So You Want to be a Missionary...

 

How does one create lasting change in a culture that believes that their intestinal parasites are a direct result of a family member's curse rather than poor sanitation?  

How would you explain the need for developing latrines to this group?  

...or the importance of handwashing?

How does one increase the health of a population suffering from chronic malnutrition but unable to grow or afford healthy food?


 These questions showcase some of the many complex issues that we will face in Uganda, and that were discussed in our "Health, Agriculture, Culture, & Community" workshop we attended at ECHO (Economic Concerns for the Hungry) this past week.  I will start out by saying we had a fabulous week learning beneath the tutelage of  Dr. Dan Fountain, a 35-yr missionary veteran who helped transform healthcare in the Congo. His wealth of information was of priceless value & I think it should be a mandatory course for anyone wanting to serve in a developing country in the area of healthcare and community development.

Essentially, this week taught us the importance of

1) Understanding the culture in which you will be partnering with,

2) Learning how to effectively partner with members of this culture in order to make a sustainable change in the community

 3)presenting Biblical truths in the context that the people will understand and relate to,

4) building relationships shaped around these Biblical truths so that true worldview transformation takes place

5) enabling people to change their own community without creating dependency on outside resources

...all in the context of healthcare, community development, and agriculture!

What a wealth of information and resources we are walking away with from this week!! Plus lots of new friends who will also be raising their kiddos in developing parts of the world as well!

Here are a few shots from the week:

 Learning how to cook with a solar oven

 Learning how to disinfect water with the sun

 
Solar Dehydration

Learning how to make briquets out of your trash & compost

See- we're not the only crazies out there! Our new friends the Florek's are taking their 2 girls to Ethiopia with SIM...

 Olive & Mercy hit it off fabulously this week...they might have to meet up in Africa again someday!

                                                                                                                                                               

John Campbell actually roomed with our                  The Molsee's are moving to Togo with their 3

team director Travis in medical school                      boys

(small world!), and he and his wife are 

moving with their 4 girls to North Africa

A crockpot made out of cardboard! How cool is that...

                         Derek demonstrating how the dry composter works...think the girls would be up for trying it?  :)

You can't tell how much light this solar light puts out, but it is equivalent to a 50watt lightbulb! Amazing...no electricity required!

Learning how to create a worm-composting bed

Learning about all the nutrition packed in moringa!! (Take note of its' amazing water-purifying capabilities as seen in the "Before" & "After" water shots above the sign) 

 

 Olive got hot...Daddy needed a hat...this was the result!

Spinach for our salad  &  Chaya for our salad

 Cranberry Hibiscus, another nutrition-packed leafy green we ate throughout the week in our salads- YUM!

 This girl wins the "Trooper of the Week" Award

 Our fabulous fellow ECHO-ers... represented from ALL over the country + Canada, and going to all 4 corners of the world!

 The Nursing Mamas' contribution to fighting world hunger :)

+the next generation of MK's

I think I could fit Lucy back there too & head to town for market... whatcha think?

 I know I shouldn't be playing matchmaker, but if Elisabeth Elliot outlives Lars, I think she and Dan Fountain would make an excellent couple! (just sayin'...)