks tend to be intelligent, passionate individuals with big dreams (just like you). These are often important qualities for the work at hand, but they can easily lead to dysfunctional teams, explosive conflicts and national partners who feel steamrolled. In this session we want to discuss how leaders can keep team vision focused, community life vibrant and partnerships flourishing in the midst of the crucible that is the mission hospital. This session is for everyone regardless if they are the "team leader" because every medical missionary is a leader whether they want to be or not. Here’s a bit of catnip to help you along your way.
It is the general idea that the short-term missions is one sided. Often creating dependency- teams from USA go to the underdeveloped country to help and bring short term relief and address felt needs in the comminutes of the countries they visit. While that may be true, ‘passing on of skills’ showcases how the trend can be reversed and these very missions can impact providing long term and sustainable projects and help move from ‘relief’ to ‘development’ and self sustaining mode. Caleb Rayapati, will show case how the “Pass on the skills” is making an impact on the ground, a firsthand account of the partnering mission using the Dental Outreach skills in self sustaining method, involved in community development in India impacting through practice of Biblical wholisim- a first hand account of how Indian Church has impacted using health care skills.
The need for surgical subspecialist exists in the third world. So, why is it that many surgeons think that mission work is only done by primary care teams? Why are students afraid to enter a surgical subspecialty if they also have a passion for missions? This session is geared towards students who have a passion for both a surgery subspecialty and mission work. It will also target practicing surgeons searching for opportunities to serve. Many models of service will be presented to show how practicing surgeons are using their skills and also teaching their skills to others abroad. The session will wrap up with a question and answer session with a panel of surgeons sharing their experiences.
Intended for Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist s to learn how to prepare for and then serve in a therapy clinic on a short term ( 1-2 weeks) medical missions trip. This session will teach needed preparations and expectations of a short term physical therapy medical mission trip.
This session will have many practical tips on how you can bring your spiritual faith into your everyday clinical care. These Bible-based principles have been taught around the world in the author's "Saline Solution," "International Saline Solution," "Grace Prescriptions," "Workplace Grace," and "Going Public with Your Faith" books, conferences, and small-group courses. After this session, you'll be able to share Christ and His Grace with each patient you serve and each colleague you meet.
This is a Student Focused session for medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing and all other health related future practitioners. This session is open to all beyond students, please feel welcomed and come. As you contemplate life after “medical training” short term missions might be in your plan. Many students choose their area of medicine with that life goal. Intentions can be good but often obstacles get in the way and many years could pass before that first trip is realized. Don’t wait for that one day to start. Serving the Lord through short term medical missions has many blessings. The rewards the Lord bestows for those that are obedient to this calling are life changing. Come and hear from a seasoned short term medical missionary things he has seen and learned.
Knowledge of good health practices often does not change health behaviors. This session will share proven ways to motivate people to change their health behaviors using non-financial incentives as demonstrated in a community health program that has changed the health of 1.2 million people. These techniques are applicable in both the USA or abroad.
The Christian community has long used medical skills as a means to share God’s love. Often our default thinking includes a missionary doctor in an established clinic, but God is presenting more opportunities for Christians to answer the call to serve the critical needs of others through emergency responses. How can we use the skills and resources God is already preparing so that His love may be shared with those caught in the ditches of life? This session will communicate some of the biblical principles that support emergency responses, showcase ways that these responses are having an impact for the Gospel, and describe some unique components of successful disaster response efforts.
One of the most-cited (or unspoken) barriers to missions service, especially for young couples, is concerns of raising children on the mission field. Hear from a doctor and nurse on how they are raising a thriving family among unreached Muslims in the impoverished Sahel in Africa.
The number one need of cross-cultural workers is spiritual connection with God. Spiritual influencers need to be spiritually fueled. Medical personnel are often located in remote regions where limited worship resources are available. One's home church provided one or two spiritual disciplines - and those mediums of worship are not assessible. How do I find connection to God? Various worship avenues will be compared to how God has designed your inner spirit. An experiential workshop of spiritual discovery to find your path to God. Begin the journey by completing the attached Spiritual Pathways Assessment prior to attending the workshop.
Missionaries and others who travel to provide humanitarian aid or disaster relief must ensure their personal health and well-being before, during, and after travel. Preparation for safe and healthy travel is critical, particularly when individuals may be traveling to a resource-limited environment. Outbreaks of infectious disease have been documented among missionaries, including both short- and long-term missionaries. Recent examples include dengue infections in multiple groups of missionaries to the Caribbean. Missionaries may face challenges such as working long hours under adverse or extreme conditions, and medical missionaries may be exposed to infectious diseases as part of their work. Missionaries with medical backgrounds may also find themselves in the position of monitoring the health of other missionaries in their group. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers recommendations and resources for safe and healthy travel.
This is a practical application of principles for the treatment of one of the most common problems that univerally is found in all cultures. That is mechanical spinal pain. This workshop is directed toward the Non-PT with application for all medical professionals that are seeing patients with back or neck pain. The method is designed to enable the patient to learn how treat and prevent recurrence of their symtoms.
How do you keep up with the demands of ministry while balancing the needs of family, not to mention your own needs? How do you keep doing more with less? How do you protect yourself from burnout while advocating for the least of these? How do you establish boundaries without neglecting the needs of your community? These are some of the questions Dr. Thomas and his wife, Jessie hopes to explore as they shares lessons from the field. Dr. Thomas serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Dayspring Family Health Center answering a call to serve vulnerable and marginalized communities. Jessie serves as the National Director of Student Programming at Christian Community Health Fellowship (CCHF.) They have three teenage children. Serving their family and discipling their children are some of their top priorities. They are also active leaders in their local church. Despite the busyness and numerous challenges of ministry and family life, they have learned the importance of balance, boundaries, and rest. If you are experiencing burnout or having a difficult time keeping “afloat”, this session may give you some insights on how to maneuver through the ups and downs of missional living.
Providing a safe delivery in developing nations represents a priority in global health. Even with supervised facility-based deliveries, complications are common and alternative resources can be a challenge. Several simple and practical management options for the intrapartum patient can increase her chances for having a healthy delivery.
Let’s be honest, the eye is scary, delicate and complicated. Most of us don’t want anything to do with it. Too bad! As a medical missionary, chances are you will be forced to sooner or later. No worries! We will simplify the anatomy, examination, diagnosis and treatment for the most common scenarios so that even you can care for eyeballs while preserving the patient’s sight and a bit of your dignity.
According to the United States Census Bureau, nearly 1 in 5 people in the United States have a disability. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that in the U.S., 27.1 percent of years lived with disability (YLDs) are caused by mental and behavioral disorders. In other words, we are continually interacting with individuals with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities within our local communities, including our churches. The Bible tells us that “the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor” (1 Corinthians 12: 2-23), yet these “less honorable” individuals are often missing from our communities, if not ignored and rejected altogether by local churches. This presentation will look at mental health and disability from a biblical perspective and discuss the ways the Lord uses mental health and disability for His glory. We will share challenges and joys in helping and treating individuals with mental health and disability. We will share the spiritual lessons the Lord has taught us through our work as Christian health professionals in our respective work places. We hope to raise awareness of mental health and disability and to encourage and challenge fellow Christians.
Whether or not they should, tens of thousands of Muslims from diverse corners of the Muslim world are transferring allegiance from Mohammed and the Qur’an to Messiah Jesus and His Kingdom ... while still identifying themselves as Muslims. You'll meet many of them. Taking your medical skills to the Muslim World? What's your objective? Healthy Orthodoxic Christian Converts who ascribe to our Creeds? Healthy Orthodoxic and Orthopraxic Believers (some still remain in the fold of Islam) who transfer their allegiance to the Son of God and live/obey all He commands? It's easy to focus on the former and pay too little attention to the latter. You'll learn of Insider Movements of "Muslim Believers" who focus on both.
There is no shortage of need all around us on a daily basis, in addition to people who have health care needs in rural or remote areas. Is it possible to meet every person’s health care needs while partnering in medical missions? How could we multiply our efforts to meet people’s needs? How can the local church participate in meeting people’s health care needs? Is it possible to train the local church to be the front line in caring for their communities health care needs while partnering with health care professionals for the more serious cases? This session will address how health care professionals can partner with local Christ followers to maximize our efforts for the sake of the Gospel.
According to research, more than 80% of the world live in Creative Access Situations – places that do not welcome missionaries or religious workers. Yet there are still many living in those areas that do not have access to or have not heard the good news. What are some of the opportunities and challenges of serving in a Creative Access Context? How can we share the good news of Jesus in all its fullness to these people?
Public Health as Mission: Historically, the focus of medical missions has often been individual, curative health care services. However, many field practitioners have realized after years of hard (and occasionally frustrating) work that an intentional approach to population health leads to improved health for larger numbers of people and a decline in acute, treatable but preventable diseases. When population health is combined with a clear message of the Good News of Christ, the result is often wholistic transformation of bodies and souls for both individuals and communities. This subtopic examines the principles of population or public health and how these principles facilitate community transformation. Integrating CHE into Primary Care Practice: The WHO and our most respected medical journals, such as The Lancet, have long reported that the integration of community health into primary care practice is the key to the very future of healthcare. (For example, see WHO's "Building from Common Foundations" and "Primary Care, Now More Than Ever" and The Lancet Volume 372, Page 872) Best Practices in Community Health: Sustainable community health development requires participatory approaches that put the community at the center of its health and development. Explore principles, practices, and example activities in community health that effectively engage communities and facilitate transformation. CHE/Transformation Development Case Study: Transforming lives and Communities through the seamless integration of evangelism, discipleship, disease prevention, and community owned development. This subtopic will explain and explore the core values that make CHE work across the globe: Multiplication, Wholistic & Integration, Community Ownership, Development verses Relief by looking at a case study of a community which has been transformed in measurable ways. Transitioning from Short-term Medical Teams to Sustainable Community Development: This session will focus on how to transition from typical short-term medical teams to models that result in sustainable community development
Knowing and Engaging God's Will: Approaching God's will as guidance and leading, rather than a roadmap God's Peace in a World of Chaos: We have far more to do than can possibly be done and we feel pulled in every direction. On top of that, the world around us seems increasingly chaotic What must we do to live and experience God's peace in our lives? Living Missionally in Your Life and Career Path: Missions is just for full-time missionaries. Everyone is called to live missionally wherever we are and whatever we do. How can we learn to live missionally with our various gifts, jobs, and career-paths? Crosscultural Living: Living crossculturally is something we sometimes have to do, like when we move to another country or even a different part of this one, or we have to pursue in our own cities and towns. How do we approach crosscultural living and how do we engage others from different cultural backgrounds, whether around the world or right here at home. Engaging My Muslim Neighbor: It's one thing to study and try to understand Islam, it's another to meet and engage Muslims. In this session we will consider some basic issues and explore practical ways to meet and minister to our Muslim neighbors.
International Healthcare Professional Education - What You Need to Know: This session will discuss (1) the advantages of teaching overseas, (2 ) its limitations, ), and (3) lessons learned from experience teaching overseas. Long Term Medical Teaching Overseas: This session will discuss opportunities for and the benefits of long term healthcare professional training overseas, using the example of residency training of Africans in Africa. Opportunities for paid professional medical teaching positions overseas, some in English, will be briefly discussed. Short Term Medical Teaching Overseas: This session will discuss different types of short term healthcare professional teaching opportunities overseas and give examples of their impacts. Whole Person Medicine and Whole Person Teaching: This session will outline the nature, benefits, and wide acceptance of whole person medicine education and the wholistic teaching methods used to teach it. Whole Person Medicine Education – The Kenyan Story: This session will tell the story of how whole person medicine education was brought to Kenya and how it has become an indigenous ministry with wide impact.
Awareness and Education on human trafficking: This session will describe the importance of raising awareness among healthcare professionals regarding the issue of human trafficking, and educating them to recognize potential victims of human trafficking within the healthcare setting. The session will provide educational resources on human trafficking as well as resources that will enable the participant to raise awareness of human trafficking among his/her colleagues. Engaging local survivors: This session will discuss the importance of utilizing local survivors of human trafficking in efforts to raise awareness about human trafficking as well as educating healthcare professionals regarding the types of human trafficking that occurs within their location. The session will also emphasize the importance of incorporating survivor input as hospitals and clinics begin to develop response protocols for human trafficking. Developing an institutional response: This session will emphasize the importance of developing a full and multidisciplinary response to victims of human trafficking encountered by a healthcare institution such as a hospital. The session will provide various resources for developing an institutional response including a toolkit for developing a response as well as sample protocols that have been developed. Responding as a community: This session will focus on the various aspects of how a local community should respond to both international and domestic victims of human trafficking in terms of prevention, identification, and aftercare. Special attention will be given to the development of a dedicated clinic that specializes in the healthcare of victims of human trafficking. Responding globally to human trafficking: This session will describe current short term overseas medical mission opportunities available through CMDA that specialize in the care of human trafficking victims. The session will also explore the unique issues surrounding the development of an adequate response to victims of human trafficking within a mission healthcare setting.
The Biblical Foundation for Meeting Physical Needs as Ministry: When we look at the life of Jesus, we see that His ministry had components of preaching (to the crowds), healing (individuals), and discipling (primarily the 12). As followers of Jesus, we want to do as He did. “Preach and heal” are not mutually exclusive things. While the spiritual realm is eternal and the physical realm is temporal, people still have real physical needs. Jesus did not ignore these needs. At the same time, many get so concerned about physical needs that they forget about the spiritual origin of these physical needs. As Christians, we know that the origin of death, pain, and disease ultimately goes back to man’s rebellion against God in the Garden. This discussion will attempt to establish a Biblical framework for healthcare ministry. How God introduced me to His way of missions, that brought Him the glory due Him alone: After experiencing the exhilaration of seeing God use my dental skills to serve His Kingdom, I became overwhelmed by the futility of going and doing. It was time for a new model, one that was consistent with the way God works. 12 years ago a group of us started training local believers to meet the dental needs of their community and witnessed, amazing God-sized results. Allow me to share what God did. Short-Term Medical Missions Effect on Long-Term World Healthcare and the Kingdom of Heaven: Short-Term Medical Missions are becoming a major factor in global healthcare that accounts for millions of dollars spent on travel, accommodations, personal time and effort, but are we truly impacting the Kingdom of Heaven. There is no standardize governing body to evaluate the quality, sustainability or accountability of Short Term Medical Mission’s. Since most organization reports are somewhat biased by their own reporting and when we stop and evaluate cost, efficiency and sustainability are we influencing world health without creating dependency and effectively sharing the good news? When we look at specific metrics, education is usually not a primary goal and in fact, the belief that any care is acceptable regardless of the quality, is widespread. It is the goal of many like-minded mission organizations that “education” of indigenous believers is the answer to the problem of dependency, sustainability, long-term world health and expanding the Kingdom of Heaven. How to Develop Sustainable Healthcare on a Short Term Trip: It is a general perception that the short-term missions is one sided. Often creating dependency- teams from USA go to the underdeveloped country to help and bring short term relief and address felt needs in the comminutes of the countries they visit. While that may be true, short term teams could actually do lots more by way of ‘passing on of skills’ and change the trend to make optimum use of the time and resources. Short term team could provide long term and sustainable projects and help move from ‘relief’ to ‘development’ and in establishing self sustaining projects that could be carried out by the local partners on an ongoing basis.Passing on the skills would thus make an impact on the ground. The Long Term Impact of a Sustainable Healthcare Model: A sustainable healthcare model is based on several factors: Preparing the local church through training, selecting the right students; practical and relevant training for the students; and follow up till the clinic volunteers become competent. The result they are able to minister wholistically to many patients over time and have a good business model that generates income to keep the medical ministry running.
Divine Design - Who You Are Matters To Missions: Knowing your particular strengths, skills, personality, spiritual gifts and passions, we will seek to help you understand how their unique fit can guide you to an awareness of where your life can make the greatest impact. Great Expectations - The Sending Church and the MPW: Exploring how the Market Place Worker sending model differs from the traditional missionary sending model, and what each party in the process should expect—church leaders, the Market Place Worker, the congregation. Opportunity Knocks — Landing a Job in a Global Market: Identifying global employment opportunities in the healthcare sector and ways to increase your chances of getting hired. Painting a realistic picture of employment overseas and the process to get you there. Incredible Journey — Real Life Stories from Real Live MPWs: Hear from real people intentionally living out their lives in a workplace and a neighborhood where Jesus is not yet known. Understand what questions they get asked, what friendships are like and how they “do ministry”. Get a glimpse into their inspiration, their journey and the opportunities they see for Market Place Workers. Your Move — Stepping Into God’s Design: Point out tools available to participants that can help them continue learning and progressing toward a decision to take a job overseas and serve as a MPW. Provide a time for finalizing earlier personal reflections and group discussions on the topics presented. Submit questions for the panel to address in the closing Q&A session.
Becoming a missionary -- In John 15 Jesus said that apart from Him we can do nothing. Without a sure and solid foundation in Jesus we have nothing to give. Scripture and prayer are essential in preparing for and in doing ministry, not just later on in a cross-cultural ministry setting, but it must start right now. Managing Expectations: If misplaced expectations are the number one reason missionaries leave the field, how can one set accurate expectations? This session will help address major issues to consider in preparing for missions. Becoming a lifelong learner, determining what success looks like and expecting to be flexible are just a few. Developing Cross-Cultural Relationships: Developing cross-cultural relationships is vital to a missionary's ability to thrive and minister effectively in a new host culture. A biblical understanding of cross-cultural living will help inform and guide our personal journeys as we serve in cross-cultural settings. Dealing with the Tough Stuff: This intensive session will explore the biblical perspective of personal suffering and the suffering of those we serve. It will look at the challenge of trusting in a loving and sovereign God amidst suffering. Stories will shed light on the “Why?” question, how to prepare for the tough stuff, how to help others, and how to survive through tough times. Friendships & Support: Missionaries need friends in order to thrive. This session will focus on understanding the value of friendships and support in building resilience. A variety of relationships are essential for a healthy missionary and require intentionality.
Key Issues in Planning and Assessing STM : What are the top 2-3 areas to explore when you are getting ready to engage in STM?How can you match your priorities with the priorities of potential STM groups and locations? Partnering with Nationals: What are the key steps to take to prepare to serve with nationals on STM? What is it about me that needs to change for me to be an effective partner on STM? Spiritual Growth as a Student on STM: What are the 3 most important things I should do in order for God to use me as a student on STM? What does successful spiritual growth look like for a healthcare student? Working Across Cultures on STM: Healthcare here and there – what’s the big difference? Do I really need to prepare to work in another culture? It’s just a short trip! Working with others on STM: I get along great on group projects at school. Isn’t a STM trip about the same? I’m more of an introvert and like to work on my own. No problems, right?
Understanding Islam: This intensive session will explore the urgency for understanding Islam as a religion and political structure and its impact on Western culture. Understanding the Muslim World: This intensive session will explore the importance of understanding the various Muslim cultures, backgrounds, and heart felt needs in an effort to effectively and winsomely communicate the Gospel. What is the Gospel to Muslims: This intensive session will explore why more Muslims have become followers of Jesus in the last twenty years than in the previous 1400 years combined. Tools to share the Gospel: This intensive session will explore practical tools to help the Church speak to the hearts and minds of Muslims. Where to meet and engage Muslims in the Gospel: This intensive session will reveal where to find Muslims in the local community and across the ocean with the ultimate goal of sharing the Gospel.
This session is for those considering full-time missions – internationally and/or in the US. Hear healthcare missionaries share their own journeys and answers to five key questions: What if my spouse or potential spouse, family or friends are not supportive of me doing missions? How can I be missional now? What about student loans, raising financial support? How do I find God’s guidance in the journey? Why and how do I connect with a mentor or agency or team or training? The last hour will be spent in a discussion group with a missionary coach. You may select a group that fits your current stage on the journey: Exploring whether or not to consider full-time missions Heading towards full-time missions with where, etc. to be decided Planning towards full-time missions with a focus already in view And also whether you are: Single Married and no children Married with children Discover hope, learn key resources, meet others, and take steps on the journey to full-time missions.
What should be the biblical response to disaster? Elliott and Ken explain in their plenary session how a Christian can effective minister in the mists of difficult circumstances.
When you feel God leading your life (generally or specifically), you know need others to support you on this journey. Unfortunately, even though we engage people daily on a variety of levels, we often times find ourselves overburdened and distracted by life. As a result, even though your heart desires deep and long-lasting community, you cannot engage as deeply as you would like. When the time comes when support is truly needed, it feels like you are starting from square one again. I know what this feels like and I want to show you today how you can begin to create the community that you need so when God finally begins showing you specific actions to take, you will have an army at your back supporting and encouraging you. We will take a deeper dive into the Missional.Life Roadmap tool that you have been introduced to in the main sessions. Additionally, we will dig into principles and practices to guide your next few months... and give you time to start your plan today. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step... and you are never alone. Find out more by visiting missional.life or joining our engaging session!
Single medical professionals are resilient in a cross-cultural setting and have the opportunity to be highly effective in service. The greatest challenges impact the personal home life of the individual. Applications to increase resiliency in the personal life will be explored with attention given to the relational and sexual domains of life. The worship will include a presentation followed by designated time to pose questions and dialog about the material.
This is a Student Focused session for medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing and all other health related future practitioners. This session is open to all beyond students, please feel welcomed and come. Most of us go through our medical training with the future thoughts of practicing in our health-related fields as our life profession somewhere. It is here that our lives will develop and our stories will unfold. Many of us have preconceived thoughts of living in a community, raising a family and serving our Lord at our local church. And it is here also that we will one day finish our careers and then retire. Sometimes our lives change course. And sometimes it just takes a simple “Yes” for that change to occur. Come and hear testimonies of hope and encouragement from a panel of medical providers that God had changed the course of their lives. Come and dream of the wonders that God has planned for you as you hear stories of His providential calling. Panel Members will include: David Stevens MD: CEO of Christian Medical and Dental Associations Charlie Vittitow DMD: Missions Director at Southeast Christian Church Tricia Burgess MD: Upcoming Director of Global Health Outreach David Maddy DMD: Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of International Outreach and Service Learning, University of Louisville School of Dentistry
Despite improved preventive efforts, malaria still kills approximately 500,000 people every year - mostly children and pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. This session will update current knowledge about malaria, review clinical presentations and diagnostic testing, and discuss treatment and prevention.
Learn how two organizations are working together to develop a BSN curriculum “tool box” to facilitate the advancement of the practice of nursing in developing countries while building capacity for nursing leadership. The speakers will share the initial framework of the curriculum and steps being taken to engage nursing leaders in other countries.
“FIELD” in medicine usually refers to the areas of proficiency for which you have been medically trained. For those of us who see medicine as a calling to serve Christ, “FIELD” has a different meaning. It has to do with where we are serving Christ. You are in a field right now, even if you think you may be headed to another field in the future. Jesus calls us to an uncompromising view of ministry that applies in every “field” throughout our lives. As a student, a resident, in a domestic setting, or in an overseas placement, are you living out the gospel, engaging the lost, living intentionally, and being a prophetic and evangelistic voice where you are? We will examine Mark 4 to see how Christ calls us to a total life-vision for missional living.
As healthcare professionals learn to utilize spiritual interventions in patient care, they quickly learn they do not have enough time or resources to meet all of their patient's religious or spiritual needs. This session will have many practical tips on how you can be a change agent to establish a spiritual care team wherever you are called to serve as a healthcare professional. This Bible-based care system has been taught around the world in the author's "Saline Solution," "International Saline Solution," and "Grace Prescriptions," books, conferences, and small-group courses. After this session, you'll be prepared to build a team of Jesus followers to share Christ and His Grace with each patient you serve and each colleague you meet.
With the exploding number of new medical and nursing schools (Christian and secular), especially in Africa, finding teachers for the basic science years is a priority and opportunity. In the past, teaching basic science subjects to health care professionals has not usually been viewed as a missionary career path. This workshop will be a panel that will feature short presentations by health care educators, who have worked on the mission field. The needs and opportunities for basic science teachers will be presented followed by a time of discussion and questions from the audience. There will be an open discussion as to how we might find and recruit basic science teachers from schools in the High and Middle Income Countries (HMIC’s) to teach in health professional schools in Low Income Countries (LIC’s).
The experiences that mold oneself are commanded by the Lord. We can’t chose where we are born, our skin color, or our primary language. Coming from the inner city of Caracas, Venezuela through the plantations of Georgia, winding through the Ozarks, and culminating with the hoods of Memphis, these experiences have served to equip me with the tools that are needed for the job. God placed in my heart a desire for the underserved, uninsured and undocumented of North America and he has given me a variety of experiences to wade through the waters of entrepreneurship. Come see how God can use my experiences to catapult you into your own adventure, where it is God who gets the glory.
We all know, and assume, that our basis for missions is the Bible - and it is! But how does the Bible talk about missions? We all know "the Great Commission," but that's really the tip of the iceberg. Missions in the Bible is at the heart of God's unfolding story, and we are invited to take our place in that story of all stories. In this session we will
Serving as a medical provider in a disaster requires some preparation. Serving in a conflict zone takes that preparation to another level. Are you ready to serve? Let’s talk about that.
Asian American Christians health care workers have shown a high level of interest in medical missions as evidenced by a disproportionately large percentage of Asian Americans who attend missions conferences such as Urbana or Louisville GMHC. Yet relatively small percentage end up as long term medical missionaries at this time. A panel of long-term Asian American health care workers will discuss potential barriers as well as potential solutions for Asian Americans serving as long term medical missionaries.
"Rural America" conjures up warm, innocent images from Norman Rockwell paintings. Today, however, small town America could not be further from this picture. Broken homes, epidemic drug abuse, staggering unemployment, and paralyzing depression have ravaged these once nostalgic streets. We’re not in Mayberry anymore! God has called all of us to serve, yet medical missions in rural America have been neglected due to the needs of other parts of the world. When we survey the desperate needs in less populated areas and the lack of access to quality healthcare, it is obvious there is a deficiency. Rural hospitals are closing. Funding is low. Providers are led to other more “obvious” mission fields. In reality, 46.2 million people live in nonmetropolitan counties — that’s nearly 15 percent of U.S. residents spread across 72 percent of the Nation's land area. Who will care for the rural poor? Dr. Thomas will share about his journey from India to Appalachia. He serves as the Medical Director at Dayspring Family Health Center and co-pastors a local church, answering a call to serve vulnerable and marginalized communities. Despite the many challenges of such a ministry, he is learning to experience the rich rewards of caring for the least of these in rural Tennessee. Listen as he shares his stories of serving God in a way he never asked or imagined. Participants will be able to describe the medical, social, spiritual disparities of rural communities.
Communication between Christians and Muslims tends to hit a dead end. Come and learn from our Savior’s example how to tell the story of salvation to Muslims.
Why do Christians suffer? There are almost as many answers and opinions about suffering as there are Christians. To some suffering is just part of living in a fallen world. It is to be avoided if at all possible and, if necessary, to be endured with Jesus’ help until we escape this life and get to heaven. Others may think it is all from the Devil. Others believe the primary source is personal sin or the sin of others. Some believe it is from a lack of faith and if we just had more faith suffering would not come. There is some truth in each of these perspectives of course but they are not the whole story. Anyone following Jesus will experience suffering at some point in their lives including those who abandon themselves to follow him in mission anywhere in the world. This seminar will look at what the Bible teaches about suffering and discover what it teaches about the role of suffering in our lives, how God uses it to fulfill his purposes for us and how it prepares us to be more effective missionaries and servants in his name.
The Somali Civil War coupled with interviewing over 600 believers in Jesus from approximately 72 countries provides a fertile learning environment for health care workers and all believers from the West who follow Jesus’ command to “go” as sheep among wolves. What role does listening play in healing and regaining a sense of self?
Your identity profile is the unique combination of personality, strengths, skills, spiritual gifts, and passions. This breakout session will explain how identity self-awareness fits into the context of life planning with three practical outcomes: 1) gain clarity and confidence about the best contribution you make to a team, 2) prioritize where you need to growth the most right now, and 3) how you are vulnerable to sabotaging relationships or derailing your own leadership.
Neonatal survival in resource-limited countries is much lower than in industrialized nations. Twin pregnancies and breech presentations are at higher risker for poor neonatal outcomes. Birth asphyxia and prematurity are the two of the leading causes for neonatal deaths. Risks factors for stillbirths and early neonatal deaths such as post-term pregnancy are discussed. Treatment of birth asphyxia with hypothermia is highlighted as well as treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) with bubble CPAP. Specific patient case scenarios from the Zimba Mission Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) have been collected. Cost-effective strategies modified for the developing world can improve neonatal outcomes.
Bonded labor is still a massive issue in the Subcontinent and despite all the technological advancements in the field of brick making, in Pakistan and India, still the centuries-old skill of manual brick making is used. The laborers are paid very less and are totally deprived of not only the health facilities and clean water but also the gospel. They don't know the Lord and they are bound to work regardless of the work conditions. We are working with the unreached groups like these in Pakistan and we exclusively share the good news of Christ's love with them through medicine and health care education. God has given me the burden to take my family medicine practice and skill of public health out in the remote areas of Pakistan to reach out to these unreached and untouched people who are neglected not only by the society but also the so-called top most Christian leadership of the country. We have seen excellent results as not only improved health status but also people being won for Christ.
Learn what a disaster response nurse does and what life is like before, during and after a deployment. Hear stories about caring for patients after earthquakes, typhoons, Ebola, Cholera, and war. Learn the skills you need and the next steps to take to be a part of a DART team.
This session will discuss removing educational debt as an obstacle to missionary service
This interactive session will help attendees to better understand the current opioid crisis and possible public health responses. Attendees will leave the session with evidence based plans for approaching opioid abuse in clinical as well as community settings. The session will engage participants using technology and discussion.
Faith-based medical ministries have substantial opportunities to improve healthcare through biomedical research. Success typically requires collaboration between national, organizational, and expert stakeholders. In this session practical aspects of developing a collaborative research program will be discussed.
Daily headlines of disasters and crises can overwhelm or prompt us to action. This session will empower participants to effectively contribute to international response efforts through knowledge and application of life-saving and dignity-upholding elements as outlined by the international response community in the “Sphere Handbook: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response.” Participants will explore legal, ethical, and Biblical principles for responding well.
Recent years have seen Tuberculosis re-emerge as a worsening global health burden. Management of Tuberculosis involves treating individual patients as well as protecting community and international public health. Tuberculosis treatment using the DOTs strategy is highly cost-effective, but poorly managed Tuberculosis programs can lead to the development of resistant epidemics. The clinician working in the developing world needs to understand and apply the latest guidelines in Tuberculosis diagnosis, treatment and management strategies.
When a couple young doctors approached me after a plenary session and requested I mentor them, I had no idea what that meant or even how I could do it. When this request was repeated after another conference more, it caught my attention and I laid out a plan. I then enlisted 17 young medical doctors and medical students as mentees in an innovative but structured 3 year mentorship program. The impact in advancing cross cultural medical missions has been significant. I wish I had started this earlier and set time as a priority to pass on what I have learnt to others. What really is mentoring and what lessons can we learn, together, from this model and the cohort’s, experience. This session will be testimonial, hearing from mentees and the mentor.
If you’ve spent any time with children or adolescents overseas, you know that behavioral problems, learning difficulties, and developmental delays are not restricted to the United States. Yet across all environments, we find that the traditional approaches often leave us feeling frustrated and unsuccessful. What if delays in social interactions, academics, emotional regulation, and daily living skills are actually symptoms of a more rudimentary concern? Children living in environments of poverty, turmoil, and/or disease are not in ideal circumstances for optimal development. By using the brain hierarchy of neuro development, participants will leave this session understanding how a child’s history may impact their overall potential and how to unlock success in a culturally sensitive manner.
Vector-borne diseases are among the most complex of all infectious diseases to prevent and control. In recent years, several viruses have spread to new regions and immunologically naïve populations, with significant implications for local populations and international travelers. Zika virus is primarily transmitted to humans via several species of Aedes mosquitoes and can cause symptoms of fever, joint pain, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle aches, and headache. Most Zika virus infections are asymptomatic or are associated with a short course of mild illness, but severe health outcomes are also associated with this pathogen. Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects. This session will look at the World Health Organization’s Zika virus country classification categories, discuss the CDC travel guidance for countries with risk of ZIka, and look at principles underlying CDC’s travel recommendations.
You know that you've been called to serve in the inner-city. However, you sometimes wonder how you can effectively serve in a community whose culture may be quite different from the one that you have always known. This workshop will utilize discussion and case study illustrations to provide practical steps that one can take to better understand the culture and engage more fully with the community that they have been called to serve as a domestic urban missionary.
Nearly all Christians acknowledge the Bible as God's word, but many disciples, including aspiring health care missionaries, struggle to consistently apply its power to their lives and ministries. Come be encouraged to systematically read, love, and be transformed by the Holy Spirit's most powerful tool. Your future fruitfulness depends on it.
Community Health Evangelism (CHE) is a breakthrough mission strategy that seamlessly integrates evangelism and discipleship with disease prevention and community-based development. Through these ministries people become followers of Jesus, churches are planted, and entire communities are lifted out of cycles of poverty and disease.
The previous generations of mission leaders have produced amazing fruit. The work left to be done requires a modification of our approach in taking the gospel to some of the hardest places on earth. We'll discuss how God is uniting His church to finish the task.
This session will discuss how triage fits into the overall plan for patient treatment in disaster settings, and how it is an imprecise art. There will be a discussion about who should be a triage officer. Consideration will be given to the necessity of designing incident specific triage, or multiple triage areas. Factors of pre and post triage flow is discussed, as will be the limitations and challenges of international settings.
Have you ever been asked, “Why are you still single?”. If so, then this session is for you! We will address common misconceptions about single ministry by looking to God’s Word and sharing our own experiences as single women working in urban Memphis.
Amber continues her plenary session on Discipleship in the Real World with this breakout session.
Listen in as Amber speaks to the entire conference about discipleship in the real world.
This session will examine the current situation in Egypt, one of four global hub cities for refugees and migrants. A United Nations led multi-country study on migrants. Focus will be on drivers of youth migration, including both push and pull factors; and service needs and accessibility issues for youth migrants in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, and gender based violence. Options for short term missions will be presented. Increasing flows of migrants and refugees across international borders has captured popular attention, spurred international policy developments, and highlighted the need for improved programs in support of safe and orderly migration. Recent increase in the displacement of populations across international borders around the world is the highest in 70 years, and contributed to an estimated 244 million migrants (3.3% of the world’s population) in 2015 where 20 million of whom are refugees (UNHCR, 2016). International data shows a high representation of youth among migrants transiting into urban areas, and among international migrants. In Africa and Central Asia one in three people is between 10 and 24, and some 120 million young people reach working age every year. The proportion is highest in the least developed countries suffering extreme travel challenges including violence, trafficking and coercion throughout even in re-settlement environments. Over the past four years, countries in the Middle East have become host to more than 4.2 million new refugees mostly from African and Middle Eastern countries. Egypt became an increasingly important destination country during the late 2000s for migrants and asylum seekers from more than 60 countries, including Palestinians, East Africans, South Asians and, more recently, Iraqis and Syrians. This is while under-development, limited employment opportunities and/or conflict undermine survival and prospects for young people. In all fora, there is widespread concern over the challenge of securing data on persons affected and their needs, drivers of migration, and key decision-points for onward mobility.
This session will cover the topic of sourcing medicines for missions. We will discuss the following: counterfeit medication, substandard medication, risks and benefits of obtaining medication in the united states and transporting it overseas versus obtaining the medication in developing nations, how to source medications that will be used in developing nations.
