Update Session Information

Ten things I wish I had known when I became an unlikely missionary doctor, wife and homeschool mama

Session Description

Are you: 
-	Interested in mission and wondering what it really means for you and your family, and if you have what it takes?
-	Curious to know how one may start and sustain a ministry in resource-limited settings in a foreign country from scratch with no money, no team, and no knowledge about far too many things? 
-	Looking for practical tools and resources to prepare for mission?

Through the years, God has overwhelmed the Samoutou family with His tremendous grace, provision, and protection. Joyce will be the first to tell you how many humble pies she has eaten and lessons she has learnt along the way - from practicing medicine in a way that her training had not prepared her for, being far away from family and the world she knew, running a charity, leading a team, handling tricky and scary situations, raising a family, and getting over herself. She has also picked up several practical tips and tools along the way that can be helpful to those considering or having already embarked on overseas missions.

In this session, participants will, through the firsthand experience of a missionary-medic- homeschooling parent who co-founded an international ministry:
-	Learn what is involved in starting, fundraising, and running an international non-profit medical organization in resource-limited settings, the challenges as well as useful practical suggestions in overcoming them.
-	Be encouraged and empowered to embark and thrive on long-term missions as health professionals, spouses, and parents with ageing parents back home.
-	Have an opportunity to ask questions that they have always wanted to ask a missionary who is happy to share with humor, candor, and vulnerability.

Session Abstract *

Please submit an abstract of your session. This should be a description/overview of your session that allows a person to understand the topics that will be covered and the themes of the session.

Dr. Joyce Samoutou-Wong (BSc. Med Sci. Hons MBChB MRCGP DTMH DRCOG) and her husband Henri are the cofounders of New Sight, a ministry serving the Republic of Congo, Central Africa. Their calling comes from Luke 10:9: “Heal the sick and tell them the Kingdom of God is near you”.  They started their ministry in Bongolo Hospital, Gabon, Central Africa in 2006. In 2012, they uprooted their family from the United Kingdom and moved to the rainforest in rural Congo to pioneer the area's first non-profit eye surgical center. In 2019, they moved to Ouesso, Congo and launched the construction of a hospital on 6 hectares of land. Starting from scratch, against all odds, they founded an international charity with offices in three countries, saw 20% year-on-year growth in consultations, with 100% positive patient feedback and over 97% awarding them the highest satisfaction rating. Phase 1 of the new hospital is due to be completed and open at the end of this year. They also run a training school, eye screening and community health programs. They partner with over 30 schools and distribute a nationwide children's magazine with over 22,000 readers. They homeschooled their three children, who have all won scholarships to study at boarding school in the U.K.

Through the years, God has overwhelmed the Samoutou family with His tremendous grace, provision, and protection. Joyce will be the first to tell you how many humble pies she has eaten and lessons she has learnt along the way, such as practicing medicine in a way that her training had not prepared her for, being far away from family and the world she knew, running a charity, leading a team, handling tricky and scary situations, raising a family, and getting over herself. She has also picked up several practical tips and tools along the way that can be helpful to those considering or having already embarked on overseas missions.

Session Objectives *

Please submit the objectives of your session. These should be action statements that explain your overall goals for participants in your session. Examples from previous sessions:
-identify key aspects of sustainable healthcare for community health transformation
-list common errors in caring for the victims of humanitarian disasters and military conflicts
-discuss how to take a spiritual assessment with patients.

Downloads

You can upload session resources for attendees to download.

Filename	Actions
2024-11 Dr Joyce Samoutou-Wong GMHC Ten things I wish I had known - Slides.pdf
2024-11 Dr Joyce Samoutou-Wong GMHC Ten things I wish I had known - Summary.pdf

Upload Files