Note to those trying out for future versions of the Survivor reality series: you should hope that some of the health professionals from this conference don’t end up on the other team. These battle-hardened veterans of some of the most remote parts of the globe would be more than a match for your suburban, pampered lifestyle. They have gone without. They’ve eaten their share of unidentifiable foods. They’ve lived in the harshest conditions. They’ve been in the middle of conflict zones offering medical aid. And at the end of it all, they still love you and give you the shirt off their back…
Once a year in November, Christian health professionals gather at the Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, KY, to be challenged and to be inspired. The latest global health trends and tropical diseases are discussed in breakout sessions. New partnerships are forged and old alliances are strengthened while networking. And Christian health professions students searched for ways to use their skills in short-term and long-term service. Invaluable spiritual renewal and encouragement was the main focal point of the plenary speakers, where veteran doctors from the U.S. and abroad share their experiences in global health missions.
Joining the over 2,500 conference attendees, MAP staff was able to connect with a number of current and former program partners and MAP Fellows – such as NW Haiti Christian Mission, Partners in Health, Hospitals of Hope, International Aid, Emmanuel Hospital Association, Christian Medical and Dental Association, and many others.
MAP’s Senior Director of Global Programs, Dr. Ravi Jayakaran, also delivered a key presentation on MAP’s Total Health Village strategy for holistic community development.
If you are a current or future Christian health professional considering medical missions, this conference is a must. You will come away, as I did, better equipped to offer both health and hope to a hurting world.
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