God's Kingdom is one of paradox. He is famous for His heart for the poor and for His heart for the nations. However, most don't realize how intimately these two passions of His are intertwined. This has massive and unexpected implications for any disciple of Jesus. Paradoxically, global poverty will never end until every nation is reached with the Gospel.
How do I pick a mission agency? How do I know I'm "called?" What about raising children overseas? How can I avoid burnout? These and other questions are answered in this popular talk illustrated with real and sometimes humorous real life stories.
It is a privilege to be called by the Lord to serve him in Medical Missions. Keeping our spiritual health is vital to walking in the journey of caring for others, particularly in difficult circumstances for the patients or for the ministry. This session will be a time of considering the many ways difficulties in ministry might have us lose our focus or joy as we serve. We will look at ways to keep our spiritual and emotional health in difficult circumstances as well as how Scripture leads us to lean on the Lord during these times and other helps that we might have during these times.
Short term missions usually involve a team of people contributing their skills to an indigenous people group. When that team leaves the work often ends. This session will present an innovative alternative to that model, where sharing knowledge and skills with local believers empowers them to serve their people group long after the teaching team leaves!
Samaritan’s Purse disaster response has expanded to include an Emergency Field Hospital (EFH). This workshop will demonstrate what we have learned in adapting modern surgical and medical techniques to a disaster environment. Our EFH is a self-contained modular tent-based system which can adapt to the particular need. Whether it be an earthquake, tsunami, typhoon, or refugee crisis, we can respond very quickly with this airlift relief hospital.
Being a medical missionary is not easy. Now try leading a team of them! These folks tend to be intelligent, passionate individuals with big dreams (just like you). These are often important qualities for the work at hand, but they can easily lead to dysfunctional teams, explosive conflicts and national partners who feel steamrolled. In this session we want to discuss how leaders can keep team vision focused, community life vibrant and partnerships flourishing in the midst of the crucible that is the mission hospital. This session is for everyone regardless if they are the "team leader" because every medical missionary is a leader whether they want to be or not. Here’s a bit of catnip to help you along your way.
In this breakout we will discuss the obstacles to empowering excellence in nursing in resource limited areas and provide evidence based and accepted guideline methods to promote excellence in nursing. We will share experiences in working with nursing and nursing education in developing countries.
This session will review the most common medical considerations you should be aware of before traveling on a short-term medical mission trip. I will review common malaria prophylaxis medications, immunizations, treatment of traveler’s diarrhea as well as other tips and tricks to know. This session is ideal for those with minimal international travel experience.
Opening and operating an emergency field hospital in a disaster setting has many interesting challenges. Operational areas such as base operations, procurement, communications, staffing and others must function differently when in disaster response mode. This session will talk through some of those challenges and lessons learned from several of our past responses.
Short Term Missions in the "Spiritually Darkest" areas of the world are becoming a challenge as access is being denied to western missionaries. The Lord has provided a model to equip indigenous believers with medical skills that will provide opportunities to share the Gospel. These believers know their language and culture that allow access to evangelize and transform communities in the name of Christ. Dr. Tom McKechnie founder of Teach To Transform and Kingspride Hammond founder of Alabaster Project in Ghana will discuss the impact of this model as an evangelical tool.
This session will address systems solutions to short-term mission (STM) drug-related quality of care problems. The quality of care various STM systems are capable of providing varies tremendously: Well designed STM systems enable physicians, pharmacists and other providers to deliver high quality care and have the greatest possible impact for patient health and for the Kingdom; Inadequately designed STM systems provide poor quality care and often cause more harm than benefit regardless of the training and expertise of team leaders and providers. We will assess mistakes made and lessons learned on over 45 global STMs, as well as 15 years long-term missions clinic practice in an area frequented by STMs. STM systems based on the work of missionary mentors, Jesus’ teaching and evidence based guidelines will also be reviewed.
Values and assumptions vary widely from culture to culture. This gives rise to potential conflicts and barriers in the communication process. This session looks at Not the American values and assumptions which can create misunderstandings, damage relationships, and even pose significant danger in the delivery medical treatment in a cross cultural context.
Sepsis is a common cause of morbidity and mortality around the world. Recently, new definitions as well as new management guidelines have been put forth. The goal of this session is to review these new definitions and management guidelines, especially as it may related to care of patients in low resource settings.
During this session some of the unique challenges and opportunities for women in missions will be presented. Participants will gain understanding regarding overcoming obstacles and barriers and how best to prepare for mission service. The presenter will illustrate the ideas through her own story.
Public health measures such as vaccines and clean water are certainly critical and foundational to transforming health in a limited resource setting. However there are times as a long term medical missionary when the huge health disparities between specialty medical care in the developing and the developed world motivate one to initiate specialized treatment programs where none exist. We will discuss the factors to consider in beginning and sustaining these programs in extremely limited resource settings with examples from neonatology, hematology, and oncology at Kibuye Hope Hospital, a 170 bed teaching hospital in rural Burundi.
Over the last 7 years, in partnership with short term teams, Hope Alive Initiatives has been able to set 6 community clinics in Northern Ghana. These clinics are run in a sustainable way by their respective churches. In this session we will share the lessons we have learnt to help you in ministry.
There is little in the medical literature about applying the basic tenets of medical ethics and missionary medicine in resource limited situations common in mission hospitals. For example, healthcare professionals are taught not to attempt medical or surgical interventions they have not be trained to do. That prohibition will be quickly violated when you are the only option for the patient. With real life stories and practical suggestions, this talk prepares future missionaries to serve well and ethically overseas.
This session will describe the unique roles that women have in medical missions and the challenges faced by women in the international missions context.
How can urban health care missions be done in urban settings, especially in government owned facilities? This breakout session seeks to address this questions. Ministry can be done in and through government hospitals and institutions by connecting with healthcare personnel, sharing the gospel and discipling them and bringing them into healthy churches. This breakout session will give some insights and specifics into how to do this.
Different areas of the world provide the medical missionary with various opportunities and challenges. We will examine results of a survey recently published in the Christian Journal of Global Health to assess how certain health care providers may take advantage of these unique characteristics to engage in profitable and satisfying ministry.
This session will discuss ways to analyze future or current relationship for compatibility, ways to identify potential differences in five areas that affect their future or current marriage.This session will also give tools to adapt and adjust to the difficulties participants may encounter.
What are the answers to the 10 most common questions to ask before becoming a missionary? From, "How to know God's will?" to "How to pick a missionary organization? and from "What about raising my kids overseas? to "How do I avoid burnout?" this talk will deal give you the answers.
About David Stevens: Dr. David Stevens is the Chief Executive Officer of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), the nation’s largest faith-based organization of doctors. As spokesman for more than 16,000 doctors, Dr. Stevens has conducted hundreds of media interviews. Prior to his service with CMDA, he served as medical director of Samaritan’s Purse. From 1981 to 1992, Dr. Stevens served as executive officer and medical superintendent of Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya. He helped to transform Tenwek Hospital into one of the premier mission healthcare facilities in that country. Learn more at David Stevens page.
Malaria affects an estimated 300-600 million people a year around the world with around 1500 cases of malaria brought back to the US each year. This session will focus on the current treatment and symptom control of malaria around the world and in the US. Current research on prevention and vaccine development will also be discussed.
Most Christians today readily understand that the Gospel of Christ relates to our hearts, our spirits, our souls and even our minds. But many are at a loss when it comes to the body! Yet the message of the New Testament is clear that the Gospel has huge implications for how we think about and treat our bodies. Pope John Paul II and others in recent years have been challenging the global church to rediscover the importance of our bodily existence here on this earth and the implications this has for life and ministry. This workshop aims to highlight what the Bible teaches about the body and specifically to focus on the implications of this truth for Christians in the medical profession.
My wife, Lara, and I thought we knew a lot about missions before we went to Cambodia. We had both been journeying in missions for many years - I majored in anthropology, worked in a cross-cultural clinic, had been on several short-term trips, attended conferences and trainings, and advocated whenever we could for missions; we lived intentionally and missionally. Both of us knew that Cambodia would stretch our lives and our faith. What we did not realize was how much of that challenge originated from our own ideas and expectations of what it would be like.
there are more unreached today than there were last year when we met at GMHC. 21 million more to be precise. We are going backwards in our task to complete the great commission and that is not OK. Meanwhile our traditional missions model has sidelined over 99% of Jesus followers who look at the model and do not see a fit. Yet God has made everyone for His purposes and uniquely talented them to fulfill the purposes. Those who are talented in the medical profession, who are passionate about it and believe they were created to do it have been told they have to leave that and do something different, (oh and raise support to do it) or simply do it on a short term mission trip or even as someone told me last year at GMHC, 'forget your specialty and come do general health care'.
We will continue to go backwards unless we engage the whole body of Christ and engage them wholly. In other words send them out to be who God has created them to be. As GP's, Surgeons, Radiologists, Dentists, Pediatricians, Nurses..... what ever God has uniquely made them to do. The world is changing, the missions model has to change. Come hear how we are changing the face of mission and how you, as a medical professional can be at the cutting edge of that - but be warned our call to you is to be who God has made you to be, where He is not worshipped. This is session is for those who are truly interested in using all of their life to reflect God's glory and goodness.
The similarities are many. Perhaps the best preparation one can get for long-term overseas missions is learning to be fruitful as they serve cross-culturally and incarnationally in domestic communities where the needs are great and the resources are slim. Christian clinics that serve the domestic poor have a major role to play in preparing Christian health professionals for serving God's global mission.
This session will focus on the history, symptoms and treatment of Zika. Most of the talk will be focused on the recent outbreak, symptoms to watch for, personal protection, transmission and currently available treatments. We will also take a look at medications and vaccines currently undergoing investigation for the treatment of Zika.
Why do Christians suffer? What made the Apostle's such effective missionaries? There are almost as many answers and opinions about suffering as there are Christians. To some suffering is just part of living in a fallen world. It is to be avoided if at all possible and, if necessary, to be endured with Jesus’ help until we escape this life and get to heaven. Others may think it is all from the Devil. Others believe the primary source is personal sin or the sin of others. Some believe it is from a lack of faith and if we just had more faith suffering would not come. There is some truth in each of these perspectives of course but they are not the whole story.
Anyone following Jesus will experience suffering at some point in their lives including those who abandon themselves to follow him in mission anywhere in the world. This seminar will look at what the Bible teaches about suffering and discover what it teaches about the role of suffering in our lives, how God uses it to fulfill his purposes for us and how it prepares us to be more effective missionaries and servants in his name.
For over 5 years, unrest in Syria has resulted in the death of over 450,000 individuals, and has displaced more than 10 million refugees both internally and externally. Many of these refugees have been forced to reside in Jordan, either in the subpar conditions of refugee camps or within the shadows of remote Jordanian cities. After participating in a medical mission trip with the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), I was fortunate enough to see a glimpse of the lives of these refugees. Join me as I reflect on my recent mission trip and attempt to explore some of the different aspects of the Syrian’s lives that have been influenced by the conflict. We will end the session with an open Q&A.
Be missional!
How do you keep up with the demands of ministry while balancing the needs of family, not to mention your own needs?
How do you keep doing more with less?
How do you protect yourself from burnout while advocating for the least of these?
How do you establish boundaries without neglecting the needs of your community?
These are some of the questions Dr. Thomas hopes to explore as he shares lessons from the field. He serves as the Medical Director at Dayspring Family Health Center and co-pastors a local church, answering a call to serve vulnerable and marginalized communities. He is married and has three teenage children. Serving his family and discipling his children are some of his top priorities. Despite the busyness and numerous challenges of ministry and family life, he continues to learn the importance of balance, boundaries, and rest.
If you are experiencing burnout or having a difficult time keeping “afloat”, this session may give you some insights on how to maneuver through the ups and downs of missional living.
Health professionals in all settings should take a history from their patient(s). National guidelines in the U.S. recommend a spiritual assessment be included with most or all patients. Yet, surveys show that over 95% of patients say that no health professional has ever inquired of their spiritual or religious beliefs. Furthermore, most health professionals indicate that they never been taught how or why to incorporate a spiritual or religious assessment into their patient history.
In this session you'll learn why a spiritual assessment is now considered a part of quality, evidence-based patient care. In addition, you'll be exposed to a number of spiritual history instruments to consider using in your patient care and you'll be exposed to options of how to utilize the information obtained from a spiritual assessment.
Finally, you'll be introduced to a small group training tool that you can use at home to facilitate the introduction of these principles to other health professionals.
This is the second part of a two part workshop. In Part II of this workshop case studies will be reviewed and discussed. Together we will discuss these important questions and define pathways for healthcare mission teams to have a positive long-term impact on the communities they serve. Handouts of the case studies will be used to facilitate small group discussion and strategy development. Case studies will be assessed in the context of four primary areas: 1) Patient Safety, 2) Healthcare System Integration and Collaboration, 3) Facilitation of Health Development and 4) Community Empowerment.
In recent years there has been a tsunami of healthcare volunteers going into the developing world; both faith-based and humanitarian. Recent estimates tell us that 29% of students enrolled in medical schools participate in some type of short-term global health project prior to graduation. Dental, nursing, and allied health schools are also beginning to follow suit. This workshop will review some of the guidelines for improving global health missions and what constitutes best evidence based practice in this area. The format of this workshop will be two talks by two mission leaders – one a sender and one a receiver. Both speakers will give positive and negative examples of short-term mission teams with long-term impact. The sender talk will be from Greg Seager RN the director of Christian Health Service Corps. The receiver talk will be by Dr. Jefferson McKenney missionary surgeon and founder of Loma De Luz Hospital in Honduras.
There are 65 million refugees and internally displaced people in the world today. This session will address the refugee crisis both globally and locally. We will discuss the refugee resettlement process to the United States and, more specifically, to Louisville, Kentucky. Who are the refugees coming to Louisville? What are the major health issues they bring with them and challenges they face post-migration. As healthcare providers, how can we provide holistic care that addresses all aspects of the person?
The ability to prevent and respond to human disasters and the acute needs of displaced persons has now become an essential competency for healthcare personnel. This session addresses the common conflicts surrounding care for complex human emergencies and the principals of both acute relief and of longer-term resettlement. This presentation makes use of interactive role-play and small group exercises will enhance the learning experience.
This session will cover the main areas of pediatric development and important milestones to look for when assessing the pediatric patient for delays.
The need for medical, dental, and other care in remote areas around the world correspond to areas where the Gospel is typically not prevalent or readily available. The need is so great that no one individual or organization can meet the need alone. By working together to empower local Christ followers in remote areas to reach the medical, dental, and other needs of people in their own communities as a door opener for the Gospel, we will be able to fulfill the Great Commission. This task requires multiplication of participants through discipleship. We must work together to equip and empower local Christ followers, handing them the baton to continue the race after the training team leaves.
Serving is sacred work, with power, grace, and humility from the Spirit – small tasks done with love. This is what medical missions for nursing students is all about. According to Mother Teresa, we are touching the body of Christ, even though they may be covered with dirt, maggots, and wounds (Poplin, 2008).
Provides an overview of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) with a case-based approach. Addresses the importance of NTDs in global health, clinical features and treatment of select NTDs, tool-ready programs addressing NTDs, and an overview of Mass Drug Administration (MDA).
Long-term impact in health-related missions from a short-term team must consider both long-term and short-term goals and objectives. Perhaps surprisingly, some or many of the long-term impact might not be directly related to healthcare! Understanding the potential long-term goals and objectives requires the short-term team to explore coordinated interaction between communities, local leaders, government, and technical experts. This workshop will identify several models for interacting where short-term healthcare workers can explore how to have a lasting long-term impact, as well as highlighting pitfalls to be avoided.
This presentation will reflect on Selling Out for God, Growing Spiritually, Growing Relationally, and Giving God our Best – thoughts on my 30 years as a missionary nurse in Uganda, Mississippi and as NCF/USA Missions Director.
In our context in rural Kenya the vast majority of people we interact with self-identify as Christians. However, when asked to define and explain the gospel, there is often a lack of understanding of the depth and richness of God’s grace; coupled with a strong emphasis on keeping the law (legalism). In some individuals there is such an emphasis on legalism that legitimate questions arise regarding their relationship with Christ. As Christians we are called to share our joys and sorrows with each other. And to share, confess and repent (in community) of the many ways in which we evidence unbelief. It is so very tempting to hide the issues with which we struggle, so that others view us in a good “light”. We have found that as the depth and power of the Gospel is explored with trainees, it is crucial to model transparency and our own personal need for daily repentance.
Peritoneal dialysis can be life saving for patients with acute kidney injury and can be performed safely in the setting of mission hospitals. This session provides an overview of the indications, technique and outcomes of a PD program in a mission hospital in Africa.
Come dig into the hearts and minds of the Next Generation Leaders so we can best create opportunities to meet their lives up with the Mission of Jesus
This presentation is for those working in a mission hospital which has no ethical review process in place for potential research involving humans. Mission hospitals (and Christians everywhere) should have the highest ethical standards when involving patients and others in research.
Can a church in a poor and vulnerable community run a sustainable healthcare ministry in her community?
Yes, if the church and short term medical team are well prepared for ministry. Here are the steps we have taken to enable local churches run sustainable healthcare ministries as result of short term medical teams.
"Holistic Health" is a frequently used term in medical missions, but what does it mean? And how do we accomplish it? Drawing on the speaker's experience, case studies will illustrate lessons learned to make holistic health practical and to emulate Jesus, the Great Physician.
The US is a much overlooked mission field. 96M people in America still live in areas designated as "medically underserved". All of those areas are communities where poverty is rampant and resources are low. Not only are those areas of great need, they are areas of tremendous opportunity where the harvest is ripe for the gospel. The director of CCHF will share an overview of the issues impacting this cross-cultural domestic mission field and will discuss how Christian health professionals are intentionally living out the Gospel through healthcare among the poor in the United States.
"Am I 'called' to missions?" We're all familiar with that question and perhaps we've asked it ourselves, but what exactly is a 'call' to missions? In this session we will take a look at what we usually mean by "calling" and what the Bible has to say about God's guidance of our lives. Once we see what God promises us, and what he desires for the world, we are set free to pursue, with confidence, whatever paths he opens up.
This session will focus on health and safety for medical missionaries. Including being able to describe previous outbreaks among missionary travelers and identify resources for safe and healthy travel preparation.
This is a practical time of instruction for gait training of patients at all levels including from the use of assitive dvices to functional traing for advance gait and balance
Your planning to serve but fun raising scares you to death or you have done this before and you hated it because it didn't go well or fast. This session will teach you how to raise your support and enjoy it. It will also teach you how to communicate effectively to cast your vision and inspire others to participate in the Great Commission.
This lecture will help potential missionaries understand how God utilizes the church to accomplish his mission to the nations, differentiate between biblical and cultural understandings of calling, and discern their role in God's mission.
For decades short term missions has involved taking our resources and skills to other countries to help others. But, now we have the ability to share our knowledge and skill with indigenous believers that will empower them to continue using healthcare skills to share the gospel in areas where we are unable to go.
The command "fear not" or "be not afraid" occurs more than a hundred times in the Bible, including many times from the mouth of Jesus. The fear of the LORD is healthy, but our Enemy uses fear as a principal weapons to hinder Christian obedience and fruitfulness. Courage is not the absence of fear, but boldness to proceed in obedience despite fear--because of faith in the Person and promises of God.
Those attending this session will be able to describe the spread of emerging and re-emerging vector-borne viral illnesses. They will also be able to understand treatment and currently available diagnostic tests.
Values and assumptions vary widely from culture to culture. This gives rise to potential conflicts and barriers in the communication process. This session looks at those North American Values and Assumptions which can create misunderstandings, damage relationships, and even pose significant danger in the delivery of medical treatment in a cross cultural context.
American health care missionaries outside the US need to keep their US health care licenses current in order to practice in some countries, as well as they desire to keep abreast of the latest developments in their field. This need and desire requires a significant amount of continuing education, often 40 hours every two years, which is difficult to achieve when home in the US on a furlough. The Christian Medical Dental Association has over 30 years of annual meeting experiences providing continuing education to dentists, physicians and other health care workers through their Continuing Medical Dental Education (CMDE) Commission.
We will discuss the essential of any research project in a low-middle income country including planning a research project, seeking funding, ethical considerations and ethical approval, financial hurdles, cross-cultural challenges, evaluation of the project and publication considerations.
Dentistry has a great opportunity to reach the least, the last and the lost for the needs are overwhelming and universal. I will use various countries to evaluate and discuss how to take advantage of different opportunities and situations that may be available. It is important for us to discuss and understand the government and the culture and what it entails to move forward on a venture into a closed or creative access country. How to work with national partners. Concerns with communication. How about a site visit. How to select a team and prepare them for such a great opportunity. Time for discussion and asking questions. Lets have some fun.
The most common cause for expatriate healthcare professionals to abandon their service in a mission hospital is unresolved conflict with those that they work or live with in community. This session will share proven principles and techniques to resolve conflict that inevitably comes to everyone during their lives.
Community Health Evangelism (CHE) is a breakthrough mission strategy that seamlessly integrates evangelism and discipleship with disease prevention and community-based development. Through these ministries people become followers of Jesus, churches are planted, and entire communities are lifted out of cycles of poverty and disease.
If you are ministering in a Muslim community, it is imperative to understand the cultural implications of Islam. This session will address those implications from a speaker that grew up in those communities.
This brief educational breakout session will discuss issues in dysphagia (swallowing disorders) within the acute-care setting. Common and complex dysphagia presentations will be discussed through cases across Cameroon and Kenya. Learners will be exposed to a basic swallowing screening protocol, low-resource dysphagia management and techniques to reduce aspiration pneumonia, as well as basic swallow management for complex anatomy such as cleft-lip/palate.
Provides a brief overview of the most common surgical problems by region. Cases will be discussed that are unique to each region, with emphasis on presentation and treatment options in resource poor environments.
Abstract: Faith-based medical ministries have substantial opportunities to improve healthcare through biomedical research. Success typically requires collaboration between national, organizational, and expert stakeholders. In this session practical aspects of developing a collaborative research program will be discussed.
CARING ACROSS CULTURES
DR. M. KAMALINI KUMAR PhD. RN.
Practices and beliefs that center around illness, suffering, death and bereavement in patients from various ethnic backgrounds and belief systems can create many challenges for health care professionals. These beliefs also influence the way patients perceive the quality of care they receive. Research has shown that caregivers who are sensitive to the cultural and belief systems of patients can help not only to reduce their stress, but increase the compliance and satisfaction with the care they receive. Besides this obvious understanding of culture, there is the culture of the times we now live in. Which culture should we address and engage in? The traditional values of Christianity and the church or the contemporary culture of social reform, less binding commitments and sexual freedom of all kinds? We must grapple with these issues with wisdom and insight.
Knowing and remembering every person's cultural practices is a virtual impossibility, but understanding human relationships and connectedness is not. This seminar will explore the simple, but profound ways in which relationship-based care crosses cultural barriers in ways that transcend any strategy or program that ensures culturally competent care. It is based on the fact that God who created diversity has a culture that supersedes all other cultures. The practice of "God's culture" is what brings unity to our diversity and power to our caring. To quote Rachel Naomi Remen "Fixing and helping create a distance between people, but we cannot serve at a distance. We can only serve that to which we are profoundly connected."
The goal of this seminar is to go beyond just knowledge of a person's culture in order to care for them, but to grasp the significance of care that is delivered not with professionalism alone but with the mystery of relational and incarnational living.
The topic of leadership and conflict management is not typically taught in professional schools but it is present in both group and work environments, including the mission field. In many situations, the medical professional because of their learned status becomes the leader but they do not have the skills to take on this role. This session will provide the participants with some of the skills and understanding needed to be successful leaders in their environments of practice.
Why do we serve? Where should we go? How do we make disciples? Why should we make disciples? What is the purpose of missions? What does it mean to be missional? How can I go from theoretical to practical? All of these questions, and more, will be discussed in this workshop, using THE source material – the Bible!
Developing a network among like-minded international medical training programs is an important aspect of successfully utilizing medical education as a missions strategy.
More than half of the Middle East population, 54% are under the age of 25 including 90 million adolescents (10-19 years of age). The growth spurt challenges of the second decade of life is mounted with early sexual debut and early marriages. Consequent unintended pregnancies and child birth, the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS threaten the fragile adolescent still under physical and psychological development. Pervasive conflict and displacement in the region overwhelm prevailing adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) issues and unmet needs.
National health systems and the private sector do not typically recognize nor address sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of young people, especially unmarried adolescents. Health care providers do not recognize nor address health risks and needs of adolescents. Evidence show that adolescent health services -if exist- are fragmented and poorly coordinated. Inherent social norms, attitudes, taboos around sexual health and discriminating gender differences hinder adolescents’ SRH health literacy and access to quality services.
What should the health sector do to transform the current approach that ignores ASRH issues? How do we respond to the urgent unmet SRH needs of the 90 million adolescents living in the Middle East?
Dr. Ralph Winter, founder of the US Center for World Mission and Perspectives… said that for every 100 people who made a mission commitment at some point in their lives, only one made it to the mission field. Why? For lack of mobilizers! The same can be said for lack of mentors. What is a mentor? What do mentors offer prospective long-term medical missionaries? Come to this session if you desire a mentor or if you desire to become a mentor. Before the session you may want to familiarize yourself with GMHC’s mentoring service at https://www.medicalmissions.com/community/mentoring . John McVay and I will walk you though this process. This session strives to translate your dreams of serving as a long-term medical missionary into reality.
Shawnee Christian Healthcare Center went from a concept initiated around a conference table to a full FQHC in ten years. This session will review the many advantages of starting a center from scratch while at the same time looking retrospectively at the pitfalls that can be avoided in starting a center from this perspective.
There are over 50 million disabled people in Africa. 18-20% would likely improve with some surgical care. Africa has insufficient surgical expertise to provide for this need, and will likely not have sufficient sub specialists for 50-100 years. An alternate form of limited training is needed both for the surgical and the support needs of the disabled.
Care for the disabled opens spiritual doors for both the child and the parents. It may also open doors into traditionally "closed" countries.
This session will share answers on how to select a missions agency. Each person who attends will receive a 3 x 5 card when they enter the room. The moderator John McVay will group and select questions, direct them to appropriate panelists, and receive questions from the floor. Probable topics discussed from questions expected are: agency focus, doctrine, finances, services, leadership, locations, compatibility.
About the moderator:
John McVay is a missions mobilizer who organizes and moderates a panel of doctors and nurses at GMHC. For prospective missionaries in the USA John launched the Ask A Missionary email newsletter (circulation 2,000) and website. He co-founded The Journey Deepens weekend retreats and served for nine years as a missions pastor. He, his wife Nicole and their children lived and served as missionaries in China for a semester and in France for a year. John now serves In His Image International as Chief Operating Officer for the Family Medicine Residency and missions outreaches. John has a M.S. in Electrical Engineering and a M.Div. in Theology and Missions.
Cross cultural health care service calls for a spectrum of specialized knowledge, skills and attitudes. How does a potential worker equipped him/herself to serve effectively and thrive in such a demanding role as medical missionaries?
We will focus on the key role of mentoring in cross cultural training, and discuss how to find mentors who can facilitate one's development. The selection of an organization with an ethos that supports mentoring will also be discussed.
This interactive session will be of particular relevance to those preparing to serve as cross cultural health care workers, while also being useful to those who are preparing such workers.
Burnout among healthcare workers is at record levels, and working in an underserved area is a significant risk factor. So how do we prevent missionary burnout? While there is increasing awareness of the problem, effective solutions have been elusive. The development of resilience is a key factor in the prevention and management of burnout. This session will help participants deepen their understanding of burnout and take steps to prevent it.
About the author: Dr. Steve Sartori (Director at CMDA - Center for Well-being)
Dr. Steve Sartori is Director of the Center for Well-being at CMDA. A physician well-being coach and consultant, he helps doctors and other healthcare professionals align with God, optimize well-being and maximize influence. He has served as CEO of a private group practice, chief of staff at two hospitals, faculty member for a family medicine residency program and chief medical officer for a community health center. He has served as a board member and treasurer of CMDA, and has participated in mission trips to Romania, Jamaica, Thailand, Kenya and Swaziland. He is married, with two adult children, and enjoys traveling and sports.
The harvest in plentiful in middle east missions. More than 90 million adolescents and youth live in the Middle East today. Adolescents are a key population group representing a triple return of investment, yet they are uniquely neglected in the regional challenges they face. Today, adolescents in the Middle East confront significant health, development, education, employment and socio-economic challenges especially related to the protracted crisis. Region-specific factors greatly influence their health, development, choices, and provision of public health and clinical services.
Over the past two decades, adolescent health issues increasingly made their way to national agendas in many regions of the world, yet it’s only a drop in a bucket. Adolescents are the population that benefited least from the epidemiologic transition. Why does the Middle East lag behind? What are United Nations Health Organizations doing to improve the health of a billion adolescents who live in the world and in particular in the Middle East? Why are we failing adolescents? Why do countries in the region have to care for adolescents, their potential backbone for a vibrant future? How can governments and leading medical institutions ensure gender sensitive comprehensive health and development agenda for adolescents living in the Middle East?
What can a GMHC participant do to help?
Christianity and culture have had a complex and adversarial relationship since the beginning. Early Christians were counter-cultural—and had an immense impact on the peoples around them. Likewise, medical missionaries have deeply influenced the lives of the peoples where they served over the past two centuries. How? At the same time, they were sensitive to the culture around them, learning language and culture and adapting to religious, social and economic constraints. How have they done this? What does this look like in reality? To answer these questions, I will share survey results and moving stories of medical missionaries serving diverse cultures and religions in culturally intelligent ways in over ten countries on two continents.
This will be a practical application of principles for the treatment of common neck and back pain for the non-Physical Therpist medical professional.
Responding to human need in a way that supports human dignity, and avoids paternalism is the foundation of learning to help without hurting. Founded on this understanding, the International Code of Conduct, Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response, are the most internationally recognized sets of common principles and universal minimum standards in humanitarian response. This workshop overviews these important standards in the context of short-term missions as well as UN coordinated refugee and disaster response.
Medical missions are always under resourced and Doctors and nurses struggle to cope with the enormous need with limited resources.
This presentation looks at generating creativity to fuel innovation as a possible Christian response to this problem.
If medical mission work is important and if God has called us and if we do not seem to have obvious resources then what God is saying is “Get creative”.
Christians historically have been very stilted on their teaching and understanding of sexuality. As people encounter more distortions of God's gift of sexuality, it is critical that we have a practical theology of sexuality. In this workshop, Dr. Juli Slattery will teach the framework for sexuality discipleship - a comprehensive worldview of biblical sexuality.
This session will briefly touch on a more wholistic definition of poverty.
We will explore when relief versus development is an appropriate response.
We will understand the difference between relief/project oriented missions and developmental/transformational missions and the possible outcomes of each.
We will discuss how one particular developmental strategy, CHE (Community Health Evangelism) has resulted in lasting, significant transformation of communities throughout the world.
We will explore the challenges of transitioning from short-term missions that focus on relief/projects to developmental/transformational missions and offer suggestions for how such a transition has been managed by some churches that historically conducted short-term missions but which have experienced success in shifting from relief-based missions to development-based missions.
Where you choose to serve in healthcare missions will depend on your preparedness, your call, and your goals. This workshop will help you determine how to identify service opportunities that are most likely to match up with your call and your goals. You will be given a variety of tools to use to prepare for service, and to improve your preparedness as you serve.
This session will allow one to understand some of the obstacles of starting new ministries, understand principles of cultural sensitivity, and understand contextualization principles.
The Gospel is not only the starting point of a Christian's walk, it is the power that transforms us and sets our life on mission for the Kingdom of God. Living each day in the Gospel is a necessity for all who follow Jesus and desire to serve him.
Faith-based organizations provide up to 70% or more of healthcare in some countries. They often work in remote locations among neglected people without any access to healthcare. Should faith-based hospitals and health programs partner with local governments and other actors in the public sector? Will collaboration compromise witness and mission? Or can collaboration expand resources, opportunity and deepen impact of Kingdom work? This session will help us examine relationships and discover from a Kingdom perspective the common ground/common good of working with local governments, Ministry of Health and other national organizations.
In response to the increasing need for emergency medical and surgical care immediately after major global disasters, Samaritans Purse has developed an Emergency Field Hospital with the ability to deploy rapidly worldwide. The field hospital is both modular, and utilizes a single solution that, despite the type of disaster, will be logistically deployed rapidly to meet the immediate and unique medical needs of the disaster victims. This breakout session will describe the emergency medical response system that Samaritans Purse has developed to deploy this new field hospital in austere situations globally, with particular focus on levels of response, medical staff deployed, tent structures, equipment and supplies. Attendees will also be invited to join with us as part of the medical staff on future disaster deployments.
Knowledge of good health practices often does not change health behaviors. This session will share proven ways to motivate people to change their health behaviors using non-financial incentives as demonstrated in a community health program that has changed the health of 1.2 million people. These techniques are applicable in both the USA or abroad.
This presentation will address financial questions which people of all ages have. It will cover a broad scope of topics from paying off debt, buying a house, to planning for retirement. The participants will be educated on the important steps to take in order to be financial secure as they pursue the paths God has for their lives.
This session will cover the main areas of pediatric development and important milestones to look for when assessing the pediatric patient for delays.
This session will have an emphasis on medical mission organizational mission true behavior, and will look at why Christian organizations or institutions, including those committed to using medical missions as a tool for gospel outreach, drift away from or sometimes shift their purpose away from their original intention.
This session will discuss the precautions needed to avoid Zika virus, the latest updates on Zika, and the best-practices in the care of a person with Zika.
It is the general idea that the short-term missions is one sided. Often creating dependency- teams from USA go to the underdeveloped country to help and bring short term relief and address felt needs in the comminutes of the countries they visit. While that may be true, ‘passing on of skills’ showcases how the trend can be reversed and these very missions can impact providing long term and sustainable projects and help move from ‘relief’ to ‘development’ and self sustaining mode. Caleb Rayapati, will show case how the “Pass on the skills” is making an impact on the ground, a firsthand account of the partnering mission using the Dental Outreach skills in self sustaining method, involved in community development in India impacting through practice of Biblical wholisim- a first hand account of how Indian Church has impacted using health care skills.
When we think about our role in missions, we usually focus on where we'll go, what we'll do, and who we'll do it with. While all those things are important, they pale in comparison to - and come after - God's greater call on our lives, which is far more scary and rewarding. This session will explore your own 'greater call' through Genesis 12:1-9, where we meet Abram and see God's call on his life.
after 21 years of implementing transformational development, an independent team has researched on the work of Life in abundance. Life in abundance works in 14 countries in Africa and the Caribbean. The session will share and discuss the findings that confirm the model of development has outstanding impact.
Post-partum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Common causes include uterine atony, retained tissue, and lacerations, and can be severe especially if the patient presents late. In the tropics, such cases may be complicated by coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia. Contributing factors may be recurrent malaria, chronic anemia due to nutritional factors or hemoglobinopathies, and reactive hypersplenism (tropical splenomegaly). Treatment is complicated by limited blood products, late presentation due to poor infrastructure and transportation, and cultural factors. Even if PPH occurs in a health facility, these factors make treatment challenging. Despite surviving the initial hemorrhage, complications such as renal failure can lead to mortality 7-8 days postpartum in settings where limited laboratory and no dialysis exists. Several cases of complicated PPH are presented, highlighting the key factors that can lead to successful management— a team approach involving prompt medical treatment, ultrasound evaluation, transfusion, curettage, and surgical management.
