Medical

Nutrition as Medicine: The Role of Food as therapy for chronic disease prevention and management

Diagnostic dilemma poses one of the challenges in the mission field due to lack of ideal or reliable tools. Integrating ultrasound findings with clinical assessments can help improve diagnostic certainty at the bedside. During this 1-hour session, we will briefly review the capabilities and limitations in assessing intracranial pressure, fractures, and acute tendon ruptures along with a more tradi...

This lecture first explores ethics from the perspective of normal human nature. Then the impact of this human nature on every day medical practice, medical education, medical research and medical missions is discussed.

My family and I are Kenyan cross-cultural workers based in Kenya. We served for three and half years in Ghana. During that time, we established Hope Alive Initiatives that equips churches in poor and vulnerable communities in wholistic ministry. I have seen the impact left by short term mission teams that come to train local believers to continue ministry after the team leave. Hope Alive Initiativ...

Vaccines aren't perfect, but they prevent a lot of disease and save a lot of lives. In this session, we will review vaccination as related to those who travel internationally and to those who live in resource-limited areas. We will discuss new advances in vaccination.

Any device capable of being connected to cyberspace can be subject to surveillance, hacked, and used monitor behavior in the physical world. The lowest level of threat is probably the thief who wants to steal your smart phone. The highest level of threat is the nation state monitoring you using that same smart phone, supposing you will compromise the local believers. Between these extremes are the...

The pathway to healthcare missions is not a linear pathway and there is not one right way. In this plenary session, we are going to hear from experts across the spectrum of healthcare missions, from the initial exploring stage, the preparing process, and beyond. We're going to look at the many varied expressions of healthcare missions, such as the traditional long term medical missionary, but...

In view of a changing world context, what is the future of medical missions? Does the traditional mission hospital have a place in today's world? Where does medical missions fit into globalization and urbanization and increasing populations where there is high restriction on religion? What are healthcare strategies that will work in the 21st century? This session will review the history of med...

Do you ever wonder how to bring up end of life discussions without creating fear or loss of hope? What does an end of life discussion include and is it wider than creating a DNR? It is crucial to create an open atmosphere to discuss end of life beliefs, customs, and values, but how and when is this done and who can do it? This session will give you the ability to start a dialogue, set goals, and u...

Why are you heading overseas as a healthcare missionary? What's your ultimate long-term goal? Is your dream, for example, to vaccinate multiple thousands of children against preventable childhood diseases or ... do you dream of launching movements of missional-communities (churches) among a Muslim group who will share Christ with their entire people group ... AND vaccinate all their children,...

Serving the Sojourner in America's Most Diverse Square Mile

Parenting is challenging in any situation, but raising children while living overseas and serving cross-culturally adds new complexities. Gleaming lessons learned from 15 years of field missionary experience, and siting practical examples, the session will explore tips and tools for providing missionary kids with academic, social and spiritual success.

Characteristics of altruistic individuals, such as passion, dedication, and empathy, can under certain circumstances make them more vulnerable to experiencing psychological distress. In the last two decades, a significant body of psychiatric and psychological literature has looked at this issue. This presentation will draw from the presenter’s work with the diplomatic community and disaster...

This session is intended to help non-therapists or medical professionals provide therapeutic intervention for children with common motor disabilities. Mobility and play are important aspects in the development of young children. Autism, Down syndrome and Cerebral Palsy are common pediatric developmental disabilities that can have an negative impact on movement. In this practical session we will le...

Health Environmental and Learning Program (H.E.L.P.) (www.missonforhelp.org) is a Christian development mission and non-profit organization registered in 1999 and founded by Tim and Lani Ackerman, an ecologist and medical doctor. The Ackermans served in the Himalayas for 8 years, and while there trained Nepali Christians to lead the organization, founding an NGO. Using the model of Jesus' mini...

We are all "Servants in Training", "Missionaries in Training" or both. What's the difference and how might God be preparing us? Dr. Dowell will be discussing the importance of each of those seasons in our development as yielded vessels "living sacrifices". We will learn the answers to those questions, find encouragement in times of difficulty, and be inspired to a...

Dr. and Mrs. McDonald have served in international ministry with over 30 years of experience. Offered an international career with the UN and World Bank, they took the path less traveled, and it has made all the difference…for eternity! With work experience in over 50 countries, together they have helped set up or empower scores of development projects that continue today. These include hos...

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken it’s toll on every family, from frustration with being stuck at home, to job loss, to loneliness and social deprivation. But for many families, those three factors have been the perfect combination to provide an environment ripe for trauma. For children, we see that trauma has an impact on the development of the brain that effects learning, relationships, and...

Some mission experts estimate that up to 90% of young people who consider missions cease to pursue it because of various fears and obstacles, including the fear of fundraising. This session will help participants: 1. Identify various obstacles and fears relating to fundraising 2. Consider ways that God can help us overcome these barriers 3. Become aware of best resources and training materials use...

This session focuses on women in mission and will highlight the role of women in missions, challenges faced, and some practical ways to overcome those challenges.

Advanced practice providers (APPs), such as nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, and physicians assistants, have and can continue to bridge gaps by increasing access and quality of health care in cost effective ways especially in underserved communities in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Interviews with APPs and other healthcare professionals, personal experience livin...

When I arrived in Nigeria I thought my main role would be taking care of my 6-month-old daughter. When people asked before we left, “What are you going to do?” I almost apologetically said I would be a “homemaker.” Shortly after arriving I struggled to know my role as “an accompanying spouse.” I was not prepared for this undefined role and sometimes felt like a...

Fear, in its various manifestations, is one of the Enemy's most effective means of limiting our obedience. The Bible offers practical strategies for overcoming fear with faith--many of which are demonstrated in an Old Testament story of sex trafficking, racial hatred, and genocide.

As a health care professional on the mission field, the task of language learning is both essential and complicated. We say that language learning is a high value and priority for ourselves as missionaries, and yet it often is the first thing to take a back seat in life and ministry. Why is that? How can we do better? With over 15 years of experience in educating, training, and coaching missionari...