New WorldTHE MISSION MAGAZINE OF THEOutlook UNITED METHODIST CHURCH • March/April 2016

United Methodists Focus on Global Health

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New Series Vol. LXXVI, No. 4, Whole Series Vol. CVI, No. 2 New World Outlook NEW WORLD OUTLOOK march/April 2016

ISSN-0043-8812 Published bimonthly by the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2016 by the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church. No part of New World Outlook may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the Editor. Printed in the U.S.A. POSTMASTER: Send address changes directly to New World Outlook, P.O. Box 395, Congers, New York 10920- 0395. Subscriptions in the United States and Possessions: One year, $24.00. Single copies, $4.00. Two years, $42.00. All foreign countries: one year, $40.00. Church Subscription Program: 5 or more one-year subscriptions for $18 each. Publisher—Thomas Kemper Editor—Christie R. House Art Director—Hal Sadler Designer—Christopher G. Coleman Editorial Coordinator—Judith Santiago Editorial Office Christie R. House 475 Riverside Drive, Room 333 New York, NY 10115 212-870-3765

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Cover image: Mike DuBose/UMNS A mother and child at the Koribondo Community Health Center near Bo, Sierra Leone, await a malaria test. The United Methodist Church’s Imagine No Malaria campaign also distributed long-lasting, insecticide-treated mosquito nets in the community. New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 3

United Methodists Focus on Global He alth

6 Abundant Health for All: A Vision for Global Health by Olusimbo Ige

10 ConnectED for Health: UMC Health Boards Across Africa by Jennifer Schumacher-Kocik

18 God’s Steadfast Love Never Fails: Saving Lives in the DR Congo by Pierre Manya

21 US Health Forum Promotes Healthy Congregations, Healthy Communities by Linda Unger

24 GLOBAL HEALTH—A Special graphic feature

26 Health Systems Strengthening: A People-Centered Approach by Piper Crisovan

30 God’s Wonderful Plan for Health in Liberia by Mary Randall Zigbuo

34 When Ministry With* the Poor and Global Health Converge: Abundant Life and Abundant Health by Nicholas Laccetti and Mary Ellen Kris

38 SPSARV Funds Recovery, Support, and Prevention Program by Juliana Federoff

40 Global Mission Fellows and Global Health by Piper Crisovan

42 pREVENTION of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS by Kathy Griffith

d e P A R T M e n t s

4 Why Maternal and Child Health? by Christie R. House

Patients wait to be seen at the Haiti Eye Clinic in 5 lETTERS from Readers Petit-Goâve. The clinic is back in operation after being destroyed by the January 2010 earthquake 17 Mission Memo that killed United Methodist volunteer Jean Arnwine of Dallas, Texas. 47 From the General Secretary: Our Promise to All Children PHOTO: Mike DuBose/UMNS by Thomas Kemper 4 from the editor

Why focus on Maternal and Child Health?

ose was just 14 when her grandmother found a husband for her. She had lost both her parents, and her grandmother didn’t have the meansR to care for her. This is the fate of many African girls who lack edu- Dear Editor: cation and family support. When they become pregnant, still immature and often weakened by years of chronic hunger, they cannot deliver a hanks for the current issue baby. After days of trying to deliver, the mother is taken to the hospital by of New World Outlook with desperate family members. But, by then, it is difficult to save either the storiesT of missionaries pursuing mother or the baby. their calling in critical places for A woman who dies during childbirth is a tragic loss in all parts of the ministry. As a former Evangeli- world. But in the developing world, women face a greater risk. Sub-Saharan cal United Brethren (EUB), I was Africa and Southern Asia account for 87 percent of global maternal deaths. interested in the report from In sub-Saharan Africa, a woman’s risk of dying from preventable or treat- the Dominican Republic, one of able complications of pregnancy and childbirth over the course of her life- the few places where former time is 1 in 31, according to the 2010 Millennium Development Goals EUB and former Methodist mis- report. Compare that to 1 in 4300 in developed countries. sionaries actually collaborated Fortunately for Rose, a birth attendant trained at Samuteb Hospital in establishing the presence of had been visiting her regularly. She followed Rose’s pregnancy, gave a united (ecumenical) church. her good advice and supplements, and convinced Rose’s family that she (January-February 2016, p. 29) should give birth in the hospital because she would need a C-section. In 1926, the United Brethren Samuteb Hospital, in a remote region of the DR Congo, has been work- missionary Philo W. Curry, serv- ing on saving the lives of women since about 1917. In 1914, the Methodist ing as field secretary in near- Episcopal Church sent Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Lewis Piper to Kapanga village. by Puerto Rico, initiated a sur- The Pipers devoted about 50 years to the work in Kapanga. But by 1930, vey and study of the prospects the mission had not gained title to the land, so the facilities remained tem- for mission activity in Santo porary. Buildings decayed in the climate or burned down, but the Pipers Domingo that resulted in the always rebuilt. Dr. Piper and his staff of four women trained a Congolese United Brethrens, Methodists, staff, directed village workers, conducted medical visits, searched out lep- and Presbyterians entering into rosy cases, and kept medical records for their patients. Finally, in 1939, the that work together. By 1946, first permanent facility was constructed. when the Evangelical United Today Kapanga is still so isolated that transportation is generally by Brethren Church was formed, the plane, foot, bike, or small motorbike. The roads disappear in the rainy sea- Dominican Evangelical Church son, which is 10 months out of the year. It is the only hospital in a 186- was well established, adhering mile radius and serves 60,000 residents in Kapanga and another 212,600 to the EUB mission philosophy of people from surrounding communities. The campus also has a school of planting—cooperating not com- nursing. Its primary services are Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics, peting—autonomous denomina- Gynecological surgery, and outpatient care. tional entities with indigenous Samuteb Hospital—and many other United Methodist facilities in re- leadership. Support for the DEC mote areas across Africa—is the difference between life and death for ministry was later joined by the many mothers and their babies. Moravians. It is gratifying to learn of the Christie R. House labor of missionary Osias Segura New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 5 Letters from Readers

Jonathan and Donna Baker (center) in the DR Congo. Photo: Courtesy the Baker Family

in assuring the future of that church New missionaries in DR Congo through providing opportunities for ur calendar for 2016 is full already! We have arrived in Congo as of January 14 theological formation for its clergy to continue and strengthen relationships with our loved ones there. A team and laity. In the interest of main- fromO our church in Florida will join us in February and we have a major Cataract Sur- taining the institutional memory, it gery Mission in July. Our last mission provided eye care for over 4000 patients and is also important to accurately attri- truly modeled our partnership working side by side with our Congolese sisters and bute the involvement of the found- brothers! We’re so excited about sharing an opportunity to witness God’s work in this ing denominations, in particular country we adore! the Church of the United Brethren The Congolese are so faith-filled and faithful people and continue to teach us so in Christ, not short-handed as much about life and faith. “Brethren” that might be mistak- We pray that the advent of our Lord will bring enduring blessings for you and those enly taken to be the Church of the you love as well as our world: love, hope, joy, and peace. Despite all the uncertain- Brethren, another denomination ties of this world, the advent of our Lord is certain. The message of the gospel rings with a totally distinct history. clearly: Do not be afraid. Be prepared! As we sing of peace on earth and goodwill to all people, let us open our ears to hear the mournful songs of a war-torn world and Robert J. Harman the cries of ordinary families like our own, whose losses are beyond our ability to Retired Mission Executive comprehend. As we opened gifts on Christmas morning, let us open our hearts to Danbury, Wisconsin the countless children for whom Christmas was yet another day to survive. Open our eyes to see those neighbors nearest to us who are lonely, afraid, sick, and suffering. “O come, O come, Emmanuel (God with us).” Dear Editor: Jonathan and Donna Baker just wanted to take a moment Missionaries in Lusaka, Democratic Republic of the Congo to thank you for your article “All INations, All People, Called Togeth- r. Lester and Debbie Dornon, missionaries serving with the United Mission to er by God.” Thank you for speak- Nepal’s Tansen Hospital, in Tansen, Nepal, reflected in their January 2016 news- ing such truth and for laying it out letterD about the changes they’ve experienced since their first term of mission service in such an understandable, yet pro- in Nepal, which began in 1990. Tansen Hospital has grown from 121 beds to 169 found, way. I just shared it on my beds, adding five major buildings, water tanks, and other improvements. Today, they Facebook page “GuateJourney.” are training doctors and other hospital staff, more so than when they first arrived. And I so appreciate your taking the the churches have grown, from one small church to seven, two of which have more time to write from your heart to than 100 people attending each week. help all of us gain more much-need- ed perspective. NOW for E-Readers, phones, and tablets Calley Piland Mission Partner, Guatemala The best format for reading New World Outlook on smaller screens is from newworldoutlook.org, optimized for mobile formats. 6

A b u n d a n t H e a l t h f o r A l l

AVision for Global Health by Olusimbo Ige

The idea that human health of global health has re-emerged as a separate unit of Global Ministries, partly in involves not only the physical well-be- response to a great enthusiasm within the church for the Imagine No Malaria ing of people but also their emotional Campaign (INM)—a coordinated international effort to wipe out a disease that and spiritual well-being has long been can be prevented but still kills hundreds of thousands of people annually, es- an intimate part of what Methodists pecially in Africa. This major fundraising campaign, with a goal of $75 million, have preached, lived, and created in grew out of foundations laid by the Nothing But Nets public appeal. INM do- communities around the world. As nations have provided mosquito nets and other services in affected areas. To part of Methodist mission’s histori- maximize the effort, about 51 percent of the funds raised go to the United cal tradition, missionaries were sent Nations Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The remainder out to spread the gospel by building is expended by Global Ministries in collaboration with its health facilities and churches, clinics, and schools. Some annual conferences in Africa, facilitated initially through UMCOR and, more re- Tof the earliest American missionaries cently, by the new Global Health unit. were preachers and doctors, teach- The malaria work led to a palpable United Methodist desire to “do more” ers and nurses—often the same in the realm of health —abundant life, to use Jesus’ term in John 10. Then, in men and women trained in both 2014, the Council of Bishops confirmed the assignment of the denomination’s professions, doubling in their roles health focus area to Global Ministries. The new Global Health unit is composed at the early mission stations. So it of existing health-related ministries and new initiatives. follows that health has also been Global Ministries’ vision of abundant health for all focuses on efforts to an integral part of the General Board promote physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The Global Health unit of Global Ministries and its predeces- therefore aims to create abundant health in economically vulnerable communi- sor mission organizations throughout ties by protecting children and disadvantaged adults from preventable causes its history. of death and disease. To achieve this, Global Health will enable the church to Most recently, after being folded partner with thousands of communities and health workers through its com- into the United Methodist Committee munity-based health programs, while also supporting more than 300 United on Relief for several years, the work Methodist hospitals and clinics around the world.

Above: (left-to-right) Frequent hand-washing has become the norm in Côte d’Ivoire as church and public health officials raise warnings about the Ebola virus. PHOTO: Mike DuBose/UMNS; Nets being delivered to communities in Malawi PHOTO: Malawi UM Health Board; A laboratory technician sorts medical sample containers at the United Methodist Church’s Kissy Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone. PHOTO: Mike DuBose/UMNS; Technician Ouli Nda prepares a sample for testing in the laboratory at at Dabou Methodist Hospital in Dabou, Côte d’Ivoire. PHOTO: Mike DuBose/UMNS New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 7

Global Health Objectives The Global Health unit aims to meet three major objec- tives as part of its work. First—scale up existing pro- grams on community health education, how and when to seek care, and using the health services that are avail- able. Second—increase coverage of health interventions for the people who are most at risk for disease and early death. Interventions might include activities like the pro- motion of breastfeeding and use of mosquito nets; the importance of immunization and oral rehydration thera- py; seeking treatment for malaria; and the use of antibi- otics for treating pneumonia. Third—improve the quality and scale of health-care services offered through UMC hospitals and clinics. This work would seek to ensure the availability of diagnostic and sterilization equipment, drugs and essential supplies, safe water supply and waste disposal to prevent infection, surgical supplies, as well as improving treatment facilities. In order to meet these specified goals, Global Health Health worker Juliana Koroma (right) takes a blood sample from Issata Jusu focuses its work around some key activities. It provides for a malaria test at the Koribondo Community Health Center near Bo, Sierra technical support through personal and institutional ca- Leone. Holding the child is her mother, Umu Koroma. At rear is health worker pacity building. This area of work equips faith commu- Ishmael Karoma. nities and their leaders for full participation in efforts to PHOTO: Mike DuBose/UMNS

PILOT PROJECTS

U.S. ABUNDANT HEALTH: OUR PROMISE TO CHILDREN HAITI LIBERIA NIGERIA WORLDWIDE EA

RH S Children R

6 Million A N I DEMOCRATIC

Die Every Year D

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I REPUBLIC R Due to Preventable Illnesses T E OF CONGO

S C P E I F R N O A I A H C MP T O R Y M LAR T L MOZAMBIQUE R I IA I C B A

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S 0 02 2 E TO REA Y G CH B D ENCOURAGE E L TREATMENT-SEEKING P ONE S BEHAVIORS FOR

E ON N IN THE U.S. LLI O CHILDHOOD ILLNESSES

H W Childhood Obesity AL EA MI I T L T N T Has More Than Doubled E H CHILDREN N L WITH E M I in Children and More Than I F V S PROVIDE ES R

Quadrupled in Adolescents S AV TE Y U I IN TREATMENT &

VIT NG I E 5 PROMISES

T in the Past 30 Years S LIFESAVING C A TO CHILDREN COMMODITIES N PROMOTE I BREASTFEEDING ANCE ST A AND NUTRITION B B U U PREVENT PRIORITY S S P

E O CHILDHOOD O R D I E T WE PROMOTE ENSURE ILLNESSES CHILDREN’S HEALTH SAFE BIRTHS Graphic: Global Health AND WHOLENESS 8 newworldoutlook.org

transform health and health care in Resilient health systems require their communities. strong leadership to ensure the in- In cooperation with its mission part- tegrity of the health system. In many ners, Global Health employs a holis- countries, the government is respon- tic approach to address the ongoing sible for the central leadership of health needs in the most at-risk pop- the health system, but the govern- ulations—those living with persistent ment does not act alone. The Liberia poverty in unhealthy conditions with Annual Conference is a major partner little access to health care. The unit with the government in its quest to also helps local churches, districts, and provide quality health and social ser- annual conferences to develop and vices. The Liberia United Methodist sustain ministries of health, healing, Health Board recognized a gap in gov- and wholeness. Comfort Beah (right), a maternal and child ernance and fiscal leadership, hired a health aid at the United Methodist Church’s highly skilled administrator to oversee Mercy Hospital in Bo, Sierra Leone, takes vital Ganta Hospital, and trained administra- Weakened Health Systems signs from Adama Johnbull, who arrived at The devastation caused by Ebola the hospital with pregnancy complications, tive committees at all five of its health in West Africa was unanticipated including malaria. Photo: Mike DuBose/UMNS facilities. The Liberia Health Board has when it first emerged in March 2014. reshaped the governance structure of Ebola went undetected in Guinea for infrastructure were not prepared its health system, and in turn, has be- three months, allowing the disease to deal with an outbreak of this come a much stronger contributor to to disseminate across the borders magnitude. the national health system. of Liberia and Sierra Leone, killing The World Health Organization has Among the many devastating ef- 11,000 people over the course of the identified six core components es- fects of Ebola was the widespread outbreak. sential for a strong health system on disruption of essential health inter- Several factors contributed to the which the United Methodist health ventions—such as vaccinations and rapid spread of Ebola in Liberia and boards in Liberia and Sierra Leone are malaria preventative care and treat- Sierra Leone. A shortage of health- focusing their programs: relationship ment. The Sierra Leone Health Board care workers, inadequate health and integration with government re- focused its efforts in community out- infrastructure, and ineffective dis- sources; drug and vaccine availabil- reach on malaria diagnosis, preven- ease surveillance systems all played ity and delivery; maintaining the qual- tion, and treatment interventions. An significant roles. Recovering from ity of service; sustainable financing; Imagine No Malaria grant provided the several years of war and destruc- human resources; and data and infor- essential medications and supplies tion, the weak health systems and mation collection. needed for their community activities.

