The wound care nurse and former soldier Carlos is our sports teacher today. Accompanied by some very loud music, all the muscles are loosened on the beach, this early Saturday morning. A cardiologist, an ophthalmologist, an obstetrician and a nursing assistant are lined up and the usual hierarchy of the workplace no longer applies. The beautiful view of the coastline adds to the holiday feeling. It is the second national conference for Christian health workers and nearly a hundred colleagues have come from all regions and people groups of Senegal. The theme is holistic care.
We learn about approaching the patient as a whole: body, mind and soul, and bringing them back into contact with their Creator. There are medical workshops and a lot of interaction. Many colleagues work in remote clinics in the interior and the conference gives them the opportunity to hear others’ experiences, follow continuous teaching and receive advice and prayer for their work. News about job opportunities is also exchanged.
The network has become a movement for Christians in the healthcare sector who discover their calling and want to share Christ in their work. We have now also started to organize activities during the year, such as medical training, advice to mission clinics, exchange, and regional prayer groups. Meanwhile, there is a small team of health professionals that want to commit to facilitating this movement and we hope to register as a foundation in the coming year.
