Our Chairman, Mr Ron Pont FRCS has, with his wife, returned to work in Asia for most of the year. Last year he reviewed the history and aims of the MMA in the changing situation at home. The past year has seen further changes at home which should strengthen the Association in its aim to mobilise Christian health care professionals to serve Christ through the church overseas.
The Council has now has a qualified accountant as Treasurer Mr Nicholas Scott. He is the son of the previous Treasurer Major George Scott (SA) and was himself born and brought up in medical mission situations with the Salvation Army in India. Another Council member Mr Paul East has also started on his plan to spend a proportion of each year in his previous area of service in India.
The most significant event during the past year was was a Medical Mission Summit consultation organised by the Overseas Services Committee of the Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) and attended by all the MMA Council apart from the two who were out of the country. Thirty six people in all representing a range of mission societies and new churches attended for 24 hours of discussion. Changes were reviewed in culture, medicine and the Christian church, that had occurred at home and overseas, during the past ten years and and were expected over the next five years. Working groups made a number of proposals and the MMA is involved in the follow up Steering Group. Mr Howard Lyons, who is currently Acting Chairman of MMA, is one of this group. He is ideally qualified, with his experience of healthcare management and Directing Christians in Health Care, to participate in the discussion and develop the future planning of MMA. One likely outcome is the development of a Resource Centre to promote medical mission and serve those who take up its work. This is an activity MMA has already been slowly developing while working in a shared office with the CMF.
Resourcing Medical Mission has been continued through assisting medical and other health care professionals in planning their electives, or offering for short and longer term service. Grants have been made to both them and to those already serving overseas who return to this country for further medical training. In addition a comprehensive computer database of resources and opportunities of service, is being developed. This supplements the list of opportunities published in the MMA magazine Saving Health, and the other information kept in files and, in previous times, largely in the head of the MMA Secretary.
MMA has also been in partnership with the CMF in the production of a new publication for Christian health care professionals Triple Helix by producing the overseas section Among All Nations.
The Council is still intending to mobilise medical mission by means of a Travelling S ecretary. It is now looking to do this by appointing one or more younger professionals. This is in line with the original aim of promoting godliness among medical students which led into the promotion of medical mission. Such people would be able to work both by personally visiting training centres and by use of the computer database and electronic communications. Meanwhile Dr James Burton continues his fundraising activities among health care professionals and churches which has the incidental advantage of promoting medical mission among the older members of the professions.
The other activities of the MMA include the attendance at Careers Fairs, the participation in the annual Residential Refresher Course for Christian doctors, nurses and midwives working or planning to work overseas, and the running of Electives Days for students planning their electives. This year Electives Days were scheduled in Leeds as well as London.
In such a rapidly changing world it is unlikely that the plans to mobilise medical mission and their implementation will ever be right but the Council is aware that in spite of false starts they are learning new and appropriate ways of doing this. Through this process they are contributing to the task of bringing relief to the sick, health to the poor and the gospel of Christ to men women and children in this country as well as around the world.
The Council has now has a qualified accountant as Treasurer Mr Nicholas Scott. He is the son of the previous Treasurer Major George Scott (SA) and was himself born and brought up in medical mission situations with the Salvation Army in India. Another Council member Mr Paul East has also started on his plan to spend a proportion of each year in his previous area of service in India.
The most significant event during the past year was was a Medical Mission Summit consultation organised by the Overseas Services Committee of the Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) and attended by all the MMA Council apart from the two who were out of the country. Thirty six people in all representing a range of mission societies and new churches attended for 24 hours of discussion. Changes were reviewed in culture, medicine and the Christian church, that had occurred at home and overseas, during the past ten years and and were expected over the next five years. Working groups made a number of proposals and the MMA is involved in the follow up Steering Group. Mr Howard Lyons, who is currently Acting Chairman of MMA, is one of this group. He is ideally qualified, with his experience of healthcare management and Directing Christians in Health Care, to participate in the discussion and develop the future planning of MMA. One likely outcome is the development of a Resource Centre to promote medical mission and serve those who take up its work. This is an activity MMA has already been slowly developing while working in a shared office with the CMF.
Resourcing Medical Mission has been continued through assisting medical and other health care professionals in planning their electives, or offering for short and longer term service. Grants have been made to both them and to those already serving overseas who return to this country for further medical training. In addition a comprehensive computer database of resources and opportunities of service, is being developed. This supplements the list of opportunities published in the MMA magazine Saving Health, and the other information kept in files and, in previous times, largely in the head of the MMA Secretary.
MMA has also been in partnership with the CMF in the production of a new publication for Christian health care professionals Triple Helix by producing the overseas section Among All Nations.
The Council is still intending to mobilise medical mission by means of a Travelling S ecretary. It is now looking to do this by appointing one or more younger professionals. This is in line with the original aim of promoting godliness among medical students which led into the promotion of medical mission. Such people would be able to work both by personally visiting training centres and by use of the computer database and electronic communications. Meanwhile Dr James Burton continues his fundraising activities among health care professionals and churches which has the incidental advantage of promoting medical mission among the older members of the professions.
The other activities of the MMA include the attendance at Careers Fairs, the participation in the annual Residential Refresher Course for Christian doctors, nurses and midwives working or planning to work overseas, and the running of Electives Days for students planning their electives. This year Electives Days were scheduled in Leeds as well as London.
In such a rapidly changing world it is unlikely that the plans to mobilise medical mission and their implementation will ever be right but the Council is aware that in spite of false starts they are learning new and appropriate ways of doing this. Through this process they are contributing to the task of bringing relief to the sick, health to the poor and the gospel of Christ to men women and children in this country as well as around the world.