A brass band and marching school children lead a parade through downtown Bo, Sierra Leone, during the kickoff for the national Maternal and Child Health Week. The United Methodist Church’s Imagine No Malaria campaign distributed 350,000 insecticide- treated mosquito nets as part of the integrated health campaign. PHOTO: Mike DuBose/UMNS New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 9

A b u n d a n t H e a l t h f o r A l l Our Promise to Children

I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10b)

he United Methodist Church, with Global Ministries hospital staff and community health workers. Moms will re- as a lead operational agency, has played an active ceive information about immunizations, water and sanita- T role in the international campaign to eradicate ma- tion, nutrition, and breastfeeding. This model will allow for laria. In five years, United Methodists have donated $68 the creation of holistic and community-driven health and million to fight malaria. Together we have made amaz- wholeness. ing progress toward ending needless suffering from this High maternal and neonatal mortality rates plague preventable disease: 1.9 million nets have been distrib- women throughout Mozambique. Yet, many of these uted, 11,600 health workers have received training, 134 deaths could be prevented if women and their children had health facilities have received diagnostic kits and drugs, better access to health care. The Mozambique Ministry and 24 health centers have been revitalized to provide of Health cites three main obstacles as the primary causes care in underserved communities in Africa. This signa- for maternal and neonatal mortality: delays in seeking pre- ture health effort will be brought to culmination in May natal care, the inability to reach a clinic or hospital for de- 2016 at General Conference. But this will not be the livery, and waiting too long to seek treatment for disease. end… it will be a new beginning. To help address these issues, The United Methodist Building on the successes of Imagine No Malaria (INM), Church’s Mozambique Episcopal Area Health Board will Global Health will expand into a holistic new signature be among the first sites to pilot a new Maternal and Child health campaign entitled: “Abundant Health for All: Our Health project. A grant will empower the conference to Promise to Children.” Our promise is to reach 1 million focus on pregnant women and children under two years children with lifesaving interventions by 2020. Our goal is of age living in marginalized and underserved communi- to reduce child morbidity and mortality from preventable ties. Core activities will include encouraging women to use causes by empowering households, promoting compre- prenatal care services, providing services for safe births hensive community-based programming, and providing at the Cambine Clinic in Chicuque, and promoting breast- quality health-service delivery for children under five in the feeding and better nutrition for babies. In addition, commu- most vulnerable communities. nity members will be encouraged to seek early treatment Every child is filled with promise and potential. Yet every for—and learn ways to prevent—priority childhood illness- minute, 12 more children die from preventable causes. Our es, such as diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. promise as a church is to 1) Promote safe births for mothers; Operating out of the Cambine Mission Station, the project 2) Address nutritional challenges and promote breastfeed- will provide services for 13 villages with a population of ing; 3) Advance prevention of and treatment for childhood about 16,250 people, including an estimated 3,250 women diseases; and 4) Promote children’s health and wholeness, of childbearing age and 813 pregnant women. increasing access to treatment. Dr. Olusimbo Ige, a medical doctor and layperson, serves as the ex- New Projects in Mozambique and Liberia ecutive director of Global Health. Originally from Nigeria, she has The Global Health unit has already begun building on the worked with the World Health Organization and USAID. Her med- work of INM through Maternal and Child Health pilot proj- ical specialty is public health. Mary Zigbuo and Allen Zomonway ects in collaboration with UMC annual conference health provided information on behalf of the Liberia Health Board. Hen- boards in Liberia and Mozambique. In both locations, these rietta Labor submitted information on behalf of the Sierra Leone pilot projects are looking to build community-based pro- Health Board. gramming that encourages women to make at least four prenatal care visits, give birth at the health facility, and attend infant welfare clinics after their children are born. Each mom Join in the Work of and baby enrolled in the program will receive follow-ups by Global Health Your gifts to Global Health,

Background: A boy cares for his sister in Fulawahun village near Bo, Advance #3021770, make these Sierra Leone. PHOTO: Mike DuBose/UMNS life-saving health ministries possible. 10 newworldoutlook.org

C o n n e c t e d f o r H e a l t h UMC Health Boards A c r o s s Africa by Jennifer Schumacher-Kocik

ith more than 300 United demonstrated a long history of sup- organizations implement health pro- Methodist health facilities porting healthy communities, both lo- grams in the same regions as church W around the world and vari- cally and globally. Yet today, balancing programs and national countries ous funding opportunities for health the priorities of these many different add their own layers of government programming—including those that health programs can be a daunting health policy. target HIV/AIDS, maternal and child challenge for any one annual con- How can The United Methodist health, malaria, and more—The ference. The challenge becomes Church implement coordinated United Methodist Church has clearly more complicated when international health programming in many different

A unanimous vote for the new health board bylaws, DR Congo. PHOTO: Roman Hofer/EMK New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 11

countries while seamlessly deliver- in their conferences. Most importantly, each member also understands the ing needed health services to local truly unique position of UMC health programming in remote communities communities? The answer that has across Africa. emerged for Global Ministries is in Each UMC health board develops its own strategic plan for overseeing the formation of UMC health boards, United Methodist health programs and facilities in its conference. This stra- of which there are currently 12 ac- tegic plan takes into account the current state of the conference’s health fa- tive health boards in nine countries cilities, the needs of the communities served, and the contributions of other in United Methodist conferences partners active in the same region. Using this context, the strategic plan iden- across Africa and one more in Haiti. tifies the strengths of the health board and outlines its focus, priorities, and The Imagine No Malaria (INM) implementation plan, taking into account the national health strategies of the campaign in 2008 provided a tre- country. Each health board must also align its strategic plan with international mendous opportunity to directly fund health standards. UMC malaria programs in Africa, but When a health a structured framework was neces- board receives an sary to allocate the INM funding, fol- offer of support, its low up on INM activities, and learn members turn to their from the results of those projects. strategic plan and As the Global Health unit’s portfolio priorities to assess has shifted to even greater compre- whether or not the as- hensive health programming—har- sistance aligns with monizing malaria, maternal and child their plan. This over- health, and health-system strength- arching governance ening elements—the health boards is critical to ensuring have emerged as focal points for all that, while the day- Global Health unit grants. They are to-day operations of the primary contact for UMC-related each UMC health fa- groups and agencies that are inter- cility proceed, a long- ested in supporting health program- term vision for what ming in Africa. the health board’s pro- gram promotes is al- Dr. Alain Kabwita in front of the planned surgical ward in Mulungwishi. UMC Health Boards ways kept in mind. PHOTO: Roman Hofer/Connexio A UMC health board is generally comprised of 10 to 15 members who Overseeing a UMC Health Board represent, in Africa, one portion of a While the big-picture governance of a United Methodist health board is key to UMC episcopal area. The strength of the long-term sustainability of health services, the daily work of making sure each health board lies in its member- health programs are on schedule, within budget, and reaching overall targets ship and especially in the persever- must also be monitored. In addition, communicating with each UMC facility to ance of its coordinator. Health board ensure it has the necessary supplies and is equipped to meet its patient load members are appointed because of requires knowledgeable leadership. This is where the vital operational link of their unique set of skills and exper- the health board coordinator comes into play. The coordinator connects United tise in areas such as finance, law, Methodist health facilities and programs with the overarching strategic goals public health, community relations, of the health board, but the work does not end there. The coordinator is also or other related fields that can posi- responsible for finding sources of funding to ensure that the programs and tively contribute to strengthening the facilities remain operational, often through grants and other forms of support health programming in annual or cen- from United Methodist entities and agencies, such as Global Ministries. This tral conferences. While the health means writing grant applications and evaluation reports. It also means work- board coordinator is a full-time staff ing closely with donors so that they understand the context of the United position of the conference, all of the Methodist health program. other members volunteer their time Unpacking the challenges that Dr. Philippe Okonda Akasa, Health Board to support UMC health programming Coordinator for the East Congo Episcopal Area Health Board, and Dr. Pierre 12 newworldoutlook.org

Manya, Health Board Coordinator for where the health board is based in they are best positioned to use their the Central Congo Episcopal Area Kinshasa, but the majority of the strengths to make a difference in the Health Board, deal with on a daily UMC facilities under his leadership community, saving lives and building basis highlights the enormousness are located 1,000 to 1,500 miles a healthier future. The tools of a stra- of the work they are leading. Both away. Transporting supplies out tegic plan, qualified staff, and an ef- Dr. Okonda and Dr. Manya work in to those facilities is a tremendous ficient governance structure empow- the Democratic Republic of Congo, challenge. As in East Congo, some er health boards to provide quality the 11th largest country in the world, areas are only accessible by plane. health programming. where The United Methodist Church Dr. Manya recently had the chal- The United Methodist health currently has four health boards: lenge of sending 20,000 nets to 10 board structure is a relatively new ap- Central Congo Episcopal Area, East health facilities in Central Congo— proach to local empowerment. Each Congo Episcopal Area, North Katanga by boat, then by car, or motorcy- health board contributes something Episcopal Area, and the South Congo cle, or bicycle—to reach each of unique to its local context. The sto- Episcopal Area. the remote facilities. Tackling the ries that follow detail how health Dr. Okonda and the East Congo logistics of facility visits, supply boards across Africa are contributing Episcopal Area Health Board, based procurement and delivery, and pro- to healthier communities by operat- in Kindu, oversee UMC health pro- gram support requires a good deal ing locally, filling in gaps, and partner- gramming for a region that includes of knowledge and a team that can ing with other organizations and their areas of the DR Congo that endured work to meet these operational respective governments for a stron- years of conflict and other areas that challenges. ger future. have limited or nonexistent transpor- tation infrastructure. For instance, the A Piece of distance from Kindu to reach Tunda a Larger Contributing Locally Hospital—just one of the UMC health Health System in Malawi facilities in East Congo—can take six Each United Methodist health board Story based on INM reports hours by car, while other health facili- operates within a national govern- submitted by Malawi Health Board ties are still much harder to access, ment health system that mandates coordinator, Chancy Alfred Kamanga requiring travel by air where roads the policies and protocols to be fol- Nthowela. are nonexistent. lowed, whether by community-based Dr. Manya oversees UMC health or facility-based health care pro- alawi is a landlocked country programming for Central Congo, grams. There are government stan- in southern Africa surround- dards in place concern- M ed by Zambia, Tanzania, and ing how to educate local Mozambique. The majority of its pop- communities about HIV/ ulation lives in rural communities on AIDS, malaria, and other very little income. According to the diseases and different World Health Organization’s World materials available in dif- Malaria Report 2015, Malawi is a high ferent contexts. In addi- transmission country and 100 per- tion, every UMC health cent of its population is at risk of con- facility must follow a na- tracting malaria. The UMC Malawi tional government proto- Health Board team received its first col for treating diseases, Imagine No Malaria (INM) grant in and UMC health workers 2014 to implement a malaria preven- must be knowledgeable tion program. and up-to-date on the The Nsanje District is one of treatment protocols. the poorest districts in Malawi, so UMCOR staff working with Dr. Lesthu at the Lokole Health It is within this inter- the Malawi Health Board identi- Center in Kindu, RC. Dr. Lesthu is 2nd from left, and Dr. Philippe Okonda (third from left), has taken over as the connected environment fied the rural community of Mbenje East Congo coordinator of health work. that health boards op- Mwachedwa in Nsanje to implement PHOTO: Christie R. House erate and discern how its first INM project. The project New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 13