This session will cover practical factors to consider when moving abroad with a young family. Some topics that will be covered include closing down your home base as well as the initial time period of living overseas and ideas on how to help your family deal with these transitions. We will also cover some practical ideas on how to manage the time pressures of a difficult work environment with family life.
Christians are called to love yet often times, our communities are rife with conflict and unresolved hurt. Interpersonal conflict is cited as one of the major reasons why missionaries leave the mission field.
Using concepts from Ken Sande’s Peacemakers and his personal experience working as a the Medical Director in an FQHC in Appalachia, Dr. Thomas will review …
- The cost of conflict for the individuals, the organization, and for our witness
- The difference between Peacemaking vs PeaceFaking
- Strategies to develop a culture of peace in your organization
- Healthy ways of addressing conflict and working towards reconciliation
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons(IDP’s) face significant challenges to their health and well-being that are unique, due to lack of necessary resources including food, water, sanitation, shelter, security and healthcare. Caring for people in these situations requires an understanding of their unique needs as well as having realistic goals regarding what can and cannot be done for them.
Recent experiences in providing healthcare missions in disasters in Nepal, Kurdistan and Turkey – both natural and manmade – highlight the need to be well prepared when serving in these difficult situations. Focus areas for the presentation and discussion will include team selection and preparation; travel and logistics issues; identifying and addressing the needs of the people being served, including physical, psychological and spiritual needs; partnering with other relief organizations and local authorities; and returning home successfully.
We are called to serve the “least of these”, and the victims of disasters and crises certainly qualify. Often these events, though causing much hardship and suffering, create the possibility for doors and hearts to be open to the message of Jesus that otherwise would be closed. We must be both willing and well prepared if we are to serve well when we are called to respond to those in need.
Stan Key was appointed President of The Francis Asbury Society on March 1, 2014. Stan and Katy Key come to FAS after 10 years of missionary service in Paris, France, and 18 years of pastoral leadership at Loudonville Community Church in Albany, New York. Joining the FAS team in January of 2013, Stan has contributed to the ministry of the Society through preaching, teaching, writing, and more recently, serving as Director of Operations. He also serves as Spiritual Dean with the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) and serves on the board of One Mission Society. He travels and speaks in churches, retreats, conferences, and camps both here and abroad. Katy also serves in many capacities at his side, and they serve at FAS as a team. Stan is the author of The Last Word (Warner Press, 2015), a study on the book of Revelation. Katy is the daughter of the founder of FAS, Dennis Kinlaw. Stan and Katy have three grown daughters and four grandchildren.
Andrew recently completed writing his first book, entitled Scatter. His desire is that it will inspire a new generation to “scatter” into the hardest, furthest and darkest parts of the world, where they may experience an incredible adventure with God.
Dr. Juli Slattery is a Christian psychologist and co-founder of the ministry Authentic Intimacy. She holds degrees in psychology from Wheaton College, Biola University, an MS and Florida Institute of Technology.
Whether you see yourself as a leader or not, you play a critical role in determining the success of your experiences and those around you. How you plan, recruit, and execute your Short Term Trip strategy will impact your entire church/organization and any trip participants... the ripples of which you may never fully know. Don't have a Short Term Trip strategy yet? We can help you think through that as well.
Whether you are wanting to lead a trip for the first time or have done it so long that you can't remember everything you know, this session will help reduce your stress and, more importantly, increase your impact.
Girls and women in developing communities are often vulnerable and overlooked. Their potential roles as key players in promoting spiritual and physical health in their communities can easily remain unrecognized. Medical Ambassadors International's mission is equipping communities for Christ-centered health and development, and the Women's Cycle of Life is a curriculum and training that directly addresses issues facing women spiritually, physically, socially, and financially. Working in tandem with Medical Ambassadors International's community health evangelism ministry, the Women's Cycle of Life curriculum & training equips women to take ownership of, and become key players in the well-being of their families and their communities. Women not only learn the spiritual and physical lessons for themselves, but they also learn to multiply the knowledge among their friends and neighbors. Their impact is remarkable!
This presentation will provide participants with an overview of how Women's Cycle of Life (and Community Health Evangelism) training promotes health and development of the whole person and community. Specific case studies will be highlighted, showing the long-term impact of women who have been equipped, by God's grace, through Medical Ambassadors International and missions partners around the world.
This survey was created by someone that God led on an amazing journey. In hindsight this person realizes they were on a quest. Their quest started with one goal, “To find a deeper, more intimate relationship with God—one in which they would be able to recognize God’s “still small voice.” Prior to The Quest, this person had been a fairly average Christian leader, with seasons of spiritual fervor and seasons that were spiritually dry.
The questions in the survey fit in one of two categories. Some come from the issues this person began wrestling with that led them to embark upon The Quest. Others are inspired by all the things this person realized had changed or were changing as God led them in The Quest.
Many have found taking this survey helps them to assess where they are spiritually in their relationship with God. It is a tool to help explore various facets of one’s relationship with God. The intent isn’t to compute an overall score, but to help people begin to identify where to focus attention for future growth. Its ultimate effectiveness is realized as people re-take the survey months and years later and compare themselves with where they were previously.
Faith-based organizations provide up to 70% or more of healthcare in some countries. They often work in remote locations among neglected people without any access to healthcare. Should faith-based hospitals and health programs partner with local governments and other actors in the public sector? Will collaboration compromise witness and mission? Or can collaboration expand resources, opportunity and deepen impact of Kingdom work? This session will help us examine relationships and discover from a Kingdom perspective about the common ground/common good of working with local governments, Ministry of Health and other national organizations.
As a young nurse, Aileen Coleman left her homeland of Australia in June 1955 for ministry in the Middle East. Sixty years later she remains in active ministry serving the Bedouin people in the Kingdom of Jordan. She will respond to questions reflecting on her years of service as a single women in the Muslim Middle East. She has a burden to see another generation of workers in this field.
This session will give the participants ways to: Identify the needed equipment and supplies for a therapy clinic on a short term missions trip; Identify the obstacles for the clinic to function properly and efficiently; Identify a time table for preparations for a short term trip with a therapy clinic; Identify the ways to prepare therapy supplies and equipment for transport on a short term trip; Identify the most effective approach for treating patients on a short term trip with limited time for each patient visit.
Medicine provides a unique opportunity to reach into the lives of Muslim people. Aileen Coleman will share how she and her colleagues have used the treatment of Tuberculosis and other chronic diseases to share the Gospel in the Muslim context.
Healthcare education and professional certification require core clinical competencies to be demonstrated before privileges are granted. In the midst of the endless cycle of healthcare training, experience, documentation and verification, there are ways to act with compassion. In global health we are called to balance competence through learning procedures, improving abilities, and honing skills, with compassion by doing what we can now to meet the immediate incredible needs before us.
This session will include leaning how the following in a community setting can help with spiritual follow up in healthcare missions:
- Utilize partnerships with local church planting agencies [Indian Christian agencies]
- Utilize relationships of trust established at the hospital or through the Community health and development programs, realizing most of us come to know Christ thru such relationships
- Offer to pray with patients / contacts
- Invite to a nearby house church for Sunday worship
Want to know the key to raising resources for a life-time of ministry or for a short-term mission trip – its Effective Ministry Partnership Development (MPD). We’ll address how correct thinking, biblical principles and practical principles are the key. This session will explain “why people give,” “how to effectively gain their support and involvement,” “ways to grow your list of prospects” and “what the basis is for successful long-term financial partnership.” Anyone wanting to increase the involvement of others in the ministry and increase their financial partnership should attend this session.
With the staggering rates of global disasters, terrorism, and even abuse in our own backyards trauma and it's debilitating affects are increasing at a terrifying rate here in the United States and around the world. Survivors of trauma need to gain healing from a variety of healthcare professionals. Trauma affects each aspect of an individual's life and requires the knowledge and understanding health care workers in every realm. But beyond the skills of medicine, rehabilitation, and psychology, what does the healthcare worker's role in addressing the patients spirituality entail. How do we as health care workers who value the role of spirituality have a gift to share beyond the mere measures of modern day science. This session not only helps to explain the neurological affects of trauma, but also how to delicately and affectively treat patients here in the United States and in culturally appropriate measures around the world using rhythmic and movement to create relationship and build trust after trauma. There will be active group participation and examples of treatment approaches during this one hour session.
This session will look at previous outbreaks of disease among missionaries. This session will also identify resources for travelers to learn about health risks associated with international travel, such as CDC's Travelers' health page containing the most up-to-date information about health needs for individuals traveling overseas.
Preparing for yourself or others for missions includes learning how to stay safe and healthy while traveling. Experts from CDC will offer information on how to avoid diseases, including those spread by mosquitoes and unsafe food and water.
If you are ministering in a Muslim community, it is imperative to understand the cultural implications of Islam. This session will address those implications from a speaker that grew up in those communities.
Jesus cured individuals and transformed society. As doctors on the edges of the Kingdom, we are called to care for the suffering patient as well as the crumbling community. A medical mission's approach that integrates curative and public health will be stronger than focusing on either alone; these are complementary not mutually exclusive options.
Children under the age of five are at the highest risk for mortality due to malnutrition. Many times the malnutrition is because of a lack of understanding of proper nutrition and ways to wisely use limited funds. We will look at two examples of nutritional programs in South Asia.
Women’s health issues are rarely discussed in impoverished communities in South Asia. Health education stories change the physical health of the women in a community, but the stories of the Gospel change lives for eternity. Henna is widely used decorating hands and feet for weddings. A program of using henna to share the Gospel through visual designs in Biblical stories was developed in South Asia. We will give an example of how God used the incorporation of women’s health and henna to bring the miracle of salvation.
• This session will provide a review of diseases that have been seen in the United States recently but are typically considered tropical diseases. The discussion will examine epidemiology, transmission, symptoms, and treatment of the diseases.
This session will give an overview of cancer patients in Africa, with a discussion of the difficulties patients face in getting access to diagnosis and treatment. We will also look at over view of the oncology program at Mbingo Baptist Hospital and discuss future possibilities in improving cancer care in Africa.
Should Muslims who enter the Kingdom through Jesus remain Muslim Insiders? Whether or not they should, they ARE. Tens of thousands of Muslims from diverse corners of the Muslim world are transferring allegiance from Mohammed and the Qur’an to Messiah Jesus and His Kingdom of grace … while remaining part of the Uma of Islam (Muslim Community).
Beyond orthodoxy (correct beliefs – we’ll demonstrate just how orthodox they are) these Muslim Insiders are also orthopraxic (correct practice), obeying everything taught by Jesus, their much treasured and divine Savior. They may not ascribe to our Creeds (which they have not read) but they lovingly affirm all the Bible teaches about Jesus, their Lord and Master.
This workshop will not train how to “do Insider ministry.” But it will inform how God is doing it. The workshop will not attempt to defend insider movements. But it will declare the mighty works God is doing among many peoples within the house of Ishmael (Islam). Messy? Yes. What Muslim movement to Christ is not? But they’re also miraculous … and just a bit mysterious for Western Christians.
Like all human institutions, healthcare is subject to the Fall and operates under principles at odds with the Kingdom of God. Disciples of Jesus who understand the character of their King and His Kingdom must advocate, through their words and actions, for just and equitable healthcare. Beginning with a foundation of biblical justice and reviewing Church history, this breakout session will challenge disciples to make Jesus look great by loving and serving the poor and marginalized.
Hinduism unlike the Judeo-Christian and Islamic faiths has a radically divergent worldview; the New Age ideology/faith while being an eclectic network, is in its foundation a western, modern adaptation of Hinduism. The presentation is prepared with a view to equip the missionary to get into the shoes of these worldview followers so that they can better communicate the Gospel of Christ in God.
Worldview is the way we view life and our place in it. What is your worldview? The great majority of medical missions in East Asia takes place in Buddhist and Chinese (Confucian) worldviews. We will look at the meaning of these worldviews and the obstacles they present to evangelization. What unique role does medical missions have in this process and in these contexts? This session will feature a veteran medical missionary familiar with Confucianism and the Chinese worldview. I will present the Buddhist challenge.
This session will enable participants to understand the necessity for demonstration and proclamation of the Gospel in their daily lives and in missions.
The United States is a much overlooked field in global missions. 96 million people live in areas designated as medically underserved. All of those are communities where poverty is rampant and resources are low. Not only are those areas of great need, they are areas of tremendous opportunity where the harvest is ripe for the gospel. The Director of Christian Community Health Fellowship will share an overview of the issues impacting this cross-cultural domestic mission field, and will discuss how Christian health professionals are intentionally living out the gospel through healthcare among the poor in the United States.
This workshop will provide an overview of Community Health Evangelism (CHE), a breakthrough mission strategy that seamlessly integrates evangelism and discipleship with disease prevention and community-based development. Through these ministries people become followers of Jesus, churches are planted, and entire communities are lifted out of cycles of poverty and disease. Participants will learn the basics of the strategy, and get practical information about how to start a CHE ministry in a target community.
Health professionals in all settings should take a history from their patient(s). National guidelines in the U.S. recommend a spiritual assessment be included with most or all patients. Yet, surveys show that over 95% of patients say that no health professional has ever inquired of their spiritual or religious beliefs. Furthermore, most health professionals indicate that they never been taught how or why to incorporate a spiritual or religious assessment into their patient history.
In this session you'll learn why a spiritual assessment is now considered a part of quality, evidence-based patient care. In addition, you'll be exposed to a number of spiritual history instruments to consider using in your patient care and you'll be exposed to options of how to utilize the information obtained from a spiritual assessment.
Finally, you'll be introduced to a small group training tool that you can use at home to facilitate the introduction of these principles to other health professionals.
All healing is a prophecy of the coming of the Kingdom of God.However commercialism and self-aggrandizement can partly or fully blur the prophecy.
In the present world context where secular forces are dominant, where profit making is the norm and where pursuit of a career at any cost is the goal of medical education, how can hospitals continue to be witnesses?
This presentation is based on 30 years of experience from medical mission work in India.
This session will discuss understanding the value of medical outreach and allied professionals for outreach to closed countries and unreached people groups. We will learn about different steps for engagement in closed countries. We will also look at how to have clarity in one's role in global missions.
Every person has a worldview, a deep sense of what is real and how the world works. What we believe and value and what we do and say are shaped by our worldviews.
All cross-cultural ministry brings us into different worldviews in missions.
Our approaches to healthcare ministries whether in our home country or another are liberated and limited by (1) our own worldviews (2) our awareness of our worldviews and how they are formed and transformed and (3) our capacity to recognize and work with the worldviews of the people to whom God sends us.
By the end of this session, we will have grown in all 3 of those areas. We will leave with resources for continuing growth.
This participatory session will include learning from person reflection, discussion of Biblical stories, and the wisdom of other participants.
Although ill defined and legally outlawed, the caste system of India is too deeply rooted to not have continued influence in daily life. The needs of the poor are vast. Homelessness and addiction are just two of the major plagues of the poor of India. However, there is hope. Sewa Ashram is a community that translates to “Serving Community,” and is a place where the love and hope found in Christ is shared with those who would know no hope or love otherwise. A crucial component of this is staff, volunteers, and long-term patients showing love towards one another in the name of Christ by serving and respecting one another. This attitude is displayed for and trickled down to the patients. The patient population is comprised of men who are destitute and have various acute and chronic health problems like tuberculosis, liver disease, traumatic wounds, or paralysis. Medical needs are met as best as possible given the resources available. Moreover, spiritual and emotional needs are addressed. Prayer meetings, one on one discipleship, and life groups are just a few examples of how these needs are met. It is amazing to see God work when a person is told and showed that they are of value and treated as a fellow image bearer of God.
This document contains the Community Transformation Training that I give overseas to missionaries and to nationals. It teaches the basics of church planting strategies for restricted access countries.
I hope to share both from a Biblical, Missiological, Geo-Political standpoint how health care professionals can be part of a mass movement of Jesus followers to the unreached. Where they can live out who God has created them to be as a passionate and highly qualified medical professional where God is not worshipped. This is not about going to work in Christian hospitals, rather the health care institutions in countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Oman, Dubai where American HCP's are sought after, paid well and if serving with excellence will have opportunities to reflect the glory and goodness of God in these closed environments.
Spiritual formation is a way of describing the life-long journey of becoming who God created us to be. That’s the essence of being a “disciple” or learner. Our experience in healthcare ministry continues to "form" in us the ability to love God with all our heart, mind and strength and our neighbors as ourselves.
In this break out, we will collaboratively identify characteristics of a person who is “prepared” for healthcare ministry, and practices that help us cooperate with God’s efforts to form us for that work.
The "missionary-call" can be a source of high anxiety and soul-searching for those who think God is leading them to the mission field. But what do we mean, and more importantly, what does the Bible really have to say about the call to missions? And what do we think of when we use the word "missionary"? Does our view match what we find in the Bible? In this session we will explore some of the misconceptions of what it means to be "called to missions," and take a look at how the Bible has more to say about God's guidance rather than the traditional idea of a "call." Hopefully we can set aside some of the anxiety and focus on how God has given us the opportunity to spread the news of his grace in Christ according to the various gifts he has given to each of us.
Participants will learn about the unique roles of women in missions and how to overcome the challenges which women encounter. Suggestions for preparation for missions service as a woman will be presented.
The Ten Questions Everyone Asks About Career Missions: How do I pick a mission agency? How do I know I'm "called?" What about raising children overseas? How can I avoid burnout? These and other questions are answered in this popular talk illustrated with real and sometimes humorous real life stories.
This session will share answers on how to select a missions agency. Each person who attends will receive a 3 x 5 card when they enter the room. The moderator John McVay will group and select questions, direct them to appropriate panelists, and receive questions from the floor. Probable topics discussed from questions expected are: agency focus, doctrine, finances, services, leadership, locations, compatibility.
Should you do a domestic or international rotation while in training? When? Where? How do you make it happen? All are questions mission-minded healthcare professionals ask as they explore opportunities to serve during training. Join us as we discuss domestic and international locations, best practices and steps you can take in selecting an opportunity that fits your goals, timeframe, skills, and budget.
This document is for students desiring to prepare for or persevere through medical school, that they would be spiritually ready for their marathon in a way frees them for Christ's mission today and decades from now.
Surviving Culture Shock addresses the stresses that everyone feels when crossing cultural boundaries for short or long term. The ethnocentrism that is true of every culture results in unfair judgment of other cultures and impedes effective interaction. We will explore this dynamic and how to minimize it. We also explain the three stages of the culture shock cycle– tourist, rejection, and adaptation, their natural progression, how to recognize each stage, and the best way forward to a culturally appropriate healthy balance. We also address the inevitable reality of reverse culture shock that often hits unexpectedly upon returning “home” to one’s culture of origin.
Why are you heading overseas as a medial missionary? What’s your ultimate long-term goal? Is your dream, for example, to vaccinate multiple thousands of Berber children against preventable child-hood diseases or ... do you dream of launching movements of missional-communities (churches) among the Berber who will reach all the Berber for Christ … AND vaccinate all their children too?
The Kingdom needs missionaries who will do both. This workshop will help you form and prepare a strategic team to go and do it with you.
If God has called you to be a healthcare missionary, you will experience one of the most satisfying – and challenging – careers in the world. You will be a warrior for God in a hostile land. Like any soldier, you need a time of preparation – what the military refers to as “boot camp” – and that time should begin before you enter your mission field. The time to live, think and pray like a missionary is now!
How can we share the Gospel in such an increasingly diverse world? In a world where cross-cultural encounters and relationships take place right outside our door? The answer lies in learning how to apply and use the stories and texts we find in the Bible - ultimately the big story of the Bible itself. To do so, we must also consider the worldview of the people we meet - the lens through which they look at the world, how they answer life's questions, and how they identify themselves and their place in the world.
PRAYER AS MEDICINE: Practical methods & panel discussion regarding personal experiences and best practices in praying for patients during a medical missions outreach.
Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ Luke 10:9 (NIV)
Jesus commanded his disciples to “heal the sick.” As medical professionals involved in missions, we take this command seriously. Our love and service help demonstrate God’s kingdom to the less fortunate. But what if a patient needs more than medical treatment? What if a spiritual cure is also required?
During medical outreaches, which often take place in uncomfortable, rushed and chaotic situations, how can we best incorporate prayer for our patients? How can we pray for each patient when there isn’t enough time, or when there is a language or religious barrier, or if simply lack the training and experience in praying directly with patients?
In this session we will discuss a number of practical ways in which you can pray for patients. This session aims to include a panel discussion in which we will hear stories of ways in which experienced medical missions leaders incorporate prayer into their medical missions.
Practical topics include: How do we present prayer to the patient? How do we pray with an interpreter? If we want to lay hands on someone, what is a respectful way to do that? How do we pray for children? How do we partner with the Holy Spirit in prayer when we are rushed and need to see many patients quickly? How do we pray for people of other religions?
The session will be led and moderated by Rev. David Harder, a non-medical missions professional who has participated in medical missions for decades. He and his family lived in the Middle East from 2003-2011. Since 2006 he has worked to train individuals in praying for the sick in ways that are always honoring and loving toward the individual. David also serves as Communications and Development Director for Blessings International-Medicines for Missions.
Included as a topic for discussion will be the initial results of a survey submitted to the around 2,000 medical missions customers that order medicine from Blessings International each year. The survey seeks input regarding how those teams utilize prayer in their medical outreaches.
The Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons is a five-year surgical residency program to train 100 Christian African doctors in mission hospitals by 2020. At the present, there are sixty-four residents being trained in nine countries. A great need exists for long and short term general surgeons and sub-specialists to participate. In addition, there is a spiritual curriculum to prepare each resident for spiritual growth and hospital leadership.
Single medical professionals are resilient in a cross-cultural setting and have the opportunity to be highly effective in service. The greatest challenges impact the personal home life of the individual. Applications to increase resiliency in the personal life will be explored with attention given to the relational and sexual domains of life. The workshop will include a presentation followed by designated time to pose questions and dialogue about the material.
Our call to health care ministry is a daily call to share the compassion of Christ, and “suffer with” those we are called to serve. If our own lives are not intimately bound with our Savior, deep engagement and compassion for our patients can be difficult or shallow at best, leading to disillusionment, distance, and burn-out. Worship and spiritual vibrancy, evidenced by a deep dependence on the Lord, are the foundation for compassionate ministry. This workshop will explore Christ’s call to share in the suffering of others, how a life of worship is foundational for ministry, and ways to foster spiritual vibrancy that sustains our compassion for others.
2 Kings chapter 2 through 8 list 16 miracles related to the prophets Elijah and Elisha. 2 Kings 7:2 says something I have frequently found myself saying: "Even if the Lord opened the window of Heaven might this thing be..." Or translated it might say "That couldn't happen" or "God can't possibly do that." My stories of God's goodness and answers to prayer fit in the category of 1. Impossible Obstructions, 2. Impossible odds, 3. Impossible Poverty, 4. Impossible visibility, and 5. Impossible timing. They illustrate how God Provided, Guided, Protected, and demonstrated His Providence over 81 years as a missionary child of a medical missionary and then a medical missionary starting in 1966 in Ethiopia.
Healthy Missionary Marriages will be the topic. This talk will be designed to help singles who might decide to marry during their service overseas, and married couples serving overseas.
Session Description:
Widely acceptable in Middle Eastern countries, gender based violence (GBV) in the region is far from being well documented. Inherent socio-cultural norms in most settings, contribute to eclectic tolerance of GBV, a fatalistic attitude and helplessness among victims. Women, adolescents and other vulnerable population groups, especially internally displaced people (IDP) and refugees are at high risk suffering preventable clinical complications and fatal consequences.
This session will survey GBV in the Middle East highlighting its inherent root causes presenting the epidemiological picture in the region. You will learn of the clinical consequences of female genital cutting. The importance of region-specific data, and challenges in data-driven documentation will be discussed. UN prevention and care programing, and culturally acceptable initiatives will be introduced. Anecdotal experiences from the field will be shared on ministering to refugees and IDP victims of GBV.
Eighty percent of the cases of cervical cancer are found in poorly developed countries. There is not adequate screening available to diagnose precancerous lesions and treat them. Many lives can be saved using methods that do not rely highly on technology advanced training. This session will describe the scope of the problem, the tools available for diagnosis and treatment and the ones that would be applicable in a low resourced setting. Additionally, some training will occur to use visual inspection with acetic acid so that its applicability and ease of use is demonstrated.
Every year 3.6 million girls in Africa and the Middle East undergo a procedure in which their external genitalia is cut and sometimes sewn. This cultural practice can lead to numerous complications throughout a female’s life, especially during childbirth. This session will focus on the care of women who have experienced female genital cutting, while also discussing cultural attitudes and eradication efforts. Warning: graphic images will be presented.
Malaria has been a health threat for hundreds of years, yet continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Using case presentations, and drawing from the speaker’s international experience, this workshop will explore what’s new in malaria diagnosis and treatment and consider the emotional, mental, social and cultural as well as medical implications of the disease.
This session will cover the topic of sourcing medicines for missions. We will discussthe following: counterfeit medication, substandard medication, risks and benefits of obtaining medication in the united states and transporting it overseas versus obtaining the medication in developing nations, how to source medications that will be used in developing nations.
A woman in the United States often has 15 visits to her healthcare provider and as many laboratory evaluations during the course of her pregnancy. Is this a realistic model of care in the developing world? This session will discuss the essential components of antenatal care that can be practically delivered in low and middle-income countries, with the goal of reducing maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.
The principles of abdominal surgery are not different in Africa, but the presentation, available diagnostic tools and frequency of certain etiologies is significantly different. The approach and therapy the more common causes of the acute abdomen will be the primary diseases discussed.
This is a primer of how to get started in palliative care and can be used to teach others as well. There is also a companion Palliative Care Toolkit Trainers Manual available for use with medical missions physician assistants, doctors, and nurses.. Both documents are available in a number of languages.
Chronic hepatitis B and C cause cirrhosis and liver cancer, and are major causes of death throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Advances in the diagnosis and management of these chronic viral infections are beginning to impact patient outcomes in low and middle income countries. In this session current hepatitis global guidelines will be discussed, as well as practical issues and new solutions for hepatitis care in resource-limited settings.
This session will describe a variety of opportunities to reach out internationally through educating healthcare professionals desiring advanced skills and knowledge. This will include not only specialty specific opportunities, but those related to faculty development, bioethics, advanced life support training, and other topics.
Overview and update of Tuberculosis in global health, augmented with cases from around the world.
of the 6.3 million children under the age of five who died in 2013, 44% (2.761 million) were neonates (defined as age 0-28 days). Over the past decade, neonatal mortality decreased at an annual rate of 2.9% compared to 4.9% in children aged 1-59 months. This smaller reduction in under-five mortality (U5M) among neonates is a significant contributor to the worldwide failure to achieve Millennium Developmental Goal 4 this year. Reducing global neonatal mortality through prevention and treatment programs in low-to-middle-income countries (LMIC), where nearly all U5M occurs, is a high priority among global child survival agendas.
Why is HIV/AIDS still a concern on the mission field? HIV prevalence and AIDS death rates have declined in many countries, yet HIV/AIDS continues to have tremendous medical, emotional, economic and social challenges. Using case presentations, this workshop will explore HIV/AIDS treatment and care drawing from the speaker’s experience in Africa.
Contemporary criticism by global health experts of much of short term medical missions activity (Dead Aid, When Helping Hurts) is valid. We have a tendency to justify use of US diagnostic and treatment guidelines in low income countries as equitable while demonstrably unreasonable and harmful. Careful consideration of the whole care process from care access to care follow-up including all costs including harms and benefits coupled with compassion leads to cost-effective, patient-centric care
There is little in the medical literature about applying the basic tenets of medical ethics in resource limited situations common in mission hospitals. For example, healthcare professionals are taught not to attempt medical or surgical interventions they have not be trained to do. That prohibition will be quickly violated when you are the only option for the patient. With real life stories and practical suggestions, this talk prepares future missionaries to serve well and ethically overseas.
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa not only challenged governments, NGOs, and health systems, but had ripple effects including the closure of hospitals and clinics and loss of health care workers. Over the past year, training has taken place, hospitals have reopened, and survivors are being treated. However, Liberia's Medical College remains closed (as of June 2015), and many other areas are still adversely affected. ELWA Hospital's experience shows how a Mission hospital has navigated through this crisis, and how God's aims have been furthered. .
Untreated caries of the deciduous and permanent dentition is number one in global prevalence of disease by a large margin. This lecture will focus on strategies for caries prevention and treatment in settings with limited resources.
This talk will review common parasitic diseases in the tropics. The classification, presentation and basic treatment of these syndromes will be discussed in a case-based format. Visual recognition of findings will be part of this interactive session, using an audience response system. We will focus mostly on classic skin, abdominal, and pulmonary syndromes. We will also discuss some beneficial effects of parasites on childhood immune development. Less emphasis will be placed on parasites covered in other sessions, such as malaria. Let me know if you have a case to discuss or a specific question before the session.
For the last 18 years, as the relationship has deepened between Southeast Christian Church and Life in Abundance, an African organization, much has been learned about how to minister cross-culturally together. As these 2 organizations serve alongside one another, exponential kingdom impact has happened by engaging the skills that both entities possess in a complementary way. As we look at the issue of dependency around the world, this is a refreshing model to consider as a solution to this struggle in missions.
The Next Generation of students, just like each generation before it, is different and is engaging the world in a new way. In order to effectively attract and retain these students, the church will have to adjust as well. Students no longer want to be a part of a church where they sit, listen and give an offering each week—students of this generation want to know where their money is going and to be a part of the movement. They want to engage in the mission of God in a tangible and real way. Because the entire world is available to them more than ever before, they want to be involved both locally and globally.
Effective short-term healthcare missions requires actions that facilitate long-term change in the local setting - in healthcare services, in combating poverty, and in addressing spiritual needs. Unprepared short-term teams often do more damage than good. This presentation will provide strategies and tactics to properly prepare a short-term healthcare team and to build a relationship with a national partner that improves national conditions over the long-term with short-term teams.
Much has been said in recent years about relief vs. development in global health missions, and missions in general. We know that it is often harmful to engage in relief when what is needed is development. Yet, the vast majority of global health missions are relief oriented with little understanding of development processes. This session will review participatory approaches for community engagement that facilitate community response to their own problems. We will review key concepts such as: community ownership, community participation ladder, stakeholder analysis, and building cross cultural partnerships that escape the trap of paternalism and dependency. These principles apply broadly to both short and long-term global health missions.
Discipling that yields 3rd & 4th generation followers of Jesus more rapidly is not a program, but is fueled by the life-giving pattern from the scriptures. Discover the essentials of the simple & reproducible Kingdom pattern that will lead to effectiveness in making disciples that make disciples that make disciples. You’ll learn from case studies of those doing it how to get started in multiplying multipliers & pleasing our King.
Faith-based medical ministries have substantial opportunities to conduct biomedical research that positively impacts the communities they serve. In addition, biomedical research can help mission organizations achieve their strategic goals. In this session missional, ethical, and practical aspects of research in faith-based, developing-world settings will be discussed.
We go to medical missions cross culturally with some expectations to partner with churches, mission agencies and local humanitarian agencies. Partnership is often seen in light of synergistic and supporting relationships for the purpose of the gospel and the Kingdom of God. How does the local governing systems and officials view our presence as health and development related services? What expectations do they have of us as their partners in serving the health needs of the community? What kind of theology of relationships do we have with these entities that may serve or complicate the purposes of the mission that we are called to? What opportunities or hindrances do governing structures post to medical missions?
Come bring your questions or comments and participate in the discussions that will be facilitated by two doctors with combined several decades of experience struggling through contexts in East Asia and Africa.
During the main GMHC conference 2015 PRIME International's CEO, Prof Richard Vincent, presented this breakout session on ‘Compassion: Foundation for Whole Person Care’.
Scientific and technical advances may be seen as the key to best medical practice, but to focus only on biological processes is to ignore other powerful influences on the causes and treatment
of illness. A solely mechanistic approach fails to deal with the basic requirement of patients to be cared for as people - in body, mind and spirit.
This session explored the topic of whole person care including its biblical basis, evidence for its benefit and its delivery to patients founded on compassion.
While weaving into his presentation personal experiences from both his time serving in Liberia and his own experience with Ebola, Dr. Sacra will discuss ways in which the response to the Ebola crisis sometimes has unintended consequences. We’ve observed cultural clashes sometimes leading to violence, both in cities and in rural areas, as well as impacts on the health system as a whole. Some key interventions carried out by the Government and NGOs have served to disempower communities rather than empowering them. We’ll review lessons learned from these first 6 months in battling Ebola.
Experience is showing that equipping women to deal with family and community concerns without involving husbands is like teaching women to clap with one hand.
Community Health Evangelism equips communities through Christ-centered health and development. Thousands of highly participatory lessons empower less skilled trainers respond to most community interests and spiritual needs. New lessons deal with being a good husband and father, understanding how men’s leadership and leadership styles affects others, how to truly love your wife, how to earn your children’s respect, and men’s health issues.
It's estimated that more than 4 Billion people in the world are oral learners. They can't, don't or won't read. Regardless of the reasons or situation, oral communication methods and participatory/discovery learning processes are important tools in most of the world. In this session we'll look at case studies and experiences helping friends in North India create mother-tongue audio recordings of community development/health information and also Scripture stories. The session will give you a taste of how to use stories/arts to transfer information more effectively in oral cultures.
Community Health Evangelism (CHE) is a breakthrough mission strategy that seamlessly integrates evangelism and discipleship with disease prevention and community-based development. Through these ministries people become followers of Jesus, churches are planted, and entire communities are lifted out of cycles of poverty and disease.
The power of story for the medical missionary God called us, we listened, and we took small steps toward obedience. Then when the Ebola tragedy struck, we knew God would be faithful and use it for His glory. Followed by Q&A time.
The Ebola epidemic in West Africa is staggering and unimaginable in terms of magnitude of cases and overall mortality. Corporately, the international humanitarian community could not have anticipated the extent of this unparalleled outbreak, and coordinated global efforts have been significantly outpaced by exponential growth of this deadly disease. Traditional treatment methods of patient isolation and clinical management within Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) can no longer serve as the exclusive means of patient care. The staggering numbers of patients and inadequate numbers of qualified health care personnel have mandated a vastly unique three tiered “community-based” approach. Please join Dr. Lance Plyler as he reviews and explores the evolution from traditional clinical management to novel approaches of patient care rendered via community care centers and home based efforts.
Ebola has emerged as an extremely complex epidemic that has not only revealed a plethora of underlying problems in the affected countries, but calls for a complex and multi-faceted approach to address it. Adequate and appropriate treatment of Ebola is one aspect of the solution, but a solid public health response is essential to the cessation of this epidemic as well. In addition to the health-related measures that are required, understanding and addressing the cultural factors of the region plays a huge role in stopping the spread of the virus. Additionally, there is the monumental task of spiritual and psychosocial care which is needed, and to which the Church can and must respond. Come and learn more about the various roles available for those who want to engage this crisis from a non-clinical standpoint.
The 2014 Ebola outbreak has already killed more than 4000 people, and the end is not clearly in sight. During this session, we will put Ebola into context of other health problems in Africa and then review the presentations, diagnosis, management, and prevention of this devastating illness. We will also explore ways that we can get involved in battling Ebola, whether near to or far from West Africa.
