HEALTH FOR ALL NATIONS
  • About
    • What is Health
    • History
    • The Name and The Vision
  • Contact
  • Donate
    • Health for All Nations

Blog

STATEMENT 4: NURTURING RELATIONSHIPS

6/6/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Statement 4 may be the most difficult aspect of cross-cultural healthcare ministry to get right. I have found in my 11 years serving in Guatemala that the clash of cultures is a major factor in failed “partnerships” since few take the time to carefully craft and care for their long term partnership/relationship with majority world hosts. And this despite the fact that is an abundance of reading available on how to really do Christian networking and partnership right. See the resources tab @ Health for All Nations. 
​
Here then is statement #4 regarding best practices in global health missions:
​
We will nurture relationships without fostering dependency.
  • People don’t care how much we know until they know how much we care!
  • We will share knowledge with the in-country health professions with whom we work in those areas where they have requested learning opportunities. And we likewise will seek to receive knowledge from them. (Capacity Building)
  • We will honor our hosts by using safe and effective local equipment and procedures whenever we can. (Appropriate Technology)
  • Point to the Biblical God and historical Jesus first, not our materialistic life-styles, Western model of medicine, United States, etc
  • No junk for Jesus
​
There is perhaps no more important statement in this entire series. It is rare indeed to find a team of healthcare professionals from a Western nation that truly understands how to create a unique and biblical culture within their partnership such that the leaders from the majority world side of the partnership feel as equals and that their opinions and ideas are given highest priority. This is not easy work and can be frustrating for both partners in the relationship. This is why it is critical to also put much emphasis on statement #3. There must be a dedicated champion on each side of the relationship is thoroughly trained in cross-cultural work and who is an excellent communicator. Can you think of other points that could be added to this list?? ​
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    This is the blog for the Best Practices in Global Health Mission division of the Center for the Study of Health in Mission. It is a space for all who are interested in sharing opinions, ideas and best practices having to do with Christ centered health related ministry.

    Archives

    April 2020
    March 2020
    March 2018
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    November 2014
    September 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    August 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Picture



​
​
​© 2024 Health for All Nations
All Rights Reserved
In Partnership with Frontier Ventures
​and the Ralph D. Winter Launch Lab

Picture
Donate

​ABOUT
The mission of Health for All Nations is to engage the global Christian community in the exploration and application of biblical revelation, scientific evidence, and cumulative experience as they relate to health and wholeness. Our mission includes assisting the global Christian church in fulfilling its mandate to promote health and healing among the nations.
​
Learn More
RESOURCES
  • Health, the Bible and the Church book access
  • Quest for Health
  • Understanding Health
  • History of Health
  • History of Christianity
  • Integrated Mission
  • Medical Mission Prep.
  • Missions in the 21st Century
  • Cultural Transformation
  • Unity in Our Diversity
  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Ralph Winter
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • About
    • What is Health
    • History
    • The Name and The Vision
  • Contact
  • Donate
    • Health for All Nations