dung in their home before bedtime would kill mosquitoes carrying the malaria parasite. This may work as long as the fire is burning, but what they could not see was that, when the smoke blew away, the mosqui- toes returned, so the family was con- stantly visiting the local health facility for malaria treatments. In addition, they developed respiratory problems from inhaling the black smoke. During one of the Malawi Health Board com- munity meetings on malaria preven- tion, the Sailesi family learned how important it is to sleep under a LLIN every night. When the UMC Malawi Long-lasting insecticide-treated net (LLIN) distribution in Malawi. team returned to distribute the LLINs, PHOTO: Courtesy Malawi Health Board the family welcomed the nets and pledged to sleep under them every aimed to increase the community’s of working closely with other part- night all year round. knowledge of malaria prevention ners, including the local government However the strength of the through awareness activities, which and other faith-based groups who Malawi Health Board’s program meant ensuring that all of the lead- were implementing similar projects. reaches beyond the Sailesi family, as ers of the community, institutions, Partnering with the local govern- family members have taken the les- and local government were part of ment and other organizations allowed sons from the community meetings the process. In addition, the Malawi the new health board team to build and passed on the vital information to Health Board sought to increase the on the knowledge, information, and others. They encourage their neigh- number of people owning and using resources of the local government bors to use the nets rather than burn- long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, to harmonize programs and mes- ing cattle dung. The long-term effects known as LLINs, by distributing sages and to avoid duplication of ac- will remain within the community as 2,000 nets in the community and fol- tivities. For example, when beginning these important messages contin- lowing up to make sure people hung the community awareness activities, ue to pass from trusted neighbor to their nets up properly and slept under the Malawi team decided to work trusted neighbor. them every night. with the well-established community Any net distribution is a compli- health committees and community- cated project, especially challeng- based drama groups to build the UMC Closing the Gaps in the ing the first time through, requiring a presence within the community. This Fight Against Malaria in very specific set of steps to ensure worked much better than creating Zimbabwe that those who need nets actually re- new groups, avoided duplication of Story based on INM reports ceive them. But the Malawi Health efforts and resources, and also dem- submitted by the Zimbabwe Health Board, led by its coordinator, Chancy onstrated the willingness of the UMC Board coordinator, Hannah Mafunda. Alfred Kamanga Nthowela, took this INM program to work with others. challenge in stride. Board members What is most inspiring is to see hen the Zimbabwe UMC learned a great deal in the course of some of the positive results already Health Board team began this INM project implementation, par- taking place in Mbenje Mwachedwa W its work with the INM pro- ticularly concerning how the UMC village. Coordinator Kamanga gram, the Zimbabwe Health Board board fits into the larger health pro- Nthowela told the story of the coordinator, Hannah Mafunda, knew gram network in Malawi. As a new Sailesi family—father, mother, and immediately how important it was to entrant into health programming, 18-month-old son. This small fam- coordinate with other organizations. board members saw the importance ily believed that burning dried cattle The Zimbabwe Ministry of Health 14 newworldoutlook.org

already had an active malaria program venues for the meetings were pro- knowledge of malaria prevention be- that drew tremendous support from vided by community members with- fore this training, from various aware- the United Nations Global Fund and out cost. However, what was most ness campaigns, was not adequate many other donors, so it was impor- rewarding was to see the govern- for me to go and teach others from tant to find a place where the UMC ment support, which provided infra- my ward. Following this training, I am could use its assets to strengthen the structure and health facilities. Other now confident that I can teach oth- fight against malaria. With guidance churches with health facilities, includ- ers about prevention and what to do from the government, the Zimbabwe ing the Roman Catholic Church in the when they suspect malaria is making Health Board team chose to com- district, made their facilities available them sick.” plement the Ministry of Health and for trainings. Working with the gov- Senita was an impressive par- Child Care efforts in the Mt. Darwin ernment, other religious groups, and ticipant in the CBHW program, and District. The UMC pro- while she scored only 35 gram focused on im- percent on the malaria pre- proving the skills and test before the training, knowledge of malaria she scored 80 percent on case management for the malaria post-test when village health work- the training was complete. ers and School Health Senita was thrilled to be Masters, which, in turn able to take the knowledge could improve diagno- she gained back to the com- sis and effective treat- munity, encourage those ment of uncomplicated who may have malaria to malaria in remote parts get tested, and refer those of Zimbabwe. Access with complicated cases to to health facilities in the hospital. Senita knows these areas is some- how important her work in times difficult and re- the community is to help quires walking several save lives and she is proud hours one way. to have been chosen by the Mr. Mudzamba, the district pharmacist for Mt. Darwin in Zimbabwe, Since The United teaches community health workers on use of a malaria medication. community to carry this tre- Methodist Church was PHOTO: Zimbabwe UM Health Board mendous responsibility. the only faith-based or- In her report, Mafunda ganization directly involved in a ma- other implementing organizations, also mentioned Evangelista laria program of such magnitude in such as World Vision Zimbabwe, Mapurira, a teacher at Chawanda the Mt. Darwin District, the com- helped the Zimbabwe Health Board High School (age 34), who attend- munity welcomed the work, which team to make every dollar count. ed the training for the School Health they had believed to be the domain The story of how Senita Tom (age Masters. Mapurira told the story of of the government or international 36) became a Community-Based a recent student at Chawanda High NGOs. The Zimbabwe Health Board Health Worker (CBHW) shows how School who died because of com- team worked closely with the local a whole community can stand be- plications from severe malaria. This government to make sure that vital hind any one person. As Senita Tom was a terrible loss for the whole technical support was provided and told Hannah Mafunda: “Members of community. Mapurira said that if the with the local community to ensure my community managed to contrib- school had begun the School Health that people felt the program would ute money for my bus fare to come Masters program earlier, it may have be beneficial. for the training. The knowledge that been able to save that student. The level of support the UMC team I have gained during the training will Today, Evangelista Mapurira is created was demonstrated by the help me go back and educate my trained in malaria case manage- large number of people who attend- community in malaria prevention and ment and is committed to using ed meetings, workshops, and dem- in case management and I hope we the skills she learned to reduce onstrations. In addition, most of the will see fewer malaria deaths. My the number of deaths caused by New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 15

malaria. As she says, “This training is a welcome initiative and it will go a long way in saving the lives of the children we teach.” Knowledge of malaria diagno- sis, treatment, and prevention has transformed and empowered the Mt. Darwin community. Mortality rates significantly decreased during the INM program from a total of 16 cases of deaths due to malaria in the second quarter of 2014, down to five deaths in the third quarter and only one death in the fourth quarter. This is an amazing step forward in a dis- trict where malaria was once report- ed to be one of the greatest dangers to human life and the second lead- One of the difficulties of providing health care in the DR Congo is the road infrastructure, or ing cause of death. The work of the lack thereof. Dr. Alexis attempts a trip to Kabongo Hospital. Zimbabwe UMC Health Board team PHOTO: Roman Hofer/EMK has had a tremendous impact. The trained community health workers service, and limited rail lines), the DR focused on raising community aware- will remain attached to the health fa- Congo presents a tremendous chal- ness about the protective quality of cilities and will be supervised accord- lenge for the government to tackle on nets and the importance of main- ingly, so the work will continue and its own. In an effort to combat these taining them. At the end of the cam- any future program will be able to obstacles, a series of partnerships paign, workers and volunteers had build upon the foundation laid by the have emerged to provide support to visited an estimated 220,708 house- UMC INM program. roll out mass net distribution cam- holds, including 27,154 with children paigns in a staggered process across under the age of five and 61,095 with the country. pregnant women. A total of 529,255 Partnering to Support a One such partnership included the LLINs were distributed through 384 Mass Net Distribution, Imagine No Malaria (INM) Program volunteers to reach over 1.3 million DR Congo of The United Methodist Church, people in the eight health zones of Story based on evaluation report specifically with the East Congo Maniema Province. submitted by Professor Gilbert UMC Health Board, who partnered The UMC participation in the net Utshudienyema Wembodinga with NetsforLife® (a program of the distribution partnership was impor- Episcopal Relief and Development or- tant in linking the project with the ecause of its geography, the ganization), UNICEF, the Democratic community. It is always difficult to Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo Ministry of Health, change people’s behavior, but hearing B with a population of over 74 and the Kinshasa School of Public the message from a group of peers in million people, continues to battle a Health. These groups came together the community increases the chanc- high number of malaria cases that to support the net distribution cam- es for change. An independent eval- plague the country. According to the paign in eight health zones of the uation showed that the percentage World Health Organization, nearly the Maniema Province in June 2014. of people who were part of the cam- entire population is at risk. Couple Along with the nets, the campaign in- paign who continue to sleep under that with the fact that the World Bank cluded social and behavioral change the LLIN every night is higher than classifies the country as a low-in- components aimed at fostering local for those who were not part of the come country with an extremely lim- ownership by addressing local con- campaign. This is a tremendous suc- ited transportation infrastructure (few cerns, particularly beliefs that could cess for the UMC East Congo Health paved roads, inconsistent aviation impede net usage. The approach Board and the partnership team. 16 newworldoutlook.org

Nigeria Health Board Reaches 30 Remote Villages with Malaria Prevention and Treatment

our countries—Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo F (DRC), Ethiopia, and Uganda— account for nearly 50 percent of deaths due to malaria (from CDC and USAID reports, 2013). Nigeria is the worst hit, with more reported malaria cases and deaths than any other country in the world. With a A long-lasting insecticide-treated net (LLIN) distribution in Nigeria. population of about 170 million, Photo: Global Health/Global Ministries many rural and hard-to-reach vil- lages are often left out of national The aim of the Rural Health pro- mothers in 30 villages. The health malaria control efforts. These re- gram is to reach the most vulnerable, board hopes to reach even more vil- mote and forgotten villages have pregnant women, and children under lages with nets and services in 2016. been the focus of the Rural Health age five with LLINs, malaria diagno- program of the United Methodist sis, and treatment services in these Jennifer Schumacher-Kocik is a senior Church in Nigeria. The Nigerian underserved villages. Services are program manager in Health and De- Health Board has been responding provided through two mobile clin- velopment with the Global Health unit, to the challenge of malaria in remote ics supported by Imagine No Malaria Global Ministries. Previously she served villages tucked in the nooks of the grants from the General Board of as a grants officer for the Imagine No Sandstone Mountains of northeast- Global Ministries. The first phase of Malaria program with UMCOR and has ern Nigeria along the banks of the bed-net distribution in 2014 reached more than 10 years’ experience work- Upper Benue River and stretching 3,400 women in 10 villages. The sec- ing on international projects in Africa, across Federated States of Bauchi, ond phase in 2015 was targeted to Asia, and Europe, as well as in nonprofit Gombe, Taraba, and Adamawa. reach 15,000 pregnant and nursing administration.

t H e 13 U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t H e a lt h B o a r d s

1. Côte d’Ivoire In 10 active countries 2., 3., 4., 5. Democratic Republic of the Congo— 1. Côte d’Ivoire Health boards in 4 episcopal areas 2. Democratic Republic of the Congo—Health Board 6. Haiti in 4 episcopal areas 7. Liberia 3. Haiti 8. Malawi 4. Liberia 9. Mozambique 5. Malawi 10. Nigeria 6. Mozambique 11. Sierra Leone 7. Nigeria 12. South Sudan 8. Sierra Leone 13. Zimbabwe 9. South Sudan 10. Zimbabwe New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 17 missionmemo

Breaking New Ground New Mission Initiative A groundbreaking ceremony at Grace United Methodist Central African Republic (CAR) was designated as a mis- Church in Atlanta—with Global Ministries’ staff, Atlanta sion initiative by the board of directors of Global Ministries community leaders, and partner organizations—marked during its semiannual meeting, October 2015. new beginnings for the United Methodist mission agen- The designation of the Central African Republic, one cy. The event symbolized the breaking open of new of the poorest, most conflict-ridden nations on earth, spaces for innovation and collaboration, a deepening re- was a reminder of John Wesley’s commitment to the lationship with the church in Atlanta, and new partner- poor, oppressed, marginalized, and those affected by vio- ships with local communities. lent conflict. Encouragement for Global Ministries’ move came “We already have a mission start in CAR through the from local churches, universities, and organizations— work of United Methodists in the Democratic Republic of including Emory University, the Rollins School of Public Congo, and now we will slowly, strategically work with Health, and Candler School of Theology, as well as The local church leaders to extend the Methodist movement Carter Center, Clark Atlanta University, and Gammon and ministry,” said George Howard, Global Ministries’ Theological Seminary. deputy general secretary for Mission and Evangelism. In December, the William I.H. and Lula E. Pitts “Our hope is to support local efforts that strengthen the Foundation awarded Global Ministries a $500,000 grant spiritual and material welfare of the people,” he said, “and to support the renovation and construction project of witness to peace and concern for human welfare.” the mission agency’s new office at 458 Ponce De Leon Avenue in midtown Atlanta. Dixon-Rabb Hall The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Caring Amid Climate Change capped off its 75th anniversary celebration by honoring Global Ministries’ Creation Care Ministry Team par- its former top executive, the late Rev. Sam Dixon, and the ticipated in the historic United Nations Framework late Rev. Clint Rabb, Global Ministries’ mission volunteers Convention on Climate Change in Paris, where 195 executive, in a dedication ceremony of a new dormitory countries signed a climate change agreement on that bears their name— the Dixon-Rabb Hall. The new December 12, 2015. dormitory will house volunteers who serve in assembling The United Methodist Church and Global Ministries much-needed relief supplies at the Sager Brown Depot in are committed to working together with church part- Baldwin, Louisiana. ners around the world to make positive contributions to the agreement goals, as well as reducing its own DEATHS—Beatrice M. Orrell, retired deaconess with carbon footprint. With special attention to global warm- more than 33 years of service in the United States, died ing’s impact on vulnerable populations, the mission September 5, 2015…Lois C. Olsen, retired missionary agency responds to global health issues triggered by with 12 years of service in Kenya and Sierra Leone, died global warming. September 17, 2015…Mary Anne McKenzie, retired “The impact of climate change on the social and deaconess with more than 40 years of service in the environmental determinants of health—clean air, safe United States, died November 22, 2015…Nova Dixon- drinking water, sufficient food, and secure shelter are Brown, retired missionary with 24 years of service in incontrovertible,” stated Dr. Olusimbo Ige, executive Bolivia, died November 29, 2015…Hazel Luella Mallery, director of the Global Health unit. “According to the retired missionary with nearly three years of service in World Health Organization, between 2030 and 2050, Nigeria, died December 2, 2015…Argus G. Parks, re- climate change is expected to cause approximately tired missionary with three years of service in Cuba, died 250,000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, December 2, 2015…Addie Mae Jamieson, retired dea- malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress, if current trends con- coness with 35 years of service in the United States, died tinue,” she said. December 8, 2015. 18 newworldoutlook.org