The Next Generation of students, just like each generation before it, is different and is engaging the world in a new way. In order to effectively attract and retain these students, the church will have to adjust as well. Students no longer want to be a part of a church where they sit, listen and give an offering each week—students of this generation want to know where their money is going and to be a part of the movement. They want to engage in the mission of God in a tangible and real way. Because the entire world is available to them more than ever before, they want to be involved both locally and globally.
ELWA Hospital is a small SIM mission hospital near Monrovia, Liberia. When did we first hear about the impending threat of Ebola? What did we do? How did we prepare? What happened? Come and hear the story of Ebola coming to ELWA.
This session reports on focus groups conducted with 107 domestic victims of sex trafficking in which they discussed the health problems they experienced during trafficking. In addition, the session examines victims' interactions with various types of healthcare providers. The focus groups revealed that nearly all victims experienced physical and mental health problems while being trafficked, including serious communicable and other diseases, injuries resulting from violence, substance abuse, and reproductive health issues. The session summarizes data about the health problems reported by sex trafficking survivors to present a fuller picture of the health consequences that victims suffer. A majority of survivors sought healthcare at some point during the time they were trafficked. The session reports on the contact victims had with health care providers including hospital emergency wards, urgent care clinics, neighborhood clinics, women's clinics, Planned Parenthood clinics, and general practitioners. Many providers were unaware of the fact that they were treating a trafficking victim, and unaware of the force, fraud, and coercion involved in trafficking. The session discusses common physical and mental health symptoms and other warning signs that can assist medical professionals in recognizing possible trafficking victims. It also makes policy and program recommendations for medical care providers to enhance their roles as identifiers of trafficking victims. These recommendations include suggestions for interviewing possible victims and methods for helping victims obtain broader assistance, including criminal justice assistance where warranted. Other recommendations include mandatory training about trafficking in persons for healthcare providers, mandatory posting of the national trafficking hotline phone number and specialized resources to make available to victims.
The medical environment in North Africa's more developed nations is radically different from that of the rest of Africa, where private Christian hospitals with reasonably good surgical services that treat the poor have little or no competition from other hospitals. North Africa also has far more trained and licensed surgeons, and as an outside surgical educator I first had to learn how to work in a medical environment that is prescribed by the local medical community. In North Africa the expatriate surgeon must often compete with licensed local surgeons for surgical cases that residents can learn to do. He or she must be very aware of what the local surgical community considers to be the appropriate way to manage surgical disease. When complications occur the medical-legal environment can be a threat to the residents and to their teachers, especially since we are used to managing our own complications "in house." in Egypt complications are not tracked or discussed as we do in developed countries, and patients with serious complications are usually transferred to another hospital to protect the reputation of the surgeon and the hospital. This provides additional challenges to training surgeons. Working cross-culturally as an international medical educator requires humility, patience, and a strong commitment to learn how cultural and religious differences impact medical practice and the way decisions are made
The Millennial demographic is a conundrum of sorts. Millennials are those aged 19-36, and are the largest demographic group in history. They are bigger than baby boomers and they are a powerful force in society. They think and act differently than any group before them, and they are critical to the future success of every non-profit. This session is focused on non-profits who are looking to better understand how Millennials think, how they want to engage with your organization and how they give (both monetarily and with their time).
Suppose you were born in Central Thailand 60 years ago. As a teenager you found a numb spot on your arm, later on your arm became painful and finally your hand was deformed and you couldn’t feel or grip anything. You and your family were frightened. The monks at the Buddhist temple tried to help, but their expensive poultices did not help. Your family loved you, but they felt they had no alternative than to put you out of the house. You were a social outcast and would have to live a life of begging.
What is worldview? What is your worldview? What is the worldview of the community described in the scenario above?
The great majority of medical missions in East Asia takes place in Buddhist and Chinese (Confucius) contexts. Are they the same, similar or different? What obstacles must be overcome to make an impact physically and spiritually in East Asia? What must a medical missionary understand and put into practice in order to work effectively with peoples in Buddhist and Chinese worldviews? Finally, what is the unique role that medical missions can have in these contexts?
This session will feature Dr. David Leung, a family medicine doctor who has worked at Evergreen ministries in Taiyuan, China for over 15 years. He will present the Chinese worldview. I will present the Buddhist challenge.
The principles of abdominal surgery are not different in Africa, but the presentation, available diagnostic tools and frequency of certain etiologies is significantly different. The approach and therapy of peptic ulcer disease, small bowel obstruction, large bowel obstruction and parasitic disease in the abdomen will be the primary diseases discussed.
Endoscopists in the global South face common challenges including limited training opportunities and poor access to equipment and repair facilities. Despite these challenges therapeutic endoscopy creates dramatic improvements in patient outcomes in resource-constrained settings. Strategies for implementing, growing, and sustaining endoscopy services – including the role of short-term partners - will be discussed.
Cross-cultural medical workers are under multiple levels of stress peculiar to their professional roles.
They often serve as mental health resources to colleagues and other cross-cultural workers, have difficulty limiting the hours of work with minimal reprieve for rest and restoration.
This session will focus on cognitive and behavioral tools that can improve mental and emotional self-care.
This session will discuss the role of women in health care missions today. It will include examples and personal stories that will encourage expanded vision and new perspectives on opportunities and needs.
Single medical professionals are resilient in a cross-cultural setting and have the opportunity to be highly effective in service. The greatest challenges impact the personal home life of the individual. Applications to increase resiliency in the personal life will be explored with attention given to the relational and sexual domains of life. The workshop will include a presentation followed by designated time to pose questions and dialogue about the material.
This session will focus on the advances in maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) with a special emphasis on healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies (HTSP). We will discuss the progress made over the past 25 years as well as a way forward with a focus on international family planning. We will look at Ethiopia as a case study for the implementation of healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies and the linkages with addressing other global health millennium development goals. In terms of next steps, we will provide a robust discussion around philanthropy, awareness-raising, and advocacy opportunities to elevate the issues of MNCH for a goal of better dialogue and increased funding on these important global health and development issues.
May people talk about being a missionary in the future… "when I graduate from medical school… when I pay off my debt… when I have more experience… THEN I will become a missionary." The problem is that few are actually living the life of a missionary NOW. Being a missionary does not just magically happen when you set foot on foreign soil. In this session we will discuss the preparation of your heart and hands to be a missionary NOW in your current context, whether that be nursing school, medical school, or residency, AND in the future, whether that be North Africa or North Tulsa.
Integrating evangelism into medical missions can be difficult, particularly in areas that are closed to the gospel. We will discuss the topic from the big picture down to details and examples.
Spina bifida is usually a devastating diagnosis in any part of the work, but it is even more grave in the developing world. Embarking upon a treatment regimen demands that the parents have full information about what limitations should be anticipated for their child. Also, the full repertoire of potential operations, needed care, and life expectancy should be discussed with the family. The mother should be advised about long term folate utilization if she anticipates continued sexual activity while being in a child bearing age. Full information will allow a better understanding by the parents of anticipated changes in the child's disposition over a life time. As the child matures, more and more information will also needed to be shared with the patient.
Historically, the medical goals of medical missions have focused primarily upon primary care, preventive care, and infectious diseases. While these continue to be areas of great need throughout the world, and justifiably remain laudable goals of medical missions, a great deal of literature has emerged in recent years regarding the enormous burden of chronic disease in developing countries. Correctible cardiac lesions have been shown to represent a disproportionate burden of chronic diseases in the developing world, and generally are a disease of children and young adults. Due to lack of diagnostic and curative services, most of these patients continue to die at very young ages. However, with appropriate technology, teaching, and capacity building, many patients can be treated to prevent progression of disease, or provide curative surgical therapy. In this breakout session, we will look at the example of Tenwek Hospital in Kenya, where hundreds of open-heart procedures have now been performed with very low morbidity and mortality. We will examine the significant financial issues involved with this type of technology, as well as the enormous number of productive years of life, which can be redeemed through cardiac care. Finally, we will also discuss the joys of providing spiritual as well as physical healing of the hearts of people in the developing world.
Particpants will be presented with ideas and options for securing and transporting Physical and Occupational Therapy supplies and equipment for short term mission trips. The participants will also be exposed to the expectations of working in the clinic with general descriptions of the workings of a short term Physical and Occupational Therapy clinic. Instructions will include the relationship with other providers in the context of a short term medical clinic and types of patients and working conditions. Discussions will also include dialogue with the participants sharing experiences as time allows.
4 years ago my wife and I felt the Lord was calling us to relocate our family of five into a historic African American community in Memphis, TN. While the neighborhood had a proud heritage it had fallen victim to seeing most of the successful professionals move out of the neighborhood and as a result drugs, gangs and poverty had now replaced the proud heritage with a reputation for being one of the most violent and toughest neighborhoods in Memphis. While the calling was clear our emotions and fears fluctuated as we prepared and ultimately made this move. I will share the journey to adapt to a new culture and how medicine has been a great tool to graft ourselves into a neighborhood so that the name of Jesus can be proclaimed.
"Rural America" conjures up warm, innocent images from Norman Rockwell paintings. Today, however, small town America could not be further from this picture. Broken homes, epidemic drug abuse, staggering unemployment, and paralyzing depression have ravaged these once nostalgic streets. We’re not in Mayberry anymore!
God has called all of us to serve, yet medical missions in rural America have been neglected due to the needs of other parts of the world. When we survey the desperate needs in less populated areas and the lack of access to quality healthcare, it is obvious there is a deficiency. Rural hospitals are closing. Funding is low. Providers are led to other more “obvious” mission fields. In reality, 46.2 million people live in nonmetropolitan counties — that’s nearly 15 percent of U.S. residents spread across 72 percent of the Nation's land area. Who will care for the rural poor?
Dr. Thomas will share about his journey from India to Appalachia. He serves as the Medical Director at Dayspring Family Health Center and co-pastors a local church, answering a call to serve vulnerable and marginalized communities. Despite the many challenges of such a ministry, he is learning to experience the rich rewards of caring for the least of these in rural Tennessee. Listen as he shares his stories of serving God in a way he never asked or imagined.
Before we can understand God's will for us, we must first understand his overarching plan to glorify himself among all nations. This breakout session will explore God's mission and our response to him, common barriers that prevent us from surrendering to God's mission, and disciplines that prepare us to do God's will.
The United States is a much overlooked field in global missions. 96 million people live in areas designated as medically underserved. All of those are communities where poverty is rampant and resources are low. Not only are those areas of great need, they are areas of tremendous opportunity where the harvest is ripe for the gospel. The Director of Christian Community Health Fellowship will share an overview of the issues impacting this cross-cultural domestic mission field, and will discuss how Christian health professionals are intentionally living out the gospel through healthcare among the poor in the United States.
Moved by our compassion and the example of Christ to care for vulnerable and marginalized people suffering the ravages of disease, our response is often to build a clinic and send doctors and nurses to provide care. However, that assumes that if we build the clinic, people will come and if they come, they and their families will get healthy and stay healthy. Together we will explore the meaning of “health”, what is Community-Based Primary Health Care, and learn about three methodologies for prevention and cure at the community level..
Contemporary criticism by global health experts of much of short term medical missions activity (Dead Aid, When Helping Hurts) is valid. We have a tendency to justify use of US diagnostic and treatment guidelines in low income countries as equitable while demonstrably unreasonable and harmful. Careful consideration of the whole care process from care access to care follow-up including all costs including harms and benefits coupled with compassion leads to cost-effective, patient-centric care
1.2 million young children die each year due to acute respiratory infection. Careful attention to appropriate diagnosis, evidenced-based management, and preventive strategies can help prevent these unnecessary and tragic deaths.
Pregnant women and children are at particular risk of malaria in endemic areas, and all non-immune visitors to these areas risk severe disease and death. This session will review the epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of malaria with special focus on pregnant women, children, and travelers.
Despite declining HIV prevalence and AIDS death rate in many countries, HIV/AIDS remains a tremendous challenge with medical, emotional, economic and social problems. Using case presentations and an interactive format, this workshop will explore HIV/AIDS care and treatment issues particularly from the speaker’s experience in Africa
many of the consequences of human trafficking have health ramifications, both physical and mental. It is important to be aware of these to help in identification of victims and to meet their health needs
This session will give a general overview of the topic of human trafficking specifically designed for healthcare professionals. It will cover both domestic and international trafficking as well as sex and labor trafficking. The session will also discuss general identifiers of human trafficking, as well as how to prepare to respond to victims of human trafficking in the healthcare setting.
This session will look at antibiotics appropriate for treatment of dental infections and for antibiotic prophylaxis as well as discussing antibiotic misuse and increasing drug resistance.
Oral Surgery can be particularly challenging on the mission field. In addition to dealing with communication and language difficulties, there are cross-cultural issues and often the lack of x-rays, proper lighting, poor suction, the lack of a trained assistant and possibly the lack of some necessary equipment. Some teams have no dentist on board and many dentists do only limited oral surgery in their practices. How can we be prepared and what are some of the techniques that we can use that might be of help as we care for those who often have never seen a dentist before and are in pain or have been in pain. Releiving pain and infection and doing no harm is only one of the pressing issues when we are out of our comfort zone working in a small dark area where we could be injured and where the incidence of HIV may be quite high.
Effective medication use is always culturally-dependent: from the manner in which medications are legally acquired and transported into a culture to the patient-by-patient interactions necessary for safe and effective outcomes. This discussion will highlight some culturally-relevant issues and remedies specifically regarding these two ends of the medication use process.
This session will focus on the medications used to treat malaria. Most of the discussion will be focused on malaria treatment outside of the US, but time will also be spent to compare the global treatment of malaria to the treatment of malaria "imported" into the US. The session will end with a look at medications currently undergoing investigation for the treatment of malaria in the future.
Mental Health challenges are among those that bear the greatest burden of disease and disability in every country evaluated. Special challenges of diagnosing and caring for people suffering from mental health challenges in Africa will be addressed.
While embarking on a general surgical career as a worker in Africa, I found the breadth of surgical need far beyond my narrow thinking. General surgery gave way to gynecolgy, plastic surgery, orthopedics, urology, and ultimately neurosurgery as pertaining primarily to children with hydrocephalus and spina bifida. The rehab surgery has endured as my focus for the last thirty years. It has been a journey where there are few surgeons involved and where the huge needs seem to have opened a wonderful spiritual path.
As therapists working in developed countries we often have resources including specialized treatments and innovative state of the art equipment that allows us to do many special things for our patients. However when the therapist is in a situation where the resources become limited it takes planning and creativity to be able to meet the needs of your patients. In this session you will be presented with ways to think through the process of treating your patients even when resources are limited.
Fever is a common and recurrent diagnostic dilemma for medical providers in tropical regions or those who see international travelers. Patterns of fever and associated clinical findings often provide important clinical clues to direct diagnostic testing and therapy. Join in an interactive session that will review the causes of fever in various parts of the world. This session will focus on the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for those who work in resource poor areas.
Infertility rates are highest in low resource countries and unfortunately these are the same areas where a woman's worth is frequently based upon her her child bearing abilities. This session will look at common causes of infertility and available treatment options
Travel to developing countries exposes one personally and professionally to new and unfamiliar diseases. This session will review real cases illustrating common tropical worms and germs. Join in the group discussion and diagnostic challenge.
Opportunities for mentoring , discipling and learning from majority world healthcare leaders of today and tomorrow have never been more available or diverse. Ministering healing in Jesus’ name can occur within CANs; within national nursing, medical and other allied health schools; and within a growing number of Christian university-based ,health professions schools. Making a long term commitment allows relationship based discipleship that can produce servant healers from among the Americas, Africa and Asia.
This session will outline the advantages of medical education missions compared to direct care missions, give examples of organizations with which attendees can participate in short term medical education missions, identify challenges participants face and ways they can be overcome, and provide examples of the long term impacts recent short term medical education missions have had.
The missionary nurse role has changed over the years from 'doer' of nursing to 'teacher' of nursing. Educational requirements and practice requirements have increased thus the missionary nurse must allow of increased preparation time. Language learning is a critical component of nursing and missions.
When the cultures of the care provider and the recipient of care differs, frequently it is difficult to complete an accurate assessment. Nurses need to be skilled at assessing clients from a variety of ethnicities, countries, and cultures. Elements of assessment will be described and ideas for overcoming potential barriers will suggested.
Traditional short term medical mission trips involve doing much work and seeing many patients. Many of the procedures can be taught to indigenous believers, allowing them an opportunity to learn new skills that can be used long after the team has gone home. These skills in turn allow access to areas of outreach not available to foreign workers. This breakout explores methods in use today that allow such outreach.
If you are ministering in a Muslim community, it is imperative to understand the cultural implications of Islam. This session will address those implications from a speaker that grew up in those communities.
It is the general idea that the short-term missions is one sided. Often creating dependency- teams from USA go to the underdeveloped country to help and bring short term relief and address felt needs in the comminutes of the countries they visit. While that may be true, ‘passing on of skills’ showcases how the trend can be reversed and these very missions can impact providing long term and sustainable projects and help move from ‘relief’ to ‘development’ and self sustaining mode. Caleb Rayapati, will show case how the “Pass on the skills” is making an impact on the ground, a firsthand account of the partnering mission using the Dental Outreach skills in self sustaining method, involved in community development in India impacting through practice of Biblical wholisim- a first hand account of how Indian Church has impacted using health care skills.
Can a church in a poor and vulnerable community run a sustainable healthcare ministry in her community?
Yes, if the church and short term medical team are well prepared for ministry. Here are the steps we have taken in Ghana to enable local churches run sustainable healthcare ministries as result of short term medical teams equipping them.
Both parenthood and missions are God's idea. But can these two crucial roles fit well together? In this session, a couple with 8 years experience raising children on the mission field will share insights into balancing parenthood and missions.
“Prepare your shields, both large and small, and march out for battle! Harness the horses, mount the steeds! Take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears, put on your armor!”
Jeremiah 46
If God has called you to be a healthcare missionary, you will experience one of the most satisfying – and challenging – careers in the world. You will be a warrior for God in a hostile land. Like any soldier, you need a time of preparation – what the military refers to as “boot camp” – and that time should begin before you enter your mission field. The time to live, think and pray like a missionary is now!
"A disciple is not above his teacher...if they persecuted me, they will persecute you...if they have called the head of the house Beelzebub, what will they call the members of his house?" Since Genesis 3, all human beings have suffered, but disciples of Jesus, especially those who seek to glorify Him as missionaries, inevitably enter into His peculiar sufferings: loneliness, alienation, rejection, humiliation, and physical pain. Some disciples will pay the ultimate price of martyrdom.
We don't pursue suffering for its own sake, but obedient disciples can't avoid hardships. We need a biblical theology of suffering that protects us from despair--and allows us to benefit from suffering's redemptive and maturing power.
2 Kings chapter 2 through 8 list 16 miracles related to the prophets Elijah and Elisha. 2 Kings 7:2 says something I have frequently found myself saying: "Even if the Lord opened the window of Heaven might this thing be..." Or translated it might say "That couldn't happen" or "God can't possibly do that." My stories of God's goodness and answers to prayer fit in the category of 1. Impossible Obstructions, 2. Impossible odds, 3. Impossible Poverty, 4. Impossible visibility, and 5. Impossible timing. They illustrate how God Provided, Guided, Protected, and demonstrated His Providence over 81 years as a missionary child of a medical missionary and then a medical missionary starting in 1966 in Ethiopia.
Dr. Ralph Winter said that for every 100 people who made a mission commitment at some point in their lives, only one made it to the mission field. Why? For lack of mobilizers! The same can be said for lack of mentors. What is a mentor? What do mentors offer prospective long-term medical missionaries? Come to this session if you desire a mentor or if you desire to become a mentor. Before the session you may want to familiarize yourself with GMHC’s mentoring service at https://www.medicalmissions.com/community/mentoring . This session strives to honor God by helping you translate your dreams of serving as a long-term medical missionary into reality.
Health professionals in all settings should take a history from their patient(s). National guidelines in the U.S. recommend a spiritual assessment be included with most or all patients. Yet, surveys show that over 95% of patients say that no health professional has ever inquired of their spiritual or religious beliefs. Furthermore, most health professionals indicate that they never been taught how or why to incorporate a spiritual or religious assessment into their patient history.
In this session you'll learn why a spiritual assessment is now considered a part of quality, evidence-based patient care. In addition, you'll be exposed to a number of spiritual history instruments to consider using in your patient care and you'll be exposed to options of how to utilize the information obtained from a spiritual assessment.
Finally, you'll be introduced to a small group training tool that you can use at home to facilitate the introduction of these principles to other health professionals.
We would all like to believe that as we reach out to share our medical expertise and the love and the compassion of Christ we will all be safe, but is there any place in which we can be safe today? One question we all have to answer is: Is security the absence of danger or the presence of the Lord. But, being good stewards of the great blessing of volunteers serving the least and the last is our obligation. We need to be prepared and have trained and seasoned team leaders to know what to do when the unthinkable happens. We will discuss how to approach these situations from the standpoint of evaluation of risks, minimizing exposure, preparation and training for an encounter with the unthinkable.
Everyone in every culture loves to share and hear stories - and the Gospel is the story of all stories. The Bible comes complete with stories that show all the different aspects of the Gospel and learning how to use them - that is, doing more than simply reading them out loud is one of the most effective ways to share the story with everyone. There are even ways to share the whole story of the Bible in one sitting! And everyone can do it. It is particularly helpful in oral cultures and settings.
This session will share answers on how to select a missions agency. Each person who attends will receive a 3 x 5 card when they enter the room. The moderator John McVay will group and select questions, direct them to appropriate panelists, and receive questions from the floor. Probable topics discussed from questions expected are: agency focus, doctrine, finances, services, leadership, locations, compatibility.
In the mission field today, there is no shortage of work that needs to be done. Small minded thinking tells us that we are the only ones trying to accomplish a particular mission or that we are the only ones that can do it right. By working together as the body of Christ, we can accomplish more together than we can alone.
What can we learn from God's word about effectively sharing a vision? What can we learn from recent evidence of ministries who have demonstrated an ability to effectively share a vision? What gets in the way of effectively sharing a vision?
Fund-Raising for Short-term or Long-Term Missions
Want to know the key to raising resources for a life-time of ministry or for a short-term mission trip – its Effective Ministry Partnership Development (MPD). We’ll address how correct thinking, biblical principles and practical principles are the key. This session will explain “why people give,” “how to effectively gain their support and involvement,” “ways to grow your list of prospects” and “what the basis is for successful long-term financial partnership.” Anyone wanting to increase the involvement of others in the ministry and increase their financial partnership should attend this session.
Scientific and technical advances are often seen as the key to best medical practice and have become the aspiration of both developed and developing countries. But to focus only on biological processes is to ignore other powerful influences on the causes and management of illness. A solely mechanistic approach fails to deal with the basic requirement of patients to be cared for as people - in body, mind and spirit.
This session will explore the broader practice of patient care defined by the phrase ‘whole person medicine’. Beginning with a biblical basis for this approach, and taking evidence from history and research, we will examine its core component of compassion including its practical application in healthcare delivery and teaching.
The increasing globalization of society has paradoxically led to a fragmentation of cultural homogeneity. In the past, cultural competence meant that you knew enough about a country or society to avoid offending the people with whom you interacted. You can no longer assume that the social context of any geographic region, even your own home, is culturally unified. This is an even greater problem when working with short-term teams that include members without cross-cultural experience. In this session we will discuss the challenges of team building with culturally diverse team members. Our discussion of Trans-Cultural Intelligence (T-CQ), an innovative approach to building effective multi-cultural teams, will benefit both short-term and long-term missionaries. The session focuses on simple effective ways to develop shared motivation, information and trust and the importance of these characteristics when strategizing in the context of culture diversity.
The Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven shaped every aspect of Jesus’ ministry - - his healing, prayers, teaching and even his identity . As we follow him in health care missions, the Kingdom should also define our goals, methodologies, and ways of relating with those we serve and with our co-workers. It should fuel our hope and our perseverance.
Worldview is the lens through which we see and understand the world around us. As such it colors everything we do and say. Without an adequate understanding of the target audience's worldview, our response, medical or theological, will likely be less effective than it could be. In missiological terms, our response to medical and spiritual needs will not be contextual. Understanding their worldview and how it differs from my worldview is a fundamental first step in cross-cultural ministry.
Everyone who has been on a medical mission has some embarrassing and/or hilarious stories of cultural or language blunders. Sometimes the events are just funny. Sometimes they can seriously compromise relationships and the intended impact of the whole mission, including our Christian witness. This session offers perspective, spiritual grounding and practical tools for building healthy relationships, avoiding, or at least recovering from many of the common mistakes in cross-cultural missions.
How do you “Do No Harm” when you are often practicing beyond your training? How do you treat everyone “fairly” in a context of unlimited need and limited resources of time, equipment, supplies and staffing? Using real life examples, we will examine the practical application of the ethical principles of non-malfeasance, benevolence, autonomy and justice in the difficult situations faced by many medical missionaries.
Long-term improvement in health-related indicators for a population depends on coordinated interaction between communities, local leaders, government, and technical experts. Long-term input from outsiders can be valuable, as can coordinated input from outsiders who engage in appropriate partnering relationships with nationals. This workshop will identify several successful models for partnering where short-term healthcare workers can have a tremendous impact, as well as highlighting pitfalls to be avoided.
This session is design for those who already have an understanding of human trafficking and need guidance regarding how to develop a protocol to respond to victims of trafficking within a hospital or clinic. The session will cover the steps necessary to develop a response protocol and the elements that should be contained in a good protocol.
If you feel the Lord might be calling you to healthcare missions the time to begin planning is now. Prepare your heart and your personal balance sheet by living a missionary lifestyle today. Reorder your priorities and push back on the materialistic culture we live in. You may find the blessing beyond your expectations.
Traditional short term mission trips focus on going to an area and "doing" work for a people group or "working alongside" a local ministry for a few days. Often when the mission team leaves it creates a hardship for the locals as the "doers" have gone leaving work still to be done. What if we could train the local believers to do the work that we are doing? This session presents just such a model. An empowering method of short term missions passes on teachable skills to indigenous people allowing them to do for each other long after a short term team has left.
Microfinance has become a very popular strategy for helping to stabilize and grow the incomes of poor families in the Global South. Given the close association between economic prosperity and physical health, there is a tremendous opportunity to integrate microfinance progams with various health initiatives. This workshop introduces the basic concepts of microfinance and gives examples of attempts to integrate health education and health insurance into microfinance programs.
Healthy individuals and families require healthy communities. Historically, many attempts to create such communities have used a "needs-based approach" which focuses on the deficits and short-comings in those communities, the assumption being that outside resources would be the catalyst for change. In contrast, an "asset-based approach" identifies, connects and mobilizes the resources within a community, believing that such resources are the key to sustainable change. This workshop introduces the key ideas of asset-based community development and suggests helpful tools to pursue this process.
ART (Atraumatic Restorative Treatment) is an minimally invasive method of treating caries in selected teeth which is being used in developed and developing countries throughout the world. It consists of restoring teeth with glass ionomer restorative material, hand instruments and materials available in limited resource areas.
The purpose of this lecture is to explain the ART approach including advantages and limitations by describing the ART procedure and providing evidence based references.
A discussion of the highs and lows of long term hospital based missions. Mission hospitals afford opportunities for deeply meaningful service but not without significant challenges and often at considerable cost.
Nursing practice varies from country to country based on the healthcare needs of that country and the educational systems in place for educating nurses. This panel is made up of nurses who have been educated outside of the US and now practice here as well as US nurses who have become familiar with the nursing practice in their mission host countries. Come learn how nursing is both the same and different in other countries.
Whether your client with the shoulder issue wants to return to playing sports or just wants to be able to return to pain free activities around the home the therapist's challenge is the same...evaluate and treat a complex and amazing joint. During this session there will be a review of anatomy and evaluation techniques of the shoulder. We will discuss treatment options from a "generalist" physical therapist's point of view emphasizing a hands on approach with minimal use of equipment. We seek to give you tools to use to better treat your clients at your clinic on Main Street, USA or across the ocean in a remote location.
Oral lesions can present clues of a systemic conditions—the appearance, the character of the lesions, the size, the duration, and the location of the lesions can give some insight as to a possible systemic implications. On the mission field, without all the desired tests and studies, it is very helpful to have an idea what lesions may be part of a systemic condition and what lesions are most likely to respond to local measures. Bring your "thinking cap" and lets have some fun. There will be time for questions and answers.
This session will give an overview of the current picture of trafficking in persons within the United States including international and domestic trafficking with an emphasis on child sex trafficking, the major form of trafficking in persons within the U.S. In addition, the session will address specific indicators of human trafficking for the healthcare professional and how to help identify victims of human trafficking that may present in the healthcare setting.
Among the poor and the vulnerable, children are the most vulnerable and needy. Several responses have been implemented to serve orphans and vulnerable children, including adoptions, orphanages, child sponsorship, and various children-focused programs. This session will review some of these, share some lessons learned, and highlight some best practices and principles from several African countries and the Caribbean. Examples of dignifying and non-dignifying interventions attempting to address this growing need will be shared.
Poverty is commonly associated with lack. Long term missions in Haiti has received significant contributions to address that lack during the last several decades - personnel, materials and more. What is the current status in this hurting country? Is this help continuing and in what ways? What is being done and can it be done differently? There are some initiatives in the country that are rising as examples of success. What are the key guiding principles in these new initiatives and how are they modeling and instilling fresh hope in this devastated country?
This workshop will explore concepts, principles and recommendations for the involvement of people of faith and the local church in HIV and AIDS ministry. At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
• Identify characteristics, roles and functions of faith communities which are suited for HIV and AIDS ministry and programs.
• Explore personal and congregational barriers that hinder faith-based involvement in HIV and AIDS efforts.
• Develop a specific individual and corporate plan of action for addressing HIV and AIDS within their communities and congregations.
The panel will address the challenges and rewards of serving internationally as a single person. It will provide food for thought and prayer for those who are considering and preparing for cross-cultural service.
Missions is about who we are and what we're called to be. We often think of missions as primarily something we, or others, "do." Of course we engage in missions but when we look at the Bible we find that missions is at the heart of God's story of making all things new in Christ. We are called to take part in this story--not only tell it and study it but live it. When we see that missions in the Bible is not simply a handfull of texts but is at the very heart of God's unfolding plan then we can find our place in God's redemptive story. In this session we'll take a fresh look at what missions is all about in the Bible, and how God has gone about fulfiliing his promise to the nations in Christ and what that means for us today. Hopefully each of us will go away with a renewed vision for the missional life God has given us.
This session describes how healthcare professionals, working in developing countries, will require a lot improvisations. In addition, the speaker will explain how healing requires more than healing just the body. There will be a discussion on how to provide healthcare with limited medications, technology, help and limited understanding. There will be a brief discussion on how healthcare providers put themselves at risk and finally, a overview of how to train and equip locals to sustain healthcare once the healthcare team has left the area.
Sign up for this workshop when you arrive at the conference registration desk. Space is limited
The skills of wound management and suturing are frequently needed by medical and nursing professionals in mission settings. Often there is not a surgeon available, and the next most qualified person to take care of the patient may be you. Accurate suturing skills are an important part of acute wound management which can be performed well with a little training in careful technique. This workshop is a practical hands-on approach to suturing for non-surgeons. We will walk you step by step through closure of a wound by using a pig's foot in place of the patient. Basic, easy to use, but reliable techniques of suturing will be introduced or reviewed. This session will include a demonstration and practice of:
• the basics of wound healing and closure
• guidelines for choosing the correct suture and needle
• correct knot tying methods ( for right or left handed persons)
• wound closure with a variety of suturing techniques
• common pitfalls
• practical tips on improving your technique.
Space will be limited to medical, nursing professionals, or students in these professions. Sign up early. Please review the attached PowerPoint presentation before you attend the session.
Parasites are the cause of many common tropical diseases. Recognizing the typical presentation and prevention of parasitic diseases can be extremely valuable for those practicing in a tropical setting. We will explore short case vignettes to illustrate the classic diseases caused by protozoa, worms and ectoparasites. Those who wish to present their own cases are also invited to participate. Bring your powers of observation and clinical wit to diagnose these mystery cases.
Worksite wellness is one of the 5 groups of communities for community engagement. Schools are a specialized workplace. Consistent health / wellness messages in schools and worksites will reach the family from two strategic directions.
Public health is not often formally established in mission's organizations. Public health is a more sustainable compassionate ministries outreach than clinics and hospitals therefore should be a key part of indigenous church strategies.
Community engagement is the facilitation of communities to own their own problems and solutions within their resources. Key cross cultural communications competencies and skills are necessary to effectively facilitate community engagement.
This session will share answers on how to become a medical missionary. Each person who attends will receive a 3 x 5 card when they enter the room. The moderator John McVay will group and select questions, direct them to appropriate panelists, and receive questions from the floor. Probable topics discussed from questions expected are: Guidance, Agencies, Training, Funding, Singles, and Families.
Urban health care and the gospel must embrace our communities. Living, working and serving within the context of the community we serve draws us toward God’s love for people and helps us identify with our neighbors. Should one try to move into communities of poverty in order to serve there? How can we encourage those indigenous to our communities to stay to serve God within the context of their lives? This workshop will explore Christ’s healing ministry among those he came to serve. Susan Post, the director of Esperanza Health Center and Tony Gonzalez, an Esperanza leader will share their experiences, challenges and vision for health care ministry as one who relocated into North Philadelphia and one who grew up in North Philadelphia. We need one another to be able to gain a more complete vision for effective Christ-centered health care ministry.
In health care ministry, we share the compassion of Christ. Christ's compassion "suffers with" those we are called to serve. Engaging deeply with our patients can be difficult if our own lives are not bound with our Savior. We can find ourselves disillusioned, distant, or overwhelmed as we share in the suffering of others. Spiritual vibrancy and worship are vital for compassionate ministry. This workshop will explore Christ's call to share in the suffering of others, the importance of a life of worship for ministry, and some ways we can foster spiritual vibrancy in our lives of ministry.
Over 96M Americans live in medically underserved areas (MUAs) right here in the United States. Most MUAs are located in strategic areas of need where service is desperately needed and where people are ripe for the gospel. Medical mission pioneers are responding to needs in our own nation by applying in domestic settings proven strategies that have worked in challenging international fields. These courageous disciples recognize that our mission really is "global" and not just "international"; that "mission" is not something you do 2 weeks in the summer, but is a lifestyle; and that serving in cross-cultural, impoverished communities here not only fulfills our Christian mandate, but is the best preparation they can get for work in other countries.
This session will examine what gospel-driven healthcare looks like in the U.S., and discuss the principles and strategies that are helping Christians extend Christ's love through healthcare to the neediest of our neighbors.
Given the societal situation of people with disabilities worldwide, true life transformation can only come from a wholistic approach. The needs of people with disabilities worldwide are complex and multifaceted, but the additional challenges faced by those in the majority world require a multidimensional approach. This approach needs to take place on 2 fronts – among those living with disability and among those around them. It must also take place from a multi-disciplinary framework, addressing the spiritual, emotional, physical, social, intellectual and economic aspects of the woman - each as a part of the whole being. Come and hear what God has done and is doing in the lives of women with disabilities in one of the toughest places on earth to live. Find out how you can be part of what He's up to among this unique population of unreached people!
When? Where? How? All are questions mission-minded healthcare professionals ask as they explore rotations or volunteer service during training. Join us as we discuss domestic and international locations, best practices and steps you can take in selecting an opportunity that fits your goals, timeframe, skills, and budget.
