Breakout #3

Full-time missionary dental service is relatively uncommon compared to our counterparts in Medicine. In this talk we will examine the difficulties and road-blocks to this career opportunity. We will also look at the resources available to pursue this career path. Finally, through relating personal experiences, we will learn lessons that can be applied towards long-term dental service in an underserved context. 

Warren is a private practice dentist in Hampstead, NC.  Dr. Rich received his BA from Duke University (1978) and his DDS from UNC-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry (1982).  Dr. Rich practiced as a missionary dentist for 25 years in Kenya, East Africa.  He has spoken to multiple organizations through the years on all aspects of missionary dentistry.

With 35 years of experience in disaster management and response, in this presentation, Ken Isaacs will examine the complexities of global disaster response and the international frameworks that guide it. Highlighting the evolution of international coordination, the roles of key institutions, and the challenges of aligning diverse stakeholders in emergent and complex environments. Drawing on decades of firsthand experience, the presentation will explore how humanitarian principles and International law, resource mobilization, and advancements in emergency medicine shape current crisis response. With emphasis being placed on access negotiations in crisis zones, fostering global partnerships, and improving the provision of medical services in disasters, this presentation aims to provide valuable insights into enhancing the effectiveness of international disaster response.

Ken serves as Vice President of Programs and Government Relations for Samaritan’s Purse. He has over 35 years of experience working in relief and development and has traveled to more than 150 countries, responding to dire emergencies and working in complex environments to assist millions afflicted by disaster, disease, famine, poverty, and war. In 2004, Isaacs was appointed by President George Bush to serve as director of the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) under the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where he led American responses to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2005 Pakistan earthquake. Isaacs has been called as an expert witness before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, House International Relations Committee, the Senate Subcommittee on Africa, the Global Human Rights Commission, and the Tom Lantos Commission on Human Rights. Isaacs has a proven track record in leading complex disaster responses and brings decades of experience and first-hand knowledge to the field of International Relief.

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The field of healthcare missions is in a state of continuous transformation, largely propelled by the growing significance of research. This presentation will focus on the critical role of research in healthcare missions. Participants will learn how evidence-based practices enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of mission work, explore key research methodologies used in addressing global health challenges, and understand the importance of culturally sensitive research to engage diverse populations effectively. Additionally, the session will address common research challenges in healthcare missions and discuss strategies to overcome these obstacles, aiming to optimize resources and improve patient outcomes.

Olubukola is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Lynchburg, Virginia. She is a member of the Christian Medical and Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Pediatricians. Dr. Ojuola received her medical degree from University of Ilorin in Nigeria and her MPH degree from Harvard University. Dr. Ojuola has practiced pediatrics for over two decades, conducted clinical research at the UK Medical Research Council Laboratories in pediatric viral illness with several publications, and served as the technical adviser for USAID-funded maternal and child health programs across Southern Africa and Southeast Asia.  

Sensing a call to missions is exciting, but what does it mean to serve a culture different than your own?  Expertise developed in the U.S. may have considerably less impact when the world view of the people you serve differs from yours.  Discover four ways in which the culture of the majority world is different than the U.S. Learn how to adjust to those differences. 

Rev. Doug Christgau, with his wife Christine, served as outreach pastor in three churches from 1985-2019. During his tenure these churches sent 40 long-term missionaries all over the world.  Doug has led over 100 short-term mission trips in various U.S. cities and 40+ countries.  “Making disciples” has been a key part of Doug’s impact in the context of sending long-term missionaries and leading short-term teams.  The churches Doug has served have also doubled or tripled their missions giving during his period of service.
Doug is now the Global Ambassador for MedSend (MedSend.org), an agency that gets long-term health care missionaries to the field by paying their educational debt and keeps them on the field through member care specific to health care professionals. Doug has spoken to student groups to present the unique Gospel opportunity of health care missions in 50 different schools.  Many have invited him to return after hearing him once.  Doug is supported by donors and visits campuses as a service of MedSend to students and health care professionals.

Community health workers (CHWs) significantly enhance healthcare delivery in middle- and low-income countries. This breakout session explores CHWs’ impact on health screenings and public health initiatives in rural Guatemala and Honduras. Health screenings in these regions involved comprehensive questionnaires and health assessments. Educational sessions emphasized preventive care, with CHWs demonstrating varying levels of proficiency. The studies highlight significant health disparities, such as anemia prevalence, and underscore the importance of CHWs in addressing these issues. Despite limitations, the research calls for ongoing training and sustainable health education programs to improve health outcomes in these communities.

Objectives:

1. Understand the Role of Community Health Workers (CHWs): Participants will be able to describe the critical functions and contributions of CHWs in healthcare missions, particularly in middle- and low-income countries.
2. Analyze Health Screening Methods and Outcomes: Participants will learn to evaluate the methodologies used in health screenings and interpret the results to identify health disparities and needs within rural communities in Guatemala and Honduras.
3. Develop Strategies for Sustainable Health Education: Participants will be able to propose effective training and educational strategies for CHWs, focusing on preventive care and sustainable health interventions to improve community health outcomes.

Citations:

Wells R, Breckenridge ED, Linder SH. Wellness project implementation within Houston’s Faith and Diabetes initiative: a mixed methods study. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):1050. Published 2020 Jul 2. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-09167-6

Attin, Oswald M.; Castillo, Gineska; Sibert, Grace; and Harper, Andrea (2023) “Empowering Community Health Workers in Guatemala,” Virginia Journal of Public Health: Vol. 8: Iss. 1, Article 6. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/vjph/vol8/iss1/6 

Sibert G, Durham N, Castillo G, Attin O. Assessing community health needs in rural Guatemala and Honduras: Outcomes and benefits of community health screenings. Presented at: APHA 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo; 2024; Minneapolis. 

Ginseka is a Venezuelan physician with a Master’s in Public Health from FIU. Fluent in Spanish and English, she excels in leadership and communication. Dr. Castillo began her career in rural Venezuela and later worked with Pediatric Associates in South Florida, focusing on compliance and patient-centered care. She now serves as Director of the Master of Public Health Program online and as an Instructional Mentor at Liberty University. Her expertise spans medical practice, privacy administration, international health, preventive medicine and chronic disease management, making her a respected public and community health education figure.

Preparing future healthcare missionaries for assuming leadership roles is a wise and judicious investment in pre-field training. Most healthcare professionals, including physicians, have had minimal leadership training and/or experience prior to cross-cultural service. This talk will focus on the gaps as well as the expected and unexpected challenges that are common and must be navigated when facing the complexity of working in diverse cultural and resource-limited settings.