Dr. Stephen J. Foster: Discerning God’s Will – Take Home Lessons
In this Plenary Session from the recent M3 Conference, Dr. Stephen Foster shares invaluable insights from his 45-year journey as a missionary surgeon in Angola. He imparts lessons on understanding God’s heart, discerning His call, and taking meaningful steps towards becoming the person God intended you to be. As you listen to this session, reflect on your own journey and discover how to align yourself with God’s purpose for your life.
Stephen J. Foster, MD FRCS(C) is the Clinical Director at Lubango Evangelical Medical Center in Angola. He is the son and grandson of pioneer missionaries who went to Zambia in 1917. Dr. Foster was born in Brantford, Ontario, grew up in Zambia, and spent much time in Angola before returning permanently in 2000 with his wife, Peggy. He has been a missionary surgeon in Angola most of the last 45 years. Dr. Foster’s passion is training the next generation of Christian Angolan physicians to be able to deliver health care to the forgotten rural peoples of Angola and in doing so, bring many to a first encounter with Jesus Christ.
Tropical Medicine, Traveler’s Health, and How to Launch a New Healthcare Ministry
At the recent Mobilizing Medical Missions (M3) Conference, we were honored to have INMED – the Institute for International Medicine – host a full day Pre-Conference Workshop about “Tropical Medicine, Traveler’s Health, and How to Launch a New Healthcare Ministry.” It was taught by some of their esteemed faculty members – Nicholas Comninellis MD, MPH, DIMPH, President and Professor of the Institute for International Medicine; Stephen J. Foster, MD, Medical Director of CEML Hospital in Angola, Africa; and Tim Myrick, MD, DTMH, Associate Professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.
The multiple session workshop discussed the healthcare crisis throughout low-resource communities and addressed the assessment of needs and resources, planning of appropriate interventions and services, and the logistics of ongoing leadership. It also covered the subjects of funding, relations with regulators, health professions education opportunities, community buy-in, and integration of faith and healthcare. In regards to tropical medicine, the workshop focused on the most prevalent tropical diseases (Malaria, TB, HIV), as well as those commonly neglected tropical diseases (schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis). There were also sessions on counseling, vaccination, and chemoprophylaxis for travelers to tropical settings.
To watch some of these great sessions, click below:
by Nicholas Comninellis MD, MPH, DIMPH
by Nicholas Comninellis MD, MPH, DIMPH
“New Healthcare Ministry: Lessons 1”
Joël Malm: Finding Your Place in World Missions
We all have a part to play in the call to reach the world — and you have been uniquely equipped for that mission. In this M3 Conference Breakout Session, Joël Malm, Author and Founder of Summit Leaders, will give you practical tips to explore what God has for you on the global mission field.
Joël Malm is an entrepreneur, communicator, and leadership coach. He grew up as a missionary kid in Central America and he and his wife were missionaries in Mexico and Peru. He is currently a board member with Commission to Every Nation (CTEN), an inter-denominational missionary cooperative serving 720 missionaries in 66 nations. As founder of Summit Leaders, he uses outdoor adventure and personal coaching to help people find their calling and pursue a vision for their lives. His expeditions and mission trips have taken him around the world. He holds a M.S. in Counseling and is fluent in Spanish and French. He is the author of Vision Map, Fully You, and Love Slows Down.
M3 is excited that Joël will be joining us again for the 10th Anniversary conference. Be sure to mark your calendars and make plans to join us on February 21-22, 2025, at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas.
Sasha Thew: Using Your Clinical Skills to Serve the “Least of These” Through DART
In this Plenary Session from the recent M3 Conference, Sasha Thew with Samaritan’s Purse International discusses how to use your clinical skills (physician and nurses) to serve as part of a Disaster Assistance Response Team, also known as DART. Additionally, she shares about DART responses in challenging and often forgotten places, specifically disasters that may not make the mainstream news circuit.
Sasha Thew, BSN, MPH, is an experienced ICU nurse and has worked in humanitarian and disaster response since 2016 as an Emergency Medical Response Specialist with Samaritan’s Purse International. CLICK HERE to learn more about the work Samaritan’s Purse is doing through their DART program.