Human trafficking refers to the sale of adults and children in to commercial sexual activity or as bonded laborers. It is often referred to as modern day slavery and viewed as a criminalized industry. However the roots of human trafficking lie in the poverty and marginalization of communities, broken families and the low values placed on children especially girls. Most agencies have approached the problem of human trafficking by advocating for stricter regulation, policing towards rescue among policy makers, law enforcement bodies and civil society. Some focus only on the rehabilitation of those rescued. However if human trafficking has to stop it is equally important to prevent the trafficking by using a preventive community based approach and to work on tackling some of the fundamental problems that undergirds and results in trafficking. In this session we will outline some of the community based initiatives that we have worked on to prevent human trafficking.
Dr. David Stevens talks with Dr. Carol Spears about her journal to and on the mission field.
Dr. David Stevens talks to Dr. Barry Sorrells about Operation New Life and Global Health Outreach.
Often, development partners are working toward building the organization, while the targeted communities are not given priority for their success. Ensuring the technical and financial capacity of the organization does not guarantee successful community development programs. On the contrary, an organization can have relatively small budget with average technical capacity, but outstanding achievement in community development. This begs the question: how is it possible to make a meaningful difference amidst such vast and complex development issues we all face.
Let us share some practical insight Life In Abundance International has learned while working in 10 Africa and Caribbean countries during the last 15 years. In particular, what made the program unique to its success in Ethiopia, where LIA’s work began? It was not the size of the budget and the wide coverage of the targeted community. Rather it is the vision, value, mission and strategy of focusing on empowering local churches that made the remarkable difference. The vision was quiet compelling and the mission was realistic enough to challenge the prevailing complex community and health problems. This workshop will highlight some practical insight of such a development program and address the following questions:
• What are the vision, mission, value and culture of the organization?
• What are the roles of the organization and the local church in transformational development?
• Who is our staff comprised of?
• How to select target community and direct beneficiaries
• Who will identify the need in a target community?
• How to approach and lead the project in a participatory fashion
• How to sustain the program(s)
• How to measure success in line with the vision and mission
• What are practical success examples that have been registered so far in OVC and WASH Projects in Ethiopia?
It is the general idea that the short-term missions is one sided. Often creating dependency- teams from USA go to the underdeveloped country to help and bring short term relief and address felt needs in the comminutes of the countries they visit. While that may be true, ‘passing on of skills’ showcases how the trend can be reversed and these very missions can impact providing long term and sustainable projects and help move from ‘relief’ to ‘development’ and self sustaining mode. Caleb Rayapati, will show case how the “Pass on the skills” is making an impact on the ground, a firsthand account of the partnering mission using the Dental Outreach skills in self sustaining method, involved in community development in India impacting through practice of Biblical wholisim.
In today's world, major urban centers, with highly renowned medical centers and universities, are also places with high infant and maternal mortality/morbidity. According to UNFPA's Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin (2012), "The number of maternal deaths is often inversely proportional to girls' and women's status in the family and society, and evidence shows that the poorer the household, the greater the risk of maternal death." In this session, we will examine factors influencing women's health, both in urban and global settings, and discuss strategies for health promotion and disease prevention with women and their communities
Traditional ways of serving in medical missions have included working in mission hospitals, clinics and aspects of community development and public health. Less well-known—but significant—medical mission ministries from the beginning include medical education and cooperating with local and national governments in planning or providing healthcare, including national healthcare. As entry into many areas of the world has been restricted for traditional medical missions over the past generation, these other less well-known thrusts have increased in strategic significance.
Three distinguished panelists—Dr. James Smith, Dr. Daniel Tolan and Dr. Matthew Koh— bring extensive experience from nearly all continents to this session. They have served in both Christian and secular contexts and short and long term programs that have greatly enhanced the scope and effectiveness of medical missions worldwide. Join us to expand your horizons of opportunities to serve in these medical ministries.
If you’ve been on a short-term trip you’ve experienced it; it’s the last day and the line of patients is as long as the day of arrival. Desperation is in the air. There is a nagging sense in your gut that this is not right. This session will present techniques that empower believers to meet the healthcare needs in their own community
An introduction to Women's Cycle of Life, part of a comprehensive, wholistic curriculum and program that equips women to thrive in the face of a multitude of challenges in the developing world. In order to help women thrive, it is important to understand not only the challenges they face, but also the roots of those challenges. Women's Cycle of Life training is part of a larger wholistic community development approach that equips communities, leaders, and women to see every aspect of themselves through God's eyes. Lessons include a wide-range of physical, spiritual, and social topics focused on helping women live life abundantly.
Using examples from the DRC of major burns, head injuries and fractures
the speaker will point to some generally available resources, practical
innovations and possible priorities in the provision of surgical care in
the developing world.
The Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) strategy has been proven to prevent disease, disability, and death and improve care for ill children in outpatient settings in low income countries. Learn the algorithms that can help you and your colleagues provide high quality integrated care for sick children in resource-limited settings at a fraction of the cost of usual care, improve case management skills of your health care staff, as well as improve your local health system and the health practices of families and communities where you serve.
How should I manage medical and surgical diseases in a resource limited setting? How do I decide whether to test or just treat? Should I treat the poor, rural farmer in Africa for mild HTN as I would a farmer in Minnesota? Learn an evidence-based probabilistic approach to rational, ethical, shared decision making with patients in resource limited settings that leads to cost effective care. Learn how to leave expensive, guideline centered, inefficient, futile care and embrace high value, patient-centric, cost effective, sensible care for the poor and medically underserved
Medicine is one means of meeting the needs of people throughout the world. Working with the disabled opens closed doors and is an outreach to those I consider "unreached". Three to ten percent of the world is considered to have some type of disability. Only a very few in the developing world can find care to improve their plight in life. Surgical rehabilitation, and its associated care, has opened doors throughout East Africa and has opened doors into closed countries. Kenya was the beginning. In 2006 a team entered a country where we were told, "There are no Christians, national or expats!" The third day there a medical student commented, "I have never met a Christian." A recent publication suggested that only 1 in 15 in that country had every met a Christian. Now, seven years later we have touched the physical lives of probably thousands, and we have planted a lot of seeds. Children with hydrocephalus, spina bifida, burn contractures, club feet, cleft lips/palates, and other disabilities are receiving care that was not previously available, AND children from 4 surrounding regions are also coming for care. The work of BethanyKids in Kenya, and of the Lord, saw about 7,000 people come to the Lord in 2011. Most of Africa has nearly no significant medical care for the disabled. With added workers and further training, doors could be open to much of the developing world.
Effective Ministry Partnership Development is the key to raising resources for life and ministry. We’ll address how correct thinking, biblical principles and practical principles are the key. This session will explain “why people give,” “how to effectively gain their support and involvement,” “ways to grow your list of prospects” and “what the basis is for successful long-term financial partnership.” Anyone wanting to increase the involvement of others in the ministry and increase their financial partnership should attend this session.
This session will help participants to work through the nebulous idea of God's calling by exploring a Biblical framework for knowing and doing God's will, and helping participants identify and overcome common barriers that prevent people from fully surrendering their lives to leading of the Holy Spirit.
Short-term teams can be a huge blessing to long-term workers on the field! They bring with them fresh perspective and energy. Their curiosity is invigorating. They often bring much needed specialty skills. They take back firsthand accounts of your ministry. And, not to be underestimated, they may also turn into long-term workers! This is a great opportunity to renew partnerships and relationships with donor organizations/churches as well as accomplishing a specific project. As long-term workers, how can we best prepare them and prepare for them?! That seems to be a burning question these days. And, lets be honest, short-term teams can also be exhausting. How can you, a long-term field worker, provide the opportunity for the short-term missionary to have a meaningful experience and simultaneously be encouraged and assisted during their visit? This session will explore Long-Term missionaries hosting Short-Term teams.
Knowing medicine or dentistry is not enough to be a successful missionary. There are many things beyond medicine you need to master to be effective. You need to learn how to recruit, train and supervise people. You will likely be involved in fund raising, program design and development, evangelism, leadership, government relations, project proposals, public speaking and much more.
This session will give you an overview of many of these areas and get you started down the path to be a life long learner. Dr. Stevens will share clear principles and practical experience seasoned with examples from his missionary experience. He will point you to good resources to learn what you need to know beyond medicine.
How did 145,000 Muslims find Jesus in a single decade? Shadanke faced a decision: He could woo foreign health-care professionals to Sierra Leone to meet dire medical needs among his people. Or he could partner with a few foreign health-care professionals to launch out-of-control movements of reproducing Jesus-Communities (churches) that would explode the Kingdom among hundreds of thousands of his people while training/equipping them to meet those physical needs in Jesus’ name. He chose the latter. And a decade later there are literally hundreds of thousands of baptized believers, half for them former Muslims, who continually ravage Satan’s kingdom, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and it’s power, healing all kinds of diseases.
What’s your ultimate long-term goal? Is your dream to vaccinate multiple thousands of Berber children against preventable child-hood diseases or … to launch movements of missional-communities (churches) among the Berber who will reach all the Berber for Christ … and vaccinate all their children too? Is your goal to treat five thousand TB patients among the Bedo of Jordan or … to establish reproducing Jesus-Communities in the desert that actually bring the Kingdom’s blessing to all Bedouins … and who themselves become the hands of Jesus serving TB patients among them? Is your ambition to establish and/or staff emergency clinics for the never-ending flow of refugees, or … is your life ambition to launch out-of-control movements of simple churches that sweep through a people group … and serve their sick as part of being the church.
This breakout session will give you hope that the bigger vision is possible and help you form and prepare long-term teams that can embrace such a challenge.
Abstract:
Poverty is an issue that should interest all Christians especially physicians working in mission settings in charity hospitals and also physicians working in public health doing development work. Poverty is often understood in monetary terms. The Millennium Development Goal team has defined it as less than 2$ a day. This presentation seeks to understand poverty in “wholistic” terms. Poverty cannot be eradicated merely by economic empowerment unless other factors are also looked at such as:
• Social exclusion or stigmatization,
• Lack of access to decision making,
• Fatalism or paralysis of the “status quo”,
• Gender discrimination and
• Dependencies (caused by excessive funding) are other important factors that aggravate poverty.
Scriptural support for a broader understanding of the poor will be presented from both the “Nazareth Manifesto” in Luke chapter 4 and also from all the engagements Jesus had with different kinds of “poor” individuals.
Finally evidence will be presented about how broad based approaches to poverty have impacted development positively.
In management, there is a saying, "you get what you inspect, not what you expect". However, how do we know exactly what to inspect in the transformational development process? for example, if we looked only at the instruments showing the vial signs of a patient in a coma but kept alive on life support systems, the instruments would show that vital signs are within the ideal range. However , the doctor treating this patient would be most concerned about when the patient's CNS would take over responsibility for all the vital organs to function normally. We understand this well in Medical science, but somehow forget all about it when it comes to community development. Empowerment takes a back seat, and other indicators take on prominence, despite the fact that we know that things like vaccination levels, disease incidence etcetera can be made to "look impressive" by directing inputs in a particular way. We are often content to become service providers for health care and management, and take on the responsibility for 'ensuring that the community is healthy'. We are even happy with the community being a passive recipient of our services, because the outcome is good - immunization levels are up, people are healthy. But what happens when the program is over? Do things just revert back to where they were before we started? does anyone go back to check? A good friend of mine , Dr. Stanley Foster (who spent over 50 years in Public Health in CDC and Emory University) is a strong advocate for evaluation of intensive massive health care projects two years after the projects are over!!!
One can say without a doubt that if the community was not engaged from the beginning in the planning and empowered as a part of the project design to take responsibility for their health ; the outcome would be pretty embarrassing. This session focusses on identifying what matters in the development process (Empowerment, progress towards the MDGs, etcetera) & finding ways to measure them.
"Justice" has multiple meanings in the Bible. When the psalmist declared that "righteousness and justice are the foundation" of the Messiah's throne (Psalm 89:14), he was speaking of an equity and fairness that goes beyond punishment for bad people. God's zeal for justice is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. This breakout session will define biblical justice, describe present day healthcare injustices, and demonstrate that working for healthcare justice is a powerful means of glorifying God and expanding the Kingdom of Jesus.
Ministry that originates from a community, rather than from outside, has heightened power to transform individuals (including those delivering services) and neighborhoods. Using examples from inner-city Memphis, TN, we'll demonstrate that powerful things happen when disciples of Jesus live as the Church-- cross-culturally and in community.
Are you and your family planning to be missionaries in the US or overseas and wondering the impact on your family life? This session will provide advice from a couple who served 8 years in Asia, where 3 of their 4 daughters were born. They'll give suggestions, some of it learned the hard way, for how you and your family can thrive on the mission field. Included will be strategies and insights for successful family preparation beforehand and healthy family life after your begin serving. Time will also be available during the session for asking your questions.
It's estimated that more than 4 Billion people in the world are oral learners. They can't, don't or won't read. Regardless of the reasons or situation, oral communication methods and participatory/discovery learning processes are important tools in most of the world. In this session we'll look at case studies and experiences my wife and I have had helping friends in North India create mother-tongue audio recordings of community development/health information and also Scripture stories. The session will give you a taste of how stories will help you work in oral cultures. I'll also provide links and connections for more information if the session wets your appetite.
The Changing Role of the Pastor and the Church in Healthcare Missions.
This session will equip pastors and church leaders to be able to lead and implement effective medical missions engagement in the changing missiological landscape of the 21st century. You will learn practical and biblical sound ways of changing your church members from being spectators into participators, from consumers into contributors and how to guide agencies and NGOs to work through your church and not just with your church..
Emphasis will be on how God wants to use ordinary people and how you as church leader can fuel this reformation of deeds that is going on by launching church initiated interventions and trips. This will also apply to how to see this become a reality in the global south whether through short term trips of your church members or through individual participation
Mission Medical: Assessing and Addressing Spiritual Needs of Patients
We'll discuss (1) why healthcare professionals have been reluctant to take a spiritual history, (2) the positive association of spirituality/religiosity and physical/mental health, and (3) several spiritual history tools to consider for use in clinical care.
What could small groups of people from the USA do during week-long trips to help invigorate, inform, and empower the local people for months, years, and even generations? This workshop will present some field examples of this happening, clarify some key factors for this style of Short-Term Missions (STM) to be successful, and generate your input on how to measure a truly successful STM trip. Come prepared to participate, and leave motivated to change. (repeat of last year)
Transforming Individuals, Groups and Neighborhoods for Better Health.
We will discuss how healthcare workers can reach out to geographical areas where their patients live with a view to helping their patients discover that they must take more control of their own lives if there is to be an improvement in their overall health. Peer groups and family are the main providers of health not medical professionals therefore it is critical to involve a patients trusted peers and family in the individual’s health.
Then as a group how can people begin to transform their neighborhood. The clinic/health ministry serves as a catalyst, organizer and trainer to help this happen. The cost to the clinic is minimal. But the overall impact for individuals and their communities is tremendous.
In recent years there has been a tsunami of short-term healthcare volunteers going into the developing world; both faith-based and humanitarian. Recent estimates tell us that 29% of students enrolled in medical schools participate in some type of short-term global health project prior to graduation. Dental, nursing, and allied health schools are also beginning to follow suit. Yet, few churches or educational institutions have any knowledge of what constitutes best practices in global health. This workshop will review the six guidelines for best practices in global health as they appear in the book “When Healthcare Hurts: An Evidence Based Guide to Best Practices in Global Health Initiatives”. It will also review the four primary areas of global health best practices which include the following.
- Patient Safety
- Healthcare System Integration and Collaboration
- Facilitation of Health Development
- Community Empowerment
We spend so much time, money, and resources on short-term missions trips that we often forget about the mission field at home. How can we live intentionally for 52 weeks each year in the mission field God has placed us in?
Community Health Evangelism (CHE) is a breakthrough mission strategy that seamlessly integrates evangelism and discipleship with disease prevention and community-based development. Through these ministries people become followers of Jesus, churches are planted, and entire communities are lifted out of cycles of poverty and disease.
By participation and completion of this workshop, the participant should be able to:
- State the purpose for integrated ministries such as Community Health Evangelism.
- Identify transformational indicators used to measure the success of an integrated Community Health program.
- List the steps in implementing a Community Health Evangelism program.
- Find resources and collaborative partners to help build and expand their programs.
- Recognize three keys to building successful integrated community health ministries.
- Tell the story of successful CHE programs in different contexts around the world.
In this session we will gain a vision for church initiated community health ministries that shape culture, influence policy, and impact millions. We will examine a few case studies, explore current opportunities, and learn a a simple and trasferable ministry strategy that is achieving nationwide impact in several countries.
International short-term healthcare teams are challenging to develop and lead, due to the need for cultural intelligence, strong spiritual preparation of the team, and complex regulatory requirements in each country. Organizers must assure that they understand the myriad cultural complexities of working across cultural barriers, and how to educate their short-term team on the essentials. Spiritual formation of the team, and strong support of the disciple-making ministry of national partners must include strong, proactive preparation of team members and establishing a safe, ministry-focused environment for service. Careful planning with credible national partners is essential for both effective spiritual ministry, and for negotiating the many legal, regulatory, and customs requirements in developing country settings. This session will discuss mechanisms to plan for, prioritize, and measure desired actions and outcomes.
This seminar will examine the biblical call to make disciples and most importantly how to do this. You will learn the practical aspects of both having a discipler/mentor and serving as a discipler/mentor for someone else. If you ever have or have ever wanted to invest your life strategically into another person, then this seminar is for you!
Every aspect of Jesus’ ministry - - his prayers, teaching, healing and even his identity - - seems to have been shaped by his vision of the Kingdom of God. As we follow him in health care missions, the Kingdom should also define our goals, methodologies, and ways of relating with those we serve and with our co-workers. It should fuel our hope and our perseverance.
In this session, we will:
• Learn about the Kingdom of God and healing from several gospel stories
• Identify conflicting or paradoxical perspectives on the Kingdom that may fog or hinder our healthcare ministries
• Outline a vision of the Kingdom that can give focus and power to our healthcare missions
• Explore the relationship between evangelism and healthcare missions
• Collectively identify resources and networks that give ongoing help as we clarify our vision and strengthen our faithful practice.
Preventing and Managing Burnout
Cross-cultural medical workers are under multiple levels of stress peculiar to their professional roles.
They often serve as mental health resources to colleagues and other cross-cultural workers, have difficulty limiting the hours of work with minimal reprieve for rest and restoration.
This session will focus on cognitive and behavioral tools that can improve the mental self-care with attention to appropriate and assertive limit-setting, sleep preservation, stress management, and team development.
The session will also discuss strategies for managing burnout when it emerges including these tools as well as clinical tools of formal assessment and bio/psycho/social/spiritual interventions
Objectives:
1- Participants will be able to describe the main sources of challenge to mental health of cross-cultural medical workers and the signs of emerging burnout
2- Participants will be able to describe at least three cognitive-behavioral strategies that can be utilized to improve mental self-care and burnout management.
Goals of This Breakout Session Include:
1. Review the list of evidence-based, low-cost, mortality-reducing interventions for critically ill patients that are appropriate for use in resource limited settings.
2. Share practical lessons learned including successes and challenges from running an ICU in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Global Health Issues: Major Existing Global Issues
Intensive Medical Education in Low Resource Areas
Speaker: Ndidi Musa
Location: ED 210/212
Abstract: To achieve the Millennium development goal 4, which is to reduce under-five mortality by two-thirds by 2015, still remains a challenge for low resource countries. Emergency and critical care services are often the weakest parts of the health system and yet have the potential to significantly reduce mortality. Effective triage, emergency care and intensive care is possible by putting into place intensive training and education that equips the health care staff to recognize and care for these critically ill children. Mission hospitals have the potential to take the lead in intensive care medical education for a number of reasons. Most missionary doctors have trained in a system where triage is the norm and where simple measures like availability of oxygen can save a life. it is with this background in mind that we will explore the following objectives: We will define the spectrum of intensive care services; We will identify tools and resources available to educate and train health care providers to improve skills and knowledge in intensive care; Innovations in critical care are they possible in mission hospitals?
Healthcare provides a unique opportunity to engage the deepest issues of life and faith alongside those who are suffering. Can you care for patients in a way that brings them before Jesus and offers them peace, healing, and wholeness? Discover how to practice healthcare as your ministry…starting even now as a student or resident.
The last contact we have with our patients is often discussing and dispensing their medications. This session will examine barriers and provide strategies to address cross-cultural: communication with patients, issues in appropriate patient medication use, and methods to provide clear instructions when counseling patients on medications.
The needs of long-term expatriate workers are quite different from those of the short-term worker. Long-term strategies include more flexible malaria prophylaxis regimens (covering high risk seasons), self treatment options for diarrhea and malaria, additional disease concerns (Japanese encephalitis, rabies) and dealing with mental health issues such as culture shock and depression.
Caring for Asian patients from other cultures offers some unique challenges, whether these are recent immigrants to the U.S. or patients seen in overseas settings. Language is just the first obstacle and often professional interpreters are a necessity. Cultural expectations differ by country. High context Asian cultures can make it difficult to communicate even after language issues are resolved. Many illnesses present differently with physical complaints often masking mental health concerns. Familiarity with various Asian culture bound syndromes is essential.
Regardless of your background, short-term and long-term, medical and non-medical mission workers alike are going to be faced with dental emergencies. Determining the course of action, including proper diagnosis and treatment, along with knowing when and where to refer when necessary, is important to patient health. This course will cover potential dental emergencies that may present as well as stress the importance of understanding the local health care system and the professionals working within that system.
Learning objectives:
1) List potential dental emergencies, presenting signs and symptoms and appropriate treatment
2) Articulate the importance of understanding the local health care system when working cross-culturally
Abdominal surgery in Africa will focus on the incidence, diagnosis and the medical/surgical management of the most common clinical problems. The availability of medical personnel, facilities, and equipment will be discussed as well as the long-term need for surgical training.
Although largely framed as a legal issue, a social issue, and sometimes a geo-political issue, human trafficking is also a public health issue. Public health approaches consider all of these factors to take local information to make locally-appropriate interventions. It can also take local data to help feed our global pool of knowledge regarding this complex issue. Human Trafficking is both an individual as well as a public health issue. While direct health care is important, health professionals and organizations need to move beyond this and get involved in prevention, research, developing appropriate treatment guidelines, and monitoring and evaluation of health care interventions. We are against human trafficking because it harms people - so let's take approaches that will really work to mitigate, or even prevent, that harm.
In 2010, The Continuing Medical and Dental Education Commission of CMDA approved a working group to investigate the experience of medical missionaries with a view to providing information to assist mission agencies in setting a current and sustainable medical mission strategy. The PRISM (Patterns and Responses in Intercultural Service in Medicine) survey is a research report that summarizes those findings. This talk will involve a discussion of the salient, challenging, and sometimes surprising findings of what our full-time, long-term cross-cultural colleagues are facing today.
Excellent local training for Christian health professionals is one sure way to improve health services in many developing countries. Local schools, colleges and universities train the entire continuum of health workers – from community-based to specialty medical care professionals. Unfortunately, the quality of training is uneven in these institutions and local professionals may have not fully considered why being a Christian health professional is unique and special – making this a growing area for missions. This session will explore issues in developing robust, high quality Christian training centers for health professionals through partnerships with a network of Christian health professionals. This session explores lessons from such partnerships with US and Canadian universities involved in Uganda Christian University’s highly successful nursing and public health program, as well as other higher education partnerships. In particular, we will highlight the requirements for partnerships, the emerging role of technology, and implications for future development. Participants will have opportunities to share from their own experience, and help frame issues for future development.
Frontline health workers are vital to local health systems, as they are often based in the community and come from within the community they serve. They include community health workers, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and others who primarily work at the community level. They help families and individuals connect to health services, and in some cases are capable of providing lifesaving assistance. Where and how are these people identified and trained? What is the emerging role for medical missions in this area? This session will explore the emerging trends, opportunities and requirements for training of front line health workers, identifying challenges of recruiting qualified workers to serve in underserved areas. Examples will come from a review of international research on frontline health workers and personal experiences shared from the East Africa context. Participants will have opportunities to share from their own experience, and help frame issues for future development.
This session will be a review of treatment of commonly seen parasitic infections while overseas. The focus will predominantly be on parasitic infections of the gastrointestinal system but will also cover some dermatological infections as well.
Deformities, both congenital and acquired, have a profound and often negative impact in the Emerging World. Deformities may be internal as well as external. Though internal deformities may not be seen they are often more severe and debilitating. The negative effects of external deformities are seen world-wide and in every culture and civilization. In the West, children born with deformities are often operated on early and may not be seen in public. Though family members may often ask “why us,” any negative thoughts are kept to themselves. In the emerging world, children with deformities, especially external ones, are often kept inside the house where they are hidden from view, and they are only taken outside with a shawl or blanket covering the deformity or at nighttime. Treatment for deformities is often not readily available in the developing world. When they are seen by other members of the community, some think the family has been cursed or that the deformed one is indwelt with an evil spirit. When these children are brought to a mission hospital, reconstructive surgery may not completely eliminate the deformity or its consequences; however the significant improvement allows the children to be accepted into the local society. The treatment of these children gives the missionary doctor and hospital staff a great opportunity to show the love and compassion of Jesus Christ and many parents and older children have come to know Christ as their Savior.
As a head and neck cancer surgeon, I have served as a volunteer short-term faculty member for the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) in Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Kenya for the past 6 years. In that setting, I have cared for a small cross-section of congenital and neoplastic head and neck tumors. These challenging cases require a high level of technical expertise and equipment as well as good team work for management and rehabilitation. In addition, teaching general surgery residents to manage these cases involves introduction to unfamiliar anatomy, concern for cosmetic and functional consequences and ability to make accurate diagnosis, pre-operative assessments for planning, and management of routine and complicated post-operative situations. These concerns will be illustrated with several exemplary cases, and opportunities for short-term and subspecialty faculty in PAACS will be discussed.
Across United States medical schools, one quarter of medical students participate in international experiences during medical school. Most of these students continue this interest as residents. For students and residents called to international Christian faith-based missions and those exploring such an interest, this high level of general interest has lead to an array of global health opportunities at most medical schools and many residencies. This session will discuss the use of short and medium term international experiences for global health education and professional development of medical students and residents. The discussion will include models that facilitate develop of indigenous medical education and health care systems, strategies that maximize benefit and minimize disruption for in-country partners, and approaches that develop and mentor future medical education leaders.
This session will be structured around a panel of veteran missionary surgeons who will each present a case involving a common surgical emergency they have encountered in missions settings. The panel will discuss each case presented, and interactive discussion with the audience will be incorporated. Panelists will be Bill Ardill, Dick Bransford, Peter Chu, and Bruce Steffes, with John Mellinger moderating.
In this session, we will cover the interaction of factors affecting nutritional status and the principles for treating severe acute malnutrition. We will also address
important vitamin and mineral deficiencies in developing countries.
This session will cover the rationale for a syndromic approach to fever in the tropics. We will consider the causes of 8 common fever syndromes.
At the completion of this session, participants will be aware of: The Millenium Development Goals (MDGs); Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of disability to achieve the MDGs; Violence, causing/resulting from disability - a new global health priority; Resources related to disability and the MDGs. The Millenium Development Goals are to monitor progress toward a 'World Fit for Children'. The 8 Millenium Development Goals are: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/AIDs, Malaria and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental sustainability 8. Global partnership for development - What was surprising was that disability was not included in the MDGs! However, one billion people or 15% of the world's population experience some form of disability. It is estimated that 93 million children live with a moderate or severe disability. The Convention on the Rights of the Child identifies 4 cores principles; * Non-discrimination, * Best interest of the child, * Right to life, survival and development, * Respect for the views of the child. One of the rights is that 'children with a disability have the right to special care, training, to help him/her enjoy a decent life in dignity - and achieve the greatest degree of self reliance and social integration possible.' During this session, there will be discussion of each of the 8 MDGs as they apply to all children - with a focus on Disability. International successful initiatives will be discussed - as well as challenges and opportunities for future involvement of conference participants to make a difference in this new priority of preventing disability - and caring for those with a disability, and in partnership with those who have a disability , advocate for integration of children with disability into the community so that together we can maximize the potential of each
At the completion of this presentation the participant should be able to:
1.value the importance of health care in trafficked populations
2. identify physical health problems that are common to trafficked individuals
3. identify the mental health consequences of trafficking that may need to be addressed.
The global dental healthcare environment is changing rapidly in many parts of the world and much too slowly in others. These changes impact both our current dental missions efforts as well as provide insight and opportunity into ways the dental profession may continue to increase its Kingdom impact.
Learning objectives:
1) Articulate changes in the dental healthcare environment occurring in various parts of the world
2) Discuss current opportunities to further the impact believers can have through dentistry and how these opportunities can play a key role in ongoing global mission efforts.
Western missions and service agencies have frequently been unknowing victims of their own culture’s values, communication, social norms and worldview as they seek to minister to people in other cultural contexts. Sadly many well-meant ministries and community development programs have floundered due to lack of culturally appropriate design and operation. This is not only true when we cross national and language boundaries but also includes working within a western value system while crossing barriers of culture that exist even with the United States and Europe. Recently Cultural intelligence has been identified as a way to identify cultural barriers, to find the right inroads to penetrate difficult cultures. When properly employed we can design and develop programs that naturally increase the likelihood of success. In this session we will explore issues of beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors that should be considered when working outside of one’s own culture. Research with youth and ministry programs in 50 countries is used to illustrate simple applications of qualitative research to better understand the culture, norms and needs of those we seek to serve through our ministry.
Although the principles of medical and dental care are the same worldwide, the need for translation, existing local health beliefs, customs, teaching methods, and other social and political factors may present barriers which have a significant impact on the effectiveness of efforts to teach healthcare professionals cross-culturally. This session will examine several of these.
This session will compare short term mission efforts which provide direct care to patients in an area to those which provide education and advanced training to healthcare professionals, which most often have a longer term benefit both to those who are taught by these healthcare professionals and to patients needing healthcare in that area.
In 2001, the United Nations formulated eight goals intended, by 2015, to reverse the grinding poverty, hunger and disease that affect billions of people. These goals touch on a web of interwoven factors that contribute to the needlessly desperate circumstances in which many in the world live. As we approach 2015, how are we doing? Why does this matter to medical missions? What might God be calling us to do? The approach of this session will be: Review the 8 goals and provide a concise update on progress for each; Engage conversation around the questions, “Are these goals relevant to us as Christians in medical/health missions?” How might pursuing these goals help answer the prayer, “…thy will be done on earth as in heaven…”?; Highlight the three health-specific goals and invite participants to share examples of ways their efforts touch on these goals; Illustrate the inseparable relationship the three health-specific goals have with the other five goals; Involve participants in listing specific ways to work on these goals over the coming year and invite participants to make those actions part of their covenant with God; Stimulate thinking and planning for beyond-2015.
The crucial 1,000 days from the start of a woman’s pregnancy until her child’s 2nd birthday offer a unique window of opportunity to shape healthier and more prosperous futures. The right nutrition during this 1,000 day window can have an enormous impact on a child’s ability to grow, to learn, and rise out of poverty. It can also have a profound effect on the long-term health, stability, and development of entire communities and nations. Today, under-nutrition is still a leading cause of death of young children throughout the world. For infants and children under the age of two, the consequences of under-nutrition are particularly severe, often irreversible, and reach far into the future.
This breakout will look at these realities through the lens of Christian health ministries by:
Tracing the correlation between nutrition during the 1000 Days to lifelong health, the ability of children to thrive, learn and become fully contributing adults.
Reviewing the place of nutrition and feeding and care of children in the ministry of Jesus, and the ministries of those who follow in his footsteps
Engaging participants in identifying a web of factors that promote and or resist adequate nutrition for children under two. Exploring ways in which participants’ health-care missions can contribute to improved nutrition in the communities and regions in which they serve. Presenting and then collectively refining a list of best practices and resources for improving child nutrition among vulnerable populations
No single factor enhances the likelihood of sustained improvement in the health of a person, family or community more than empowerment: affirming and engaging the dignity, strengths, experience, vision, and resources of those we are called to serve. This session will review the practical as well as biblical and theological reasons that empowerment is an essential ingredient in every Christian health ministry. It will offer practical guidelines for making our health ministries more empowering.
We will approach the session by:
• What does empowerment mean and why is it important from a Christian perspective?
• Together trace the relationship of empowerment to improving health
• Drawing from research on empowerment in which the presenter participated along with faculty from Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and other ministry colleagues, provide an overview of ways that NGOs and faith-based organizations define, operationalize and measure empowerment
• Involve participants in identifying and overcoming obstacles to empowerment in health missions
• Propose and then collectively refine a set of guidelines for planning medical missions that contribute optimally to empowerment; and a parallel set of guidelines for evaluating empowerment outcomes
• Collectively identify resources and best practices in the area of empowerment in health ministries
Why do research? How can clinical and public health research support health ministries? What low-cost research methods can yield high-impact results? This workshop will answer these questions and provide an overview of the entire applied health research process, from developing a focused research question to collecting and analyzing data to sharing discoveries.
God has called you to missions but how do you make a smooth transition from student to missionary physician? Join us as we look at steps to take during your education and training to prepare you for a career in medical missions. We’ll examine what questions you need to ask, what you should be aware of and what can you do over these next years to be equipped to move from training to ministry.
If you feel the Lord might be calling you to healthcare missions the time to begin planning is now. Prepare your heart and your personal balance sheet by living a missionary lifestyle today. Reorder your priorities and push back on the materialistic culture we live in. You may find the blessing beyond your expectations.
What is God's perspective on the role of health and healing in our world today? Does the Bible give us direction as medical missionaries? This break out session will give you a Biblical framework for understanding how your personal call to medical missions integrates with God's overarching promise to bring healing to the nations.
The objectives of the breakout session are
1. To understand the short and longterm educational opportunites available in developing countries
2. To better understand how one can develop skills to prepare to teach in developing countries
3. Identify sending agencies that support training in developing countries
With so many changes in the world – could God be opening new avenues for medical missions in general and dental in particular to take a leading role in reaching the lost? Some considerations for dental missions and opportunities for increasing our impact.
While technical advances are often seen to define progress in the diagnosis and treatment of illness, a solely mechanistic approach fails to deal with the basic requirement of patients’ need to be cared for as people - in body, mind and spirit. This seminar looks at the biblical basis for whole-person medicine as well as its practical application in healthcare provision and teaching.
There is a real danger of short term team intervention. Whilst immediately doing good, they may create real problems in the longer term due to poor appreciation of the true local situation and the problems of national health workers while arrogantly importing western thinking and “clinical imperialism”. This seminar examines the importance of "leaving oneself behind' when going (one’s prejudices, assumptions and any feelings of superiority) and instead having an openness to learn from our national colleagues. But when we return we should also “leave ourselves behind” - in the skills we have imparted, the training and encouragement we have given, and the on-going friendships we have built.
Have you longed to integrate your Christian faith into your patient care – both on the mission field abroad and in your work at home? Not sure how to do this in a caring, sensitive, and relevant manner? This “working” session will explore the ethical basis for spiritual care plus provide you with profession, timely, and practical methods to care for the whole person in the clinical setting.
Is it possible to equip indigenous believers to meet the needs of their own people so that the work continues when the short term team returns home? Jaime will share stories from the mission field regarding training and equipping indigenous Christ-followers with especially designed tools so that they can meet the felt needs of their own people, through which they develop relationships and have the opportunity to both demonstrate and share the love of Christ in a tangible way.
