MC and Global Health--8

Home Coming

Back home in our garden in France
--and in member care--
 after travels in the Global Health domain.

Roads go ever ever on

Under cloud and under star,
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green
And trees and hills they long have known.
(JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit)
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In these entries we’ve explored some of the concepts, challenges, and practices of global health (GH) and GH's relevance for member care and mission. It is just a start for us and hopeuflly others will take GH further, sharing how GH is and can be actively part of mission and member care.

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Central to GH are the notions of equity and quality care for all. Our exploration has taken us to places all over the world via articles, web sites, short video docs, and analyses about issues and opportunities. We highlighted vulnerable populations, coordinated efforts, and further integrating both physical and mental health into the work of mission/aid. Health statistics, democratizing GH, and preventing sexual exploitation/abuse were also specifically addressed. Global mental health (GMH) was especially emphasized and  a crucial part of what we called mhM--mental health as/is misson.

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We advocate for a broader vision and a new phase for member care, in keeping with the challenges and opportunities facing humanity.

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We encourage maintaining the focus of the MC core while expanding the function of the MC corps (i.e. emphasizing wellbeing/effectiveness for mission/aid workers vs pursuing skills/involvement for  GH/GMH).

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Reflection and Discussion

Can we develop a consensually-derived global framework (agenda) for member care, even as there have been global frameworks within the health and mission domains?  

 

Could a Global Summit be set up to pursue this framework, including a diversity of people interacting before, during, and after such a Summit?

 

Here are some examples of frameworks/agendas to stimulate our thinking and inform our actions.

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Global Health

**A Framework Convention on Global Health: Health for All, Justice for All
Journal of the American Medical Association (16 May 2012)
**One Health Summit 2012: One Health, One Planet, One Future
Global Risk Forum (human, animal, environmental health, agriculture, food safety/security)
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Global Mission

**Missiometrics 2008: Reality Checks for Christian World Communions
International Bulletin of Mission Research (January 2008, see line 79 in summary chart; for 2012 statistics: click here)
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Member  Care

**An Agenda for Member Care in Frontier Missions
International Journal of Frontier Missions (July 1992)
**Global Treasures for a Global Field (resources and directions)
Member Care in India: Ministry Call to Home Call (MUT, 2012)
(initial version in Momentum May/June 2006, pp.49-52)