1. The Changing Face of Missions Ophthalmic Industry Fellowship ASCRS – Boston, MA April 2010
2. Colossians 1:10 10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God
3. James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Do What?
4. Statistics 1988 World population 5.1 billion Age 65 and up 320 million Number of blind 37 million Global cataract operations 5 million/yr 2008 World population 6.7 billion Age 65 and up 500 million Number of blind 45 million (2004) Global cataract operations 15 million/yr
5. Statistics – global blindness 45 million blind (<3/60 in best eye) 37 million from eye disease 8 million from refractive error 17 million from cataract
7. Blindness Physical Inability to see 20/400 in your best eye Spiritual < 20/400 spiritual vision Inability to trust God and experience His grace
8. Spiritual blindness A refusal to acknowledge God as Lord and Creator, while at the same time choosing to foolishly trust in ourselves
9. Levels of spiritual blindness Key Spiritual Formulas Jesus + Anything else = Spiritual Blindness Jesus + Nothing else = 20/20 spiritual vision - James Gills, MD - Overcoming Spiritual Blindness
10. Medical and Spiritual Care We need to study and prepare to deliver effective care in both these areas There likely are “best practices” for delivering this combination of spiritual and medical help to those in need
11. Biblical mandates “of doing” I John 3 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. James 2 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 4 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
12. Mission What is mission? What is your mission? What is our mission? How are missions changing?
13. The changing face Travel Ease Internet/Cell phones The standards US Christians aren’t leading Political environment
14. Mission – what I’ve learned Mission is a privilege Mission is a responsibility Mission <> overseas Mission = getting out of bed in morning We are all missionaries
15. Mission – the changing face Traditional Going Doing New Face Going Teaching Connecting Supporting Long Term Relationships
16. Practical issues with current short term models Reinventing the wheel Go and Do mentality Duplication of services Difficult cases, less than ideal conditions Difficulty finding information On site On procedures On what is needed
17. Why MEN? Duplication of wheel Skills not being utilized Information not known or easy to find Raise the bar for quality WOMEN World Outreach Mission Eyes Network
18. Mission Eyes Network(our vision) Connecting people to mission networking Broadening the definition of mission Go/Do -> Support/Teach/Interchange Supporting the process of mission Education of doctors Platform to communicate Finding docs for clinics and missions Engaging industry
19. Key Agendas Advocate for mission agencies Resource for mission information Protocol for helping place volunteers Raise bar for quality Build community of mission minded professionals Allow better communication and networking
22. Industry involvement Traditional needs Supplies Place/need People to help and go Organization of trip New model Skills and skills transfer Challenge to quality Connections to make best use of skills available Inspiration to Go & Support model
23. Your company Define how your company wants to corporately support mission? What is your niche – what is obvious, what is not? What parameters? Who do you want to engage? Overt or Covert?
24. Industry involvement - #1 Commitment to skills transfer Techniques for mission settings New technologies International post graduate training center Commitment to quality
25. Industry involvement -#2 Commitment to education Support COS Missions meeting Need dynamic speakers to draw audience Residency education Sponsor international ophthalmology fellowships
26. Industry involvement - #3 Corporate sponsorship of your employees How would they be involved? Company sponsorship of a single mission/employee/lifetime? Sponsor 50% of mission trip Give one week off extra with no sponsorship Local missions involvement in your community
27. Your involvement - #4 Mission Think Tank Brainstorming group Email format Topics: Missions Prayer Innovation
28. Industry involvement - #5 MEN Partners New section of Mission Eyes Network Specifically for corporate involvement Communicate how your company wants to engage doctors involved in mission How to post Email: partners@missioneyes.net
29. Industry involvement - #6 OIF = many companies MEN = many agencies Strategic partnership with MEN to: Move the conversations Emphasize quality Inspire involvement Enable the process
30. Industry Involvement - #7 Personal Prayer How will you, your spouse, your kids be involved? What is your local mission field? Where are your international field(s)? How will you lead your division, company or challenge your bosses?
31. Summary – How to Help Skills Transfer Education Your Employees Think tank MEN partner OIF/MEN leadership Personal involvement
32. James 3 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
33. I Peter 4 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
God is the source of everythingGod gives meaning to everythingWe are spiritually blind unless we recognize our hopelessness and surrender entirely to the fact that God is sovereign over all
Another way to say it is this
Let’s talk about mission – defining questions for us all
Influences – internet, cellphones, information informationinformation, travel ease, political evironmentChristian missions not led necessarily by the US Christians
Give a man a fish, you have fed him for a day; Teach a man to fish, you have fed him for a lifetime.For industry, Give a man a fish, you have fed him for a day; Teach a man to fish, and you can sell him fishing equipment
Problem: No companies allowed100 docsGoals:>1000 participantsLarge dynamic meeting stimulating involvement