We spend so much time, money, and resources on short-term missions trips that we often forget about the mission field at home. How can we live intentionally for 52 weeks each year in the mission field God has placed us in?
What could small groups of people from the USA do in week-long trips to help invigorate, inform, and empower the local people for months, years, and even generations? This workshop will present some field examples of this happening, clarify some key factors for this style of Short-Term Missions (STM) to be successful, and generate your input on how to measure a truly successful STM trip. Come prepared to participate, and leave motivated to change.
Cultural contextualization and illiteracy can be a challenge in creating educational materials that reach our priority populations. This session will provide an example of how media can be applied in indigenous and oral settings to help communities educate themselves and others regarding health issues. A program evaluation report provides tremendous evidence of the effectiveness of this approach. Our case study of a video HIV education project in a rural Maasai setting, implemented by a small Maasai organization , has increased self-efficacy resulting in behavior change throughout the program area. Come to this session to be encouraged and to consider how media learning might be integrated into your health education efforts to help communities help themselves!
A look at the life of Dr. Paul Brand, a pioneer in developing tendon transfer techniques for use in the hands of those with leprosy.
A Glimpse of Africa through the eyes of Dr. David Stevens and his mentor, Dr. Ernie Steury
Medical education in missions is becoming an increasingly important vehicle not only for improving health care (building capacity) in a given country but also for evangelizing the lost and discipling believing health care providers. This is especially true in creative access countries where traditional approaches to providing health care and Christian witness through medical missions may not be accepted or allowed. This session will look at the potential benefits of including medical education in a medical mission vision, both for short-term trips and long-term calls. Examples will be taken from creative access countries in the 10-40 window and elsewhere.
This session will focus on the treatment of malaria both outside and within the United States. Time will also be spent on symptom control and the potential for a malaria vaccine.
It is the general idea that the short-term missions is one sided. Often creating dependency- teams from USA go to the underdeveloped country to help and bring short term relief and address felt needs in the comminutes of the countries they visit. While that may be true, ‘passing on of skills’ showcases how the trend can be reversed and these very missions can impact providing long term and sustainable projects and help move from ‘relief’ to ‘development’ and self sustaining mode. Caleb Rayapati, will show case how the “Pass on the skills” is making an impact on the ground, a firsthand account of the partnering mission using the Dental Outreach skills in self sustaining method, involved in community development in India impacting through practice of Biblical wholisim.
Health Care ministry in inner city neighborhoods must be incarnational – embracing our communities. Living, working and serving within the context of the community we serve draws us toward God’s love for people and helps us identify with our neighbors. Should one try to move into communities of poverty in order to serve there? How can we encourage those who grew up in our communities to stay to serve God within the context of their lives? This workshop will explore Christ’s healing ministry among those he came to serve. Two of Esperanza Health Center’s leaders will share their experiences and vision for health care ministry as one who relocated into North Philadelphia and one who grew up in North Philadelphia. We need one another to be able to gain a more complete vision for effective Christ-centered health care ministry.
Description: Throughout the world bacterial infections remain a leading cause of illness and death. The introduction of new antibiotics on the market has lagged behind the increasing rate of resistance to many antibiotics to treat infections. This problem becomes magnified in developing areas of the world where resources are not as readily available. Good antimicrobial stewardship involves selecting an appropriate drug and optimizing its dose and duration to cure an infection while minimizing toxicity and reducing the chance to develop antibiotic resistance. This session will look at the limited evidence that supports these ideas and put forth practical suggestions on how antibiotics should be judiciously used in developing countries.
Learning Objectives: The participants on completion of the session should be able to...
1. Identify six common clinical syndromes that may be seen in an ambulatory care environment and that may require antibiotic treatment.
2. Understand the evidence that summarizes the rate of resistance for these common infectious diseases.
3. Select an antibiotic regimen, dose and duration, that will likely be successful and uses the least amount of health resources.
Harold Paul Adolph was born in China to an American medical missionary physician and wife serving
with China Inland Mission. Dr. Adolph received his M.D. in 1958 from the University Of Pennsylvania
College Of Medicine, completed a general surgery residency in the Canal Zone of Panama and then
served one term in the Navy. In 1966 h and his wife Bonnie with their two children moved to Ethiopia as
missionaries with SIM, Int.
He and his family have experienced just about everything you could imagine in their lives of service
in medical missions. Dr. Adolph has authored 5 books with the latest entitled “Today’s Decision –
Tomorrow’s Destiny”. After retiring the Adolphs envisioned building a new hospital in Southern
Ethiopia! Today this hospital is part of the Pan-African College of Christian Surgeons, an outstanding
program for the training of Christian African doctors as surgeons for service in mission hospitals.
Though his career, Dr. Adolph has become an amazing teller of the stories of medical missions. This
session will be informal and will be moderated by Dr. Daniel Tolan, Associate Director of CMDA’s Center
for Medical Missions.
This will be an informal session in which questions may be asked and stories will give the answer.
With nearly 2.2 billion people comprising the Global Church, there are more followers of Jesus in the world today than at any point in history. And yet, 21,000 children die silently every day from preventable and treatable diseases. Across the world, 1.4 billion people live on less than $1.50 daily. More than 260 million Africans cannot read or write. And, perhaps most troubling of all, the vulnerable and marginalized have no voice and no ability to respond to the systems and power structures that keep these realities exactly the way they are.
It is time to wake the giant. It is time for the local Church and her 2.2 billion members to break out of her walls and intentionally push against the tide of disease, famine, illiteracy, extreme poverty and injustice. Across the world and in our own backyards, the local Church is perfectly positioned to bring about lasting change in its local community.
But, community betterment activities can only be transformational when they are rooted in the Mission of Jesus. Lasting change must be gospel-centered and focused on the integrated nature of spiritual, social and material realities. Life in its fullness is rooted in Christ, pursuing His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Transformational development must come from the ground up, with an integrated approach that cultivates local leadership and requires the participation and ownership from the community itself. It means walking with the community, and not doing for them what they can do for themselves once equipped.
We must employ multi-faceted solutions that address the specific root causes of poverty within each community. Our solutions should aim to:
Promote Health and Prevent Disease
Educate the Marginalized
Empower The Poor with Economic Opportunities
Equip The Vulnerable to Break the Cycle
Only then, will transformational development take place, and we will begin to see the Kingdom on earth, as God intended.
The model for empowering national believers through training in dental extractions.
The method for teaching dental skills.
The mission of taking God's glory to the ends of the earth.
A panel of US-based academic physicians discuss how they have cooperated with international institutions as well as on-the-field missionaries for quality research projects. They will also discuss ideas and opportunities for how they see research and projects developing in the future.
Overview of their projects will be given, but much time will be devoted to answering questions from the audience.
While Communicable Diseases have traditionally been responsible for the majority of morbidity and mortality in low and middle income countries (LMIC), a rapid shift from rural, agrarian to urban, sedentary lifestyles has resulted in a dramatic rise in the burden of Non-Communicable Disease in these countries. Hence, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other non-communicable diseases are rapidly reaching epidemic proportions. This poses considerable burdens on the already limited health care resources. Not only are health care professionals in short supply, but their training in the complex management of non-communicable diseases is seriously lacking. Furthermore, certain non-communicable diseases present differently in LMIC countries, including ‘malnutrition diabetes’, a poorly understood entity that probably affects millions of people globally. This highlights the need for new and innovative approaches to treat non-communicable diseases, as well as an understanding of traditional lifestyles and cultures. The ideal approach to prevention of non-communicable diseases in various traditional settings would be to develop cultural sensitivity and understanding, to encourage people to maintain some aspects of their more active ancestral lifestyles and avoid the diseases of modernization.
This session will review the many causes of cognitive impairment and provide detailed information about several of these causes, including early malnutrition, iron deficiency, diarrheal diseases, and prenatal alcohol exposure. The session will discuss the demographics of cognitive impairment and the negative effects on individuals, families, communities, economics and governments. The session will provide a proposal for establishing "Cognitive Watches" in countries to identify most common causes of cognitive impairment and to prevent these causes.
This session will review the missionary influence on WHO evidence-based international guidelines to achieve global development goals. Lack of implementation of these Biblically-based guidelines has resulted in a world-wide “Slow-Motion Disaster". The global epidemic of non-communicable diseases primarily due to obesity and smoking recently resulted in the second ever UN General Assembly on Health in its 67 year history; and, as reported by the UN "... constitutes one of the major challenges for development in the twenty-first century, which undermines social and economic development throughout the world and threatens the achievement of internationally agreed development goals.” As emphasized by the UN and WHO, the root cause of this impending worldwide health, economic, and development disaster is not medical and it cannot be resolved by doctors and nurses. For this is a Lifestyle problem, a problem of beliefs & values. It is a spiritual problem, and it will not be resolved until the Church reassumes its responsibilities for the holistic (mind, body, spirit ) health of its members, its community and its country.
We will conclude by demonstrating how the local Church, regardless of size or resources, can begin to provide the evidence-based holistic health and healing necessary for true transformational development.
This session will give an overview of the current picture of trafficking in persons within the United States focusing mainly on child sex trafficking, the major form of trafficking in persons within the U.S. In addition, the session will address specific ways that health professionals can become abolitionists.
There have been many major developments in HIV research in the past year. So much so that many are now talking confidently about the end of the disease, zero new infections, curing HIV, etc. This interactive session will explore the developments, including those presented at the International AIDS Conference in July to which the facilitator is a delegate. There will be opportunities to explore the what is being learned and proposed and to evaluate how practical they are in various settings around the world, especially Africa where the majority of people living with the virus reside. If you have any interest in and/or experience with HIV, you will benefit from this session and your participation will benefit the rest of us.
In the wake of the AIDS pandemic and other disasters remain those least capable of caring for themselves. How do we best respond to their needs? Drawing from the speaker's international experience and using case studies and an interactive format, the session will explore the health issues of OVCs and the physical, mental and social components to their care.
How can a ministry continue after we leave? Drawing from the speaker's mission expereince and using case studies and an interactive format, participants will explore successful principles and strategies for sustainability in medical missions.
If you’ve been on a short-term trip you’ve experienced it; it’s the last day and the line of patients is as long as the day of arrival. Desperation is in the air. There is a nagging sense in your gut that this is not right. This session will present techniques that empower believers to meet the healthcare needs in their own community
The worlds population slipped over 50% in 2010 now living in the city with it becoming 70% by 2020. Working with people living in the city is different then the rural world. I will use a 10 minute TED Talk with the balance of the session discussing in how how urban settings are different then rural setting where Community Development has been historically done and the implications for doing so in urban settings.
Urban neighborhoods are very different then rural villages which impacts significantly how Community Development is done. I invite you to come and learn more.
Disability: Displaying the Works of God in Wholisitic Development
People with disability were a priority in Jesus' ministry while on earth. He even defined himself in terms of his disability ministry when questioned by John's disciples on whether or not he was the promised Messiah. By examining Jesus' ministry among the disabled, we will discover how His Body should prioritize ministry among this often-forgotten population and how their restoration requires an entirely wholistic approach to ministry.
How can an “outside” Church, NGO, Short term team or missionary help a community in need without creating dependencies, stripping dignity, and under minding long-term development?
Using Stories for Wholistic Health Education
Stories are proving to be an extremely effective way to communicate "truth that sticks." They naturally break down resistance, and create interest. They are more easily understood, remembered, and repeated. Stories change lives.
Stories are best if they are short, clear, and relate to the listener's life experience. The impact of stories is augmented if they are followed by questions.
This session will be interactive.
This session will give examples of stories that can be used for both physical and spiritual teaching. It will give you sources for stories and questions that others have written, and give you pointers on who you can create your own stories with follow up questions.
This session will also present ideas on how you can make your stories more interesting - more memorable - more fun. This session will not make you a story telling pro, but it will encourage to start gaining the experience that gradually will make you more confident and effective as a communicator.
Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH), a global health membership organization has prioritized advocacy efforts to strengthen U.S. and global commitment to improving the health and well-being of people in developing countries. This presentation will begin with an overview of why Christians should be involved in advocacy, including a Biblical case for advocacy and speaking for the voiceless. The session will then highlight some important current federal global health efforts and other current policy issues that influence global health. The session will then equip the participants with tools to take specific action steps when leaving this session to be a positive influence on global health policy.
Professional education programs are geared toward preparing students to do curative care in healthcare settings. In order to reach into the community with preventive healthcare requires an additional set of knowledge and skills. We will look at the principles that were operative in the 1978 Alma Ata and examine what needs to be included in the education of healthcare professionals to achieve Health for All.
when macro level economic integration occurs across borders, it results in the movement of people across borders at an unprecedented level. While this brings tremendous opportunity for trade and employment (people move from the poorer to the richer country, while good move from the richer to the poorer country). The benefits flow most easily to the more food secure housholds (RFSA-1 and RFSA-2) while the insecure Households (RFSA-3 and RFSA-4) experience tremendous hardships including the risk of being trafficked. The risk of disease outbreaks across borders also increases trenedously...but there are also great opportunities for service to the vulnerable and needy; and great opportunities for the spread of the gospel among the neo migrants.
Every village has a development strategy (survival strategy) that it pursues for its survival and advancement. External interventions that seek to be sustainable, need to understand, engage and build upon this strategy. This is the startegy of the THV50-40-10 (Total Health Village), which sees health as not only treating diseases and preventing them; but goes beyond public health to address issues of Holistic well being. This session focusses on the concept, the approach, and looks at some of the outcomes identified by engaging the use of the latest Participatory tools in measuring what matters in impact.
Best Practices in Short-term Medical Missions
In recent years there has been a tsunami of short-term healthcare volunteers going into the developing world; both faith-based and humanitarian. Recent estimates tell us that 29% of students enrolled in medical schools participate in some type of short-term global health project prior to graduation. Dental, nursing, and allied health schools are also beginning to follow suit. Yet, few churches or educational institutions have any knowledge of what constitutes best practices in global health. This workshop will review the six guidelines for best practices in global health as they appear in the book “When Healthcare Hurts: An Evidence Based Guide to Best Practices in Global Health Initiatives”. It will also review the four primary areas of global health best practices which include the following.
- Patient Safety
- Healthcare System Integration and Collaboration
- Facilitation of Health Development
- Community Empowerment
Women’s Cycle of Life is training by and
for women, developed and designed by
nurses especially trained in maternal and
public health and following the Community
Health Evangelism strategy to bring both
hope and health to women everywhere!
The training (previously called
CHEPS) was first piloted in
Haiti in 1999. Since then, WCL
training has taken place on
every continent around the
globe.
WCL materials are simple,
action oriented and delivered
using a participatory teaching
method that empowers
women to adopt practices
that improve their health and prevent disease.
The method of teaching brings both spiritual
and physical truths to women, improving their
health, the health of their families, and the
health of their community.
The Community Health Evangelism dissemination strategy ensures that the
program is sustainable and multipliable. In
Ethiopia, for example, 17 women att ended
one WCL seminar in 2009 and 23 new trainers
att ended the next one in April 2010. As of June
2010, these women had taught at least one
lesson to 1678 other women.
WCL has grown into a curriculum which
deals directly with women’s health issues
and addresses gender inequality from the
perspective that we are created by God and
created equally. Teachings from the Bible are
used, showing that both men and women are
wonderfully made in God’s sight. The lessons
are basic and simple to teach, making them
easily transferable.
This breakout session will provide a demonstration of a Women's Cycle of Life lesson, samples of women's seminar topic lists, and several strategies for utilizing the curriculum to meet the needs of differing communities.
This is a NEW EMERGING model of empowering the local church to care for the most vulnerable. Globally there has been a growing realization that the church (called civil society in government and UN circles) in its manifold expressions has been under-utilized in developing countries in community development in general and specifically in the fight against HIV and AIDS, especially with the drastic reduction of bilateral aid for HIV and AIDS related projects in developing countries. In addition, the less than successful results of the majority of educational programs promoting prevention has led to the understanding that a corrective pedagogy may be necessary since the content of the material that presented in the various events are sound. In this presentation, the mobilization of the church/civil society in a community in South Africa as well as one in Rwanda which resulted in highly clinical effectiveness will be presented. The Rwanda project has grown from regional to national in scope and focuses on the mobilization of the church/civil society for prevention and care for those infected and affected by the AIDS pandemic with special emphasis on appropriate pedagogical principles. The model, also known as the “Clinical Church” will be presented.
Meaningful segments of data that will be discussed includes: Biomedical - Knowledge concerning HIV/AIDS of the stakeholders; Cultural assumptions - Knowledge of and belief in HIV/AIDS related myths among the stakeholders; Responses (affective) - Affective responses of the stakeholders to the AIDS pandemic; analyses of the pedagogical methodology of the trainers in this community as perceived by the major stakeholders. A detailed descriptive analysis of the pedagogical strategy and context of a pilot project in Rwanda, which includes private and public sector cooperation as well as government participation, will be used to demonstrate the role of the pastor and the church in community based healthcare.
Global health does not stand still. The needs remain high, the priorities change, the field gets ever more complex. Deciding what's the most important way to contribute is a big challenge, whether we are students or experienced professionals or somewhere in between.
And discerning our own gifts and how we can be of most use to God is most important of all
We will explore global health trends and the opportunites for people of faith aginst this background. I hope we will have an interactive session
Medical mission or what I prefer to call Health Care Mission remains a crucial issue for 21st century Christians.
Yes, we need to be fully involved in medical missions but just as important, be effective as people of faith in secular environments where we can be agents of change and transformation.
In this breakout session we will try to discern together how medical missions can help to become more grounded in the needs, realities and paradigms of today and not fight todays battles with yesterdays tools
We will be concerating on primary health and community health perspectives
Health networks are becoming increasingly essential in global health. By working together through intentional groupings of those with similar interests and objectives, we can have a greater impact, and work more effectively with government and donors
Most important of all we can mazimize our value to God's Kingdom by demonstrating harmony, unity and joint purpose
This session considers health networks in general with particular reference to an emerging and expanding network- Community Health Global Network
This session will look at ways in which team leaders and programme managers can help to encourage their team members to maximize their motivation and to work as effectively as possible.
It will consider spiritual, psychological and physical components.
It will look at top tips in how to encourage day-to day motivation and encouragement
Effective Ministry Partnership Development is the key to raising resources for life and ministry. We’ll address how correct thinking, biblical principles and practical principles are the key. This session will explain “why people give,” “how to effectively gain their support and involvement,” “ways to grow your list of prospects” and “what the basis is for successful long-term financial partnership.” Anyone wanting to increase the involvement of others in the ministry and increase their financial partnership should attend this session.
Without a robust biblical theology of suffering, medical missionaries will neither persevere nor bear spiritual fruit.
Utilizing examples from the Bible and church history, this session will introduce the inevitability of hardships, their divine purposes, and principles for enduring and flourishing through them.
The "missionary-call" can be a source of high anxiety and soul-searching for those who think God is leading them to the mission field. But what do we mean, and more importantly, what does the Bible really have to say about the call to missions? And what do we think of when we use the word "missionary"? Does our view match what we find in the Bible? In this session we will explore some of the misconceptions of what it means to be "called to missions," and take a look at how the Bible has more to say about God's guidance rather than the traditional idea of a "call." Hopefully we can set aside some of the anxiety and focus on how God has given us the opportunity to spread the news of his grace in Christ according to the various gifts he has given to each of us.
Why should you do an international rotation while in training? Do you know? What are the advantages to you for your training and future? Can God really use you as a student? How do you prepare for His working through you? How to find the place(s) to do an overseas rotation? How do you get the clinical and procedural experience you desire? What do you need to take? Where can you find the money? How can you be sure your school will give you credit? What should you do ahead of time so your life will be forever changed? How can you impact other lives in the greatest way? Come join me for practical answers to these and many other nut and bolt questions that will get you started down the path to a meaningful, life-changing overseas rotation!
We would all like to believe that as we reach out to share our medical expertise and the love and the compassion of Christ we will be safe, but is there any place in which we can be safe today? Security as we know is it is not the absence of danger, but the presence of the Lord. Being good stewards of the great blessings given to us of volunteers serving the least, the lost and the last is our obligation. We need to be prepared and have trained leaders to know what to do when the unthinkable happens. We will discuss how to approach these situations from the sandpoint of evaluation of risks, minimizing exposure, training for the eventuality of the most common conditions that could be encountered and preparation for the unthinkable. Unfortunately there is evil in the world and if one looks at the statistics: in 2009 there were 278 reported victims of 139 serious security incidents compared with 1999 when there were 65 victims involved in 34 such incidents. This trend continues to go up in all areas from kidnappings, road attacks, mob violence, ambushes, robberies, to suicide bombings. This situation hightens our responsibility and be wise and prepared even as we trust the Lord for our provision and protection. To God be the glory.
Short-term missions offer a unique opportunity for sustained spiritual formation away from the distractions of a busy life in the U.S., in a setting where the traveler is often far removed from their comfort zone and power zone. This workshop presents ideas and guidelines for the trip leader in recruiting, selecting, and preparing trip participants to act as the Body of Christ in their service, and to reduce opportunities for the deceiver to cause division and strife and to cast dispersion on the name of the Lord. It will also offer suggestions for proactive steps to take that may minimize potential disruptions within the team and between team members and nationals.
Most people enter cross-cultural ministry partnerships with the best of intentions. However, often when conflict arises it is because different beliefs and assumptions about how money should be spent or managed have not been properly examined. Financial stewardship and accountability frequently mean different things to people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
The purpose of this workshop is to help people better navigate these types of complexities. It will be an interactive session built upon adult learning principles. It is designed to help mission practitioners grow in cultural intelligence when funding is part of a cross-cultural partnership.
Everyone who has been on a medical mission has some embarrassing and/or hilarious stories of cultural insensitivity or language blunders. Sometimes the events are just funny. Sometimes they can seriously compromise the intended impact of the whole mission, including our Christian witness. This session offers perspective, spiritual grounding and practical tools for building healthy relationships, avoiding, or at least recovering from many of the common mistakes in cross-cultural missions.
Our discussion will include:
• Framing the problem: Why doesn’t everyone see the world my way?
• A spiritual foundation: Humility – be a Learner
• Communication: Language is more than just words. A simple, practical language/culture learning process – even for short-term missions.
• Relationships: Essential Bridges - - build them to last
• Good news is not always Good News: Why context is always important. Looking for systemic roots to disease, poverty and hunger - - and how to work for lasting change.
Ralph Winter said that for every 100 people who made a mission commitment at some point in their lives, only one made it to the mission field. Why? For lack of mobilizers! The same can be said of lack of mentors—and the lack of appreciation of the resources that are available to fan into flame serving in medical mission. What is a mentor? What are the resources available? Come to this session to find what’s available to keep you on track for medical mission. As an extra bonus, meet a young medical missionary (not me, obviously) on home assignment to discover how he found a mentor and what this means to him.
Healthcare missionaries serving in emerging cultures confront a complex set of ethical issues that may not be obvious at first glance. This session will discuss the unique ethical challenges of ministering to underserved populations, with an emphasis on resource limitations, cultural taboos, and human justice.
If God has been nudging you about serving in missions, you have many questions: How do I know I’m called? How do I pick a mission agency? What training should I get? What about raising support? What is it like to raise your kids overseas? How can I avoid burnout? Using his experience and lots of stories, Dr. Stevens will answer these questions and others at this popular breakout session.
Dental Surgery can be particularly challenging on the mission field. Often dealing with cross cultural and language communication problems, the proper positioning of the patient, proper light, possibly no x-rays, limited or no suction, sometimes limited trained assistance, and possibly not all the equipment that you might need. Many dentists do only limited oral surgery in their practices. The challenges are great in the often uncomfortable environment of the mission field. How can we be prepared and what are some of the techniques that we can use that might be of help for us as we care for those who often have never seen a dentist before and are in pain or have been. Relieving pain and infection and doing no harm is one of our most pressing issues in areas where there is no dental care available. It is a matter of getting our of your comfort zone and working in a small dark area, in which you could injure your self as well and where the incidence of HIV may be quite high. Lets look at some way to work in and through these difficulties for the glory of the Lord and the benefit of those who need to know Jesus and seek relief from their suffering. May His great love and compassion show in all we do and say. To God be the glory.
The global epidemic of HIV/AIDS presents enormous challenges to the family, community, church, and health care workers. Equipping one another to prevent HIV transmission, reducing stigma and risky sexual behaviors and supporting all levels of the family and community to provide care is a calling for Christian nurses. This session will explore the realities of responding to that call across many nations and bring case studies from remote Papua, Indonesia as well as people-packed India. Best global practice in HIV interventions at the family, community, and clinic level is reviewed with careful Biblical thought and mandate. Discussion will stimulate consideration of your own life choices in light of this global opportunity to give life in it's fullest to many across our world. Themes and technical areas covered will include caring in the context of minimal resources, the biblical basis for caring about the AIDS crisis, understanding best practice in prevention, care, and support, and effective communication across cultures in health knowledge and care.
This session will provide a brief introduction to the Islamic faith, culture, and worldview of health and illness. Particular emphasis will be given to obstetrical and women’s health issues encountered among an unreached people of a Southwest Asian country where the speaker, a Family Nurse Practitioner, is presently involved in ministry. Equipped with a general knowledge about the culture of Islam and the Islamic worldview of health and illness, health care providers are better prepared to interact with their Muslim clients and their families and will be able to provide care that is accepted by the client. This in turn can lead to a decrease in the amount of racial and ethnic disparities that occur in health care in our society today.
Review of the literature about burnout in overseas workers will include general demographics, incidence, prevalence, risk factors, and primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention interventions in a bio/psycho/social/spiritual model
This session will focus on positioning, interventions and education needed for optimizing the care for non-ambulatory patients. Specific education will be given on serial casting, seating evaluations, and basic interventions to improve quality of life.
Recent research in the long term effects of retaining versus removing third molars has been extensive and has had some surprising results. This session will review the development of third molars, associated pathology, indications for their removal and treatment with a focus on their management in resource limited situations.
Medical missions are often challenging because of cross-cultural exposure to unfamiliar diseases in settings with limited diagnostic resources. Common tropical illnesses are generally unfamiliar to US trained providers. This session will present real cases from Africa and Asia focusing on tropical skin diseases, HIV, diarrhea, fever and malnutrition. History and visual clues along with simple lab and x-rays will guide our discussions and help you be better prepared. Cases will be of interest to those with medical training or those serving in an area without easy access to medical care. Come and enjoy the game.
In many countries there are large numbers of blind people whose sight could be restored with a low cost effective surgery. Many other could have avoided going blind if their problem had been recognized early and prevented. In this session we will discuss why many of these people may never get the eye surgery they need and how effective community eye care can change this situation in much of the developing world. We will discuss:
• major causes of avoidable blindness
• approaches to the community that work well
• technology that is appropriate for effective low cost and high volume eye surgery
• the case for static vs. mobile eye care units
• how to set priorities on a low cost eye care budget
• integrating spiritual care with eye care in the community
Many Non-Surgeons are called upon to manage trauma or minor surgical procedures in the ER or clinic. This is particularly true in the developing world. Accurate suturing skills are an important part of wound closure and management which can be performed very well with a little training in good technique. This session will include a discussion of:
• the basics of wound healing
• correct knot tying methods
• wound closure with a variety of Suturing techniques
• common pitfalls
• practical tips on improving your technique
• guidelines for choosing the correct suture and needle
It is estimated that 3-10% of people in the developing world are disabled. The care of disabled children in Sub Saharan Africa is nearly nonexistent. Africa lacks sufficient specialists to provide reasonable care for the vast majority of disabled children, and very few training programs are training such specialists in Africa. A remedial solution for surgical care is necessary in order to provide for this need. Selected doctors with surgical skills might be trained to provide 10-15 surgical procedures thereby providing care for possibly 80-85% of the surgical needs of the disabled. I am a general surgeon who began providing surgical care for the disabled thirty years ago. The care expanded to include children with polio, club feet, burn contractures, club feet, hypospadias, hydrocephalus, spina bifida, and various other disabilities.
Nearly all global under-five mortality (U5M) (99%) occurs in developing countries. The leading causes of U5M worldwide, pneumonia and diarrheal illness, account for 1.396 and 0.801 million annual deaths, respectively. While important advances in prevention are being made, advanced life support (ALS) management in children in the developing world is often incomplete due to limited resources. Existing ALS management guidelines for children in LR settings are largely empirical not evidence-based, written for the hospital setting, not standardized with a systematic approach to patient assessment and categorization of illness, and taught in current pediatric ALS training courses from the perspective of full-resource settings. Extending higher quality emergency and critical care services to children in the developing world is the focus of this session. Simple inexpensive ALS management when integrated into existing programs of primary care can improve child survival across the globe.
The pediatric pain control breakout session will cover how to determine the best drugs for basic pain control as well as procedural pain control. How to access goals of pain control will be covered. Discuss current available drugs and their potential risks and benefits. Discuss assessing the patient pre-procedure to determine if planned sedation/pain control is safe, including appropriate NPO guidelines, airway assessment, and cardiovascular assessment. Discuss basic monitoring and resuscitation needs for safely doing pediatric procedural pain control.
This breakout session will focus on Challenges and Changes as we move forward in Global Pediatrics touching briefly on patient care, research, and teaching. Will include ways to link and dialog and work together with our international partners
Care of burned patients in the developing world with special emphasis on Nursing care will be discussed. Oral rehydration techniques and other necessary adaptations for appropriate care in limited resource environments will be presented.
This workshop will explore the challenges frequently encountered as well as how to assess and deal with health issues that specifically occur with human trafficking in low resourced areas.
Advanced reproductive technology can accomplish many things today to produce children but the salient question is should these things be done? In a country with minimal regulation available, practitioners must thoughtfully determine their own position on these issues based upon their spiritual beliefs and ethical values. This workshop will update attendees on the types of things being proposed or done today and Christian principles to be considered in examining these procedures
Triage by definition means that resources are too limited to handle the extent of the disease being presented. It is always a difficult and stressful situation for the healthcare provider who sometimes must allow some to die so that others might live. Practicing in the developing world, with its much more severe limitations, often changes the application of triage principles in a way which increases stress. Principles of triage in the developed world will be reviewed and practical examples from the developing world will be worked out in a group setting. Participants are encouraged to help mission hospitals develop appropriate plans for handling mass casualty and the numbers of other people that will flock to the hospital.
Abdominal pain in the tropics includes many of the same diseases as elsewhere but there are conditions that are unique. Using a case-based approach, some of the more common of the conditions that cause acute abdominal pain will be discussed. Approaches to diagnosis and treatment, especially those that are not obvious to the practitioner from N. America, will be discussed in an interactive style.
This session will:
- Provide an overview of the burden of cancer in Africa
- Review the availability of treatment moralities in under-served areas of Africa
- Give an overview of the oncology program that is being developed at Mbingo
Teaching Life Support in resource limited ares, Why, What and How.
In this session we will discuss what is appropriate to teach in resource limmited areas, who should be taught and proven methods for teaching. Experiences will be shared from Ecuador, Cameroon, Kenya and Nepal and Madagascar
As a world-wide phenomenon, human trafficking can be combatted in many ways. Once awareness is raised about human trafficking, health care professionals can take additional steps to fight this growing phenomenon that claims the llves of men, women and children. This session will explore various approaches and innovations in prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership against human trafficking.
Tuberculosis remains a global public health threat. This session will provide public health updates from the field on some new approaches to TB diagnosis and treatment in developing countries, as well as some recent advances on such topics as child TB, community-based TB, TB-HIV, and MDR-TB.
This talk will address the current trends and updates on global (outside the USA) human trafficking issues. Themes and opportunities pertinent to health professionals will be highlighted.
Even in 2012, children in southeast Asia are sick and dying due to beri beri, a nutritional deficiency due to lack of thiamine. In this session, we will discuss current knowledge about the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of beri beri. We will see how American medical students have contributed significantly to recent research that is clarifying how best to help affected children.
Over half a million children die every year due to diarrhea and its complications. In this session, we will review practical aspects of managing diarrhea in children.
The PRISM Study is a research report by the Medical Missions Survey Working Group of the Continuing Medical and Dental Education Commission of the Christian Medical and Dental Association. The survey was administered between 2010 and 2011 and represents hundreds of current full-time long-term medical missionaries.
"It is hoped that this report will help missions organizations to be more strategic in how they implement medical work in the cause of missions globally, and help medical missions candidates to prepare better for a career of service in medical missions."
Esophageal cancer is endemic in parts of the developing world. Medical missionaries have made important contributions to our understanding of this disease. This session will consider the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of esophageal cancer in resource-limited settings, and the story of esophageal cancer research at Tenwek Hospital.
If you’ve been on a short-term trip you’ve experienced it; it’s the last day and the line of patients is as long as the day of arrival. Desperation is in the air. There is a nagging sense in your gut that this is not right. This session will present techniques that empower believers to meet the healthcare needs in their own community.
The “Great Commission” (Matthew 28:18-20) is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding the call to missions. This session will explore the story of God’s plan of redemption found in the entire Bible—the story of missions. As believers we are called not simply to know the story, but to be part of it as representatives of Christ in the world.
Diarrhea is a common problem and a leading cause of global pediatric mortality. This session presents effective clinical approaches to acute and chronic diarrhea in resource-limited settings.
This seminar will examine the biblical call to make disciples and most importantly how to do this. You will learn the practical aspects of both having a discipler/mentor and serving as a discipler/mentor for someone else. If you ever have or have ever wanted to invest your life strategically into another person, then this seminar is for you!
Why should you do an international rotation while in training? Do you know? What are the advantages to you for your training and future? Can God really use you as a student? How do you prepare for His working through you? How do you find the place(s) to do an overseas rotation? How do you get the clinical and procedural experience you desire? What do you need to take? Where can you find the money? How can you be sure your school will give you credit? What should you do ahead of time so your life will be forever changed? How can you impact other lives in the greatest way? This session will give practical answers to these and many other nuts and bolts questions that will get you started down the path to a meaningful, life-changing overseas rotation!
Much time and money is put into international medical missions every year, yet many efforts appear to be coming up short. Team members voice complaints that trips seemed to be little more than a vacation; dangerous issues of dependency of the host develop, and little long-term change is evident. Effective planning and organizing short-term medical missions can reduce the likelihood of such negative outcomes. This session will discuss mechanisms to plan for, prioritize, and measure desired actions and outcomes.
This talk will discuss some of the highlights as well as challenges to teaching clinical medicine in Asia. Specific examples of the culture, as well as general principles of teaching cross-culturally, will be explained.
This presentation will give an introduction to trafficking in persons on the global front, that is, outside of the United States. Information will be broad, but will also highlight areas pertinent to the healthcare professional. An overview of the definition, the stages, and the forms of trafficking will be given. Current trends and issues will be discussed. Specific health issues and ways healthcare professionals can get involved in the efforts against human trafficking will be outlined.
Sharing your vision well can make a big difference in having others follow and support. It starts with a clear knowledge of where God is leading you. It follows with an ability to clearly share that vision with others in a way that will inspire them to follow and support you as you seek to glorify God by following the vision He has cast for you.
Medical missions planners often struggle with how to have long-term impact from short-term missions. While local capacity building in medical education and community development seem to lead to the best sustainable change, these efforts may take decades of commitment and often require a well- funded multidisciplinary team that engages across government and private sectors. This session will discuss opportunities and challenges associated with using curative short-term missions to open doors for more effective, long-term change.
The bride of Christ, the world- wide church, is filled with health professionals and lay people who can bring wholistic health (physical, spiritual, emotional, socioeconomic) to their communities—but they often lack the vision and leadership. The best practices of domestic and international church-based health events will be reviewed with an empasis on helping multidisciplinary groups make a measurable impact on the health of a community. We will also explore how to weave the Gospel message into health teaching.
