LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 26

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26 MISSIONS

In addition to a few satellite clinics in the outlying areas of the
Abatan hospital, the Lutheran Church in the Philippines suc-
cessfully maintains an increasing number of dispensaries man-
aged by individual congregations, staffed by local volunteer
physicians, and aided in their work by pharmaceutical gift
supplies from Lutheran World Relief. While being mindful of
the importance of its verbal witness to the Gospel. LCP con-
tinues to devote increasing attention to local nutritional pro-
grams, economic assistance. and general community develop-
ment efforts as part of its total ministry to people in need.

“O give thanks to the Lord...” forever and ever,

Central America

Few people know about the outstanding work of Dr. Erich
Knoetzsch in a poverty clinic maintained by Christ the King
congregation in Guatemala City. This Lutheran physician gives
half of his time to this service. made Possible in part by phar-
maceutical gift supplies Provided by Lutheran World Relief.

among the disadvantaged anywhere. The service of Dr. Carroll
Behrhorst among the Cakchiquel Indians of the Guatemala
highlands has taken on new dimensions. His use of Promotores
de Salud.” medical auxiliaries serving in limited Private practice
among disadvantaged communities. and his extensive agricul-
tural and general development programs have caught the atten-
tion of the World Health Organization. WHO intends to use
Chimaltenango as one of its training centers for health-care
Personnel to be assigned to deprived areas.

CONCAP medical missionary Dr. Leland Huhn. former pedi-
atrician from Denver, serves Lutheran churches in Central
America in so many Capacities that even he must have difficulty
deciding what to do first at a given moment. Committed to the
demands of Poverty health care, Dr. Huhn assists the Behrhorst
Clinie in its programs of training primary health workers,
Participates in the training of WHO personnel, trains “health
Promoters” for service with Lutheran churches in Guatemala,
El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Panama, supervises the work of

the cause of Christ here in the United States to ‘adopt a similar
attitude? As agents of change. these three colleagues are cer-
tainly doing a great job.
“O give thanks..." and ever and evermore.
Nigeria
By government decree some 4 vears ago Immanuel Hospital
at Eket was placed under management control of a board

centers to which the hospital added its rural child welfare ser-
vice, financed by “Brot fuer die Welt.” and its Wheat Ridge
Supported tuberculosis service. Most of the Operating funds are
being provided by the State Government. Some additional help
is received from Mobil Oil, which has major offshore installations
in the area. This partnership has been a new and interesting

character of its service.

Immanuel Medical Centre at Yahe is an exciting attempt to
demonstrate alternatives to traditional institutional health care
by the use of model patient villages Serving as semiinpatient
facilities, a domiciliary TB Program, child welfare and maternity
service, and most recently a sanitary development project. In

return from furlough after completing a course in Tropical
Medicine in Liverpool, England.

A grave problem has been created by the recent abrupt deci-
sion of the Nigerian Government to increase its salary scales by
300%. an increase which all private institutions are required to

for another two to three years, by which time the type of service
offered by the centre should have gained general acceptance
and its partnership in the overall evangelistic work in the area
should be strong enough to resist any adverse reaction that
might be effected by a change of management. Additional
Operating funds will have to be found rather quickly to make
this possible.

Wanikande Christian Clinic: Dr. John Lautenschlager heads
up a small but greatly diversified health-care program devoted
as much to health education and prevention as to curative work.
His service is closely integrated with the linguistic efforts in the
Ukelle language area of missionaries Fajen. Rupprecht, and
Boettcher.

Community development efforts in this Particularly poor and
remote part of the country have received a big boost by sizable
capital grants recently made available by “Brot fuer die Welt”
and Lutheran World Federation.

“O give thanks...” and ever and evermore.

Papua New Guinea

With the assignment last vear of Dr. Ronald E. Pust. a
qualified public-health physician, and the return of Dr. Colin

. Binns from a year’s specialty training in the same field. the
health and healing ministry of Wabag Lutheran Church finally
has the type of professional leadership for which it has been
searching the past 15 years. This has come about at a good time.
Present home rule is to be followed by full independence of
the country within a few months. Immanuel Hospital has been
designated as a district hospital. A 5-year National Health Plan
has been adopted. This calls for gradual integration of all private

direct Partnership with other denominational agencies and the
government will work out. However, it is clear that church-
related medical Personnel will be able to provide very unique
leadership, a role for which Immanuel Hospital with its excel-
lent staff appears to be well equipped.

With its emphasis on prevention, health education, nutrition,
child welfare and maternity care. its high caliber training pro-
gram of auxiliaries and community health nurses, the extensive
use of peripheral clinics offering primary health care right where
the people live, and the high professional standard maintained at
Immanuel Hospital itself, the whole program represents the
Most exciting ministry of health and healing which the Synod
helps to maintain as Part of its mission effort anywhere.

“O give thanks.” forever and ever.

The Mandate of the Council for Christian Medical Work

“O give thanks unto the Lord: for He is good: for His merey
endureth forever” and evermore.

Thanks and praise indeed! The experience of years past has
challenged many values and assurances we have taken for
granted all too readily: the hope for international peace: the
gradual achievement of social and economic Justice for the poor
of the human family: the identification of a Possible solution to
the terrifying questions posed by world hunger and over-
population. And while we prayed for the acceptance of the mes-
sage of the Gospel by the ignorant and lonely, we have also.

The mandate assigned to the Council for Christian Medical
Work is both broad and pervasive. It calls upon the council to
sensitize. communicate to, and enable all boards and com-