In May we held a Saline Solution day specifically for nurses at CMF’s London offices. Fourteen nurses and midwives, mostly members of Christian Nurses and Midwives (CNM) joined us for the day, and there was much enthusiasm for holding similar events around the UK in the coming year. The Christian Therapists Network (CTN) are similarly interested in seeing Saline Solution courses run around the UK, and we hope to see more multidisciplinary events in the coming eighteen months. Do get in touch if you are interested in hosting one in your area.

CNM has now taken on the work with student nurses and midwives from UCCF, and has begun to hold meetings in various centres around the UK. Meanwhile, CTN continues to grow, and is looking at a major membership drive in the coming year. Please continue to pray for these fellowships, and if you have any Christian colleagues in the nursing, midwifery and the allied health professions, please put them in contact with me (steve.fouch@cmf.org.uk) for more information, or CNM can be reached at info@cnm.org.uk / 07941 800637, and CTN at info@ctn.org.uk / 07986 433493.

It cannot have escaped your attention that there are major drives on this year from the British Government to increase aid to developing nations, especially in Africa. Do look at supporting the Make Poverty History campaign – see www.makepovertyhistory.org.

At the same time, the health of these nations is suffering because so many of their doctors and nurses are leaving to work in the West, especially in the UK. Many of those who come over are Christians who find themselves in a secular, materialistic culture that leaves them isolated and struggling spiritually. We are keen to strengthen our links with any African Asian or Eastern European Christian doctors, nurses and allied health professionals working in the UK. Please let any colleagues from the developing world know that CMF, CNM and CTN are here, and do put them in touch with the CMF office if it is appropriate.

CMF is now involved in the Micah Challenge campaign that unites Christians across the globe to campaign for the poor, and in particular for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in poverty reduction and health. We are also involved with the new Christian HIV &AIDS Alliance, pulling together Christian agencies combating HIV & AIDS.

Future plans include producing a new annual mission magazine, increasing our media profile on international issues (a specialist media training day on this subject was held for CMF members last autumn), and developing short-term, multidisciplinary mission mobilisation and capacity building teams, and a second edition of the Developing Health CD-ROM.

Fifteen months after the merger with MMA HealthServe at Easter 2004 it is so encouraging to see CMF’s multidisciplinary overseas ministry growing from strength to strength.