If you are ministering in a Muslim community, it is imperative to understand the cultural implications of Islam. This session will address those implications from a speaker that grew up in those communities.
While many doors for medical mission have closed over the past generation, many new ones have opened. Also, medical mission is no longer a Western thing. A new breed of medical missionaries is passionate to use their medical expertise to reach unreached people groups. Join us to explore these developments and get to know doctors and nurses at the cutting edge of medical mission today.
To have an impact in a world of unprecedented suffering, Christian counseling approaches need to be holistic, systemic, indigenous, and collaborative according to the Cape Town Declaration crafted by an international team at the 2010 Lausanne Congress. In this session, these four dimensions of the Declaration will be explained and illustrated with case examples from around the world.
Abdominal pain in the tropics includes many of the same diseases as elsewhere but there are conditions that are unique. Using a case-based approach, some of the more common of the conditions that cause acute abdominal pain will be discussed. Approaches to diagnosis and treatment, especially those that are not obvious to the practitioner from N. America, will be discussed in an interactive style.
Refugees and OVCs (Orphan and Vulnerable Children) have common health problems as extremely disadvantaged people, living through traumatic situations with limited resources. Using case presentations and an interactive format, this workshop will explore Refugee and OVC care and treatment issues particularly from the speaker’s experience in Africa, Asia, and South America.
This session will discuss how globalization is affecting medical education worldwide. We will discuss some of the requirements for, barriers, to, and problems for the globalization of medical education to make a difference in developing countries. We will then discuss why there is such a desperate need for medical education to build healthcare capacity, and will present examples of groups and individuals who have used medical education to make a difference and as an evangelistic opportunity. Participants will be challenged to consider both long- and/ or short-term opportunities to make a difference in medical care in developing countries by presenting opportunities and discussing the rewards now and for eternity.
This session will discuss how globalization is affecting medical education worldwide. We will discuss some of the requirements for, barriers, to, and problems for the globalization of medical education to make a difference in developing countries. We will then discuss why there is such a desperate need for medical education to build healthcare capacity, and will present examples of groups and individuals who have used medical education to make a difference and as an evangelistic opportunity. Participants will be challenged to consider both long- and/ or short-term opportunities to make a difference in medical care in developing countries by presenting opportunities and discussing the rewards now and for eternity.
Unhealthy dependency develops when we do for others what they can and should do for themselves. This seminar looks at how the dependency syndrome develops in cross-cultural ministry and how it can be either avoided or overcome. Stories will be told about mission-established churches which avoided the problem from the beginning and how others overcame it and can now stand on their own two feet. Some attention will be paid to how short-term missions can avoid contributing to the dependency syndrome. Time will also be given to discussing the implications of sustainability in Christian medical institutions among mission-established churches.
Modern travelers are very fortunate in having an array of very effective vaccinations to prevent many travel-related diseases. The judicious use of these vaccines is now an essential part of travel preparation. New vaccines in particular will be emphasized.
With the increasing frequency of natural disasters and the church’s heart to respond, we are witnessing a great number of volunteers working in areas impacted by disasters. Establishing a sound strategy of engagement is critical to insure team safety and security, as well as to insure that our response is appropriate and will “first do no harm,” and second will accomplish the desired outcome in relief, recovery, and development. Priorities and best practice standards for disaster relief will be discussed, which will be relevant to both domestic and international involvement.
Women in the Window outlines key opportunities to bridge the gap between the incredible need and timely opportunity for women to extend influence and impact as they discover their unique purpose in the global community. During this session we unlock treasures from God’s Word as we explore the value of women through the stories of biblical women like Ruth, Lydia, Deborah, or Priscilla. We also focus on life stories and impact of women living in the developing world, often known as the 10/40 Window or Global South, and specifically how preventative health education can play a pivotal role.
Tropical travel is frequently associated with concerns about being bitten or stung. Although most of these injuries are minor, some can be dangerous or even life threatening. The worst offenders are reviewed and practical strategies offered for bite/sting prevention and treatment.
Most healthcare providers from the US or Europe that are planning to work in the developing world lack knowledge and experience with even the most common tropical diseases. A variety of excellent courses have sprung up to meet this need but the choice of which course to take can be daunting. This session will help you choose which option is best for you.
Scores of creative ministries are providing quality healthcare to marginalize people in the name of Jesus here in the United States. This session will look at the problems of access of care for the poor, and the problems of sustainability and spiritual care integration for health and healing ministries who work with under-resourced communities. We will share several best-practice models of care that are providing superior care to the sickest and neediest among us, and doing it as both an expression of and a platform for the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
This session will focus on how to teach a technical skill. The session will include a brief literature review on skill development, a discussion of teaching strategies including simulation for the low budget educator, and a brief outline of cognitive task analysis as a tool in developing an educational program. An interactive format will be utilized.
Doing development work in a restricted access country is extra difficult due to the conflict and security concerns that go hand in hand with the dire economic and political situation in the country. But the restrictions do not necessarily restrict a Christian from being the salt and light in these areas. In this session we will explore the foundations of community health and development that allow us to achieve sustainability regardless of the restrictions that surround the Kingdom development work.
This session will look at ways individual neighborhoods can be wholistically transformed— physically, spiritually, socially, and emotionally from the inside by the residents. It will present ideas of focusing on the assets that are found in people in the neighborhood and how those assets can transform their neighborhood.
As a medical missionary you will face many ethical challenges you never experienced during your training or practice in the US. When should you do procedures that you are not trained to do? How do you justly allocate your limited resources of time, supplies, and equipment? What about bribes? Should you provide better access at a higher cost to those that can afford it? As a trained bio-ethicist and missionary, Dr. Stevens will share practical Biblical based principles to guide you on these and many other issues.
As a missionary, you will be a well-trained healthcare professional, but to serve well, you must be a leader as you manage staff, start programs, and work with the church. Dr. Stevens has boiled down a forest of leadership books into bite-size proverbs full of wit and wisdom in his highly acclaimed book, “Leadership Proverbs.” Using these along with stories from the mission field, he will teach the most important leadership principles for missionaries to learn and apply.
Traveling with children to distant lands for long-term mission assignments is rewarding and fun, but usually comes with some challenges. This session will discuss pre-trip health maintenance recommendations with regards to routine and travel-specific vaccinations and malaria prevention in children. In addition, there will be emphasis on safety measures to help prevent general injury and illness in the young traveler.
Approximately 25% of the world’s population is infected with intestinal helminths. These neglected tropical diseases greatly impact the world’s least privileged and most vulnerable populations, especially children and those living in extreme poverty. We will review the global burden of these individual parasites, their life cycles, clinical presentations, and treatment.
The New Testament gives not one but several models for doing missions. New Testament models of missions are far more flexible and less narrowly defined than the way we typically think of missions. The usual conception of a missionary as one who follows a “call” to go abroad is just one facet of missions. In this session we will explore the biblical patterns and trajectories of what it means to do missions—at home and abroad—and discover what the Bible has to say to us about being “missional” in the 21st Century.
Dental emergency care with a basic overview of dental emergencies for non-dental health care practitioners in limited resource situations including a brief course in dental evaluation and treatment.
The objective of the session is to show how short-term missions can break the cycle of dependency by teaching basic medical and dental skills to the church community. This then empowers the church to provide a sustainable healthcare model to share the Gospel.
If God has been nudging you about serving in missions, you have many questions: How do I know I’m called? How do I pick a mission agency? What training should I get? What about raising support? What is it like to raise your kids overseas? How can I avoid burnout? Using his experience and lots of stories, Dr. Stevens will answer these questions and others at this popular breakout session.
Health for All by the Year 2000 was the goal of the Alma Ata Declaration in 1978. The authors, many of them Christians, hoped to achieve access to basic healthcare for all people using a community health development approach. Yet more than 30 years later the concept languishes. What have we learned during the past 30 years that might restore the goal?
TB remains a global public health threat. This session will explore the epidemiology, challenges, and global context of current TB control and prevention. Selected field-based solutions from developing countries will be shared, along with updates on innovative practices in public health from around the world.
Community Health Evangelism (CHE) has been continuously in process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for 20 years. It started very small with one village, but has multiplied dramatically and now is being used by over 500 villages in the Central DRC. The unique effectiveness of this program has been evaluated carefully by outside respected experts. This evaluation has suggested that CHE has reduced both infant mortality and malnutrition by 50%. In addition its effect on villages’ self esteem and spiritual growth has been described as unparalleled in the 30-year experience of one outside expert evaluator. The area has had no outside missionaries residing in the area for 14 years, and receives less than $50,000 (USD) per year in outside support.
Eye care and blindness prevention in resource-limited areas of the world continues to present many challenges. Blindness from cataracts remains the number one cause of blindness in our world and it can be easily treated. This session looks at ways to deliver effective, safe, and cost-effective cataract screening, surgery, and follow up to communities where reliable eye care is either lacking or nonexistent. The discussion will be based on the example and experience of the Tenwek Eye Unit in south- western Kenya.
Learn how to identify, recruit, mobilize, and empower the Christian leader of the 21st Century who can lead community health and development ministries in this age of globalization. Learn why this is one of the five key components of the PEACE Plan.
The Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons is a general surgery residency for African national physicians. Founded in 1997, it presently is training 35 residents and has graduated 20 fully trained surgeons. The lessons learned and applicability to similar programs in Africa will be discussed.
Planning and preparing for a medical mission trip is an exciting process that should include a pre-trip visit with a health care provider that has a background in travel medicine. This session will discuss steps you can take to help ensure you stay healthy on your trip: receiving appropriate routine- and travel-specific vaccinations, general safety advice, following insect and food/beverage precautions, and taking malaria prophylaxis when indicated.
Approximately 25% of the world’s population is infected with intestinal helminths. These neglected tropical diseases greatly impact the world’s least privileged and most vulnerable populations, especially children and those living in extreme poverty. We will review the global burden of these individual parasites, their life cycles, clinical presentations, and treatment.
This session will provide answers to your questions through interactive discussion and personal stories from a panel of experienced medical professionals who have served on the mission field. Each person who attends will receive a 3X5 card when they enter the room to post questions to the panel. The moderator, Scott Reichenbach, will group and select questions and direct them to the appropriate panelists as he guides a dynamic discussion on medical missions. Typical topics discussed range from appropriate training and preparation, to selecting an agency and raising support, to what to expect as you serve as a single or with a family.
This session will review the epidemiology of anxiety and depression in several countries in Africa and Asia. Culturally and economically appropriate management for less developed and more developed countries will be reviewed. Biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of management will be integrated as applicable in a primary care setting.
TB remains a global public health threat. This session will explore the epidemiology, challenges, and global context of current TB control and prevention. Selected field-based solutions from developing countries will be shared, along with updates on innovative practices in public health from around the world.
Approximately 50 million people in our world are blind and many more suffer from low vision and eye disease. Approximately 80% of these eye problems are either preventable or treatable with effective screening and affordable health intervention. 80 to 90% of avoidable blindness is in the developing world. This session looks at the major causes of world blindness and low vision and what is being done to combat these both clinically and in project planning.
In these days of numerous natural disasters we are blessed to be a blessing around the world but we must be well prepared for all contingencies. This session will take a look at the essential preparedness for disaster relief—specificities of surgery in time of natural disaster, health management after a disaster, appropriate surgical technology (what works on the field), lessons learned from the field, personal security, trip planning, and logistics. Crowds and mobs, hostile negotiations, entry/travel/ vehicle checks, convoy driving and control, and field hospital set up and site assessment will be covered. I will save some time for questions and answers in this important area of disaster relief where we want to do it all with excellence for the glory of the Lord.
Oral lesions can present clues of a systemic disease—the appearance, the character of the lesions, the size, the duration, and the location of the lesions can give some insight as to a possible systemic disease. On the mission field, without all the desired tests and studies, it is very helpful to have an idea what lesions may be part of a system disease and what lesions are most likely to respond to local measures. There will be time for questions and answers.
Human trafficking is a growing phenomenon around the world, including in the US. Healthcare professionals may encounter trafficking victims, yet not recognize the signs and symptoms. The key physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual red flags that are raised by these victims will be presented and discussed. This session will use case scenarios to illustrate how to assess such victims.
Relatively uncommon in N. America, tropical pyomyositis, acute and chronic osteomyelitis and septic arthritis are frequently encountered by medical missionaries in the developing world. Resources may be poor and specialists rare. This session is designed to give the nonspecialist medico a practical, case-oriented approach to these problems.
This session will explore the distinctive characteristics of Christian medical missions compared to humanitarian missions. It will look at biblical guidelines for ministering in Jesus’ name and examine practical applications for those engaged in Christian medical missions.
Community Health Screening & Education aims to assist communities, both urban and rural, in the US as well as developing countries, in their efforts to resolve their most important healthcare problems. It is based on national and international evidence-based standards and guidelines which were often developed and/or strongly influenced by our Christian missionary mentors. Although primarily focused on the 70% of the disease burden that is preventable, it enables high quality assistance in curative care areas as well. All of the materials and guidelines referenced are available free for downloading through www.hepfdc.info and related links, and most are available in multiple languages. So although the healthcare problems addressed remain the leading causes of premature death and unnecessary suffering in nearly every community in every country, it is emphasized that organizations and communities already have access to the resources to begin to resolve those problems. There is much that qualified STM doctors, pharmacists, and other providers can do to assist communities in this collaborative, Biblically-based approach which also preserves the benefits of the provider-patient healing relationship, without the harmful effects due to drugs.
This session addresses the difficult question: “If God is good and wants us to be healthy, why do we get sick and die?” I tell the story of my wife who went “safely home” in spite of medicine, much prayer, and inner healing, and the new lessons about life and disease I have learned from this.
Research provides a means of helping many people in many places over many years. And, it is possible to do useful research “on the field” in the midst of a busy clinical practice. This session will review possibilities and principles that lead to science-advancing, patient- helping, resource-affordable clinical research.
The Community Health Model Village is also known as the Total Health Village or the ‘THV-50-40-10(R)’. This model of healthcare looks at not only providing healthcare for those who are sick, but focuses a great deal on prevention of disease (through focus on water, sanitation, vaccination, deworming) and also on holistic well being (food security, livelihood security, education and skill building). The strategy involves modern participatory techniques for carrying out needs assessment, gap analysis, and intervention planning. Development is facilitated through the community’s own resource persons and geared towards empowering the community to solve most of their own problems. The model goes way beyond integrated development to address both the empirical and spiritual needs of the community through balanced holistic development.
Only a small minority of healthcare students who aspire to be missionaries actually serve long-term. One in five medical missionaries don’t stick with it for more than four years. There are daunting obstacles to going and to staying. Using both research data and the presenter’s experiences, this session will identify the best strategies for preparation that lead to long-term success.
The practice of pediatrics in much of the developing world involves the care of children with malaria, often presenting in critical condition where prompt diagnosis and treatment can be life-saving and minimize morbidity. This session will discuss malaria in terms of presentation, diagnosis, treatment, complications, and prevention, in the context of the often less-than-optimal medical setting of the developing world. Recent changes and controversies will be included in the discussion. Although all species of Plasmodium will be mentioned, the emphasis will be on falciparum malaria.
Christian Community Health and Development organizers need to be thinking beyond the implementation of projects scattered here and there in targeted communities, to movements that sweep the whole country. There are keys to mobilizing medical volunteers and leveraging community. To achieve this, greater attention must be given to mobilizing volunteers who participate in their own development and work together to sustain and build on their successes. In this workshop we will learn keys to mobilizing community volunteers who transfer what they have experienced and learned from person to person and community to community, taking the Gospel with them as they go.
Community Health Evangelism (CHE) is a breakthrough mission strategy that seamlessly integrates evangelism and discipleship with disease prevention and community-based development. Through these ministries people become followers of Jesus, churches are planted, and entire communities are lifted out of cycles of poverty and disease. Terry Dalrymple has been instrumental in guiding the expansion of a worldwide CHE movement that now involves more than 400 organizations in 105 countries. In this workshop, Terry will outline key principles of integrated community health and development ministry, describe how to implement a CHE program, define indicators used to measure success, and identify resources and potential partners to help you get CHE started in your target community.
When people in the developing world want someone to teach about health issues like HIV, they look to medical people. Thus, whether you are going for a short- or long-term trip, you may well be asked, “Are you ready?” Unless you specialize in infectious disease, how much do you really know about the disease? What is your goal in teaching? What do people really need to know? Perhaps the most important question is how do you communicate the facts about disease to an audience that has very little, if any, understanding of science. In fact, many have a deep distrust of science. This breakout session is based on more than 26 years of experience teaching about HIV around the world. The interactive discussion will help you think through the questions above as the facilitator shares with you the stories God has given him that communicate the important concepts in ways that are easily understood and applied by audiences in cultures that are very different from our own.
How can we use health promotion to more effectively prepare for disasters and to respond when they occur? During this session, participants will examine ways to use health promotion to deal with disasters. How can we be better prepared for disasters, reducing the risks, and, after a disaster, move on from relief to recovery and rebuilding? How can the local community be involved?
Nutritional deficiencies continue to plague many children in resource-limited areas. Current knowledge in the “developed” world is not always adequate in determining how to care for affected children in “developing” countries, and fresh research can be useful in helping children all over the world. Using examples of studies of generalized malnutrition and of deficiencies of calcium, vitamin D, and thiamine, participants will gain an understanding of how low-cost investigations carried out in resource-limited areas can have high-yield in advancing science and in curing children.
The Global Missions Health Conference attracts students and medical professionals from all over the United States who want to live out their faith through medicine but are not sure what that means for their lives. This session will provide a biblical framework for understanding our calling in light of God’s redemptive work in the world today.
This session will explore goals of intervention for children with cerebral palsy or spina bifida and how to accomplish this in a setting with limited resources. We will look at the basics of treatment, equipment options, seating and positioning, and bracing.
The session focuses on the use of the Holistic Worldview Analysis (HWVA) tool and explains how it is used to understand a community’s worldview, analyze it, identify gaps in their current survival strategy, and engage the community actively in addressing health and development issues. If you are looking for a way to empower a community to be able to solve most of its own problems, then this is a session for you!
Tropical travel is frequently associated with concerns about being bitten or stung. Although most of these injuries are minor, some can be dangerous or even life threatening. The worst offenders are reviewed and practical strategies offered for bite/sting prevention and treatment.
This session will give a brief overview of the problem of macronutrient malnutrition (protein-energy malnutrition), its pathophysiology as a “metabolic disorder,” its diagnosis, and best practices to ensure optimum outcomes highlighting the WHOs ten step approach.
There is an increase in morbidity and mortality for trafficked victims based upon circumstances while being trafficked and preexisting conditions that led to their vulnerability to being trafficked. It is known that most healthcare professionals do not know how to identify and help trafficked victims. This session will discuss the health problems that may present, the reasons for these conditions, and the clues that may lead to recognizing these victims as trafficked and ultimately to help free them.
Storying is a powerful way to learn new ideas and pass them along to others. Stories impact lives and change behavior. Stories can be used for wholistic teaching, building physical and emotional health, and sharing biblical truths. Stories work effectively with people from all ages and all educational levels, and are a key strategy to work with oral learners. This session will illustrate the use of health stories and Bible storying, and will teach how to do storying. Participants will learn to ask thought-provoking questions that stimulate discussion. They will learn to use stories to multiply teaching to others. They will also learn where to find collections of stories that others have found effective.
In this session we will discuss case presentations demonstrating effective diagnosis and care of cardiac conditions with limited resources.
Resilient, balanced, resourceful, and culturally sensitive expatriates galvanize cross-cultural ventures. Mental health is the bedrock; yet, a surfeit of narrative disparages global enterprise because of misfortune provoked by psychological maladies. Expectations are realigned when the epidemiology of mental health disorders are considered in the context of complex cross-cultural transitions. Predisposing attributes, demands and awareness of risk foster a resolve to care. Evidence-based practice aligns expertise; care combines “best practice” with sensitivity to points of access on the substrate of the recipient’s worldview.
This session provides an introduction to the topic of domestic minor sex trafficking by addressing the legal definition of domestic minor sex trafficking, prevalence, typical scenarios, recruiting techniques, and current methods to sell the girls online. The information will include recent numbers from the Department of Justice on prosecutions around the country. Finally, tips on identifying victims within the healthcare system will be discussed as well as definite steps to take in preparation of identifying victims of domestic minor sex trafficking.
Many creative access countries are among the poorest and most needy in the world, yet Christian witness is limited. Effective primary care is an essential component of all health systems. Locally trained Family Medicine specialists can provide excellent primary care in limited resource settings. With some constraints doctors from “the West” are welcome in creative access countries to develop residency training in Family Medicine. The lessons learned from eight years of Family Medicine training in Afghanistan will be discussed with particular attention to those lessons that are applicable to other creative access countries.
The course will deal with poverty in the urban slum. Attention will be given to a biblical framework for development and a strategy for doing “Kingdom Development.” Illustrations will come from lessons being learned in Nairobi, Kenya; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and Bangkok, Thailand.
The session outlines resources of the biblical worldview and how they transformed the culture of Europe and the Near East in the first centuries after Christ, the culture of Great Britain in the 18th Century, and of South Korea in the 20th Century. The session describes what we, as Christian healthcare providers, must do to bring transformation to the peoples and cultures of Africa, Haiti, Latin America, and other non-developing areas of the world.
The recent research on HIV reported in the past year has been characterized by leaders in the field as ‘game changing.’ There are new approaches to prevention and treatment that have the potential for major changes in the way the disease is approached. This breakout session will not only discuss these developments, but it will also be an opportunity for you to be involved in discussions about how the developments can best be utilized and the complex issues surrounding implementation, funding, and cultural issues.
The implications of a community's worldview and long term missions in Africa -- Could poverty and underdevelopment in the material realm have a metaphysical rather than a physical root? The answer is yes! In this session, we will explore the concept of worldview and examine its implications for the health and development of people, communities, and cultures. We will also examine ten specific principles from Scripture that relate to health and healthcare that hold the potential to bring dramatic, positive, sustainable change to people and communities.
A Biblical view of money and material things will help you to keep student loan borrowing to a minimum so that you can serve where God has called you-- without delay.
Objectives: (1) Describe the six key indigenous partner groups needed for effective medical missions (2) Discuss three common challenge areas for medical missions: Missiologic Point of View, Curative Care Perspective, Surgical Care (3) Explore WHO guidelines relevent to the use of oral medications in medical missions
Human trafficking has grave consequences on the health of victims and includes a wide variety of health issues. This talk is designed to inform health care professionals on what these issues are, and how they may specifically work with a trafficked person, given the trauma that a victim may experience. Health care may be one of the few intersection points where a trafficked person meets someone in the public sphere and a few indicators for identifying someone who may be trafficked will also be discussed.
Teaching nationals can expand your impact. Our session will explore avenues to produce success in missions, both at home and abroad. We will speak on dentistry producing explosive church planting in Sierra Leone, the process of training nationals on a short term trip including the effects it has on the dentist/trainer, and how dentistry has equipped nationals in Nigeria for long-term service. We will also hear about the initial presentation of our medical module in Haiti and Sudan.
Cross-cultural Spiritual Ministry in Healthcare. How does one address spiritual needs in cross-cultural healthcare ministry? There are important principals and presuppositions we must understand if we are to effectively address spiritual needs and dimensions of people and communities. You cannot reach competency in wholistic healthcare missions simply in one or two hours. What is the goal of this session? To challenge you through stories, lessons learned, mistakes made and discussion to pursue a deeper understanding of the needs, barriers, opportunities, expectations and joys of integrated spiritual ministry in a cross-cultural international setting. Goals: (1) Setting the tone for spiritual ministry (2) Understanding the importance of culture and worldview (3) Establishing a team approach (4) Hindrances, especially to the western-trained professional (5) Resources
The search for medical equipment and supplies for your mission project seems to be a never ending challenge. We often settle for whatever we can find and have low expectations. God has high standards and the ability to provide if we seek Him for these resources. This session will provide information on how to evaluate medical projects, determine what specific equipment is needed, and how to find the resources to meet those needs.
While not a new problem, human trafficking is now a globally acknowledged issue of our times. Even so, many people do not have a solid grasp of what exactly it is, how it happens, and what the core issues are in order to counter it. An overview of human trafficking internationally, including to/from the USA as well as outside the States is presented here. Some specific examples of how human trafficking may intersect the life and work of health care professionals are given, but more depth on that topic is given in other talks.
Usually the focus of short-term medical missions is to meet the needs of the population visited. This presentation will shed some light on Spiritual survival tips needed for the team members. Addressing their Spiritual need will equip each member of the medical mission team to become more efficient in reaching target population medically and Spiritually.
The New Testament gives not one but several models for doing missions. New Testament models of missions are far more flexible and less narrowly defined than the way we typically think of missions. The usual conception of a missionary as one who follows a “call” to go abroad is just one facet of missions. In this session we will explore the Biblical patterns and trajectories of what it means to do missions—at home and abroad, and discover what the Bible has to say to us about being “missional” in the 21st Century.
Jesus asked us to imitate Him. With Jesus as our model we will present teaching approaches that will empower nationals to serve their community. By presenting teaching methods tested and proven successful with dentistry, we propose to apply them to other areas of medicine to allow believers to meet the healthcare needs in their communities.
The nuts and bolts for students of an international health-care short term mission rotation. Choosing, preparing for, and successful completion of a short-term mission opportunity. This is for nursing, pre-professional, medical, dental, pharmacy, public health and other allied health-care students and post-graduate residents. Purpose: Acquaint the professional student with (1) Blessings, advantages and benefits of an international rotation especially in a mission setting. (2) Preparing oneself personally, including spiritual, emotional and academic preparation, for the best experience. (3) Process of choosing where to go, permission from your school, funding, establishing mentors and other preparations to gain the most from the experience. (4) The importance of post-trip debriefing and mentoring while looking toward the future.
This session with consist of a brief presentation followed by a panel discussion during an open question and answer period. Becoming a surgeon on the mission field, especially if one is interested in teaching, is a process which is more complex and takes more preparation than expected. The session is designed for medical students, surgical residents and those wishing to leave their practice to join the ranks of career missionaries.
Why don’t they see that what they are doing is wrong! Why don’t they understand my explanation? Why won’t they look at me when I talk to them? Why won’t they make a decision…after all, any decision is better than no decision at all! Why won’t the listen! Learn why these and other “misunderstandings” result in “mis-communications” in the world of cross-cultural ministry and how we can overcome them.
Medical missions is constantly changing. The enterprise of medical missions has brought health and opened the doors for the gospel in countless countries.
This rich history continues today. In Africa, forty to seventy percent of health services are still provided by church and mission facilities.
How do we build on the achievements of yesteryears and achieve success in the years to come? How can you fit in?
Before 1850, there were fewer that fifteen medical missionaries. The average life expectancy for missionaries in Africa in that day was eight years.
Oftentimes, medical missionaries started because missionaries were taught basic medical needs.
Around 1890's to early 1900's university campuses began to head overseas as missionaries. Many went to China. This is why you see so many Christians in China today.
By 1925 there were 1,157 medical missionaries.
Listen to the audio for more details on the past, present, and future of medical missions.
About the author:
*Dr. David Stevens is the Chief Executive Officer of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), the nation’s largest faith-based organization of doctors. As spokesman for more than 16,000 doctors, Dr. Stevens has conducted hundreds of media interviews. Prior to his service with CMDA, he served as medical director of Samaritan’s Purse. From 1981 to 1992, Dr. Stevens served as executive officer and medical superintendent of Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya. He helped to transform Tenwek Hospital into one of the premier mission healthcare facilities in that country.
Dr. Stevens’ experiences provide rich illustrations for inspirational and educational presentations at seminars, medical schools, conferences and churches. He is the author of "Jesus, MD", "Beyond Medicine: What Else You Need to Know to be a Medical Missionary", "Leadership Proverbs" and many chapters and magazine articles.
Dr. Stevens holds degrees from Asbury University and the University of Louisville School of Medicine and is board certified in family practice. He earned a master’s degree in bioethics from Trinity International University in 2002.*
Glenn Schwartz will speak about the issue of healthy sustainability in the Christian movement. He gives historical insights into how the dependency syndrome in cross-cultural missions develops and, more importantly, how it can be overcome. This presentation will also include several short case studies about mission-established hospitals and how they moved toward local sustainability. His primary emphasis is two-fold: One is that unhealthy dependency can be avoided from the beginning in cross-cultural ministry. The second is that the dependency syndrome can be overcome where it has become established. He believes that churches and other institutions do not need to suffer long-term consequences from this illness, and
there is plenty of evidence to confirm that. Obviously there are places in the world where outside assistance is justified, but in many places local resources are available for those who adjust strategies to identify and mobilize them.
Glenn Schwartz will speak about the issue of healthy sustainability in the Christian movement. He gives historical insights into how the dependency syndrome in cross-cultural missions develops and, more importantly, how it can be overcome. This presentation will also include several short case studies about mission-established hospitals and how they moved toward local sustainability. His primary emphasis is "two-fold: One is that unhealthy dependency can be avoided from the beginning in cross-cultural ministry. The second is that the dependency syndrome can be overcome where it has become established. He believes that churches and other institutions do not need to suffer long-term consequences from this illness, and there is plenty of evidence to confirm that. Obviously there are places in the world where outside assistance is justified, but in many places local resources are available for those who adjust strategies to identify and mobilize them.
HIV/AIDS remains a tremendous challenge with medical, emotional, economic and social problems. Using case presentations and an interactive format, this workshop will explore HIV/AIDS care and treatment issues particularly from the speaker’s experience in Africa
This presentation will challenge participants to focus on where the Master is at work in their lives and inviting them to join Him in global health missions. The motives for global health missions in the context of the needs and expectations of those to be served will be examined. Participants will be encouraged to reflect upon the health and well being of their body, mind and spirit through a series of guided questions. A process for gathering and engaging a partnership team for accountability and spiritual support will be discussed.
The presentation will feature the personal experience of a physician assistant who has provided healthcare in the developing world most recently in Latin America, India and Africa. The advantages of the training and healthcare provision capabilities of the mid-level, the obstacles to healthcare provision in the developing world and the means by which those obstacles can be overcome will be discussed. The importance of national partners in the medical mission field for follow up and if possible for continuity of care will be examined. The speaker will present an overview of organizations that are recruiting mid-levels for short and full term medical missions.
Buddhists in East Asia largely believe in one of the dominant Buddhist traditions, animism and ancestor worship. They believe in karma, the moral law of cause and effect which demands that every soul suffer for its past “sins;” so there is no value in alleviating suffering. While very few Buddhists have come to Christ through the direct preaching of the gospel, some have responded to the compassion shown by medical missionaries since the early 19th century. This session features the plight of one leprosy patient, an outcast in society who gradually found new life through the lives of Christians who dared to touch him, clean his wounds and tell him about Jesus. This session will bring attendees face to face with a culture that is very resistant to the gospel, the reasons for that resistance and what we can do about it.
With stories laced with humor learn the principles and practices of a great short term mission experience whether you are going for the first or your fortieth time. You, your patients and the building of God's kingdom will be better for it!
This session will look at a Nursing Process approach to address global health problems at the community level. We will look specifically at nursing led cross-cultural health fairs as safe and effective model of short-term healthcare missions. An overview of the literature that supports this short-term mission model will also be reviewed.
This session will review case presentations that demonstrate the potential for harm associated with healthcare missions. We will look at methods by which such problems can be avoided. The potential for harm related to short-term medical missions does exist, and in a much more real way than most of us care to acknowledge. It is only through the careful examination of such problems can we develop health mission strategies that mitigate harm, and improve community health.
Is missions on your mind? Learn to get from where you are to where God wants you to be, well prepared spiritually, emotionally, relationally and professionally for what God has designed you to be.
Facing unlimited needs and limited resources of personnel, equipment and supplies, medical missionaries daily have to "play God." What Biblical and ethical guidelines and practices can guide you through these and other ethical minefields that almost no one talks about? What changes are mandatory to your American thinking if you are going to survive and flourish?
Is it possible to do true academic style residency training at mission hospitals in developing countries? Does the lack of resources and scarcity of mentors result in inferior training and therefore inadequately trained graduates? What governmental or regulatory bodies are involved in non-university based training programs in the developing world? Do short term visiting faculty really make a difference? How can spiritual discipleship be woven into medical and surgical residency training? During this breakout session, Dr. Carol Spears (missionary surgeon and Assistant Program Director at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya) and Dr. Agneta Odera (Kenyan physician in her third year of General Surgery Residency Training at Tenwek) will share their experiences in starting and developing a General Surgery Training Program in partnership with the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons. They will share their own stories of challenges, mistakes, areas of ongoing deficiency, as well as helpful hints, blessings, and personal stories. The goal of this session is to provide a minimal set of requirements needed for a successful residency training program and to provide information on resources available to assist new programs. The approach of training others to then go and train others models the example Jesus established in his ministry on earth.
This session will overview WHO/UNICEF child health Standards as they apply to both short and long-term health missions. We will look at some of the relevant literature and review health indicators to be assessed in both long and short term health missions. We will also look at how to use the data collected from the use of relevant indicators to establish community disease and malnutrition prevalence and specific community health programming targets.
Health care settings offer multiple opportunities for victims of human trafficking to be identified and/or rescued. In this session a brief overview of the phenomenon of human trafficking will be provided. Participants will receive training on victim identification and will be taught concrete steps on what to do if human trafficking is suspected.
Short-term health-related missions have been criticized for inadequate long-term impact on local health indicators, and on the actual team participants. Costs for short-term medical missions appear excessive to some, given the limited impact on spiritual and physical needs. This session will examine the criticism and present proposed measures of effectiveness that can be used by short-term and long-term trip planners and strategists so as to support improved planning and execution of short-term medical missions trips.
(1) What is the conflict between Science and Religion all about? (2) What are the differences between Evidence Based Medicine, Market Based Medicine and Complimentary and Alternative Medicine? (3) What are the differences between Religiosity and Spirituality? (4) What is the Faith Factor and how strong is the relationship to increased health benefits? (5) What do the Intercessory Prayer Studies show? (6) Divine Healing, Gifts of Healings, and Faith Healing—What are the differences? (7) Spirituality in Medicine—How does the Christian healthcare worker integrate Good Science with a Biblical Worldview and the Great Commission?
An assortment of personal stories shared by Steve Saint from his time in Equator and other places around the world. Steve will share insights into how to engage indigenous people groups with resources for developing communities and how best to work with them to instill dignity and ownership.
This session will introduce people to how CHE is being used in North America in seeing urban underserved neighborhoods become transformed from the inside out using the assets that are found in the neighborhood by
Join us as Global Project directors Connie Jarlsberg and Renee Lick along with student participants share lessons learned and the way God transformed them and their Ugandan ministry partners as they served and learned together.
Medical science is beginning to recognize that considering the emotional makeup of patients is important in extending care. Psychology is making concession that health is more a sense of emotional and physical well being, but neglects the Spiritual component of who we are. This session will offer a practical application in caring for the “Whole Person”- emotionally, physically and spiritually. Hear examples of how Whole Person Care has impacted the lives of countless patients as seen in a busy Internal Medicine practice.
Uniqueness and distinctness of Community PEACE as holistic developmental strategy with transformational outcomes
Disaster response provides tremendous opportunities for compassion ministry and short-term mission teams. The 7 Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission will be reviewed in the context of disaster relief. These standards
help to insure appropriate focus on long term relief and recovery, participation and empowerment of national workers, and prevention of dependence and paternalism.
