In August, Jonny Thiessen formally left CMF and ICMDA. He describes his call to mission: 'Siberia?! Are you crazy?' Well, maybe, but… As a 'platdeutch'-speaking Mennonite growing up in the prairies of Canada, my world was speckled with combine harvesters, sunflower fields and rowdy village ice rinks. At the same time, dark tales of the notso- distant past when my greatgrandfather fled the Russian steppe with many others were etched into my memory. The questions grew the more I read…what legacy had we left? What of those left behind, swallowed by the red tide?
God's call for me was nothing flashy. No mysteriously shaped clouds or wall-writing but instead a palpable awareness that God was stirring my heart to 'return' to Russia. Joining OM and bidding farewell to quiet village life, I arrived just before my 20th birthday, and dug in for what would turn out to be an amazing life-changing two years' study there.
Going to All Nations Christian College for further training was supposed to be a pit-stop. God however had additional plans that included meeting a beautiful lass and a wedding! The past two years with CMF and ICMDA have been anything but dull, having been exposed to more stomach-turning stories than I cared to hear! The world continues to grow as I am daily in contact with new and exciting people passionate about sharing the Kingdom message. These are thrilling 'kairos' times as we now have unprecedented opportunities to impact every corner of the globe!
It was a difficult decision for Fiona and I to move on. But we have clearly sensed that God is guiding us, once again, back to Russia. We plan to be based in Novosibirsk, Siberia, serving in a centre that trains young Russians as missionaries to their own people. For the farmer still in me, I treasure Paul's words: 'This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away.' (2 Cor 9:10 The Message)
What we have is ours to share with this generation of souls on earth – let's be extravagant, as God has been with us!
Global trends in ICMDA
Each year the ICMDA Executive Meeting reviews national reports, detects trends and sets priorities. In 1998 at the Durban World Congress, it was agreed to prioritise support for students. This work has grown significantly. Eight years later in Sydney over 600 students and juniors met. All over the world a shift towards including more and more student and junior graduate work has been evident.
What trends are so exciting in 2007? Student ministry, mission outreach/service and evangelism probably top the list, together with mentoring programmes. Networking with like-minded organisations working among healthcare professionals is prominent but especially notable is the felt need to network with the churches and become an auxiliary arm for the church into the world. A further development is engagement with issues, such as HIV/AIDS, the ICMDA now having a standing committee. Visit www.icmdahivinitiative.org.
ICMDA Eurasia – Samara Conference
This summer medic leaders from nine former Soviet Union countries gathered for five days' training and encouragement. The Russian Christian Medical Association hosted, with an international speaking team including CMF's Peter Saunders, Kevin Vaughan and Alex Bunn.
In addition to daily Bible readings participants followed one of four tracks: medicine as mission; sharing faith as a healthcare professional; Christian medical leadership; and integrity in healthcare. Seminars, discussion groups, fun, and plenary sessions gave opportunity for in-depth teaching and application.
Throughout we experienced unity in fellowship. As the conference concluded, with tears in their eyes Armenians told of their joy in meeting and praying with believing medics from neighbouring Azerbaijan, two nations with a long history of conflict.
The conference was the culmination of months of preparation, with many answered prayers. Days before, one team member faced the announcement that DHL had officially lost her passport. Hours after alerting others to pray, DHL arrived having found the passport wedged deep inside a van which had already been searched! God was in control. Likewise we are thankful for the bursaries.
The last nine years have seen extraordinary growth with new believers and Christian medical groups begun across the region. The test of this conference will be seen as this generation works out together how to put faith into practice in medicine. Let's pray they 'shine like stars in the universe as they hold out the word of life' (Phil 2: 15-16).
