International news and events
Who is my neighbour? This is the theme of a one-day workshop series on medical mission and international work. There was an excellent day in Cardiff just before Christmas and two more meetings are booked for London on 18 May and Leeds on 8 June. Essential for anyone even curious about opportunities for short or long-term international work. See website for details. The annual Developing Health Course is set for 30 June – 12 July. A unique training opportunity for people committed to practise medicine in resource-poor settings. Come for a fortnight, a week or a day to learn, meet others and be inspired. See website for details. Read 'Faith Matters' – the CMF International Study Group's submission to the 'World we want post 2015' consultation. CMF argues that faith is a vitally important factor in health and healthcare and must not be forgotten as the global health agenda is discussed. To read the Faith Matters Submission, visit http://bit.ly/12delgz
Nurses: day conferences planned
We had a disappointing start to the year, having to cancel the nursing students' conference due to a lack of bookings, and we are reviewing the reasons (price, timing, and that we still have a low profile seem to be amongst the main reasons).
We are opening up the CMF national conference on 26-28 April, to nurses, midwives and students this year, and hope to be able to engage and enthuse people at this event. We also have plans for a couple of day conferences – one in Cardiff and another in London-South East England, and a programme of local nursing student events in London and other parts of the country. More details to follow soon.
Please pray for staffworkers Annie Leggett and Dimity Grant-Frost as they seek to meet with, network and encourage new student nurses around the country, and for the qualified nurses who are catching the vision and wanting to be involved at a local level supporting students and newly qualified nurses applying their faith to their nursing.
Change of location
Rachel King (Cardiff) to Tanzania
Michael Hughes (Liverpool) to Uganda
Kieran & Sarah Dinwoodie (Glasgow) to Uganda
Andrew Beckham (Nottingham) to Madagascar
Elizabeth Duncan (Edinburgh) to Ethiopia
Daniel Munday (Royal Free) to Nepal
Marcus Watkins (former CMF Head of Administration and Finance) from Madagascar
Philip Nicolls
Former CMF Senior Editor Phil Nicolls went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, 22 January. He was at home with his wife and family, as he had wanted. He leaves his wife, Josie and three young daughters: Sophie, Faith and Isobel.
Phil joined CMF in April 2011. He edited Triple Helix and the other CMF publications and oversaw the production of two significant books: Foundations and At A Given Moment. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer in August 2012, when he left CMF. Phil wanted his life to count for the Saviour he loved. To the end he was able to say: 'Jesus is filling me with his love and peace. Please pray I can be a bright light for him in these days.'
Phil was a valuable member of the communications team - we miss him. There was standing-room only at the service held at Banstead Baptist Church in Surrey to give thanks for Phil's life. He had grown up in the church and had ministered there, and at Sandcross Church, Redhill, as an assistant pastor. Alongside his part-time work at CMF, he was also Publishing Director at Beacon Light Trust.
Catherine Butcher, CMF Head of Communications
Obituaries
Alan Fowler (q UCH 1943; d CMF notified 13/02/2013) was an Orthopaedic Surgeon based in Bridgend, Wales.
David Tumath (q Belfast 1971; d 29/1/2013) was a GP with an interest in diabetes, based in Margate, Kent.
Harry Parry (q UCH 1957; d 20/12/2012) was a GP in Hastings, East Sussex, for over 30 years.
Francis Batson (q Guys 1955; d 18/11/2012) specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology, based in Hong Kong.
Stanley Bayley (q 1954 medical school unknown; d 26/1/2013) was a Psychiatrist, based in Oswestry, Shropshire.
Elizabeth Gardner (q Edinburgh 1951; d 18/2/2013) was an Ophthalmologist and CMF stalwart. Together with her late husband Rex, she was involved in missionary service first in Nigeria and then Uganda.
Mary Parker Smith Thomas MBE (q Edinburgh 1948; d 16/12/2012) based in Trentham, Staffordshire, appointed MBE for work with disabled children.
Ralph Settatree (q not notified; d February 2013) specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology, based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and was also involved in missionary service in Uganda.
