Month Highlights:
Training: We partnered with Pathways to bring a vision casting workshop to pastors and Sunday School Superintendents in the Lilongwe area. We continue to make plans to bring transformative trainings to all 200 communities in our region, including plans to follow up on Community Health Evangelism and Transformational Development. The local has identified leaders to attend the CHE Training of Trainers with World Challenge, which is now planned to be in Blantyre at the end of April.
Teaching: Christina spoke at a Pastor’s Wives retreat (see the story in our March Update). After 5 years, church leaders in our area are starting to become leaders of health and healing as well. Partners have joined with us to help sponsor a total of 3 church leaders to complete Community Development training at NTCCA and another Lilongwe college.
Patients: Christina cared for some very sick patients this month. So far, God is bringing incredible healing in all cases, but as some patients needed longer hospitalizations, Christina learned to rely more on her team members and handovers of care. Patients have been booked with overwhelming frequency as Christina prepared to leave for the month, so please pray with us as we consider cutting back on clinic hours in order to do more in the community.
Dzaleka Refugee Camp: Christina is working with YWAM staff and volunteers to develop a system for helping individuals with disabilities and sicknesses within the refugee camp. She is also re-connecting with the government clinic leaders in an attempt to help understand existing healthcare structures and improve communication and perhaps repair some broken trust between the refugees and the clinicians assigned to serve them.
Mentorship: Christina continues to assist students, residents, and physicians find sustainable work fits. This month she has completed reports necessary to renew California-based training in Preventive Medicine as well as embarked on a new grant opportunity to improve research into Maternal/Child outcomes in San Bernardino
The AAFP LPW and Physician Wellbeing Conference One of the reasons we are splitting our furlough into two trips this year is because Christina was selected to participate in the American Academy of Family Physician’s program Leading Physician Wellbeing. This 10-month program includes personal wellbeing measures and organizational improvement strategies which aim to help doctors become leaders in preventing burnout and promoting physician thriving. The program required attendance at two conferences, including the Physician Wellbeing Conference in Naples Florida (thankfully the program paid for the conference.) As a guest, Greg has been able to attend some sessions with Christina which deal with concepts like letting go of perfectionism, being more mindful, and not allowing negative emotions to take over. We are finding this a safe space to discuss some of the things that have brought stress over the past years and how to build in healthy boundaries so that our work is more sustainable. Please pray with us as we consider how content from this conference might benefit our organization at CHSC as a whole.
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