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Can’t get a desperately needed lab test? Not enough healthcare staff? Running out of patient beds? Worried a respirator might not be available? As you work without adequate protective equipment, are you thinking that you’re putting your life at risk taking care of your patients? Overwhelming need and limited resources. Sounds like life as a medical missionary, but third world realities may come to the United States with COVID-19. Let me share some practical ethical guidelines I’ve taught to more than 500 new healthcare missionaries while I pray that you don’t have to apply them. Allocating limited resources raises the ethical issue of justice—how do you treat patients fairly? First, you always want to be as impartial as the situation allows. Second, do the best you can for the most people with the resources you have. Third, without enough time, personnel, supplies or equipment, at some point you will be forced to decide who gets and doesn’t get your limited resource. Let me give you a real life example. When I arrived on the mission field, our 135-bed hospital only had electricity 11 hours each day, because the price of fuel for our big generator consumed 25 percent of the hospital’s budget. At night we ran a small generator that could power one isolette and allow us to turn on the operating room lights. We had a high incidence of multiple gestations, one in 28 births, and we had lots of premature babies. You can put three preemies in one incubator, but what do you do when a fourth is born and there is no place for the baby? You hope one infant is doing well enough to be replaced, but if not, you take the one who has little chance of survival out and give it comfort care. This is an extreme example, but it makes my point. You are forced into using a utilitarian ethic decision-making process under these conditions: There are limited resources. There are no moral absolutes for or against an action. (You don’t give the baby with the poor prognosis a lethal injection. You still want this child to survive.) You know your moral duty but are not sure how to fulfill it. (Save lives. Heal the sick.) There is a conflict between two moral duties and both cannot be fulfilled. (I can’t save all four babies). You must prioritize duties. (If I put the latest preemie in the isolette it will probably make it. The one I removed is likely to die whether it is in the isolette or not.) When you are forced to employ a utilitarian ethic, you constantly reevaluate your allocation decisions based on changing circumstances. If the last baby put in the isolette is going downhill the next morning and the baby with comfort care is improving, I would reverse my decision. When you have limited resources, you can never be satisfied with that status. You have the moral obligation to be constantly working to get the resources you need so you won’t have to make a utilitarian decision, because you now have enough personnel, equipment and supplies. We solved the electricity problem by building a hydroelectric project on the 42-foot high waterfall below the hospital and got 24-hour cheap electricity. A large NICU followed at the hospital. These type of allocation dilemmas can be heartbreaking. If possible, seek a second opinion from your colleagues as you make your decision. Then explain your reasoning for what you are doing to other staff involved. When available, seek a clear policy from your ethics committee to guide you and all staff for the situations you are facing. Most of all, ask God for wisdom, insight, courage, and peace as you navigate through the storm. He understands. He has been there. Download full ebook "A Healthcare Worker's Response to COVID-19" here

Exploring the Journey to Full-Time Missions: Agencies, Funding, Singles/Families, God’s Guidance

