The Refresher Course 2003

This year's course was something different. Numbers varied during the fortnight with a core group of 32 present throughout. At one point there were 45 participants from 11 nations working in 17 different countries. It was a mixed group of doctors and nurses, old hands and new, together with some who were thinking of going overseas for the first time. For one participant it was her 3rd attendance in over 25 years of overseas service. For one nominally Christian worker, it was a time of rebirth as she committed her life to the Lord. It was a privilege to be there.

CMF and MMA HealthServe had responded to a request from CMF Kenya to join them in subsidising the costs of five Kenyan Doctors thereby enabling them to attend the course and hopefully encouraging them to continue working in Christian hospitals within their country. It was great to enjoy their lively input and to share their insights, as nationals, on the need and roles of expatriate 'missionary' workers in their country.

In addition to the usual interactive lecture format, four afternoons were given over to workshops on HIV/AIDS, Paediatrics, Surgery and Obstetrics. The best part of a day was also given to 'member care' issues - reducing stress and burnout and to problems and joys of families working abroad. All these sessions were well received and the workshops may well be expanded in next year's course.

Morning prayers and studies on the Fruit of the Spirit in the evenings, led by participants and lecturers, provided spiritual refreshment and encouragement.

Most evenings individuals were given time to share about their work. This was informative, helpful and challenging. 'It was good to know that I'm not alone in the difficulties I face and to be encouraged by others', said one.

Participants were enthusiastic in their thanks and praise for all who contributed to the course as a whole. 'The best course I have ever been to' said one. 'The course was of great value to me professionally and spiritually encouraging', said another and even the 3rd time participant found it 'as helpful as ever'.

Thanks are indeed due to all those CMF members and others who so freely and willingly gave of their time and effort to make this course a success. In particular, to Peter and Hilary Bewes, who unstintingly throw themselves into hosting the occasion and to all those at Oak Hill who make us so welcome.

Websites and Publications

The Resource Book - a yellow pages for those interested in or working overseas which has now been extensively enlarged and put on the MMA HealthServe website at www.healthserve.org under Healthserve Pages. A vast range of information for those involved in healthcare mission has been included. The site is well worth a visit and also includes up to date information on Short term Opportunities for both graduates and undergraduates, elective information and much else beside. The Healthserve Pages (which number 129 sheets of A4) can be purchased in paper copy for £5 from MMA HealthServe.

The CMF publication Short Term Opportunities in Medical Mission has been extensively revised, updated and reprinted under the title Medical Missions Handbook - a guide to those contemplating a period of short term medical service overseas. It contains answers to the most commonly asked questions on the subject and should prove useful to members at all stages of their careers who are considering a spell overseas. It can be purchased from CMF in paper copy for £4 and will be found on the CMF/Healthserve websites in due course.

MMA HealthServe have also produced Elective Life Support - a short book of eight weeks of daily Bible readings and meditations for students on elective placements overseas. Contact MMA HealthServe for copies.

Food for thought...

I looked for a man among them who would build the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land. Ezekiel

Who can I send and who will go for me? Isaiah

If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great to make for him. CT Studd

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. Jim Elliot

Merger with MMA Healthserve

The terms of the merger between CMF and MMA Healthserve has now been agreed, but the merger itself needs to be properly formalised at a vote of the CMF Executive and MMA Council in late November/early December. It is proposed that from early 2004 MMA Healthserve will transfer all its undertakings to CMF under the oversight of the International Healthserve committee, an expanded Overseas Service Committee.

The aims of CMF's new expanded 'overseas department' will be to promote godliness amongst Christian healthcare professionals and students, especially with regard to mission; to motivate, mobilise and equip them for mission involvement; to support them working abroad; to encourage innovative and strategic thinking about global healthcare mission and to mobilise resources.

The new 'overseas department' will be multidisciplinary and jointly headed by an Overseas Support Secretary and Allied Professions Secretary. The new committee will be jointly chaired for the first year by a doctor and a non-medical health professional and will consist of at least six doctors and at least six from other healthcare disciplines.

The timing of the office move depends on the availability of space at Partnership House, but may be as early as December this year. Expect a major update in the next edition of CMF News.

Iraqi Partnership

After an appeal by Basil Assoufi at the National Conference in April, CMF members gave £5,100 towards the medical needs of Syrian Orthodox Christians in Iraq. On a recent trip to London, Severus Hawa, the Archbishop of Syrian Orthodox church in Iraq, dropped into the CMF to thank us.

There are 500,000 Christians in Iraq, 80,000 of them are Syrian Orthodox - so roughly one fifth. Of these there are 6,500 families in Baghdad. The church is based in Damascus and goes right back to the first century. Whereas the Catholics have been relatively well supported through the crisis, this church has not, which is why they are building other links. It was very humbling to hear his testimony and insights on the war and the current situation. At the time of his visit in mid July Baghdad was still in much worse shape than before the war, and medical needs remain monumental. We plan to stay in touch with a view to helping in other ways later as the medical system is rebuilt.