HSA Spring Newsletter
Dear HealthServe Australia friends and colleagues,
Thank you to all our members, friends and supporters for your great generosity in working together with us to enact your vision for HealthServe Australia and to further your aims for HealthServe Australia. We continue to grow and strengthen in the difficult times of Covid-19.
Our Vision is to see global health transformed by accessible, compassionate and high quality health care for all.
Our Aim is to develop sustainable health programmes that will improve the total health and wellbeing of communities, aiming to help build a community's capacity for meeting its own health needs through partnership with community groups in projects.
As a community working in global health, we seek to bring health, hope and wholeness to individuals and communities. We seek to bring new life. We are in the midst of an emerging crisp and joyful spring of new colours, new sounds, new bird life and brighter and warmer days. Winter has been difficult, yet we have all persisted and our resilience is seeing greater strength and stronger linkages with partners in many settings.
I thank you for your generosity of heart in reaching out and supporting partners in India, the Friends of CMC Vellore and the Christian Medical Association of India, and the Emmanuel Hospital Association of India, as they struggled heroically and well with an overwhelming second wave of Covid infections. Much support was raised and this is distributed.
In Australia we now confront our third wave. Please see our recent video on how to support your church and community in practical ways by loving yourself and your neighbour. This video may be adapted as a presentation in your own community or church.
We are now launching our third phase Covid-19 Appeal. With your generosity we will continue to support partners in Papua New Guinea, Oceania, Indonesia, India and Africa.
Another highlight of recent months has been working with Queensland paediatrician Dr Nick Woolfield and his Lights for Life team. This team, based in Kyrgyzstan, central Asia is reducing the lifelong presence and effects of disability due to jaundice. They are enthusiastically engaged in distributing phototherapy units and training health workers on how to prevent and treat jaundice leading to lifelong brain damage. Please visit our Programs page to learn more about this and other exciting programs.
Our board has recently approved an exciting and innovative dental program—Healthy People, Healthy Environment—in the tropical rainforests of the Batang Toru Ecosystem, south of Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Read more about the program here.
We have a range of key events underway and planned.
- Our nightly HealthServe Australia prayer meetings continue at AEST 1900 every night. You are most welcome to join us, to be inspired, to be supported and to pray. Our Flattening the Curve prayer group is for health workers and those affected by Covid-19. This is led by HealthServe Australia. Join us each night at https://zoom.us/j/292539001
- Schools COVID-19 Q&A: Following the successful forum for teachers in July, HealthServe Australia in partnership with Western Sydney Faith-Based and GP Networks, we held a similar session for Combined Christian school staff and teachers on Friday 20th August.
- Our HealthServe Australia Annual Conference will be on zoom this year on Thursday September 30 from 1930 – 2130. Register here
- PRIME Tutor Training in Australia and Oceania on Saturdays October 9 and 16. Learn from experts from around the world and be equipped to make a difference. Click here for more details and to register.
- On October Thursdays 7, 14, 21 and 28 we are holding “Being an Agent of Healing” training in the Oceania region in collaboration with Transform4Life, ICMDA Oceania, and HealthServe Australia. There will be four two-hour evening sessions. Please pray for all the preparations and trainers and that the participants would be equipped to bring healing, especially amid crisis. Click here for information and to register.
- Our Annual General Meeting will be on November 25 at 1930. Further details to follow.
- Nominations are now open for our Dignity and Right to Health Award, which recognises, supports and publicises the most outstanding role models and champions acting to address health and development issues around the world. Read more about the award and submit a nomination on our website.
Thank you for your support and encouragement during winter. We ask you for your ongoing partnership and support as we move in the hopefulness of spring.
Bringing health, hope and wholeness
Dr Michael Burke
Executive Officer
HealthServe Australia
