Caring for the needs of people is integral to the missionary tasks of evangelism, discipling new believers, training leaders and forming healthy churches. Healthcare missions gives access to the unreached, allows for intimate conversations, meets needs, makes disciples and empowers the church.
Healthcare Prayer and Celebrations Updated September 2023
Sub-Saharan Africa
Though over the years the IMB has turned hospitals over to national leadership, we still partner with them by providing healthcare workers to participate in the ministry of the institution. One of our former hospitals in Ghana currently has an IMB surgeon working there but continues in need of more doctors. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will bring His chosen physician to be a blessing to the people in the area and work with the hospital as they meet the world's greatest need: lostness.
The culturally deaf worldwide present unique challenges to our efforts to reach the lost with the gospel. Often isolated in their families of origin, under educated and lacking resources in a language that communicates to them, we need to find good ways to share health information as well as the gospel with this huge group of people. Pray that the Lord give creativity and persistence as our health strategists work with our Deaf affinity to enhance the meeting of human needs and extend the proclamation of the gospel among these people.
People are hearing the gospel through healthcare ministries in Thailand! The clinic in Bangkla, Thailand is active and intentional in sharing with people in villages all over the country through mobile clinics. The fields are white for the harvest, but the workers are few. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will call out His person to join this clinic as a career healthcare provider to increase the impact of this ministry even more.
In the world’s growing cities, fitness and wellness centers provide good opportunity to give whole person care. Workers are operating centers in Europe and Asia. Activities include exercise, group workouts, trauma healing and other small group meetings, and active evangelism and discipleship. Pray that through this health strategy many will come to know the Savior.
In South America there are multiple indigenous groups of people who have not yet heard about Jesus. Usually these peoples live in remote places and often do not have healthcare. Pray that doors may be opened to provide needed care and to introduce people to Jesus. Pray that national healthcare professionals as well as those from US and other countries will be ready to enter those open doors.
Many workers and national partners are being trained to lead trauma healing groups. Abuse, conflict and war, displacement, disasters, and grief are just a few of the causes of fear and anxiety which is so prevalent. Pray for the many who will participate in these groups that they will find ultimate healing of wounded hearts in Jesus. Pray that many of these groups will result in new fellowships of believers.
Three physicians are beginning their service in Africa. Pray for them as they complete their language study and arrive in the hospitals where they will work. Pray for their families as they transition to their new homes. Pray that they will have many years of caring for the sick, sharing the gospel, and planting churches.
The greatest problem in our wold is lostness and the Gospel is the answer. Workers are needed to take the Gospel to those who have not heard and have not believed. Pray that many healthcare professionals and students will be challenged to respond to God’s call to pray, give, go and send.
A worker physician is teaching in a medical school in a Southeast Asian country. In addition to personal contacts with students in the classroom and clinics, he and his team have started a student center adjacent to the medical school campus. Pray that spiritual conversations can occur freely and frequently and that these young people will be drawn to the person of Jesus.