G o d ’ s S t e a d f a s t L o v e N e v e r f A i l s Saving Lives in the DR Congo by Pierre Manya

s a missionary doctor who coordinates health and A medical services for the Central Congo Episcopal Area, I am happy to share news of our ex- citing health-care ministries. I am thankful for the support of so many United Methodists throughout our connection. As my medical work focuses on obstetrics and gynecology, I see many families through pregnancy and childbirth. Therese Manu, whom I have seen recently, has come to the hospital for her fourth pregnan- cy. She is 26 years old and has three children. If she continues at this rate (as so many women in the DR Congo do) she will end up with 10 children by the time she is 35. In our country, where the economy of the household is in the hands of women, learning how to defer and space out the births of children is more than a necessity. According to official national statis- Dr. Pierre Manya with a young mother and her baby, DR Congo. tics, there are 549 deaths for every PHOTO: Courtesy Dr. Manya 100,000 living births in the DR Congo. A lack of information on family plan- even by many educated women, and yet it is an important intervention to re- ning is one reason for this statistic. duce the deaths caused by illegal and dangerous abortions or during pregnan- Seven out of 10 women in the coun- cy and the delivery process. try have never heard of family plan- There are lots of misconceptions around this issue of family planning. People ning. Family planning is not practiced think that a woman who uses pills or any other contraceptive means ends New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 19

up unable to become pregnant—or the two hospitals in our conference—Wembo Nyama and Minga. My major worse, contracts womb cancer. The concern is helping women who struggle to give birth, whose health and de- other side of this ignorance of the im- livery complications sometimes lead to the death of either the mother or the portance of family planning results in baby, or both. These preventable deaths greatly disturb me. In African culture, poor health for the mother and the women who do not have children experience great sadness, blame, and stig- children and poverty for the family. ma. So I do all I can to help women deliver safely. Maternity is very important Families with numerous children are in our culture. It is always a great joy when a baby is born. those whose children often suffer We stress the importance of prenatal consultation. Many of our women from malnutrition. struggle because of poverty. They seek to thrive and survive in living condi- Women are very strong when it tions that cause them to neglect their health. Though a woman may do prena- comes to feeding the family. They will tal consultations from the first day she discovers her pregnancy to her day of create small businesses, grow small giving birth, unexpected complications or bleeding can still happen. If there is gardens, sell their crafts, or find other no urgent intervention, death can occur. In addition, fetal suffering generally means to bring in income. There is a happens at the time of delivery. saying that states that it is better to warn than to cure. We believe that education, information, and training will solve many problems. Education is feasible and cost-effective. But, as I cannot be everywhere at the same time, we need to educate and train village midwives so that they, in turn, can repeat the message to as many women as possible. Husbands must also be invited to training ses- sions to understand the rationale of family planning because, in many in- stances, they are the main obstacle. Our God is a God who takes care of and provides for the needy, the poor, the sick, the oppressed, and the marginalized. I see evidence of God’s grace, love, and presence in Dr. Manya in Diengenga, DR Congo, giving a family planning workshop. the faces and actions of the people PHOTO: Courtesy Dr. Manya with whom and for whom I serve. God protects them and wants us to We are trying to find ways to help women who might need a Cesarean sec- do likewise—to love in deeds and not tion (C-section) to have it free of charge in order to save the baby and the mother. in words only. In the Congo, medical consumable materials (suture thread, packets of blood, compresses, anesthesia, oxygen, adhesive plaster), oil (for the generator), and Women’s Health in medicines are needed. All this amounts to approximately $60 per C-section. This DR Congo does not count the number of hours put in by the medical personnel needed to The Democratic Republic of Congo is perform the surgical procedure. We seek to provide affordable health care; there- the second largest country in Africa fore, we cannot charge realistic fees. We are dependent upon God to move in the by its size, with over 70 million peo- hearts of individuals, congregations, and government agencies to provide materi- ple. Paradoxically, despite its riches als, equipment, and funds to subsidize our ongoing budgetary needs. in mineral resources, this country has Africa’s second highest rate for deaths Healing for All during pregnancy and at delivery. Last fall, a woman who had been raped was brought in for treatment. She The average rate of deliveries per had become pregnant as a result. She was just a little over three feet tall. The month is 30 to 35 women in each of man responsible for the act had disappeared. At the end of the pregnancy, 20 newworldoutlook.org

a C-section was required, as In addition to medical in- she couldn’t give birth nor- tervention, we are also work- mally. Without that interven- ing on the following preven- tion, death was highly likely, tive measures in the Central because neither she nor her DR Congo Conference: train- family could afford the cost ing midwives and nurses at of a C-section. the maternity clinic to be The Bible teaches us that aware of their roles; con- where human wisdom stops tinuing the mobilization and there God starts to work. involvement of communi- God never leaves God’s ty members to encourage children alone. This partic- women to avoid giving birth ular intervention was pos- at home; promoting family sible because of the wider planning to keep mothers United Methodist support of and children in good health. my ministry. I paid $200 for the operation, $100 for her Dr. Pierre Diamba Manya was food, and $100 for other re- born in Ndju in eastern Kasai lated expenses. She couldn’t Province of the DR Congo. Fol- believe it. She is now a wit- lowing secondary school, he ness to God’s love—and pro- received his Preparatory Cer- claims that love to anyone tificate in Sciences at Bukavu who will listen. That had it Dr. Manya oversees a blood transfusion in Diengenga. in 1975. In 1983 he graduated not been for the church, she PHOTO: Courtesy Dr. Manya from the University of Kinsha- could have died. Both she sa as a doctor of medicine and and the baby are doing well. of family planning and prenatal con- as a surgeon, with a specialty in gynecol- In the DR Congo, 56 percent of sultation, rape is causing more dam- ogy and obstetrics. He has been in medi- women’s deaths are due to preg- age and pain. In general, women are cal mission since 1984 and currently nancy complications. But the strug- ashamed to denounce rape for fear of supervises all of the United Methodist- gle is on several fronts. While we rejection by their family and commu- related medical facilities in the Central are working hard to inform men nity. Educating people about chang- Congo area and monitors their compli- and women about the importance ing their behavior is important. ance with official standards.

W a y s t o S u p p o rt t h is Ministry

I thank you for your support which helps us be successful while working in a context of extreme poverty. Ninety-five percent of women cannot afford to pay for aC -section.

We all know the story in Luke 10:30-37, when Jesus told the expert on Moses’s law to “go and do likewise.” Without your assistance, our work would be very difficult.T wo avenues of Advance giving support this work.

Minga Hospital and Wembo Nyama Repairs and Solar Panels for Maternity Advance #13573O Gifts to this project are used to repair buildings that were damaged or neglected during the war and install solar panels, most helpful for surgery when general electricity fails.

Dr. Manya’s work can be supported through The Advance, #15165Z. New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 21 US Health Forum Promotes Healthy Congregations, Healthy Communities

by Linda Unger

early 200 participants from Hospital and St. Paul’s United nations, to realize we are all vulner- US-based United Methodist Methodist Church. Participants were able, we all have unmet needs,” par- N annual conferences, local welcomed by the Texas Conference’s ticularly in the area of health. and regional health programs, hospi- bishop, Janice Riggle Huie. The process that led to the cel- tal systems, seminaries, and general Thomas Kemper, general secre- ebration of the forum involved deep agencies gathered in Houston, Texas, tary of Global Ministries, noted in his listening to stakeholders in the health to share experiences and turn their address to the gathering that focus- field, Kemper said. Questionnaires gaze to the future of the church’s ing the meeting on health ministries were sent to United Methodists health ministry in the United States. in the United States allowed partici- and others in the United States and Convened by the General Board pants to begin to contemplate the around the world, and listening ses- of Global Ministries in partnership next steps of the denomination’s sions were held in the Philippines with the General Board of Pension Global Health Initiative from a per- and elsewhere, all as part of the dis- and Health Benefits and Wesley spective of “shared vulnerabilities.” cernment of the next steps of the Theological Seminary in Washington, Doing so, he said, “changes a church’s health ministry. DC, the US Health Forum, held power dynamic prevalent in chari- The United Methodist Church has September 9 to 10, 2015, was table works and helps all people, tasked Global Ministries with creat- co-hosted by Houston Methodist whether in developed or developing ing a new global health ministry to

Global Ministries’ General Secretary Thomas Kemper gives a presentation at the US Health Forum, Houston, Texas, in September 2015. PHOTO: Tom Pruski/Wesley Seminary 22 newworldoutlook.org

engage the denomination when its said, “whether it’s by investing re- Presenters and participants alike eight-year Imagine No Malaria Initiative sources, using proven strategies, or showcased The United Methodist passes the baton this year at General coordinating with health-care systems. Church’s rich variety of health min- Conference, a churchwide gathering Even identifying and focusing on just istries and spoke eloquently to the held every four years to set priorities one issue in each community will value of partnership within and and policy. make a difference.” among all spheres of community, Nevertheless, Kemper said, “We Dr. Ige challenged the forum faith, and civic engagement. don’t own the health area,” and he in- participants to take part in a new Among the health ministries repre- vited the spirited participation of those US health initiative she called sented at the forum were community at the forum—and of the worldwide “Healthy Congregations, Healthy centers and clinics; faith community church—in visioning and making real Communities.” It is a 21st century ex- nurses; a center for grieving children; and relevant the next iteration of the tension of a Methodist emphasis on programs focused on exercise, nutri- denomination’s Global Health Initiative. physical, mental, and spiritual health tion, spiritual care, and clergy care; begun in 18th century England by John community-based hospital outreach Healthy Congregations, Wesley, Methodism’s founder. and liaison programs; and seminary Healthy Communities She called on the attendees to ex- programs at the intersection of health Dr. Olusimbo Ige, executive director amine four facets of healthy living— and spirituality. of Global Ministries’ Global Health exercise, healthy eating, mental health “I especially love that people from unit, told forum participants that care, and addiction-free living—and to all different levels are here,” said United Methodists must redouble commit their congregations and insti- Barbara Boigegrain, general secretary their efforts to promote healthy living tutions to develop or amp up health of the General Board of Pension and and stem the advance of preventable ministries that focus on one or more Health Benefits (GBOPHB). “There diseases. of these areas. is a challenge to working both locally

Jesus doesn’t just heal illness; he restores wholeness. We see the child of God and can move to health and wholeness.

She reported that, in the United Church Role in and systematically, and for many peo- States alone, some 900,000 people Health Ministry ple, this is the perfect example of ex- die prematurely each year, 360,000 The Rev. Dr. David McAllister-Wilson, plaining that.” of them—more than a third—from president of Wesley Theological After the first session of presen- preventable diseases. What is really Seminary, assured the participants tations, Boigegrain said she already alarming, she continued, is that “in- that the church is uniquely situated could see “new opportunities for part- creasingly, children are being diag- to play a protagonist role in health nership between United Methodist nosed with grown-up diseases such ministry. congregations and the services the as type-2 diabetes. In this country, we “Jesus doesn’t just heal illness; agencies strive to deliver.” are surrounded by children with an un- he restores wholeness,” McAllister- Bringing the denomination’s known future,” she cautioned. Wilson reflected. “We see the child health protagonists together to ad- Heart disease, lung diseases, can- of God and can move to health and vance the church’s health ministry cer, stroke, and injuries are the leading wholeness.” is both exciting and challenging, and causes of death in the United States. He encouraged the gathering by Boigegrain said, it will be important More and more, Dr. Ige said, young underscoring their mission vocation. to set priorities, stay focused, and people are engaging in unhealthy hab- Many in the church, he said, “are ob- identify measureable health out- its that may lead to these conditions: sessed with our numerical decline and comes of a new denominational smoking, drinking alcohol, failing to ex- wonder about the next big plan to re- Global Health Initiative. ercise, and eating a poor diet. verse it. But I am reminded of Jesus’ “What we decide to do must be “We need to act on what we know and his disciples’ plan: Proclaim the central to the groups working on it— to help people live healthy lives,” she good news, heal the sick.” central to the church and to all the New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 23

parties—in order to generate excite- ministry, Opalinski wrote. In a first out- lunch, and he hopes to invite more ment and support,” she continued. reach, flu shots were offered, along neighbors to it. Boigegrain’s colleague at the Board with screenings of blood pressure, The Rev. Jeremy Basset, senior of Pensions, Jon Jones, called the blood sugar, and cholesterol. Next, pastor of Christ Church in Oklahoma forum “a platform to share ideas and Christ Church plans to offer a “foot City and the head of the Oklahoma resources.” And, he said, “We com- washing ministry,” including podia- Conference’s mission office, said his mit to not treat this as an event, but to try care, and a “clean sock-exchange small delegation would be pondering keep opportunities alive. We hope you ministry,” whereby each week, home- three questions following the forum: leave with a renewed sense of hope to less people can trade in dirty socks for What can we do? What can’t we do? take action,” he told the participants. clean ones when they come to the What might we do? church for a nourishing meal. “This is about reconnecting to the Envisioning Possibilities “We are fortunate at Christ roots of Methodism, engaging with Forum participant Andra Opalinski of Church,” Opalinski wrote, “that we the brokenness of the world,” he said. Christ United Methodist Church in Fort have ministries that are relevant to all “Our job is to equip the 520 churches Lauderdale, Florida, of our conference to do this later wrote in an email ministry. We are commit- that she found the ted in the Oklahoma Annual forum helpful in “ig- Conference to equip every niting ideas” for how local church to do God’s her church might ad- mission. The models shared vance the health min- with us here today will be of istries it had already great interest to equip the begun. “Experiencing local church.” the many creative ap- Dr. Ige of Global Minis- proaches presented at tries noted, “We had such the US Health Forum an eclectic mix [at the created an energy to forum] to show that pro- envision possibilities, moting healthy living is not and invited an open- just the task of doctors or ness to see where God faith community nurses. was already working,” Global Health staff member Patricia Magyar with Tom Pruski at the US It’s not just for multimillion- she wrote. Health Forum. PHOTO: courtesy Tom Pruski/Wesley Seminary dollar institutions. We have Opalinski, an as- seen the different ways sistant professor at Florida Atlantic the challenges [launched at the forum]: we’re already doing this and the pos- University with a Ph.D. in nursing and healthy diet, yoga, addiction-free living, sible range of involvement.” a member of Christ United Methodist and mental health care.” She called on the participants to Church in Fort Lauderdale, said that her “create environments supportive of church has a new ministry that provides Carrying Forward children’s health” and to open their nourishing food for people in need the Challenge facilities to their communities, es- at Christ Church’s second campus in Even before the forum concluded, pecially to children, as healthy hab- Pompano Beach. Many of the benefi- participants were discussing the its have the best chance of success ciaries are homeless. “From the first possibilities. when they are learned young. time,” she said, “I was a part of this “I’m learning a lot and getting Dr. Ige urged the attendees to feeding ministry, I had an inner nudging ideas about how to connect with the measure and share the successes of that there must be some health need community beyond my church,” said their health ministries and to aim to the church could address.” the Rev. Hyuk Seonwoo, pastor of reach 1 million children with lifesav- The feeding ministry fostered a Zion Korean UMC in Warwick, Rhode ing interventions. trusting relationship with those who Island. His parish holds a weekly half- came, and that opened the door for day retreat that includes contempla- Linda Unger is the senior writer for the Christ Church to develop a health tive prayer, Tai Chi, and a shared General Board of Global Ministries. 24 newworldoutlook.org

