Partnerships for Strength in Fiji Kenya and Somerset

March 2014 | Issue 47 Sharing news from the Order of St John Kenya and Somerset - “together we move forward” A team of four paramedics from St John in Somerset have just returned from a successful training trip at St John Kenya. Their aim was to improve, standardise, and enhance the knowledge of the Emergency Response Personnel in Kenya. During the two weeks that the team were in Nairobi, some 41 staff and volunteers from all regions of Kenya received training. In addition, four participants were selected to undertake trainer training, to gain practical experience of delivering sessions. Selinah Kibogy, the Kenyan CEO, reported that the training was very informative and reinvigirated the participants to do more in their line of duty. Prior to the team’s departure, they were able to ship out eight large boxes of surplus uniforms donated by the South West Region together with a supply of Patient Report Forms, Medical books and several First Aid kits. The region has also identified two surplus ambulances with very low mileage, which will be shipped out in the very near future. While in Nairobi, two of the team undertook 30 minute interviews on two different TV channels. Initial reports from the Somerset team on getting back to the UK were that the loyalty and dedication of the Kenyan Priory members was only surpassed by their enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Ron Powell, Commissioner of St John in Somerset said “it is certainly my intention to send out a further team in the future to continue helping our Kenyan colleagues expand their skills, their professional development, and governance and ultimately save lives”. Partnerships for Strength in Fiji In November St John Fiji hosted an Asia Pacific Summit which saw delegates from St John in Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Australia, Fiji and the International Office come together. The focal themes for the summit were ‘Partnerships for Strength’ and ‘Taking the Lead’. One participant noted “we made huge progress on the priorities of the region”. All of the St John participants congratulated St John Fiji on their organisation, their warmth, and their professionalism. An outcome from the workshop is a new vision for the region “To have strong vibrant St John establishments in the Asia Pacific Region committed to supporting one another and delivering the international St John vision, through a professional and sustainable St John in the region reaching out to new countries.” For the Faith and in the Service of Humanity www.orderofstjohn.org News from around the world... St John gets social We’ve picked some of our favourite photos from the St John social media © world and encourage you all to shaC re and connect. h r i We are meeting many of you online as s the International Office reaches out with social media. It’s brilliant to see St John being so active! Connect with your St John family. On facebook you can find - • St John Youth NZ • St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group • St John Ambulance Kenya • Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e.V. • St John Drogheda • Meath South St John • St John Saint Lucia • St John Ghana • St John Castleknock • St John Hospice Antigua And many more.. Inauguration of St John Singapore and Kenya The changing face of the Order of St John has been taken further with two recent major events. In December 2013, in a ceremony in All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, the Lord Prior, Professor Anthony Mellows, presided over the inauguration of the St John Association of Kenya as the ninth Priory of the Order. Before the ceremony, hundreds of uniformed members of St John had marched through central Nairobi to the Cathedral. The Cathedral was full to capacity. The President of the Republic and many members of his entourage attended, and Major Marsden Madoka, who is well known in Kenya, was installed as the first Prior. Many who had helped casualties in the aftermath of the Westgate Mall terrorist attack were among the large number of members of St John who were present. In the following month, at a ceremony in the British High Commission in Singapore, the Lord Prior presided over the inauguration of the St John Association of Singapore as the tenth Priory of the Order. Dr Teh Peng Hooi, a distinguished orthopaedic surgeon, was installed as the first Prior. In a new development, reflecting the multi-faith nature of Singaporean society, Spiritual Counsellors from the Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Christian faiths each gave, according to their own faith traditions, blessings of the new Priory. We now look forward to the inauguration next year of the Priory of Hong Kong. For the Faith and in the Service of Humanity www.orderofstjohn.org News from around the world... Mothers and babies - Jacob was still very unwell - Elina Jacob’s father had been in hospital had not been taking him for regular when St John becomes with a life threatening illness for 2 treatment. Once again, Lazarus weeks and during this time, offered Elina advice and the lifeline because of a lack of resources in encouragement, the pastoral International Development the hospitals in Lusaka, Jacob’s support Elina needed to persist with Officer, Saffi Jones recounts a mother had to care for her husband regular treatment for her son. On remarkable St John story in the hospital. There was no other witnessing Jacob’s health improve, During a recent visit to Zambia I choice for her mother to leave Elina was empowered to offer her was introduced to Elina, a woman Jacob at home, in the care of his friends the advice and who had agreed to tell us her story, grandmother, expecting and hoping encouragement she had received of a time when a St John volunteer that he would be cared for properly. from Lazarus. As a result, two of became the lifeline for her child, an her friends are now taking their Jacob, now two and a half years 18 month year old boy called undernourished children to the old, a life saved by a St John Jacob*. nutrition clinic. volunteer To put the story into context, we interviewed Elina in her home, which consisted of one small room where she, 4 children and her husband live, situated in a house, which homes 3 other families. The house was crowded and there was Unfortunately this did not happen. When Elina returned back home, Elina’s friend, who is now taking her husband on the mend and her baby to the nutrition clinic heavily pregnant herself, she found Jacob very sick. He looked so unwell that Elina thought the worst, The work of a St John volunteer is and imagined only the planning of not complicated. It’s work that the funeral. At this point Elina had a focusses on one-to-one interaction, Elina, mother of four, at her visit from Lazarus. with an approach that is sensitive to home in Lusaka, Zambia every single circumstance and Lazarus recognised that the child personal story. In all societies, lots of noise. As we strangers was severely malnourished. He healthcare should start at home, followed Elina into her home, we offered Elina advice, and with St John community had to step around an adolescent encouragement and information programmes, women like Elina can boy, who seemed to be about the services of the nearby receive the support they need to malnourished and physically nutrition clinic. Elina responded by make their families and disabled, and was sitting on the seeking professional help from the communities healthier and happier. narrow corridor floor. nutrition nurse at the clinic, also a *not his real name St John volunteer. There was one person among us We need your who was not a stranger to this to increase volunteer household. His name was Lazarus, support a young St John volunteer. Lazarus numbers and train them to support has been visiting homes in the more mothers, and save more babies Chunga area on the outskirts of like Jacob. Lusaka for the past year as part of the Home Based Care programme. Lazarus has been Please donate to St John He is trained in nutrition of young volunteering for St International online: children and caring for people with John for 18 months www.justgiving.com/orderofstjohn HIV as well as First Aid. It is Lazarus who became the lifeline for When visiting Elina a few weeks Jacob. later, Lazarus recognised that For the Faith and in the Service of Humanity www.orderofstjohn.org News in brief.... St John Malta celebrate a new fleet In February, a new fleet of emergency response vehicles was formally commissioned by St John Ambulance Malta. The ceremony was held on the Palace Square in Valletta, in the presence of President of Malta, George Abela. The vehicles include three ambulances funded by the Malta Community Chest Fund, two other ambulances donated by the UK East Midlands Ambulance Service and a Blood Donation unit donated by the British National Health Services. It has been converted into a Mobile Treatment Centre, a first for St John Ambulance in Malta. President Abela, who is also the Patron of St John Ambulance Malta, expressed gratitude to the officers and members for the voluntary work done and augured that with this new fleet St John Ambulance would continue with the commitment of being in the service of the people in the Maltese Islands. Ontario Campaign Canada’s St John Ontario launches ‘Caring for Saint Lucia Cadets at the 35th our Community Capital Campaign’ Independence Parade At the recent launch of Ontario’s campaign, Brian Cole, the Chief Executive Officer for the St John Council for Ontario said “St John's members quietly fit into their communities and go about their work professionally and without fanfare”.

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