This session will focus on important priorities, challenges and risks encountered in disaster relief. A brief introduction to the Disaster Paradigm© based on the AMA’s Disaster Life Support Courses will be reviewed.
This session will be both philosophical and practical and will be shared from the perspective of one who has served as a bridge between the professional medical practitioner and some of the world’s poorest communities. Insights will come from practical examples and case studies of professional clinicians who have played a role in effectively empowering community development and those that haven’t, all within the context of understanding how we respond to the needs of the world is just as important as responding.
This session will share answers on how to become a medical missionary. Each person who attends will receive a 3 x 5 card when they enter the room. The moderator John McVay will group and select questions, direct them to appropriate panelists, and receive questions from the floor. Probable topics discussed from questions expected are: Guidance, Agencies, Training, Funding, Singles, and Families.
This session will discuss an effective community-based health and development/discipleship ministry in Eastern Uganda that began in the mid 1980s and is still active. This project has had remarkable sustainability and reasonable costs. Anecdotal and statistical information will be presented about the program activities in terms of both community and staff impact. The role of encouragement as a reciprocal empowerment strategy will be highlighted
An assortment of personal stories of missions in Ecuador. Steve Saint shares stories from his time in Ecuador and other places around the world. Steve will share insights into how to engage indigenous people groups with resources for developing communities and how best to work with them to instill dignity and ownership.
April Perry has worked in Haiti for over 10 years, leading short term medical missionaries as wel las founding and chairing a christian non profit which promotes public health initiatives in rural areas and urban slums in haiti. She was part of a first response medical relief team with North Carolina Baptist Men's Dissaster Relief Organziation arriving only 6 days after the earthquake, the modern worlds worst natural disaster. She worked in two hospitals providing first response disaster medical care. this session will describe the conditions she found in Haiti, her work providing medical care in disaster conditions as well as the issues related to providing disaster medical care in the third world.
Christians are called to live out the gospel through every area of our lives, including our work in healthcare. This workshop will look at the role that Christians should play in expressing Christ’s kingdom through healthcare. We will examine successful established domestic Christian medical mission models and lessons from the ministry of Christ to identify what makes Christian medicine unique.
She was part of a first response medical relief team with North Carolina Baptist Men's Dissaster Relief Organziation arriving only 6 days after the earthquake, the modern worlds worst natural disaster. She worked in two hospitals providing first response disaster medical care. this session will describe the conditions she found in Haiti, her work providing medical care in disaster conditions as well as the issues related to providing disaster medical care in the third world.
Session will discuss the nuts, bolts, and challenges of being a team leader, especially as a mid-level provider.
What really IS sustainability? Are any health care institutions truly sustainable, in either the developed or the developing world? A refreshing look at an age-old missionary dilemma
This session will introduce people to how CHE is being used in North America in seeing urban underserved neighborhoods.
This session will bring people together that have been doing CHE or starting to use CHE as a wholistic community development tool. Therefore most of the presentation will come from the people in the seminar sharing their experiences including their success and failures.
Missionaries are sent to reproduce themselves spiritually. Yet how do you do that in the midst of a busy clinical and hospital schedule? This seminar will equip you with a biblical model and a simple time-sensitive plan to build and multiply the number of Christ-followers and spiritual leaders among your patients, colleagues, and others on your mission field.
Steve Saint unpacks lessons in how to support the indiginous person and how to support the indigenous institution by equipping them with the resources to own the work of their hands.
Nurses from developed countries who have advanced degrees, such as MSN and PHd. are strategically positioned to meet the growing need of Nursing Leadership development of nurse leaders and the promotion of excellence in nursing care in developing countries. Today in many developing countries, nursing is still yet to be recognized for its significant impact on quality patient care. As a result, these nurses are seen more as subordinates to physicians and lack the opportunities to develop to their full potential as leaders in health care organizations and in the provision of quality patient care. This session will provide you with the knowledge of the presenter's journey in living & working as a missionary nurse in India, and her continued passion to work with nurses in India while now living in the USA.
Empowering Local Churches and Christian Business CEO's and Medical faculty to be involved in nurturing and directing Mission Hospitals in their own States,Cities and Towns. Reveal the relevance of Matt:28:19-20 to the work God has called the Church and the Christian Medical missions alongside every believer, to make Christ known.
To present teaching in the healthcare professions as an opportunity for missions. There is a global need for healthcare professionals with critical thinking and problem solving skills for competent practice in today’s healthcare environment. This has created a demand for qualified educators in the healthcare professions and opened doors for Christian educators to fill these roles and be involved in evangelism, discipleship and the development of Christian leaders in healthcare for the nations.
The Vanga Hospital began in a rural area of western Congo in 1920. Beginning in 1961 the hospital grew into a comprehensive and sustainable Christian health service run by the Congolese church in partnership with a missionary staff. The health system includes: (1) A 400 bed multi-specialty teaching hospital (2) A school for training nurse practitioners and nurse midwives (3) A widespread system of improving community health through dialogue and community initiatives (4) A decentralized network of rural health centers that make primary health care services accessible to the entire population of 250,000 in the catchment area
(5) A family medicine residency for Congolese family physicians (6) A team approach to caring for the whole person (7) An integrated approach to coping with the HIV-AIDS epidemic
This talk will examine cultural dynamics and work through the layers of culture from the outer layer of behavior down through the layers of values and beliefs to the core of worldview assumptions. Customs and health-related behavior derive from the basic assumptions about God, humankind, nature, and the origin of disease. Only when these worldview assumptions are understood and entry-points found to bring in new ideas can sustainable behavior change occur. Examples will be given.
In 2000 the global community through the United Nations adopted ambitious goals to improve the lives of especially the least advantaged in the world by 2015 – Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Since 1970 the Comprehensive Rural Health Project (CRHP), Jamkhed, India, has pioneered the philosophy, principles and practice of comprehensive, community-based primary health care. Through this approach, based on Christian values, communities have been empowered and transformed, especially the poor and marginalized, women and children. Community members have learned to work together across social divisions and solve problems together for the well-being of the whole village – and have reached all the MDGs. This sustainable approach addresses social determinants and other root causes, including the caste system, harmful traditional practices, status of women and poverty. Caring and sharing communities are formed living in harmony, health and peace – shalom.
The session will cover the current statistics of homelessness in America, the main approaches to addressing homelessness, and a case study of the “Service First” model where the homeless are invited to join service projects with other groups that benefit the community.
In this session we will be discussing almost every aspect of how to perform a short term health outreach: how to arrange travel, how to determine your formulary and where to find the cheapest medications, which dental equipment works best and where to obtain it, which optometry diagnostic systems are best in a portable environment, where to obtain the cheapest eyeglasses, and how to integrate evangelism into your health outreach. This session includes almost everything you need to know to effectively execute a short term health outreach in a foreign country.
The entry of counterfeit medicines into the USA has accelerated greatly as a result of illegal internet pharmacies. Some major changes have occurred in the policies of some website search engines that will impede the entry of counterfeit medicines into the US, but this will be probably only a temporarily reduce the size of the counterfeit market in the US.
This presentation will cover the following issues:
1. Examples of the impact of drug counterfeits in the USA and abroad. However, this is not a witch hunt of counterfeit medicines. The purpose of these examples is to get your attention as to the urgency of this problem. 2. Counterfeit medicines in general: The magnitude of the problem. 3. Examples of the impact of counterfeit medicines on mortality and morbidity. 4. Solutions: Levels of counterfeit prevention measures: Overt, Covert, and Forensic. 5. Examples of each of the above types of intervention. 6. Changes In US law and current CA law to mandate implementation of ePedigree and other counterfeit intervention and drug diversion protection measures. 7. How to know from which internet pharmacies are safe to order drugs.
This session will explore opportunities to serve full time or short term as a pharmacist both globally in Latin America as well as domestically . From medical mission trips floating down the Amazon River in Bolivia where interacting with indigenous tribes is the primary focus, to caring for the underserved at medical clinics in Southwest Virginia. This session will be an informative, personal session to provide professionals with opportunities to serve in groups or as individuals in pharmacy based settings.
Why does the Joint Commission now require a spiritual history for hospital admissions? This evidence-based review of the literature looks at the how’s and why’s of spiritual assessment in clinical medicine with a practical how-to time of discussion.
The etiology of diarrheal illness in the mission field differs considerably from that in developed countries and requires a different approach for the short-term or new medical missionary. This talk will prepare the medical missionary to evaluate and manage common diarrheal illnesses seen on the mission field, emphasizing clinical evaluation and diagnosis in conditions of limited laboratory availability. The causes of disease commonly seen on the mission field and clinical clues to their diagnosis will be emphasized. Treatment will be discussed with an emphasis on oral rehydration therapy included.
A practical review of parasitic diseases uncommonly seen in the developed world but commonly encountered on the mission field will be presented to help re-familiarize the new or short- term medical missionary with these diseases. The emphasis will be on practical diagnosis and management in settings lacking easy laboratory access.
Malaria prevention and prompt treatment often requires the use of effective antimalarials that many practitioners do not routinely use. These medications are not benign and do have potential adverse effects and drug interactions that we should be aware of and proactive in preventing. This session will review potential adverse effects, drug interactions and the risk of developing resistance for the current prophylaxis agents and the current treatment regimens of malaria.
This session will address how the Church can be mobilized toward practical responses in the prevention of HIV/AIDS and for the care of people living with and impacted by HIV/AIDS. Biblically-informed approaches, examples and case studies from Food for the Hungry and other ministries will emphasize how grassroots efforts can be informed by proven strategies that have measureable and multiplicative effect.
Anecdotal evidence points to a general uptick in the interest and participation of volunteerism, including medical volunteerism. In contrast to Christian and Christ-centered medical missions, many volunteers are secular and have no religious affiliation when they work abroad. Recent studies have also shown a significance interest in medical missions overseas in both undergraduate and graduate medical education. The aim of this workshop will be to review the literature regarding secular medical missions. Additionally, the role of medical missions in secular medical education will be considered. Finally, the motivations for medical volunteerism, its relation – either positive or negative – with Christian medical missions, and the lines of dialogue between secular and Christian medical missions will be discussed.
There is great concern about the extent to which certain microorganisms have become resistant to the antimicrobial agents to which they were once highly susceptible. At the same time, there has been a significant decline in the number of new antimicrobial agents being developed and marketed. This presentation considers the uses and most important characteristics of the new drugs for the treatment of infectious diseases. Where possible, the properties of the new drugs are compared with those of older drugs available for the same uses. A New Drug Comparison Rating (NDCR) is provided for each of the new antimicrobial agents. Selected infections (e.g., HIV/AIDS, malaria) that are of particular importance in parts of the world in which missions programs are based are considered, as are selected infections (e.g., MRSA, Lyme disease) that represent important challenges in the United States.
This session consists of a panel of women physicians who have served or are serving long term in medical missions. They will describe their call to missions, their missions service, and answer questions from the audience regarding issues of particular interest to women medical students and physicians considering medical missions.
This talk will begin by examining the biblical basis for mission and the biblical basis for linking spiritual and medical ministry. It will then look at practical ways that spiritual ministry can be incorporated into short term medical mission projects for maximum impact for the kingdom.
It has often been said that one of the greatest reasons for people not to enter long-term missions is short-term missions. Using my own example as a case-study, we'll examine the logic and rationale behind this statement, and how short-term medical missions can be both a boon and detriment to the case of long-term missions.
MAP’s ministry is grounded in a broad vision and understanding of health. MAP’s guiding principles state that among the many human needs, it is called to focus on the ministry of Total Health. Total health doesn’t describe the state of someone’s health but rather the ways that individuals, families and communities can take responsible action to improve their well-being. Self empowerment and holism are therefore important dimensions of the THV50-40-10®.The THV50-40-10®program is a ‘Low input, high-impact strategy for achieving the Millennium Development Goals’. It is a cost effective community development strategy that leads to Total Well being; a way to impact a whole village of close to a thousand people through a facilitative and low input cost strategy .It is a completely Participatory strategy where communities identify needs, analyze their situation, plan a response strategy, actively work with the CORP (Community’s Own Resource Persons) and ENGAGE actively in solving their own problems. The session will cover the principles, practices and strategies for launching THV-50-40-10® (Total Health Village)
The course will deal with poverty in the urban slum. Attention will be given to a Biblical framework for development and a strategy for doing "Kingdom Development". Illustrations will come from lessons being learned in Nairobi, Kenya, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, and Bangkok Thailand.
Professional nursing is the backbone of healthcare worldwide. Where nursing has not been recognized as a profession with its own knowledge and responsibilities to the public, healthcare has been affected. Bethel University and Uganda Christian University (UCUJ) have collaborated and joined forced to create academic programs in a rich Christian context to create well prepared nurses for the future of Uganda. Our partnership first created a degree completion program and currently the focus is on preparing nurse leaders at the masters’ level. This partnership has benefited both programs. A large number of Bethel University undergraduate senior nursing students spend January in Uganda, in the future some will spent a semester at UCU. Recently Masters’ student from UCU spent 10 weeks at Bethel’s campus. They took a combined class on Global Health with Bethel students. Bethel students reported the significant contribution of the UCU students to their learning. A number of Bethel faculty (and a few from elsewhere) are involved in teaching in the masters’ program taught modularly and online. This collaboration is empowering nurse leaders (particularly nurse educators) to advance the profession of nursing in Uganda. We hope to draw students from other parts of Africa to join in the masters’ program.
Poverty and health are intimately associated. The nations of poverty are also home to the lowest life expectancy, greatest child mortality, and highest number of preventable deaths. Three interventions are especially effective. First, we must promote economic development, for history demonstrates that as overall income increase so does health status. Second, we must stand against military conflict, for in nations so embattled over 90 percent of deaths are from hunger and infectious diseases. Third, we must advocate those specific interventions that have proven most effective against the leading diseases of poverty, such as provision of safe drinking water and mosquito nets to prevent malaria, though these interventions may be inconsistent with the standard medical paradigm.
Opportunities are increasing to teach colleagues, students, and others who speak and understand another language in which the teacher is not fluent. Such opportunities require the use of an interpreter. This session will consider: the need for interpreters, training in using them, professional vs. non-professional interpreters, preparing the interpreter for the session's), and the effectiveness of teaching through an interpreter. It will also touch on the use of translators, since they may also be needed if visual presentations or handouts are to be presented in the first language of the audience.
Starting with the premise that God wants us to be healthy, this talk will outline the resources God makes available to us for living healthy lives. This includes (1) The biblical understanding of nature as orderly, with all created things functioning according to the natural laws God has built into them. (2) How the original man and woman rejected the order God had established in natural and human life. They brought on themselves and subsequent human history the consequences of disease, degeneration, and death. Ill health is our fault, not God’s fault. (3) Obedience to God’s laws favors health. This includes laws found in the Bible. (4) It also includes laws discovered by science for science studies what God has made. (5) Practical examples to demonstrate this.
There are countless barriers that prevent aspiring healthcare missionaries from achieving their goals. Come learn strategies for recognizing and overcoming both obvious and hidden obstacles.
Disciples who commit themselves to risky obedience will face strong opposition from enemies within and without. Jesus gave often overlooked counsel on how to wage prayer warfare.
One of the results of the global HIV and AIDS pandemic is an overwhelming number of orphans and vulnerable children. This session will discuss the unique needs of children impacted by HIV and AIDS and present "best practices" to guide the compassionate responses of the Church.
Transformation is essentially a God process. Can the less tangible as well as tangible aspects of this process be measured in a meaningful way as we engage in holistic development? This session will present some case studies to help us identify various indicators of transformation and propose models to evaluate holistic development programs.
This session will introduce the attendee to the topic of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) by giving both a definition and examples of DMST. The session will also include discussion of the predisposing factors toward DMST, recruiting techniques, mindset of the victim, indicators of DMST, and what to do if you encounter a potential victim of DMST.
How do we communicate the Truth of Scriptures to the 80% of the oral learners in the world who can not read or prefer not to read? Do people say no to the Biblical content, or do they really need help to understand? Accurate Bible Stories come alive to patients and open the Scriptures to a lost and dying world. Explore wonderful oral style communication methods that empower medical workers and assistants to share Bible stories in natural conversational ways. Learn to put these Bible stories in your heart pocket and tell them while attending to patients, visiting those in need, or anywhere daily life leads. Missionaries say, "We are seeing results like we have never known", "People understand" and "lives are changed in ways I never imagined.
How to have a long term impact with a short term medical team? Philosophy of Ministry, National Partnerships, Careful Preparation, Effective Clinic Outreach and Post Trip Attention all are critical ingredients! . To Cover Philosophy of Ministry, Partnership with Local Host Ministry, Preparing and Recruiting, Local Host Responsibility, Arrival and Clinic Week, Extracurricular Activities, Leave Taking/ Farewell/ Re-Entry
There are inherent dangers that come with following Jesus into a ministry of medicine. God's ways are not the ways of men and all too often health care professionals are slowly led astray from their original intent and calling to follow Jesus into a life of healing. God's heart is to bring restoration to a fallen world. But God's purpose of restoration can easily get lost as we enter into the health care system. Now more than ever, we need to maintain biblical fidelity in our medical practices. In this seminar, we will focus on Jesus' mission to bind up the broken hearted by surveying the biblical foundations for healing ministry in Isaiah, Luke, and Acts. We will also discuss what it will take to recover the holy call of healing.
This session will give the medical professional ideas of how he/she can become more involved within the abolitionist movement that is rising up across America to fight the modern day slavery of human trafficking. Specific suggestions will be given regarding ways to become involved by raising awareness of human trafficking, training individuals on human trafficking, and even getting involved with victims of trafficking.
Having the appropriate pharmacy supplies and medications are essential to ensure your short-term mission trip is successful. This session will address how to plan and execute a well run pharmacy during a short term medical mission trip. Planning a formulary, acquisition of medication and supplies, transporting medication, packaging and dispensing, patient counseling and other pharmacy services will be discussed. Contributions and best practices from the audience will be encouraged.
Community Health Evangelism (CHE) is a breakthrough mission strategy that seamlessly integrates evangelism and discipleship with disease prevention and community-based development. Through CHE ministries people become followers of Jesus, churches are planted, and entire communities are lifted out of cycles of poverty and disease. Terry Dalrymple has been instrumental in guiding the expansion of a worldwide CHE movement that now involves more than 250 organizations in 93 countries. In this workshop, Terry will describe how to implement an integrated community health program in rural villages. He will also connect participants with resources and collaborative partners to help build and expand their own programs.
Terry Dalrymple is a pioneer in integrated or holistic ministry practice on a worldwide scale. He coordinates a network of more than 250 organizations doing holistic ministry in 93 countries. In this workshop Terry will share stories of community transformation, and survey principles and best practices for holistic community development.
Drawing on personal experiences as a missionary pharmacist in Mongolia and Tanzania, this session discusses the many aspects of clinical pharmacy for which pharmacists may have opportunity in a mission hospital. Activities such as morning rounds with missionary/volunteer physicians, medication substitution, identifying a formulary for short term clinic outreaches, serving on a mission hospital P&T committee, working within the WHO essential drug list and providing patient counseling in another language. Other pharmacist activities specific to the mission hospital setting will be discussed, including making intravenous solutions and antibiotic ointments, translation of package insert into the local languages, serving as a preceptor overseas and allowing God to work miracles when the medication runs out and getting outside your comfort zone.
Identifying and using local resources to address both nutritional and economic needs of you community. Emphasis will be place on nutrious tropical plants that can be used as perennial vegetables and have proven health benefits.
Many blessing of career surgical missionary service may not be realized and therefore never enjoyed. Besides meeting unmet surgical and spiritual needs you are overwhelmed with God's provision, protection, direction, and His doing of the impossible.
Cross cultural Medical missions can be participatory and reap the benefits of integrated ministry, sustainability, empowerment, phase out. What role can the local church play? What are the advantages. How can that be employed? Cases where it has worked.
What steps should I take so my efforts contribute to lasting change in the community where I will serve as a healthcare professional? You will review components, content, governance, and types of service providers in successful healthcare delivery systems and identify areas and opportunities for sustainable capacity building. A discussion of engagement strategies will follow, and will include political, regional, cultural, and worldview issues, and steps that will help avoid feeding corruption and creating dependency.
A Biblical view of maney and material things will help you to borrow less and manage your student loans so that your missions service is not delayed
Medical missionaries will find their resources to help others limited in nearly every realm of their work-time, skills, financial, emotional, equipment and spiritual to name a few. We know what care is available to patients and come skilled to provide it. But many times we are unable to provide it due to limitations of many kinds on the field. How does one decide what care to provide and whom to provide it to? This talk will discuss the conflicts the medical missionary finds on the mission field as they serve to provide health care in less than optimal circumstances. Using Jesus healing ministry as an example, guidelines will be provided on how to effectively serve Christ in situations where care cannot be given to all as the medical missionary would like. A foundation in decision making and practical guidelines w!ill be discussed to assist the front line missionary with these problems on the field.
Finding appropriate medical resources for your mission project is a challenge. This session will explain how to evaluate medical projects, determine what specific equipment is needed, and how to find the resources to meet those needs.
Many people involved in health outreach in developing nations realize that sustainable improvement requires that the local community be empowered rather than be seen as passive recipients of aid. But there is no clear and commonly held definition of empowerment. What does it mean? How, if at all, can it be measured? What does it take to create empowerment? MAP International and the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University are engaged in research on that topic. In addition to a thorough literature review, they have surveyed 49 global NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and faith-based organizations to learn from their thinking and experience.
Plastic surgery mission trips describes how God can use reconstructive surgery to remove guilt, fear of a curse or evil spirits in many parts of our world. Those with severe congenital and acquired deformities often feel rejected by God and live isolated from their neighbors. Reconstructive surgery often bridges the gulf to God and gives evidence that God does love them.
Learn more about plastic surgery mission trips here.
Curative primary care is essential for at least 30% of our patient healthcare problems, and we must continue our efforts to provide and teach high quality curative services. However, if we wish to provide high quality, evidence-based care for the remaining 70%, integration of community health with primary care is essential- especially on the missions field. The integration of primary care and community health was one of the main themes of the 2008 WHO World Health Report which was devoted entirely to Primary Care: http://www.who.int/whr/2008/en/index.html This integration is also being promoted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the AMA for physicians in our country: Roadmaps for Clinical Practice. A Primer on Population-Based Medicine.-See AMA website: http://www.ama-assn.org/ The following will demonstrate how an evidence-based holistic health education program can be used to integrate primary care and community health evangelism at all levels of the WHO health care pyramid (Hospital, Clinic/Health Center, and Family/Community), in both rural and urban areas, and in developed as well as developing countries.
Work among the poor in the US is remarkably good preparation for healthcare workers interested in serving overseas. This session will demonstrate how work in the inner-city of Memphis TN has prepared many missionaries for the toughest fields on earth--and how this model could be employed all over the U.S.
This presentation will cover major threats to global health, including current and emerging infectious diseases.
This workshop includes a number of case presentations, which were events reported to us from multiple sources over our years of medical missions service. It is also our desire to review some of the problems caused by mission teams so we can mitigate the potential harm teams can do while working in communities. The idea of potential harm resulting from medical missions may be difficult for some to grasp; but it does exist and in a much more real way than most of us care to acknowledge.
This workshop will discuss the relationship between ethics and faith and how conversion leads to only slowly to the development of ethical behaviour consistent with the new faith. It will also discuss the rising recognition amongst non-christian intellectuals that attention must be paid to ethical regeneration in the west.
This session will explore how to prepare to minister to the vast spiritual and emotional needs of disaster victims. Often medical missionaries are among the first responders to traumatic events. Information from scripture, crisis intervention research, and the medical arena will be offered to equip individuals and teams to better work in those conditions.
Wholistic health has been understood in many different ways, most of the time focused on different aspects of the individual with little attention to the sociopolitical and cultural factors. Individual health status and life styles are clearly determined by multiple factors and historical contexts in which individuals are immersed. This workshop looks at a 20-year case study in Latin America developing and refining a comprehensive approach which sees health as simultaneously a gift from God and a right/responsibility of each person and of society. Health is a journey manifested in a dynamic process of self-empowered families & communities gaining control over an integrated web of health determinants that enables them the construction meaningful and sustainable families and society. The workshop presents a ?10/40/60 comprehensive model? that allows communities organizations, churches and government to invest resources and energies on three type of efforts: ?Curative interventions?/?Preventive care?/?Building healthy environments, healthy behaviors & healthy policies?. Self-empowerment process in families & communities allows to gain control over their personal and social health determinants. The traditional goal of ?Health for All? needs a new approach of ?All for Health? in which the ?priesthood of the believers? can be embodied constructing healthy environments, healthy behaviors and healthy policies that allow nurturing and sustainable conditions for the coming generations.
Short term trips are no longer just handing out pills but now involve teaching of national health workers at various levels of training and in various locations. This session will deal with how we can improve our teaching of local health care professionals.
The Comprehensive Rural Health Project (CRHP), Jamkhed, India, has been a pioneer in developing sustainable comprehensive community-based primary health care (CC-BPHC) since 1970, which has empowered communities to address their own health problems and development. Villages are transformed into caring and sharing communities, working together to improve the health of the whole community, especially poor, marginalized and women. Over the years it has continued to be innovative in its work in various aspects of health, now including non-communicable conditions and mental health, as well as various aspects of development. The program is based on the building capacity of communities, especially through village health workers, and dealing with root causes (social determinants of health). Its principles are equity, integration and empowerment. The Jamkhed Institute shares this experience with people from all over the world, training leadership in CC-BPHC. Its experience influenced the Alma Ata Declaration on Primary Health Care by WHO/UNICEF in 1978, which is currently being revitalized by WHO and others worldwide. The session will describe the philosophy, principles and practice developed by the CRHP staff and villagers of the Jamkhed area, and discuss the effectiveness and sustainability of this approach, which has been shared with people all over the world, including religious organizations.
There is a great shortage of well-trained health care workers. Healthcare education in many nations does not effectively prepare students to be able to work independently upon graduation. These nations focus on use of the lecture method, rather than methods which facilitate adult learning. Realizing this is a problem, nations are increasingly requesting training in how to teach effectively. This session will outline more effective, interactive methods to use in teaching adults to enable them learn more effectively, retain what is taught and be able to put what they have learned into practice.
Panel Q&A Becoming a Medical Missionary with two missionary docs and two missionary nurses. This session will share answers to how to become a medical missionary. Each person who attends will receive a 3 x 5 card when they enter the room. The moderator will group and select questions, directs them to appropriate panelists, and receive questions from the floor.
One fifth of the world have no access to health care. Community based models hold keys to success. Primary Health Care is a WHO priority. Faith Based Organisations are invited to participate. By working together and demonstrating excellence we can bring change, health and hope in the name of Christ.
Historically, the practice of medicine in the mission setting has been stereotyped as involving a single doctor involved in direct patient care from dawn until dusk, caring for a myriad of different conditions. Little attention was given, in many situations, to the academic pursuits of teaching and research. This workshop will strive, in an interactive fashion, to discuss the merits of adjusting our paradigm of missions medicine to involve the pursuits of training of national staff and developing local programs of medical research (along with spiritual discipleship) which will allow for long-term change to be realized in the pursuit of providing quality, sustainable medical care in a Christ-like fashion.
There are not enough dental professionals on the mission field and time and time again I have been asked, "What should I do and what can I do to help those in an emergency situation?" Dental needs and emergencies are ubiquitous on the mission field and often a non-dentist is the only one to care for them. Our time together will give you some important insights and guidelines to care for those in great need without hope and without help.
In this interactive session we will discuss what makes HIV prevention and ministry effective, the importance of the active involvement of the church in HIV and why it is essential to tailor strategies to local culture. The session will be based on the experience of the facilitator in HIV prevention (since 1985) and in empowering nationals to develop their own unique approaches to and tools for HIV minsitry around the world.
This session answers the 10 basic questions most often asked by those considering career missionary service.
This is one of the principle precepts taught in every med school, and is the basis for all emergency medicine. But while we are careful to “do no harm” with our patients, we overlook the harm we do in perpetuating a fallen health delivery system by the way we run our practices. This workshop examines several best practice models of how Christian health professionals have chosen to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem, and will challenge us to look at our responsibility as ambassadors of Christ’s Kingdom to transform our practice of medicine in ways that reflect His character and will.
Despite the declining AIDS death rate and lessening HIV prevalence in many African countries, HIV/AIDS remains a tremendous challenge with medical, emotional, economic and social problems. Using case presentations and an interac- tive format, this workshop will explore HIV/AIDS care and treatment issues particularly from the speaker's experience in Africa.The volume of aid resources doesn matter as much as the implementation philosophy that the aid is being channeled into. The old adage that ideas have consequences is quite true untested and shallow ideas often have negative consequences on those that are being served. This session will explore the difference between a dependency philosophy and an empowering strategy, and these ideas will be shared in such a way to be applied to any aid related work.
Twenty-five antiretroviral agents have been marketed in the United States for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/AIDS. The classification of these agents is reviewed and the properties of the five newest antiretroviral agents are discussed in detail. The specific indications for which the use of the new agents is recommended are identified, as are the risks and limitations of their use. The advantages and disadvantages of the new agents are considered in the context of comparisons with previously marketed antiretroviral agents. A rating (on a scale of 1 to 5) for each of the new drugs is provided based on an evaluation of their advantages and disadvantages
Nurses from developed countries who have advanced degrees, such as MSN and PHd. are strategically positioned to meet the growing need of Nursing Leadership development of nurse leaders in developing countries. Today in many developing countries, nursing is still yet to be recognized for its significant impact on quality patient care. As a result, these nurses are seen more as subordinates to physicians and lack the opportunities to develop to their full potential as leaders in healthcare organizations and in the provision of quality patient care.
This session will address three questions: What are the cultural origins of health-related behavior? How can we help people and communities change health-related behavior through changes in the cultural origins of their behavior? How does community health promote the spiritual being of the people?
This session will address three questions: What are the cultural origins of health-related behavior? How can we help people and communities change health-related behavior through changes in the cultural origins of their behavior? How does community health promote the spiritual being of the people?
The volume of aid resources doesn't matter as much as the implementation philosophy that the aid is being channeled into when you have doctors without borders. The old adage that ideas have consequences is quite true untested and shallow ideas often have negative consequences on those that are being served. This session will explore the difference between a dependency philosophy and an empowering strategy, and these ideas will be shared in such a way to be applied to any aid related work.
Women in Missions: Reaching the Unreached
Women globally have difficulties and challenges that can often only be addressed by other women.
This session will discuss the specialized and imperative role of women on the mission field and will also address the increasing roles of single women in many of these roles.
Women in Missions: Reaching the Unreached was a talk given by Christine Birnie
How can I get started in providing health care in the medical mission field? This workshop will help answer this essential question for those desiring to serve in medical missions, and those who desire to increase their effectiveness by partnering with others. Discuss motivations for partnership, including access to resources, experience, and needed capabilities; types of partners available; barriers to successful partnership; and initial steps necessary to begin to develop a successful partnership.The volume of aid resources doesn matter as much as the implementation philosophy that the aid is being channeled into. The old adage that ideas have consequences is quite true untested and shallow ideas often have negative consequences on those that are being served. This session will explore the difference between a dependency philosophy and an empowering strategy, and these ideas will be shared in such a way to be applied to any aid related work.
The volume of aid resources doesn matter as much as the implementation philosophy that the aid is being channeled into. The old adage that ideas have consequences is quite true untested and shallow ideas often have negative consequences on those that are being served. This session will explore the difference between a dependency philosophy and an empowering strategy, and these ideas will be shared in such a way to be applied to any aid related work.
A session to familiarize the missionary physician with the Millennium Development Goals and their implications for life issues internationally.
How to integrate community health into curative health programs. Hospital programs often have little community orientation. Communigty health efforts may create tension with curative programs. This talk will discuss how curative care and community health complement each other and how to integrate them effectively together
This will be combined lecture and discussion on the spiritual, emotional, and personal challenges of physician training. Two married physicians will discuss the challenges and opportunities that face medical students, residents, and their spouses. [this will be an evolution of the presentation I gave at the 2008 Conference entitled Post-Graduate Medical Education and Faith. It is different in that my wife will present, and able to discuss women's issues. We will tinker with the material based on the questions I received during the session as well as the people I spoke with afterwards.]
Drug diversion, counterfiting and unethical drugs are not just a major problem in developing nations. This problem has now come home to the USA and affects or potentially could affect any person here as well as those abroad. This workshop will first focus on the magnitude of the problem. New regulations that will be enforced wichin the US will be briefly outlined. Finally there will be a presentation of various means to limit or eliminate this problem.
As a health professional you?re trained to take control and rely on your training and experience to accomplish your work. In ministry, Jesus notes, ?apart from me you can do nothing.? More, he told the disciples to not even leave for the mission field until they had the power of the Holy Spirit. How does that power work and how do you get that into your own life? Don?t leave for ministry until you get this one down.
This presentation will review the various suppliers available for short term mission pharmacy. Their processes, lead times, product availability and cost considerations will be presented.
Short-term medical missions often destroy community confidence in the local health system. Working through true case presentations we demonstrate how medical mission teams can cause harm in communities. These case presentations also show how the local medical community can be negatively impacted by mission teams. We then work through medical mission strategies that aid and support local health providers.
Learn what preparation is needed now to be ready to assist after disasters and serve as a dynamic agent of God's love for the world.
A basic overview of the human trafficking situation and the health consequences of human trafficking will be provided. Many opportunities already exist for health professionals to become involved against trafficking. For those at this conference looking to be involved on the front lines of injustice around the world, organizations and health professionals will assess the efforts already being made, how to get more involved, and what still needs to be done.The volume of aid resources doesn matter as much as the implementation philosophy that the aid is being channeled into. The old adage that ideas have consequences is quite true untested and shallow ideas often have negative consequences on those that are being served. This session will explore the difference between a dependency philosophy and an empowering strategy, and these ideas will be shared in such a way to be applied to any aid related work.
Unfortunately, these case presentations demonstrate how many short-term medical missions work against the health development process. The traditional medical mission model often diminishes confidence in the local health system. It can also adversely affect local health care providers economically and subvert their place of authority in the community. Short-term medical missions need to be cognoscente of these potential effects in order to utilize mission models that minimize or eliminate them. By working with local providers to facilitate health programs, and utilizing WHO standards and guidelines to facilitate the health development process. Working alongside local providers allows them to set the priorities demonstrate respect and promote community confidence in their knowledge and abilities. The volume of aid resources doesn matter as much as the implementation philosophy that the aid is being channeled into. The old adage that ideas have consequences is quite true untested and shallow ideas often have negative consequences on those that are being served. This session will explore the difference between a dependency philosophy and an empowering strategy, and these ideas will be shared in such a way to be applied to any aid related work.
Malaria control requires an integrated approach with an emphasis on prevention and prompt treatment with effective antimalarials. This presentation will review some of the key points of the WHO Guidelines for the Treatment of Malaria and the key elements of the Global Malaria Action Plan. Key interventions to control malaria include: prompt and effective treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapies; use of insecticidal nets by people at risk; and indoor residual spraying with insecticide to control the vector mosquitoes
This workshop will discuss the differences between provision of community health and coping with individual diseases via cure, relief or palliation. The ethics of the two systems are quite different and raise pointed problems about the proper use of limited resources.
This session will explore how to prepare to minister to the vast spiritual and emotional needs of disaster victims. Information will be shared on how to prepare yourself and your team to work in such devastating emotional conditions.