Amount Granted 2014-2015 $ 4,796,726.83 New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 25

Amount Granted 2014-2015 $ 4,796,726.83 26 newworldoutlook.org

H e a l t h S y s t e m s S t r e n g t h e n i n g

Henry Steven Moseray conducts training for health workers in the Kakua Chiefdom, outside Bo, Sierra Leone, prior to a distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets by the Imagine No Malaria campaign. PHOTO: Mike DuBose/UMNS

A People-Centered Approach by Piper Crisovan

hroughout history, epidem- This was no less true when the potentially lifesaving equipment sim- ics have taken their toll on Ebola pandemic struck West Africa ply would lie idle. T societies all across the globe. beginning in December 2013. Here, Global Ministries’ Health Systems Sometimes that toll is severe. A hun- too, the pandemic exposed fissures Strengthening (HSS) program helps dred years ago, for instance, the in the affected health systems that to bolster the physical infrastruc- Spanish flu outbreak took up to 50 otherwise might not have been so ture, human resources, operational million lives worldwide. With each obvious. It was difficult, for exam- capacity, and sustainability of United event, scientists and health-care pro- ple, to get sick patients to a hospital: Methodist and partnering health fa- viders seek diligently to better under- there were not enough ambulances. cilities and programs in Africa and stand the causes and spread of the But even if there were, the poor road around the world. As part of this pro- disease, close the gaps in local health infrastructure was a major obstacle gram, we work to improve standards systems the epidemic exposes, that restricted transport. Likewise, of care, always ensuring that the ef- and identify and address the neces- up-to-date medical equipment might fort is part of a larger strategy of com- sary steps to impede recurrence and be donated, but if no one at a fa- munity-based health education and strengthen those health systems. cility had the training to run it, the development. New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 27

Six Pillars of Health Systems systems-thinking approach to prob- conference health boards to lead and The HSS program objectives are lem solving, emphasizing the need strategize in the field of health care. structured around six pillars of health to understand context and identify systems: human resources, medi- connections between the parts and Building Up Local Capacities cines and technologies, governance, the process of the system. For in- Global Ministries’ approach to health information, financing, and service stance, community health workers systems strengthening is not to bring delivery. These pillars are solid, but are an invaluable human resource in experts from outside to a local con- not static; they interact with each for sharing lifesaving health informa- text, but to support the efforts of local other. So, for example, a simple ques- tion and encouraging sick neighbors people to build up the capacity of their tion about dispensing medicine in a to seek treatment. The community leaders and their health systems. way that is both affordable for local health workers are intimately famil- This is so not only in Africa, where The United Methodist Church’s hos- pital systems encompass some 300 facilities, but across the globe. A September 2015 partners gather- ing in Haiti, for example, met under the theme, “What Can I Do for My Church? Stewardship: Time, Talents, and Treasures.” Fifty people from four countries were present at the meeting to learn how they might support the local church’s efforts, but Bishop Gessner Paul of Eglise Méthodiste d’Haiti (EMH) was clear: The challenge resides principally with the EMH, he said. “Our goal for the next three years is to leave the church less dependent,” Bishop Paul explained. “With your Staff of the Olivier clinic in Haiti meet with UMCOR and Global Health staff. help we can. By God’s help we can—a PHOTO: UMCOR Haiti church capable of moving ahead with its own potential.” Bishop Paul called people and sustainable for the hospi- iar with local customs, beliefs, rela- on the partners present to assist in cul- tal is analyzed through this prism of tionships, and practices. They readily turally appropriate ways that increase components. garner the confidence of their neigh- the capacity of the Haitian church and At the center of Global Ministries’ bors because they know each other. its institutions and decrease their de- efforts to support local hospital sys- They need no translation of the local pendency on outside assistance. tems are the local people, both those context because they are part of that who supply services and those who context and speak its language. A Critical Role for require them. We support the ef- But their efforts are further de- Health Boards forts of local health systems with pendent for success on the capacity Capacity strengthening in the field of grants and training that are peo- of the rest of the health system: the health is already under way in Haiti, ple-centered and context-specific. availability of medicines and appro- with the creation of a coordinating Empowerment of local people is the priate technologies, sufficient fund- team for all of the church’s health pro- crux of our support. This focus also ing and staffing of health centers and gramming: the EMH’s health board. honors the wishes of our partners clinics, access to regular training for Like the health boards of the United across the United Methodist con- the community health workers and Methodist conferences in Africa, this nection and elsewhere. medical staff, access to up-to-date coordination structure allows the EMH Our health engagement with health and medical information, and to identify overall gaps in the health our local partners is driven by the continual capacity-strengthening of system; develop local, contextually 28 newworldoutlook.org

relevant solutions; and ensure that there is equitable distribution of re- sources throughout all health facilities and communities. Health board mem- bers are unpaid volunteers—including medical professionals and community leaders. They are people with strong ties to their communities who care about protecting and advancing their communities’ health. Global Health supports health boards in their role by training them in the following areas related to the six pillars of health systems: leader- James Massally views a microscope slide to test for malaria at the government hospital in ship and management skills, techni- Kenema, Sierra Leone, just days before a distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets by cal content, operations systems, and the denomination’s Imagine No Malaria campaign in the Bo District. finance systems. PHOTO: Mike DuBose/UMNS With this training, health boards are equipped to seek local, lasting so- supports the local economy), and in- recipient, project implementer, and lutions to health and medical needs. ventory stocks so that they can decide monitor of our grants, which typically Acquiring medicines is a case in point. what medicines the system needs at run to three years in duration. If a health board is dependent on out- any given time. side donations, it may acquire a good Global Ministries also supports con- A History of Capacity many medicines it doesn’t need; dis- ference health boards with grants for Building cover that these come with instruc- projects that also are guided by the six Although Global Health is a new unit tions in a foreign (and indecipher- pillars of health systems. By doing so, within the General Board of Global able) language; and have a hard time our funding is targeted and our train- Ministries, it has existed in the board getting the supplies out of customs. ing goes deeper. We can accompany in different forms for decades. While But a health board that is building its a health board longer, track progress, still a part of the United Methodist strength and independence on the pil- and better support the health board’s Committee on Relief (UMCOR), also a lars of health systems might seek to efforts to build capacity and improve unit of Global Ministries, Global Health fill this need another way. It may iden- infrastructure. The pillars give us cri- began developing the Hospital Systems tify a manufacturer of medicines clos- teria so our funding is not random but Strengthening program in 2008, when er to home, purchase the medicines focused on building strength upon The United Methodist Church launched in-country (which, besides including strength. It is the health board, or the the Imagine No Malaria (INM) initia- instructions in the local language, also local partners it identifies, that is the tive. INM, as implemented by UMCOR,

Leadership & Management Skills Technical Content Operations Systems Finance Systems

• Funding • Program Planning • Human Resources Development • Budget • Strategic Planning • Monitoring & Retention Development • Partner Engagement & Evaluation • Procurement & Tracking • Communication • Reporting & & Inventory • Fiscal Reporting • Staff Management Compliance • Information • Finance & • Content Expertise Technology Accounting Policies New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 29

spurred the emergence of United Zimbabwe Episcopal Area health Côte d’Ivoire. They helped local pop- Methodist conference-based health board, led a distribution of some ulations comprehend the true na- boards in West Africa. 23,000 insecticide-treated bed nets in ture of the disease and its spread, Encouraged and trained by Global the Chimanimani District of Zimbabwe modeled lifesaving health prac- Health, the health boards today un- in 2012 and 2013. In September tices, and distributed nourishing derstand their mandate as both en- 2013, she addressed her colleagues food. Everything they learned from compassing and surpassing the at the annual meeting on two top- that pandemic will help their health implementation needs associated ics: the role of the health board coor- boards become stronger and their with combating malaria. Their focus dinator and The Global Fund to Fight people healthier. has expanded from that of a single AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, with disease to promoting and ensur- which she had been engaged. Also Dr. Piper Crisovan, Ph. D., MPH, is cur- ing health-seeking behavior more presenting at that forum was Lazarus rently a senior program manager for broadly and deeply. Filiya, the health board coordinator Maternal and Child Health in the Global Over the past five years, the Global for the Nigeria Conference. He led a Health unit of the General Board of Glob- Health unit has brought together session on community-based primary al Ministries. Crisovan’s Ph.D. research representatives of the 13 United health-care programs and also spoke on cultural constructions of HIV in In- Methodist health boards that are ac- about a trip he’d made to Zambia for donesia, her Master in Public Health in tive across 16 countries in Africa for a meeting of the African Christian community health, her extensive over- a week of training and learning from Health Association. seas experiences in more than 30 coun- one another. As health board mem- And when Ebola spread like wild- tries, and her Peace Corps experience in bers develop their roles, they offer fire across West Africa in 2014 and South Africa have primed her for her their experience to their colleagues 2015, several United Methodist current role. She joined UMCOR in 2013 at this annual pan-Africa meeting. conference-based health boards re- as a technical officer for Community- Hannah Mafunda, coordinator of the sponded—Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Based Primary Health Care.

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washington d.c. 30 newworldoutlook.org God’s Wonderful Plan for Health in Liberia

by Mary Randall Zigbuo

See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Isaiah 49:16 (NRSV)

Mary Zigbuo with Mary, an 11-year-old in Behwan Town, Liberia, who needed urgent surgery to correct a medical problem. Photo: Courtesy Mary Zigbuo New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 31

his passage from Isaiah as- at the regional hospital in Tappita, lo- condition. The course of events points sures us that we are safe in cated about 100 miles away. When to my testimony that God has a won- T God’s hands. For me, the work Mary and her mom made the te- derful plan for this little one! of mission is like a remarkable safety dious journey to Tappita, they were net for God’s people. Those who are at joyfully received and hosted by the Health Work Transitions risk of “falling through the cracks” are Rev. Victoria Dennis, the principal of I arrived back in Liberia in November rescued by the safety nets provided Tappita United Methodist School. of 2014 during the Ebola emergency through our response in mission. Mary’s condition was eventually in western Africa for a special six- I serve as a Global Ministries mis- diagnosed as an enlarged spleen, and month Ebola response and health- sionary in Liberia in a health strength- she required an urgent surgical inter- strengthening support assignment. ening support role, working alongside vention. However, surgery was post- But I had served in Liberia as a mis- our United Methodist Health Board, poned for two more weeks because sionary with my late husband Herbert UM Health Coordination Office, and she was malnourished. The medical for more than 20 years before then. the leaders and staff of five United Over the past months, I’ve had the Methodist health facilities. The United privilege of serving alongside my Methodist Church in Liberia provides Liberian colleagues toward our collec- Christ-centered, compassionate health tive goal of responding to the Ebola care services for more than half a mil- crisis while ensuring the continuous lion people—mostly subsistence farm- operation and ongoing development ing families—living in three counties in of our health-care system. I’ve sup- Liberia and one town in Guinea. ported four UMCOR International From January through March of Disaster Response Ebola interven- 2015, Behwan Town was one of three tions, traveling throughout the coun- southeastern towns that benefitted try, and I have witnessed The United from an UMCOR-sponsored food se- Methodist Church of Liberia’s rel- curity and Ebola awareness interven- evant, resourceful, Christ-centered tion. A one-month food supply was A patient cherishes a prayer cloth sent ministries of education, health care, by a Ganta Hospital partner. The prayers given to 900 beneficiaries who met social justice, agriculture, and other that come along with the cloths transcend the following criteria: abandoned el- geographical boundaries and allow the Holy remarkable efforts aimed at improv- derly persons, vulnerable persons Spirit to do its perfect work of providing ing the quality of life for God’s people. with disabilities, or vulnerable preg- comfort and hope. PHOTO: Mary Zigbuo Now that Ebola is no longer a cri- nant women. Selected community sis, I have remained in Liberia to residents, leaders, teachers, and oth- team prescribed nutritional supple- support two very important admin- ers were trained as Ebola Awareness ments to build up her fragile immune istrative transitions: at Ganta United Trainers and accepted the responsibil- system. Yet two months after the op- Methodist Hospital and at the UMC ity of spreading preventive measures eration, not only had Mary recuper- Department of Health and Welfare. across a wider geographic area. ated, but for the first time in her life, These two vital components of our I met 11-year-old Mary in Behwan she attended school! “Adopted” by health structure sustained adminis- Town. An enlarged abdomen caused the Tappita community that hosted trative changes. The Liberia UMC Mary to walk with a sideways limp, and prayed for and with her, Mary Health Board developed comprehen- which qualified her to receive a one- has remained in Tappita with her sive transition plans for the two enti- month food subsidy. She captured new-found extended family—with ties and I am humbled to play a lead- the hearts of everyone on our team. her mother’s blessing—so that she ing role in carrying out these plans. Her family explained that, over the can be near the medical facility and Global Health’s 2015 Imagine course of two years, though Mary continue her schooling. No Malaria, Health Strengthening was taken back and forth to a local Rev. Dennis, the doctors and nurs- Support, and Maternal Child Health health facility, the medical staff there es, as well as all those who support grants have greatly assisted our fa- was unable to address her condition. United Methodist health work pro- cilities’ efforts to develop drug revolv- Our team contributed funds so that vided the safety net that prevented ing-fund systems, provide commu- Mary could receive medical attention Mary from dying of a treatable medical nity-based health care (with special 32 newworldoutlook.org

