It's estimated that more than 4 Billion people in the world are oral learners. They can't, don't or won't read. Regardless of the reasons or situation, oral communication methods and participatory/discovery learning processes are important tools in most of the world. In this session we'll look at case studies and experiences my wife and I have had helping friends in North India create mother-tongue audio recordings of community development/health information and also Scripture stories. The session will give you a taste of how stories will help you work in oral cultures. I'll also provide links and connections for more information if the session wets your appetite.
The Changing Role of the Pastor and the Church in Healthcare Missions.
This session will equip pastors and church leaders to be able to lead and implement effective medical missions engagement in the changing missiological landscape of the 21st century. You will learn practical and biblical sound ways of changing your church members from being spectators into participators, from consumers into contributors and how to guide agencies and NGOs to work through your church and not just with your church..
Emphasis will be on how God wants to use ordinary people and how you as church leader can fuel this reformation of deeds that is going on by launching church initiated interventions and trips. This will also apply to how to see this become a reality in the global south whether through short term trips of your church members or through individual participation
Mission Medical: Assessing and Addressing Spiritual Needs of Patients
We'll discuss (1) why healthcare professionals have been reluctant to take a spiritual history, (2) the positive association of spirituality/religiosity and physical/mental health, and (3) several spiritual history tools to consider for use in clinical care.
What could small groups of people from the USA do during week-long trips to help invigorate, inform, and empower the local people for months, years, and even generations? This workshop will present some field examples of this happening, clarify some key factors for this style of Short-Term Missions (STM) to be successful, and generate your input on how to measure a truly successful STM trip. Come prepared to participate, and leave motivated to change. (repeat of last year)
Transforming Individuals, Groups and Neighborhoods for Better Health. We will discuss how healthcare workers can reach out to geographical areas where their patients live with a view to helping their patients discover that they must take more control of their own lives if there is to be an improvement in their overall health. Peer groups and family are the main providers of health not medical professionals therefore it is critical to involve a patients trusted peers and family in the individual’s health. Then as a group how can people begin to transform their neighborhood. The clinic/health ministry serves as a catalyst, organizer and trainer to help this happen. The cost to the clinic is minimal. But the overall impact for individuals and their communities is tremendous.
