Content Resources

In today's world, major urban centers, with highly renowned medical centers and universities, are also places with high infant and maternal mortality/morbidity. According to UNFPA's Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin (2012), "The number of maternal deaths is often inversely proportional to girls' and women's status in the family and society, and evidence shows that the poorer the household, the greater the risk of maternal death." In this session, we will examine factors influencing women's health, both in urban and global settings, and discuss strategies for health promotion and disease prevention with women and their communities

Traditional ways of serving in medical missions have included working in mission hospitals, clinics and aspects of community development and public health. Less well-known—but significant—medical mission ministries from the beginning include medical education and cooperating with local and national governments in planning or providing healthcare, including national healthcare. As entry into many areas of the world has been restricted for traditional medical missions over the past generation, these other less well-known thrusts have increased in strategic significance.Three distinguished panelists—Dr. James Smith, Dr. Daniel Tolan and Dr. Matthew Koh— bring extensive experience from nearly all continents to this session. They have served in both Christian and secular contexts and short and long term programs that have greatly enhanced the scope and effectiveness of medical missions worldwide. Join us to expand your horizons of opportunities to serve in these medical ministries.

If you’ve been on a short-term trip you’ve experienced it;
it’s the last day and the line of patients is as long as the day of arrival. Desperation is in the air. There is a nagging sense in your gut that this is not right. This session
will present techniques that empower believers to meet the healthcare needs in their own community

An introduction to Women's Cycle of Life, part of a comprehensive, wholistic curriculum and program that equips women to thrive in the face of a multitude of challenges in the developing world. In order to help women thrive, it is important to understand not only the challenges they face, but also the roots of those challenges. Women's Cycle of Life training is part of a larger wholistic community development approach that equips communities, leaders, and women to see every aspect of themselves through God's eyes. Lessons include a wide-range of physical, spiritual, and social topics focused on helping women live life abundantly.

Using examples from the DRC of major burns, head injuries and fracturesthe speaker will point to some generally available resources, practicalinnovations and possible priorities in the provision of surgical care inthe developing world.

How should I manage medical and surgical diseases in a resource limited setting? How do I decide whether to test or just treat? Should I treat the poor, rural farmer in Africa for mild HTN as I would a farmer in Minnesota? Learn an evidence-based probabilistic approach to rational, ethical, shared decision making with patients in resource limited settings that leads to cost effective care. Learn how to leave expensive, guideline centered, inefficient, futile care and embrace high value, patient-centric, cost effective, sensible care for the poor and medically underserved

The Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) strategy has been proven to prevent disease, disability, and death and improve care for ill children in outpatient settings in low income countries. Learn the algorithms that can help you and your colleagues provide high quality integrated care for sick children in resource-limited settings at a fraction of the cost of usual care, improve case management skills of your health care staff, as well as improve your local health system and the health practices of families and communities where you serve.

Medicine is one means of meeting the needs of people throughout the world. Working with the disabled opens closed doors and is an outreach to those I consider "unreached". Three to ten percent of the world is considered to have some type of disability. Only a very few in the developing world can find care to improve their plight in life. Surgical rehabilitation, and its associated care, has opened doors throughout East Africa and has opened doors into closed countries. Kenya was the beginning. In 2006 a team entered a country where we were told, "There are no Christians, national or expats!" The third day there a medical student commented, "I have never met a Christian." A recent publication suggested that only 1 in 15 in that country had every met a Christian. Now, seven years later we have touched the physical lives of probably thousands, and we have planted a lot of seeds. Children with hydrocephalus, spina bifida, burn contractures, club feet, cleft lips/palates, and other disabilities are receiving care that was not previously available, AND children from 4 surrounding regions are also coming for care. The work of BethanyKids in Kenya, and of the Lord, saw about 7,000 people come to the Lord in 2011. Most of Africa has nearly no significant medical care for the disabled. With added workers and further training, doors could be open to much of the developing world.

Effective Ministry Partnership Development is the key to raising resources for life and ministry. We’ll address how correct thinking, biblical principles and practical principles are the key. This session will explain “why people give,” “how to effectively gain their support and involvement,” “ways to grow your list of prospects” and “what the basis is for successful long-term financial partnership.” Anyone wanting to increase the involvement of others in the ministry and increase their financial partnership should attend this session.

This session will help participants to work through the nebulous idea of God's calling by exploring a Biblical framework for knowing and doing God's will, and helping participants identify and overcome common barriers that prevent people from fully surrendering their lives to leading of the Holy Spirit.

Short-term teams can be a huge blessing to long-term workers on the field! They bring with them fresh perspective and energy. Their curiosity is invigorating. They often bring much needed specialty skills. They take back firsthand accounts of your ministry. And, not to be underestimated, they may also turn into long-term workers! This is a great opportunity to renew partnerships and relationships with donor organizations/churches as well as accomplishing a specific project. As long-term workers, how can we best prepare them and prepare for them?! That seems to be a burning question these days. And, lets be honest, short-term teams can also be exhausting. How can you, a long-term field worker, provide the opportunity for the short-term missionary to have a meaningful experience and simultaneously be encouraged and assisted during their visit? This session will explore Long-Term missionaries hosting Short-Term teams.

Knowing medicine or dentistry is not enough to be a successful missionary. There are many things beyond medicine you need to master to be effective. You need to learn how to recruit, train and supervise people. You will likely be involved in fund raising, program design and development, evangelism, leadership, government relations, project proposals, public speaking and much more. This session will give you an overview of many of these areas and get you started down the path to be a life long learner. Dr. Stevens will share clear principles and practical experience seasoned with examples from his missionary experience. He will point you to good resources to learn what you need to know beyond medicine.