emphasis on maternal/child health), and community health volunteer four-hour walk (one way!) to hold an and improve specialized staff capabili- training, among other ministries. outreach clinic in Gbozon, where they ties, administrative and local partner Our facilities provide affordable gave health talks, traditional birth at- development capacity, physical struc- health care and rely upon service tendant training, and other interven- tures, laboratory analysis, and water fees to support operational budgets. tions aimed at improving the general access for each facility. Improving Realistic fees cannot be charged to a health care of the people living in and these attributes will also attract great- public that struggles to support its basic around this remote community. er client access and local support, needs—food, shelter, and clothing. At the Diecke Clinic in the Republic thereby improving revenue. John Dean Town Clinic is located of Guinea, Yah Boayue has demon- in an area where the road network strated courageous efforts to move Health-Care Facilities is very challenging or nonexistent. from a run-down building to a newly With a collective staff of more 260 per- Through wonderful partnership sup- constructed facility. In a strange land, sons, our facilities provide treatment port, coupled with local contributions faced with language and cultural dif- and other services through daily out- of labor and funds, we celebrate the ferences, Yah applied her God-given patient clinics, primary health-care pro- new road just recently bulldozed to talents to finalize the construction grams and activities, a dental clinic, an John Dean Town! Community-based of the new facility, while finding fur- orthopedic clinic, an eye clinic, a dia- primary health-care outreach efforts niture, equipment, and personnel to betes clinic, an HIV/Aids clinic, prena- through all the health facilities im- maintain the clinic’s operation. tal and postnatal clinics, mental health proves the quality of life for people There are other remarkable, cou- services, surgical services (through the living in hundreds of communities rageous, spirit-filled efforts worthy facilities in Ganta, Weala, and Diecke), in Grand Bassa, Nimba, and Margibi of mention. I continue to marvel at X-ray and ultrasonography services, counties and the forest region of the the creative and resourceful meth- laboratory services, in-patient services, Republic of Guinea. ods used in our response to the and emergency triage. Community engagement, health health needs of God’s people living Collective community-based education, and empowerment are under challenging circumstances. health-care outreach activities in- primary goals of our health-care min- Communities are trying their best to clude water and sanitation, malaria istry. I am humbled and amazed by survive. Our resource-challenged fa- prevention, construction of birthing the commitment of Rebecca Senyon, cilities use creative means to stretch houses, targeted health talks, gen- who, before the recent road construc- resources and incorporate cost-saving eral health screening, immunization, tion, led her John Dean Town Clinic strategies. The Liberian Methodists traditional birth attendants training, primary health-care team on a weekly are committed to strengthening com- munities to survive and thrive by pro- viding comprehensive health services that promote healthier communities. Healthy communities set the stage for prosperous communities.

Mary Randall Zigbuo and her late hus- band, Herbert Zigbuo, served as mission- aries in Liberia for more than 20 years, working in the areas of administration, education, health, and social-welfare ministries. Mary served in many roles over those years: as a guidance counsel- or at the Ganta United Methodist Mis- sion Station School; a counselor for Li- berian refugee students in Côte d’Ivoire;

Men saw trees into lumber to make furniture for Ganta Hospital. This is one of the resourceful co-coordinator of Operation Classroom; ways that the hospital uses to save money. and administrator of the Ganta United PHOTO: Mary Zigbuo Methodist Hospital, to name a few. New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 33

L i b e r i a n U n i t e d M e t h o d i st H e a lt h -C a r e fA C i l i t i es

he five United Methodist health-care facilities area. Services include: prenatal care, deliveries, postnatal in Liberia provide treatment services through care, vaccinations, community-based primary health care, T daily out-patient clinics, remarkable and amaz- and common illness screening and treatment. ing community-based primary health-care programs, and activities. Community-based health education is Weala Clinic at Weala done with the advice and participation of local, com- Margibi County munity-based leadership structures. Administrator: Nyempu Kolleh, Registered Nurse; staff of 12 more: one medical doctor, two scrub nurses, with Overview of Health-Care Facilities one nurse anesthetist, two registered nurses, laboratory Our health-care facilities operate within the guidelines of staff, and other clinical and administrative staff and in collaboration with the county health authorities. This clinic offers laboratory services, prenatal and post- Operation funds are primarily derived from service fee in- natal care, vaccinations, laboratory services, surgical pro- take and partnerships through the Advance, Global Health, cedures with short-stay options (major surgical needs and other efforts that strengthen our goal to provide qual- are referred to a hospital), and community-based primary ity health care for all persons living within and around our health care. During 2014, through the support of Hands catchment communities. of Hope International, the clinic hosted a comprehensive, five-day medical team comprised of international and na- Health-Strengthening Support tional volunteer health-care specialists who conducted The United Methodist Church operates five health care community-based screening and treatment as well as facilities: clinic-based surgical and general treatment procedures for more than 800 people. George Z. Dean Town Clinic at Camphor Mission Grand Bassa County Ganta United Methodist Hospital Administrator: Mary K. Gargar-Swee, Registered NIMBA County Nurse; staff of three more—a dispenser, a vaccinator, Administrator: Patrick Mantor, Nurse Practitioner; and a trained, traditional midwife and a staff of more than 200 that includes medical, The clinic provides services for more than 7000 people in administrative support, service support, grounds the western part of Grand Bassa County. The nearest hos- maintenance, and general maintenance pital is more than eight miles away. Sixty-two towns and The hospital serves more than 300,000 people living in villages benefit from the clinic’s services. Services ranging northeastern Liberia and along the Liberia-Guinea border. from prenatal care, deliveries, and postnatal clinic visits to The following treatment areas and services are provided: vaccinations, family planning, and common-illness screen- Out-patient/Ambulatory Care Clinic, Dental Clinic, Eye Clinic, ing and treatment are available. Diabetes Clinic, HIV/Aids Clinic, Mental Health Services, Community-Based Primary Health Care, Orthopedic Clinic, John Dean Town Clinic at John Dean Town Surgical Services, X-ray and Ultrasonography services, Grand Bassa County Emergency Triage, Laboratory, Prenatal Clinic, Labor and Administrator: Rebecca Senyon, Registered Nurse; Delivery, and in-patient wards. staff of four more—a dispenser, a registrar/vaccinator, a cleaner, and a security guard Diecke Clinic, Diecke (Republic of Guinea) The catchment area for this clinic covers about 35 towns Administrator: Yah Boayue, Diecke Clinic has a staff of and villages that are scattered across the southeastern 12: one physician, one Lab Tech, one Registered Nurse Newcess area of Grand Bassa County, bordering Rivercess (RN), one Trained Traditional Midwife (TTM), four nurse- County. The inhabitants of these villages are mainly en- aides and four administrative and support staff members. gaged in subsistence farming and small-scale trading. The Five additional clinical staff members are contracted. clinic is open for outpatient services throughout the year, The clinic provides out-patient and in-patient services. It with a few short-stay services available for critical patients. offers laboratory services, prenatal and postnatal care, A comprehensive traditional birth-attendant training, sup- vaccinations, laboratory services, deliveries, surgical pro- ported by partners of the Ann Arbor District of the Michigan cedures with short stay options (major surgical needs are Annual Conference, strengthens the clinic’s ability to ad- referred to a hospital), and Community-Based Primary dress maternal-child health risks throughout its catchment Health Care.

Background: Ganta UMC Hospital, Liberia PHOTO: Mary Zigbuo 34 newworldoutlook.org

he words of Jesus remind us that God created all of us to share in an abundant life—a life of balance, harmony, and wholeness. And yet, billions of people are struggling with pov- When Ministry T erty in its many manifestations—hunger, malnutrition, infant mortality, preventable diseases, and other avoidable suffering. As we with* the Poor try to respond in mission to these many situations of need, we won- der: What happened to God’s abundance for all? and Global One answer has to do with us creatures, not our Creator. Although humans are on a lifelong journey toward wholeness, we are not yet Health Converge there, and our fears and insecurities create and perpetuate barriers to abundance for all—such as imbalance, disharmony, conflict, scarcity, Abundant Life and inequality, poverty, and injustice. But God continues to call us to be part of the solution, to be part of Abundant Health God’s mission to transform this world into a realm of love and justice. A way to join God’s mission is through the spiritual discipline of en- gaging in authentic Ministry with the Poor and the United Methodist companion focus on Global Health, two of the four priority areas of by Nicholas Laccetti and focus for The United Methodist Church. Mary Ellen Kris

Global Health Abundant life includes abundant health. Dr. Olusimbo Ige Executive Director of Global Health General Board of Global Ministries Jesus said, Global Health is committed to fostering abundant health for all— “I came that meaning physical, mental, and spiritual well-being interconnected through a holistic and inclusive approach. Global Health is especially they may committed to fostering abundant health in economically vulnerable have life, communities by protecting children and disadvantaged adults from preventable causes of death and by improving quality and equitable and have it access to health care for those living on the margins. Although that certainly means that Global Health, with and through abundantly.” its many United Methodist, ecumenical, interfaith, and secular part- John 10:10b (NRSV) ners, will necessarily engage with extremely poor communities outside the United States, the term “global” does not exclude the local, nor does it exclude the United States. Indeed, a new study commissioned New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 35

by the Bread for the World Institute shows that, last year alone, hunger and food insecurity increased health expenditures in the United States by $160 billion (see http://www.bread. org/library/cost-hunger). In addition, in the United States, a recent United Methodist survey demonstrated con- cerns regarding mental health, non- communicable diseases, and aging. In response, Global Health in the United States is focusing on congre- gational, community-based, holistic health ministries, including ministry with those who have physical and mental special needs and those af- fected by substance abuse and relat- ed violence.

The Haywood Street The Haywood Street Congregation sign declares the church as a zone of “Holy Chaos.” Respite PHOTO: Ann C. Merritt The intersection of Global Health and Ministry With is a relational commu- candidates. An Asheville resident recent transformation into a church nity health-care approach in which and classmate, Jody Halstead, urged of the poor. Some middle-income individual and community assets are the group to attend the Wednesday people from the community were valued and harnessed and vulnerable afternoon lunch and worship at present as well. people are treated with dignity and Haywood Street. Halstead had begun The senior pastor, the Rev. Brian respect, accompanied in their strug- volunteering at the Haywood Street Combs, asked, “Whose child are gle toward fullness of life. An exam- Mission on Wednesdays through you?” All answered, “God’s child!” ple of how this approach differs from her own church, Central UMC, and Pastor Brian read the Bible story of traditional institutional health care is now she looked forward to worship David and Goliath. Then, instead of exemplified by the Haywood Street with the Haywood Street community preaching about what the story meant, Respite facility. every Wednesday afternoon. he asked the worshiping community Haywood Street Respite is part of The Haywood Street Congregation to discuss “the Goliaths” in their lives. the Haywood Street Congregation, a UMC turned out to be a stately brick Among people they knew and some United Methodist church in Asheville, building, a remnant of another era. We they didn’t know, the worshipers spon- North Carolina, and a remarkable joined a line of folks who were waiting taneously responded, one by one, giv- Ministry with the Poor mission of the for the free community lunch (known ing powerful personal testimonies Western North Carolina Conference as “the Downtown Welcome Table”). about their Goliaths. Their willingness in its Blue Ridge District. At Haywood Some were also speaking to coun- to expose their vulnerabilities, share Street, volunteers are known and selors about available social services. their demons, and respond in commu- trained to serve as “Companions” After lunch, we went into the sanctu- nity to each other’s unvarnished pain to those “Friends” who come to ary for the noontime worship service. was striking. Haywood Street for a meal, a haircut, The sanctuary was crowded. Most The Haywood Street Respite, spiritual nourishment, companionship, of the people looked to be materially another of the church’s ministries, social services, or post-hospital care. poor. In fact, many of them lived on opened in January 2014. It is “a safe I (Mary Ellen) was fortunate to the streets or under bridges. There place for up to eight homeless adults stumble upon Haywood Street in 2012 were also some elderly women who at a time to rest, get three meals a while taking classes in Ashville with had been members of the church day, and be helped in other ways other United Methodist deaconess during its glory days, long before its to ‘get back on their feet’ following

(Opposite page) The Haywood Street Congregation serves communion, Asheville, North Carolina. PHOTO: Ann C. Merritt 36 newworldoutlook.org

discharge from the hospital. It is Poor. Deaconess and Public Health Social Worker Laura Kirby, who serves short-term care in a home-like set- as the executive director of the Haywood Street Congregation, zeroes in on ting for folks who are too ill or frail what makes the Respite a great example of “Health With:” “It’s been a won- to recover on the streets after sur- derful fulfillment of our mission at Haywood Street. The relationship piece is gery or acute illness” (from http:// what is transforming lives here.” To learn more about the many dimensions haywoodstreet.org/2013/07/ of this dynamic congregation, its ministries with the poor, its training oppor- respite/). tunities, and how to become involved here or in your own community, go to The Haywood Street Respite is www.haywoodstreet.org and view the videos, blogs, and other materials. more than a hospital alternative. The home-like setting provides a place of rest where people are treated like Life Abundant friends or family rather than clients. To have life abundant and to enjoy life to its Fostering that quality of environment fullest, people need to have self-worth, need requires vulnerability on the part of to be treated with dignity and respect, and the Companions who staff the pro- need to feel empowered to lead. gram. Halstead, who is also a nurse, Mary Ellen Kris was the original program manager New World Outlook, March-April 2015, p.13 of the Respite. She says it is an in- tentional community. “It provides As Haywood Street Congregation demonstrates, God’s abundance for all is the family support that many peo- not an economic system or an antipoverty project. God’s abundance for all is ple don’t have when they’re living in the theological conviction that all God’s children were created in God’s image some extreme circumstances,” she to attain the physical, spiritual, and emotional wholeness and well-being that explained. Family support necessi- Ministry with the Poor and Global Health are intended to nurture. tates a different kind of relationship The starting point for engaging in authentic Ministry with the Poor is inten- and vulnerability than a mere profes- tionally building authentic, caring, mutual, transformative relationships with sional-client relationship. and among those struggling with poverty. This is the way to ignite just and sustainable change that embraces God’s abundance for all. Ministry with the Poor is shorthand for relational approaches to ministry, such as being with, walking with, standing with, partner- ing with, advocating with, breaking bread with, worshiping with, and praying with people. Relational ministries are rooted in mutual trust and caring and often take the form of accompaniment or walking alongside people struggling with conditions and systems that per- petuate poverty. In contrast to Ministry with the Poor, the traditional charitable an- tipoverty model is based on donor-recipient transactions (rather than relationships) in which donors provide material things to and do things for recipients. Often those transactions are defined and controlled by donors, not-for-profit organizations, or developers who have conduct- ed their own needs-assessment studies, defined what they believe to Keith, Jimmy, and Alfredo stop by the Haywood Street Downtown Welcome Table for supper. be “the problem,” designed “the fix,” and attached conditions to their PHOTO: Ann C. Merritt generosity in order to drive the solution they have chosen. In this transactional, donor-driven model, the complex economic, Haywood Street was every bit sociological, psychological, and spiritual conditions of poverty (including poor as powerful as Halstead had prom- health related to poverty and lack of access to quality health care) too often ised—so much so that the matur- are seen in isolation. A solution is engineered without the input, wisdom, and ing and new emerging ministries experience of those living with the issues. of Haywood Street (such as the Much is lost in that kind of process: ingenuity, ownership, local leadership Respite) serve as striking examples development, sustainability—and in some ways worst of all—the dignity and of transformative Ministry with the respect of the recipients. New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 37

