Lessons from the mission field for community health Mary Chase-Ziolek, PhD, RN

Theological FoundationsNursing Foundations  Missiology ◦ Intercultural Studies  Biblical Studies ◦ Knowing the Word  Evangelism ◦ Spreading the Word  Public Health ◦ Root Causes of Health & Illness  Ethic of Care ◦ Whole Person Perspective  Health as Shalom ◦ Community Opportunities for Health

 Preaching and teaching the gospels are incomplete without addressing health and healing

 Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. Luke 9: 1-2

 Issues, problems and solutions need to be understood holistically in missions and in ministry

 Personal ◦ Prepare your heart ◦ Language  Group ◦ Discerning the Spirit?? ◦ Becoming a team ◦ Planning with receiving group  Partnership ◦ Partnership ◦ Laying foundation?????

 Community determines the issues and actively participates in solutions

 God-Centeredness  Empowering Partnerships  Mutual Design  Comprehensive Administration  Qualified Leadership  Appropriate Training  Thorough Follow-up  Christian Short-term Healthcare Missions Best Practices

 Recognizing & utilizing gifts ◦ “Now the body is not made up of one part but of many…If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God arranged the parts of the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” I Cor 12: 14, 17b-20

 Working Together  Gracious Hospitality  Unexpected Health Mission Opportunities  Making Connections with brothers & sisters in Christ

A team is created Oaxaca, Mexico August 2006

 Working with the church to improve the health of the community

 Working with the church through pastoral support  Health screening; anemia; hearing, vision  Teaching about healthy snacks  Working with local department of health  Oaxacans teaching U.S. teams & demonstrating servant leadership

“I may have insight into the causes of poverty and have analyzed the structure of society. I may have a degree in development economics and faith in the possibility of change, but if I do not have love in my heart for the people I serve I will be written off as just another expert who really knows nothing of the life of the poor. I may live in the village of the slum amongst the people and give them all my goods, I may even die there of malnutrition or diarrhea, but if I do not do it with a loving spirit I might as well not have gone. Love heals, cares, conquers and lasts through time and eternity. It is the world’s most precious gift – Give Love.” Quoted in Best Practices for Short-Term Healthcare Missions, “Strengthening the Local Church”

Burkina Faso, October 2007 North Park Seminary & Local Partners

 Become spiritually formed through a missiological reflection on faith, personal character, self-care, leadership roles, and personal gifting in the context of a multi-cultural environment.  Gain a deeper understanding of the physical, social, emotional and spiritual dimensions of poverty in the Third World, and specifically in the local context of Burkina Faso.  Understand the principles of transformational development, as a process that affects the well being of the whole person and his/her community.  Identify assets contributing to community well being in Burkina Faso as well as issues that diminish community well being.

ChallengesOpportunities  Adequate engagement for partnership  Do no harm  Follow up  Sustainability  Does community benefit justify cost?  Learning about health from other cultures  Seeing God at work around the world  Catching a vision for long term missions  Transformation  Receiving hospitality from strangers

 Best Practices Short Term Healthcare Missions  New Paradigms in Christian Health Ministries tml by Dan Fountain, MD, MPH tml  Global Health Outreach bal_Health_Outreach bal_Health_Outreach  Nurses’ Christian Fellowship jcn.org/missions/main.htmlhttp:// jcn.org/missions/main.html

 Livermore, D. (2006). Serving with Eyes Wide Open: Doing Short-Term Missions with Cultural Intelligence. Grand Rapids: Baker.  Myers, B. (1999). Walking with the Poor. Maryknoll, NY: World Vision.  Richter, D. (2008). Mission Trips that Matter. Nashville: Upper Room.  Tazelaar, G. (2004) Caring Across Cultures: Preparing for Effective Missionary Nursing. Madison, WI. NCF Press.