Having a mission trip cancelled can feel as if the rug is pulled out from beneath you. You have spent lots of time in prayer, talking to others about it, fundraising, training, and gearing up for the adventure ahead. What should you do if it is cancelled? While not an exhaustive list, here are some key things to keep in mind as you navigate the days and weeks ahead. 1. Assume the best – Have confidence that the organization and leaders for your trip are trying to make the best decision possible. This was not an easy decision for them and although you may have lots of questions, trust that they were looking at all the data and trying to make a wise decision for you and your other participants. 2. Get clarity on fundraising – If you have raised funds for the trip, there are governing tax rules that your organization must consider. Therefore, their options for what they do with the funds raised are usually limited. In most cases, you can apply the funds to a future trip. However, there may have already been expenses (e.g. tickets, pre-purchasing supplies, etc.). The situation can be complex, so get clarity from your leadership or organization on how they will handle any funds that are raised. 3. Have patience and be flexible – It is hard to sit and wait for updates. Typically, when situations arise, there are several trips that are impacted and dozens (if not hundreds) of participants. In many cases, like the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation will be fluid and changing on a daily/weekly basis. Leverage existing systems of communication to get regular updates, or jump in and ask if you can help the org/team in any way. 4. Pray – While the situation is developing, pray for peace and wisdom for you, for your team, for your team leaders, for the organization, and for the partners/people in the field. A decision to cancel a trip will have a ripple-like impact. In most cases, it might be merely an inconvenience or delay, but for some trips, the impact is greater. Pray for clarity on the decisions that need to be made in light of this cancellation and the lives that will be impacted. 5. Communicate – Once an official decision is made, communicate with your donors and those who are supporting you. They will want to hear from you directly, so provide them as much information as is practical (e.g. “the trip has been postponed and donations will be applied when I go in August” or “The trip has been postponed and due to the developing conditions, I will update you in a month with what our decision will be.”). “While the situation is developing, pray for peace and wisdom... for you, for your team leaders, for the organization, and for the partners/people in the field.” Regardless of what happens in the coming weeks, recognize that having a trip cancelled is usually just a delay. If your heart is set on that country, that trip, or those people, it is likely you will be able to accomplish that, but it might be next year or several months down the road. Leverage this time to help prepare your heart for what God might be doing in you, in your team, or in your field partners, so you will be ready whenever your time to go finally arrives. Blessings on your journey, and remember — no matter how crazy things get, we serve someone who knows and is in control! Download Free ebook "COVID-19 Cancelled our Short Term Trip... Now What?"

Marriage, Family and Missions- Joys, Challenges and Pitfalls: Reflections from those who have walked the road before.

Occasionally we have guest contributors, and today we have an important article from Dr. Mark Topazian to share with you. We think you will find his suggestions for engaging in missions to be both practical and challenging. We hope you learn and grow from his long time experience! You’ve taken an important step into medical missions by becoming part of this community.  As we look forward to future service, we can all continue deeper into our calling by being intentional about being missional where God has placed us now.  Here are some ways to be missional today, and in the days ahead: Learn. We all study before we practice healthcare. The same holds true for cross-cultural missions!  There are many resources available, including missionary biographies, books like When Helping Hurts, and the Perspectives course.  Lean in to your faith. Missions is about who we belong to. I seek (and sometimes struggle) to know myself foremost as a child of God, and secondarily as a husband and father, healthcare professional, and American. Only as the goodness of the gospel defines me can I serve others. Align. Bring important elements of life into line with your calling.  Live simply, sacrifice lifestyle to minimize debt, invest in people who share your vision for missions, form or join a team that wants to serve in missions together. Love. Missionaries live out the love of Christ in their cross-cultural relationships.  I can do the same where God has planted me now, with the people around me of different beliefs, races, ethnicities, educational levels, and life experiences. My community contains people similar to those I may one day serve overseas. Share. Missions is proclamation. Every generation finds new ways to share their hope in Jesus with the people they love, with grace and authenticity.  How can I be part of that movement now? Integrate. Our faith matters in our professional lives.  Learn what the Bible has to say about health, illness and healing. How can we be missional where we study and work? Praying for and with our colleagues and patients is a good place to start. One way to approach this is to ask, “Would it help if I prayed with you?” Missions calls us against the grain of our culture’s norms and expectations. Thank God for his Spirit’s leading us along his path! I am excited to see how God leads me and you in the year to come.