Abundant Health in F e atures of Ministry W i t h Community Is Health With Community Health, with its ethos In contrast to merely giving to or doing for people in poverty (as of accompaniment and asset-based if they have no gifts, talents, or voices of their own to contribute), approach, must be seen as a cor- engaging in ministry with, alongside, and in concert with leadership nerstone of advancing Abundant from the margins (instead of from the center) includes a number of Health With. This approach lies at distinguishing features, such as: the intersection between the Global Health and Ministry with the Poor focus areas of The United Methodist • Mutual, Transformational Relationships Church, bringing Jesus’ gift of abun- The foundational principle of Ministry With is the practice dant life for all to those struggling of building authentic, mutual, open, caring, sustained, and with poverty in a way that is con- transformational relationships among people of different crete, relational, and rooted in local economic, cultural, and class situations. communities. Community Health Initiatives like • Crossing Boundaries as a Spiritual Discipline the Haywood Street Respite begin Multiclass, multicultural worship, prayer, artistic expressions, the necessary transition from think- and other inclusive spiritual and social encounters embrace ing about Global Health as strictly cli- and celebrate diversity and create safe and welcoming ent-based care to a model that truly spaces to cross boundaries. sees abundant health as a holistic goal that must include the communi- • Accompaniment ty in all its aspects—physical, mental, A short-hand expression for being with, accompaniment and spiritual. assumes humility, openness, and courage, and a willingness Whether you view Global Health to listen, learn, and build trust and deeper relationships. as a particular manifestation of Ministry With or as two sides of the • Asset-Based Leadership From the Margins, same coin—at the “sweet spot” of Not the Center their intersection you will find barri- Respects and values the skills, knowledge, and leadership er-breaking, relationship-based min- potential of those living on the margins. Begins with seeking istries that tap into and seek to em- out and embracing the assets—gifts, talents, graces, and body divine abundance. hopes—of communities and people impacted by poverty.

Mary Ellen Kris, a commissioned Unit- • Long-Term Sustainable Impact ed Methodist deaconess, has been en- Building and maintaining relationships that nurture and gaged by Global Ministries for nearly respect local leadership and avoid creating dependencies six years to provide leadership, direc- requires more than short-term interventions and relief. tion, and support for the UMC’s focus A long-term commitment of partners in relationship with on Ministry with the Poor. Following a leaders of local communities is needed to bring about long career in law and public service, sustainable change in systems and structures. Mary Ellen earned an M. Div. degree with a concentration in poverty and jus- tice from Union Theological Seminary To Read More, see: in New York City. Nicholas Laccetti, https://ministrywith.wordpress.com/about-2/features/ who also has an M. Div. from Union www.ministrywith.org Theological Seminary, is the Ministry www.facebook.com/Ministrywith with the Poor communicator at Global www.twitter.com/ministrywith Ministries. His studies focused on the intersections of popular religion, theol- Ministry with the Poor Guiding Principles and Foundations: Answering ogy, and social change. Jesus’ Call to Discipleship in God’s Mission of Love and Justice: http://www.ministrywith.org/learn//resources/index 38 newworldoutlook.org

SPSARV Funds Recovery, Support, and Prevention Program

by Juliana Federoff

he Special Program on related violence. SPSARV prepares their own or their partner’s addiction, Substance Abuse and Related congregations to offer informed and they’re often not able to tune into the T Violence (SPSARV) is a gen- compassionate responses to the needs of their children sufficiently eral church initiative of The United needs of individuals and families im- enough to offer them the nurturing Methodist Church and a part of Global pacted by the disease of addiction. attention and sense of security need- Ministries’ Global Health unit. It is impossible to overestimate ed for healthy child development. Bearing witness to God’s love and the suffering so many children go Most parents love their children to grace, SPSARV works with United through when one of their parents the best of their ability, but when Methodist and other partners to coor- is fighting an addiction. It is easy to addiction takes over a family, get- dinate a global response to drug and crush a child emotionally, so when ting through the moment and trying alcohol abuse, dependency, and its parents are responding to the crisis of not to rock the boat become survival

Neighborhood children Isaiah Milan (left) and Antoine Murphy (right) cheer on marchers protesting for economic justice as they file past the playground at Baxter Square Park in west Louisville. PHOTO: Mike DuBose/UMNS New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 39

strategies. No one talks about what a week for three hours a night for 16 coming back. At graduation, this fam- is happening because that seems like weeks. Eleven total participants from ily started seeking out more oppor- the safest path. But the silence traps four different families were able to tunities like Celebrating Families!™. the children. complete the series and celebrat- Family members saw how practicing Even if one parent is not addict- ed with a graduation at the end of the skills week after week benefited ed, children feel the pain and confu- September. their family bonding and organization, sion caused by the chronic emotional One blended family in Tempe used and they wanted to continue to foster stress addiction creates in a family. Celebrating Families!™ to bring cohe- these habits. This situation can have lasting men- sion. Their seven children ranged in During a weekly self-assessment tal and physical health consequenc- age from 9 to 19. They were experi- exercise, one parent commented, es that may last a lifetime. However, encing behavioral problems and were “[I learned about] healthy and un- in recent years, the CDC’s 10-year challenged by learning to parent their healthy boundaries and how I will “Adverse Childhood Experiences step-children. At the beginning of the help my son with these.” Another Study” has helped to clarify some parent explained that the class that of these long-term consequences. day helped him to reflect on “being Most parents love Studies have shown that trauma-sen- “ more thoughtful with my words.” sitive and resilience-building practic- their children to the Another parent enjoyed learning es can successfully mediate negative best of their ability, but about “I-statements.” effects. Children can become resil- when addiction takes The group facilitators have spe- ient and heal when caring adults pro- over a family, getting cial insight into the changes that vide nurturing support and programs. through the moment and the children experience and mani- fest each week. One facilitator ex- trying not to rock the Celebrating Families plained that during the fifth session, United Methodist churches are help- boat become survival one of the early childhood group ing children heal with evidence-based strategies. No one talks members “participated fully in every ministries. Celebrating Families!™ about what is happening activity. He appeared more comfort- supports long-term healing for fami- because that seems able, expressing his emotions.” By lies—especially children—through like the safest path. the eighth week, the children in the weekly guided family activities and But the silence early childhood group “had a lot to age-specific small groups that cover share about the theme [Chemical traps the children. anger, conflict, communication, par- ” Dependency is a Disease]. The chil- enting (for the adult groups), bound- dren reflected on the problems their aries, and family rituals, along with program, their oldest son had run parents have and admitted that they information about the disease of ad- away, and the Celebrating Families!™ did not like to talk to their parents diction and more. coordinator, Lauren Figg, was able to when they were drinking.” SPSARV has contracted with the provide them case management and National Association for Children connect them with affordable, appro- Juliana Federoff (STM) is an executive of Alcoholics (NACoA) to offer the priate legal resources. The program of- secretary with the SPSARV program, Celebrating Families!™ training to any fered them encouragement for activi- Global Health, General Board of Global church or community that wants to ties they had never done before—like Ministries. implement this ministry for families family dinners that helped them to talk in recovery. with one another. Some of the siblings F o r M o r e SPSARV enabled 20 Celebrating were so close in age that they were Families!™ facilitators to be trained in the same small groups, so they re- I n f o r mat i o n in Tempe, Arizona. They then pro- ally had to interact with one another Contact SPSARV at 212-870-3883 vided Celebrating Families!™ to 22 and got closer as siblings and step-sib- or [email protected] if families through the City of Tempe’s lings. The program was so useful for you are interested in ministering Human Services Department. The this family that, even though they had to your community’s children families committed to attending the to move more than 30 minutes away through Celebrating Families!™ Celebrating Families!™ program once in the middle of the series, they kept 40 newworldoutlook.org

Rose Ombaku (left) and Elfie Grace Tangunan (right) meet with Global Ministries’ Africa area coordinator, Alfiado Zunguza in Chicuque, Mozambique. Photo: Global Ministries Global Mission Fellows and Global Health by Piper Crisovan

ne of the mandates of the Rose Ombaku Global Health unit is to pro- Rose Ombaku is originally from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, O vide and increase mission where she is a member of Bethanie United Methodist Church. She holds a service opportunities in health. Global degree in Health Sciences from Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. She Mission Fellows (GMF) provides mis- assists with various health programs funded by Global Ministries and other sion service opportunities for young partners, including a United Methodist Global AIDS Fund (UMGAF) program. adults, ages 20 to 30. These oppor- The UMGAF program encourages HIV testing in the Mocambe-feha area tunities take young adult missionar- and trains local college students to assist with the monitoring and evaluation ies out of their home environments of health board projects. and place them in new contexts for Rose Ombaku says the Center of Hope works in partnership with mission experience and service. Chicuque Hospital, which provides a mobile clinic once a month for con- GMFs become part of their new local sultation and referral to help those who cannot make it to the hospital. communities, connecting the church Sometimes they encounter severe cases, which must be referred to the in mission across cultural and geo- hospital. “There are challenges,” Ombaku explains. “We struggle with how graphical boundaries. Global Health to make the patients understand the difference between malaria and Lunar placements provide opportunities for disease, which has similar symptoms. Lunar disease starts especially when GMFs not only to grow in personal there is a full moon on the west side, so people tend to act crazy. With this and social holiness, but to become ongoing program, we manage to help them understand the need to go to strong young leaders working to build the hospital for testing when malaria symptoms start.” healthier communities globally. Ombaku tells the story of a 65-year-old mother whose husband, two These are the stories of two married sons, their wives, and four children all live under one roof. The GMFs working in global health. Elfie woman’s husband is a fisherman who, like her, had no knowledge about Grace Tangunan and Otshi (Rose) malaria transmission and prevention. “With the help of a community health Ombaku are both serving as Global worker who was making house-to-house visitations, she and her husband Mission Fellows (2014 to 2016 term) were able to attend one of our meetings on malaria and its prevention— at Mozambique’s Center of Hope in using mosquito repellents and nets,” notes Ombaku. “One month later, Chicuque, Maxixe City, Inhambane one of her grandsons got sick and she rushed him to the hospital to check Province. They assist the UMC health for malaria. The result came back positive and the boy was treated and has board there to address malaria, HIV, recovered. Since then, she has become a regular member of our monthly health facility improvements, and dis- health meetings to gain more knowledge. This has a positive impact for parities in maternal and child health. her whole family.” New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 41

Otshi (Rose) Ombaku holds a workshop on health concerns for youth as Elfie Tangunan, who studied nursing in college, cares for a patient during a mobile part of a mobile clinic from Chicuque’s Center of Hope in Mozambque. clinic stop in Moambique. PHOTO: Courtesy Rose Ombaku PHOTO: Courtesy Elfie Grace Tangunan

Elfie Grace Tangunan Understanding that the needs of Elfie Grace Tangunan is originally from Iligan City, Philippines, where she the health boards are vast, sometimes is a member of First United Methodist Church in the Northwest Mindanao shorter-term placements are utilized. Philippines Annual Conference. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mozambique recently also benefitted nursing from the University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan, North Cotabato from a Global Justice Volunteer (GJV) State. She helps to train community health workers for an Imagine No Malaria placement. GJV is a short-term ser- program for prevention in Namaxaxa as well as for a maternal and child health vice opportunity for young adults, ages program, which encourages women to go to the health facility in Cambine to 18 to 30. Small teams of volunteers give birth. spend eight weeks during the months Tangunan says that statistical cases of HIV/AIDS in Mozambique are still of June through August learning and increasing. People with HIV are not being tested or treated, because, in part, working alongside people in local com- the hospital is so far away. “Our team at the Center of Hope trained some of munities. They explore the role and re- the community health workers to work with us,” Tangunan explains. “We dis- sponsibility of the church to engage in cussed the prevention and transmission of HIV, including their traditional beliefs mission, ministry, and service in ways about the disease. It’s been challenging for us, as their traditional beliefs some- that seek to transform our world into times create barriers to medical health interventions, but we didn’t give up.“ a more just place. The Global Justice “As part of our intervention, we organized once-a-month mobile clinic vis- Volunteer focus for 2016 is Global its with a medical team from the hospital—carrying medicines, HIV treatment Health, specifically focusing on prena- drugs, HIV/AIDS test kits, medical apparatus, first-aid kits, and vaccines,” tal care, maternal health, infant mortal- Tangunan continued. “The team was actively helping residents in the commu- ity, and mental health. nity, including pregnant woman—empowering them with quality health care and giving them information about proper nutrition for their children. HIV pa- Dr. Piper Crisovan, Ph. D., MPH, is cur- tients were identified, treated, and advised by a health practitioner.” rently a senior program manager for Maternal and Child Health in the Global Youthful Exuberance Health unit of the General Board of Global Rose Ombaku and Elfie Grace Tangunan bring a youthful exuberance to the Ministries. Crisovan has a Ph.D. with re- Center of Hope. Everyone around them can’t help but smile when they see search on cultural constructions of HIV in them. The GMFs see the need for understanding local context and culture. Indonesia and a Master in Public Health They say they would be lost without their Mozambican friends, and, as Arlindo in community health. She joined UMCOR Romão, Health Board Coordinator for Mozambique Annual Conference, says of in 2013 as a technical officer for Commu- Rose and Elfie, “We would be lost without them.” nity-Based Primary Health Care. 42 newworldoutlook.org A child peers over his mother’s shoulder during worship at Temple Bethel United Methodist Church in Abobo-Baoule, outside Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. PHOTO: Mike DuBose/UMNS Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS

