Interdisciplinary Mission Trips

Lessons from the mission field for community health

Mary Chase-Ziolek, PhD, RN

Theology & Nursing: A Team

Collaborative Service for God’s Kingdom

Theological Foundations Nursing 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

Principle

Scriptural Context for Healthcare Missions & Ministry

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

Principle

Personal◦ Prepare your heart◦ Language

Group◦ Discerning the Spirit??◦ Becoming a team◦ Planning with receiving group

Partnership◦ Partnership◦ Laying foundation?????

Preparation

Community determines the issues and actively participates in solutions

Principle

God-Centeredness Empowering Partnerships Mutual Design Comprehensive Administration Qualified Leadership Appropriate Training Thorough Follow-up

Christian Short-term Healthcare Missions Best Practices http://www.csthmbestpractices.org/

Standards of Excellence

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

Developing an Interdisciplinary Team

Cunchibamba, EcuadorMarch 2005

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

in Christ

Sion Church & North Park Seminary

A team is created Oaxaca, Mexico August 2006

Semillas de SaludSeeds of Health

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

Semillas de Salud

“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 2007North 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.

 

Missions & Ministry in AfricaCourse Objectives

Receiving the Gift of Hospitality

Short Term Healthcare Missions

Challenges Opportunities

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 http://csthmbestpractices.org/

New Paradigms in Christian Health Ministries http://healthcaremissions.org/Crossnetworkjournal.html by Dan Fountain, MD, MPH

 Global Health Outreach http://www.cmda.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Global_Health_Outreach

Nurses’ Christian Fellowship http://www.ncf-jcn.org/missions/main.html

Online Resources

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.

Books