Primary Health Care Center, South Sudan

I just wanted to share a link to a page on SIM's website that details the project with Rebuilding South Sudan: Church and Nation that I am hoping to join. Click on: http://www.sim.org/country.asp?fun=12&fun2=1&cid=62&mid=&pgid=&prid=156
I learned some new things from the site and I get more excited each time I learn more about this project and just marvel at how God appears to be leading me. There are several things which I just love about the team's strategy. For one, they are beginning the Rebuilding South Sudan program at the request of the Sudan Interior Church, the network of churches that SIM established or that were established by national Christians as a result of SIM's ministry in South Sudan, beginning in 1937. The Church in South Sudan suffered greatly during Sudan's history of civil war and the country itself lies in shreds. The SIM team is there to strengthen the Church, disciple believers, train church leadership, and assist in evangelism. They are also there to help the Church to rebuild their country by working with them to develop health, educational, and agricultural systems. I like the fact that this program is based on strong links between the national churches and SIM and that it has at its heart the spiritual needs of the people, while giving high priority to their practical physical needs.

In regard to the health project itself, the Primary Health Care Center and Training School for Community Health Workers, I love that there is a clear goal of handing over the project to national leaders by 2012. It encompasses many of the ideas that I am passionate about in regard to community health work: respecting the potential and ability of the local people, empowering them to be able to prevent and treat many illnesses right in their communities without needing to rely on the often unpredictable and very expensive "aid" from more developed countries. I am excited about the potential for community health work to display the kingdom of God in a tangible way and to open doors for sharing the hope we have in Christ.

Sure sounds like an appropriate place for a Paediatric Nurse. The infant mortality rate is staggering--1 in 4 children will die before age 5. A teenage girl is more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than to reach 8th grade. A huge need for maternal and child health--one of the big focuses of my Tropical Nursing course last year. The big killers will be in common with much of the developing world for under-5's: respiratory infections, diarrhea, measles, malaria, malnutrition--all easily preventable or treatable with mostly inexpensive, very practical measures.