by Kathy Griffith

he Global Health unit program areas include M a l aw i Maternal and Child Health, Imagine No T Malaria, Health Systems Strengthening, Precious Life After Death and Healthy Congregations, Healthy Communities. As part of the Maternal and Child Health pro- am Precious Tembo, a widow with two children from gram, Global Health works closely with the United Wilson Village, Malawi. My son is 12 years old and my Methodist Global AIDS Fund (UMGAF) in provid- I daughter is three. I lost my dear husband when I was six ing grants for HIV prevention and control. These months pregnant with my daughter. Rumors spread about grants support community-based projects to pre- the cause of my husband’s death because he died sudden- vent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. UMGAF, ly. Some said he was bewitched, while others said he was established in 2004, leads the denomination’s poisoned. However, I knew that my husband had died of compassionate response to this deadly pandem- HIV/AIDS-related sickness. But I did not disclose this to any- ic. Global Health and UMGAF’s joint priorities one because I feared for my life. My husband’s family was have been to challenge stigma and help to eradi- already pointing fingers at me as the cause. cate mother-to-child transmission of HIV around We knew of our HIV-positive status after my first prena- the world in line with UNAIDS and World Health tal visit to Sorjin Health Center for my second pregnancy. Organization policy. This makes women, and espe- My husband escorted me to the clinic and we were both cially pregnant women, a vital target group for edu- counseled and tested for HIV. We both tested HIV pos- cation, testing, counseling, and improving access itive and I was immediately enrolled into the Prevention to services and treatment. of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) program, which The stories that follow are from UMGAF proj- increased my chances of giving birth to an HIV-negative ects managed by Global Health. child. It was very hard for me to accept my positive re- sults. I wanted to commit suicide because I was ashamed. Kathy Griffith is the Grants Officer for Maternal and I credit my husband for encouraging me to accept the re- Child Health, a program area of Global Ministries’ sult and move forward. Global Health unit, and for the United Methodist As a couple, we joined the Wilson Support Group. I Global AIDS Fund. acquired a lot of skills and knowledge during the support New World Outlook Mar c h / Ap r i l 2 01 6 43

nutrition. It was also the same period that I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. My motivation to build a healthy family was strength- ened by the UMC in Malawi’s project on Family Planning and PMTCT. The project encourages pregnant women, mothers, and couples to go for HIV testing each time they go for prenatal care. I felt relieved to realize that the church was so concerned. I volunteered to share my story during a few meetings. Thumbs up to UMC in Malawi for the detailed information they have been disseminating in my community. Now I am able to go back to the farm and cul- tivate my crops. Above all I give thanks to God Almighty because I gave birth to an HIV-negative, healthy daughter. Premature baby Coulibaly Yah Eugenie lies in an incubator at Dabou Methodist Hospital in Dabou, Côte d’Ivoire, hub of the church’s G r a n t: $9,993 health-care system in this West African nation. B e n e f i c i a r i e s : 1,012 people from Wilson Village PHOTO: Mike DuBose/UMNS group meetings. I discovered the benefits of PMTCT Reported from Malawi by Chancy Alfred Nthowela, September and family planning, the importance of adhering to an 2015—PMTCT and Family Planning Integration in Wilson anti-retroviral drug treatment, and the benefits of good Village, Malawi

members objected to the discussion of condom use inside P H i l i p p i n e s the church. In the midst of the workshop, a young woman and some other participants walked out. HIV Awareness for Yet, after that drama, the district superintendent calmly explained again to the participants the role of the church in Women and Girls helping to prevent the spread of HIV and the importance of discussing this matter in the church. he HIV Awareness campaign through the SAVE This scenario illustrates the obstacles in the way of ad- workshop often includes a workshop on the prop- dressing HIV stigma, discrimination, and shame in the church. T er use of condoms as a preventive method against The risk of contracting HIV is so high for many women and HIV. Although condoms are available in local stores, the children because of their lack of awareness. However, the proper use of them has never been an open topic, espe- government is not able to bring these services to remote vil- cially in the church. During the districtwide HIV Workshop lages in the provinces. The church is already in those remote for the laity in September 2015, some of the church areas and can make a big impact here. The Visayas Health Ministry on HIV and AIDS will continue in this calling.

G r a n t: $10,000 B e n e f i c i a r i e s t o d at e : 378

Reported from the Philippines by the Rev. Dr. Nezer A. Soriano, October 2015—Visayas Health Ministry of the Visayas Philippines Annual Conference

S u p p o rt i n g t h i s W o r k Community and Family Health Program of “Give Ye Them to Eat,” Mexico, conducting information sessions on preventing HIV/AIDS Gifts to the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund via transmission to children. Advance #982345 can make a big difference. PHOTO: Carmen A. Melendez-Collado/Give Ye Them to Eat I would like to find a church near me: ✔ 0–10 miles away ✔ 20–200 people ✔ Both English and Spanish ✔ Kids/VBS/Childcare

Found it.

Visit Your Church. It’s official. Your church has an online presence – and and connection to our national advertising. After all, you may never have ever seen it! Visit your church at your digital presence should be as vibrant as your Find-A-Church from United Methodist Communications. church is. Millions are looking for the “right” church. Invite To update your church’s online presence today, visit them in by building a robust profile with location map, www.umc.org/fac. To learn more about Find-A-Church, contacts, social feeds, your local church’s ministries go to www.umcom.org/updatefac. 45

2 01 6 Continued from front page The General Board of Global Ministries r i l Global AIDS Fund (UMGAF), attendance at prenatal-care classes has in- p 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115 creased by 80 percent. Through fixed and mobile clinics, which are open Website: www.umcmission.org • 212-870-3600 to all pregnant women, many are being tested for HIV and learning about c o n n e c t i n g t h e r c h / A a prevention. The grant to the Rural Health Project was made possible by church in mission M

donations to UMGAF, including 2014 UMC #GivingTuesday donations. The project leader described a consultation: “One of our clients” UMC Gifts Prevent Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission was counseled and tested positive. She phoned her husband from the by Kathy Griffith counseling room and told him the result. He was shocked, spoke with Kathy Griffith is the grants officer for Maternal and Child Health, a program area the counselor, and promised to come the next day. He did. He also test- of Global Ministries’ Global Health unit, and of the United Methodist Global AIDS

World Outlook World ed HIV-positive; they were counseled as Fund. Below is an edited excerpt from an article which was posted in December HIV concordant partners and referred for 2015 on umcmission.org. New New treatment. They said: ‘We would still have We would still have been in darkness if our pastor had not In Nigeria, people are announced that there would be an out- afraid of HIV and of been in darkness if reach offering prenatal care services. We each other. The stigma our pastor had not wouldn’t have found out our status be- attached to HIV infec- announced that there cause clinics around us don’t offer HIV tion discourages peo- counseling and testing.’” ple from being tested would be an outreach and makes it very dif- offering prenatal care Training and equipping ficult for partners to services. We wouldn’t The Rural Health Project has trained 45 disclose their status religious and community leaders in HIV to others. This creates have found out our education and advocacy. These trainees a dangerous situation status because clinics have also pledged their ongoing support for pregnant women for the Prevention of Mother-to-Child and their unborn chil- around us don’t offer Transmission (PMTCT) program. In one dren because it pre- HIV counseling area, a group of women has begun to visit vents them from seek- and testing. the homes of ill villagers who are com- ing HIV prevention and monly believed to have been bewitched. treatment services. They help families see their need for HIV The Rural Health testing and strongly encourage them to Project in northeast take action. Nigeria is making a In addition, six nursing staff members and 12 traditional birth at- difference in increas- During a net distribution at a maternal and child health tendants were trained to work in PMTCT outreach. As a result, 2,700 ing access to care. clinic in Nigeria, mothers and expectant mothers receive pregnant women received HIV counseling and testing in the first six Through a grant from pre- and postnatal care. months of the project. Those who tested HIV-positive were referred to the United Methodist PHOTO: KaTHy GriffiTH the closest hospital for treatment and follow-up care. Continued on back page

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orldotlok. g r .o k loo out d l r wo w e n Good Eating by Emily KvalhEim Emily Kvalheim is a Global Mission Fellow serving two years in the United States. She is involved in paralegal and advocacy work with the South Florida Justice for Our Neighbors (SFJFON). In an edited version of her October 2015 blog post on The Book of Fellows, Kvalheim speaks about eating and living sustainably.

While living in Washington, DC, I had the opportunity to interview Ana. She grew up on a farm in Honduras, where 1.37 million people work in the ag- ricultural sector. Many Hondurans depend on the earth for their livelihood. Ana’s family has felt the difficulties of climate change. The extreme heat and recent droughts have made working conditions more difficult for her brothers, who live near the family farm. “It doesn’t rain a lot there,” Ana told me. “They have a lot of droughts. They can’t grow the crops they used to grow in other years.” The United States directly affects Honduras with respect to climate change. With just 5 percent of the world’s population, the United States produces 25 percent of the total annual greenhouse gas emissions. The world’s poorest countries—such as Honduras, where 60 percent of the people are living in poverty—disproportionately feel the adverse effects of climate change. With this is mind, I asked Ana why many people in the US do not seem Emily volunteers with Branches, where she called more than 100 Spanish-speaking too worried about climate change. She answered: “I think some people clients to confirm their addresses and the number of free prepared meals they would just don’t want to deal with it, but I think we have done so much to our en- like delivered to their homes for Thanksgiving. vironment; it is affecting a lot of people in other countries. So many people PHOTOS: SaraH HOwEll in Honduras don’t have anything. They even have to borrow land to plant corn and beans. But if there is no rain, they suffer.” greenhouse gases. To address this, we joined Farm Fresh Miami, a sub- Several months later, I found myself living in a townhouse in Cutler scription food delivery service that sells mostly locally sourced and or- Bay, Florida, just south of Miami, with two other Global Mission Fellow ganic foods grown on small farms. US-2s—Caitlin and Drew—and Sarah, a young adult missional fellow from • Finally, we cook and eat together four nights a week and share all of the Florida Conference’s Young Adult Missional Movement. We have de- our food, which allows us to purchase only what we need, reducing cided to begin to seek justice by eating more sustainably: food waste. • Composting has environmental benefits, but it is also good (or really, really We have a long way to go before we will truly be living (or even eating) bad) for my sweet tooth. We have to finish an entire bucket of chocolate in a fully sustainable way. I feel determined to continue to try, with spe- ice cream before we can use that bucket to collect our food scraps. cial consideration for the lives that I may be indirectly harming through my • Most of our food in the United States has to travel more than 1,500 daily practices. May all of creation share in the abundance that God has miles before we can eat it, meaning that it uses up fossil fuels and emits provided for us forever.

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From the General Secretary by Thomas Kemper

Boys waiting for their friend to be treated at Mutshatsha Methodist Health Center. Photo: Roman Hofer Our Promise to All Children he words of the first verse of “Jesus “Let the little children come to me (Luke Loves Me” come from a 19th century 18:16),” Jesus calls out to those who prevented American novel in which a Sunday young ones from gathering around him. I cannot school teacher is comforting a dying believe Jesus meant some of the children. I child with a song. think he meant all of the children, and in that T Jesus loves me, this I know passage, which appears in Matthew, Mark, and For the Bible tells me so. Luke, Jesus gave the church a mandate to love Little ones to him belong, and care for all children. In response, Christian They are weak but he is strong. communities have taken children seriously over The scene captures the grim reality of child the centuries, even when death was a constant mortality—present in virtually every culture until threat, doing everything possible to protect and fairly recently—even in what are today areas of heal them. advanced health services. The shadow of death United Methodists will soon have a new hovering over childhood grieved the heart of opportunity to put love for children into Methodist founder John Wesley in 18th century action. “Abundant Health: Our Promise England. It troubled the consciences of later circuit to Children,”mentioned by Dr. Ige in the riders and Christian educators. Much early Sunday introduction for this issue, will be formally school material was bleak, with an awareness that introduced at the 2016 General Conference this death from a disease or an accident could be right May in Portland, Oregon. One goal is to provide around the corner for any child; this fact added life-saving interventions for one million of the pressure to bring each young one to dependence world’s children by the year 2020. This will on Jesus before it was too late. involve collaboration with partners within and But, even today, the World Health Organization beyond the church. We hope that more than a (WHO) reports that globally 5.9 million children million children will be positively affected by a under the age of five died in 2015. That works wide range of initiatives designed to lower child out to 16,000 every day—16,000 every day! The mortality rates in general, to improve access highest death rates are in Africa (81 per 1000 to nutrition, provide opportunities for healthy live births), “about seven times higher than in exercise, and provide pre- and postnatal services the European region (11 per 1000 live births),” for mothers. Safe birth is particularly important. according to the WHO website. Caring for children, keeping our promise The WHO data also points out the contrast to them, is one of the most important between child mortality in high and low income responsibilities of the church—including all of countries. In 2015, the under-five mortality rate God’s children. in low-income countries was 11 times greater than that of high-income countries. Many of these deaths result from preventable diseases, such as malaria or AIDS. Child deaths are also Thomas G. Kemper part of the carnage of wars and the casualties of General Secretary refugee status in a world of mass migrations. The General Board of Global Ministies Global Health

Abundant Health: Our Promise to Children The Problems The Pledge WORLDWIDE By 2020, we pledge to reach 1 million children with lifesaving interventions, including: 6 million children under age 5 die every year due to preventable illnesses such as: • Promote Breastfeeding and Nutrition

• Malaria • Birth Complications • Ensure Safe Births

• Diarrhea • Respiratory Infections • Prevent Priority Childhood Illnesses

UNITED STATES • Provide Treatment and Lifesaving Commodities Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and more than quadrupled in • Encourage Treatment-Seeking adolescents in the past 30 years. Other Behaviors for Childhood Illnesses issues facing U.S. children are:

• Inactivity • Substance Abuse This is only the beginning! • Poor Diet • Mental Health Issues Over the next four years, Global Ministries will begin to work toward these momentous and lifesaving goals, but we won’t do it alone. We need you!

To learn more about how you can have an impact on Global Health, please visit www.umcmission.org today.

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