Christian Nurses and Midwives Christian Therapists' Network
The national conference had to be cancelled due to the severe weather in February. There are two day conferences planned in its stead this June and autumn. Numbers at weekend conferences have been declining in the last couple of years, and there is a rethink going on about running smaller regional day conferences rather than one big national event each year. Both movements are struggling and not growing, and are reviewing their focus and where to put their time and resources. I continue to work alongside both in a supportive and advisory role.
My main focus this year is to find the funds to employ a development worker to start networking with student and local groups for both organisations. I will also be spending some time visiting and supporting local groups.
National and international partnerships
We now hold regular Skype calls between all the European Christian health professional networks, including International Saline Partnerships, PRIME, ICMDA, NCFI and Healthcare Christian Fellowship International (HCFI). This has grown out of co-ordinating the ICMDA Eurasia preconference. All involved value the opportunity to network, share news and resources and work on joint projects, and it should increase co-operation and communication.
Nurses Christian Fellowship International
Our main focus is planning and finding funding and administrative support for the 2010 European Christian Nurses conference in Romania, and supporting a network of Christian nurse educators currently forming in Europe around the Students' Spirituality and Care conferences. The next is in Bergen, Norway, this April.
ICMDA HIV Network
The network of ICMDA member bodies and individuals working in the HIV/AIDS area has been asked to contribute to the ICMDA World Conference in Uruguay next July.
UK Consortium on AIDS & Development: Faith Working Group (FWG)
We had a follow up meeting in January with UNAIDS on the UN framework for engagement with faith communities. The FWG will consider joint projects around religious healing and compliance, gender, prevention and faith, and minimum standards for faith communities and faith based organisations responding to HIV/AIDS.
Micah Challenge
Last December I attended the induction of Joel Edwards (former Director of Evangelical Alliance) as the new Director of the International Micah Challenge – this promises to accelerate the campaign on the Millennium Development Goals in terms of activity, proactivity and global profile.
Steve Fouch is Head of Allied Professions Ministries.
PRIME
Partnership in International Medical Education
We need your advice! How can we best enthuse you about advancing this front line of the Kingdom into the secular core of medical educational establishments? Please can you help us?
In PRIME we have peaks of real reward, such as seeing the faces of hundreds of Romanian students as they sense a spiritual firework of joy lighting their medical struggles, or discovering the number of open doors in Russia at the highest academic level of influence. We want to convince you of the need to draw in your expertise in sharing your medical skills with learners who are so hungry. The fields are open; the number of core labourers is just tiny and, please note, increasingly stressed and getting older! No longer is PRIME just a hopeful vision but a rapidly expanding network of activity across 25-30 countries. We must build up this core army of courageous teachers.
Imminent opportunities include visits of 1-4 weeks by:
- Specialist consultants in most disciplines eg a female obstetrician for North Africa, a dermatologist for East Africa
- Medical education consultants for Russia
- GP trainers for India and East Africa
- Plus the particular need for planners and course designers here in the UK
You can help us even if you never leave the UK by kindly contributing to the much needed financial support! For all the news, teaching opportunities and ways to give your support, please contact admin@prime-international.org.uk or go to www.prime-international.org.uk
John Caroe is Chairman of PRIME.