Main Session

Guest Contributor, Ginger Cameron, PhD As the coronavirus spreads around the world many are faced with deciding whether they should move forward with planned vacations, furloughs, and mission trips. Making this decision can be difficult and should include a mix of both facts and faith. There is not a one size fits all answer, but with a balanced approach you can make an informed decision that is right for you and your team. Here are three simple steps to help you make your decision: 1) be informed about the virus 2) understand the area you are traveling into 3) spend time in prayer. Step 1: Be informed about the virus itself. Coronavirus is actually an umbrella name for multiple viruses, similar to how we use “the flu” to mean all strains of influenza. MERS and SARS are two forms of coronavirus. Coronaviruses are respiratory diseases, meaning they primarily impact the lungs. The one spreading right now is Covid-19 and it is spreading at a rate about twice as fast as the flu.  Covid-19 is spread through droplets released from a sick person when sneezing or coughing. It produces a fever (100.4 or higher) and also commonly causes a cough, fatigue, and shortness of breath. In a few cases people report upset stomach or diarrhea. In serious cases (about 2-6% of cases) it can lead to acute respiratory syndrome, a serious condition impacting the lungs. People with underlying health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. are at highest risk for developing significant complications from the disease as are those over the age of 60.  If you are in or traveling to an area with active coronavirus cases, you can help protect yourself and your team with some simple health hygiene. Wash your hands with warm water and soap (not hot water, not cold water – make sure it is warm). Wash for 20 seconds or more paying special attention to your knuckles, around your fingernails and between fingers where germs like to cling. Avoid touching your face, specifically your eyes, nose and mouth. Most germs enter our bodies through these areas, and we tend to touch our faces hundreds of times a day without even realizing it. Set up a system with your team to point out each time someone touches their face to help raise awareness among the group. You can even make a game or competition out of it. Cover coughs and sneezes with the bend of your elbow, not with your hands. If you develop a fever, isolate yourself and call the doctor for further instructions. Use hand sanitizer when soap and water aren’t available for hand washing. Clean and sanitize surfaces that may have been exposed such as door handles, cell phones, counter tops, toilet handles etc. Step 2: Understand the Area you are traveling to. Finding the right resources to provide accurate and up-to-date information can be a challenge during an active outbreak. Two places you can find reliable information are World-o-meter for global numbers and the Center for Disease Control for numbers in the United States. Researching the coronavirus situation in the area you will be traveling can help you better understand the risks for that specific area. But beyond the numbers, consider the resources that will be available should someone on the team become ill. Some questions to ask would be: Will medical care be available if someone gets sick? Could we end up quarantined or unable to return home? Current quarantines are around 14 days. Is the country currently experiencing quarantine that would restrict your movement/activity while there? What is their current policy regarding managing cases? Will quality medical treatment be available if it becomes necessary? And don’t forget to ask how your travel will affect the local people living in that area. Will it be a burden to them because of the current situation? Do they have the capacity to take on the care of a sick person if that were to happen? Step 3: Spend time in prayer. Our God is an awesome God. He is the great physician and He is well aware of what is happening around the world. Spend considerable time in prayer and ask for His wisdom and guidance making the decision. In praying for the trip itself, be sure to pray specifically about the inclusion of those at high risk. Ask the members of your team to do the same, letting them know that each of them needs to make the decision that is right for them.  Recruit others to pray as well, then listen to His voice and His leading. When He has given you an answer, move forward in faith with boldness assured that you are in His will.   Dr. Ginger Cameron teaches graduate courses in the master’s of public health program at Purdue Global University, with a special emphasis on epidemiology. Cameron has served as a department chair, as well as assistant dean of students, programs, and assessment. She has also served as the dean of the School of Health Sciences at multiple institutions. Cameron's research has been published in a variety of journals and she has presented at national and regional conferences. She has been interviewed numerous times for her expertise in public health.

"A system of Fragmentation in Addiction" The current models of treatment were mainly developed in the 40's , 50's , 60s and for alcoholics. Todays user is much different and most likely poly substance. Holistic wrap around models are what's needed

How to leverage and use social media to find seekers, supporters, and more for your non-profit or ministry.

Serving in Disaster Response

God's timeline is different for each of us. This session will look at the particular challenges and blessings of entering medical missions in "Round Two.”