MAP West Africa

		Health and Hope for a Hurting WorldŽ
Learn About Us Updates and Information Resource Center Interact With Us ť General inquiries ť E-mail addresses ť Phone and fax numbers ť Postal addresses ť Job opportunities		MAP West Africa Office Purpose: MAP West Africa encourages and supports key Christian leaders who are demonstrating commitment to Total Health in their ministries and are challenging the churches to assume their biblical responsibility to transform their communities. Major Programs Holistic Leadership Development in the Church Whole Person Health Training Medical Supply and Relief Regional Situation Tribalism. Poverty. AIDS. Inaction. These are the issues that most directly affect the total health needs of people in West Africa. This is a diverse region of 209 million people living in 22 nations, where health care is often beyond reach. The biggest threat in the region is tribalism, which often leads to violence, a primary health concern. The respected journal "Jeune Afrique" called tribalism the "father of all evils," which has re-emerged throughout the region to prevent nations from taking care of their own citizens. Tribalism even infects the church in West Africa, a result of the way tribes were evangelized. Denomination that sent missionaries to West Africa focused on particular tribes. Even today the close ties between tribes and denominations remain, resulting in a splintered and fractured church. A second issue affecting the health of the region's people is poverty. West Africa's economies have yet to recover from the devaluation in 1994 of the C.F.A. currency shared by all of the French-speaking nations in the region. Health care remains out of reach for many who cannot afford it, and the hospitals and clinics that provide care face financial threats as well. In the midst of AIDS and other diseases, services offered by Christian health institutions are few and far between. Churches in the French-speaking countries of West Africa are rarely involved in social issues, including health. This, too, has historical roots. The French who colonized much of West Africa separated the society and the church, which was assigned only a spiritual role. As a result, few Christian health institutions have been developed. And those that were developed survive with little support. It is within this context that MAP International is working to be a light of health and hope. MAP is working to assess, and then meet, the needs of Christian health institutions and hospitals and to encourage the church to take an active role in health issues. In addition, MAP is providing training and educational materials to empower those who take up the work of holistic health. Health and Hope Dr. Olivia Akakpo walked from the classroom after the evening session. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she said: "I am so glad I have come here to this workshop. Now I know that I am not the only one struggling with these difficult problems." Dr. Akakpo is a pediatrician at the main university hospital in Lome, the capital of Togo in West Africa. She attended, with 27 others from throughout the region, a MAP-sponsored workshop on healing the whole person. Many of the sick children Dr. Akakpo cares for have AIDS. She spends time with their parents trying to help them deal with the frightful reality of the disease, which is not only fatal but in Togolese society is very shameful. At the workshop, Dr. Akakpo learned an approach toward healing that encouraged health professionals, pastors and counselors to work together to help the sick and their families to find full healing of body, mind and spirit. Through the workshop, MAP helped to plant a seed of life, hope and healing in the Togo medical community as well as in five other African countries. Program Descriptions Health Training Providing medical/pastoral health training that promotes the idea of healing the whole person. Workshops are designed to bring together health professionals with pastors and counselors to help them work as a team to address the physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs of hurting people. A pastor who attended a whole person healing workshop said that now, along with praying for physical healing, he felt comfortable working directly with a physician. Likewise, a physician said he was now ready to share responsibilities to promote total healing with a pastor. A strong component of the training focuses on dealing with people afflicted by HIV/AIDS. Networking Linking, assisting, encouraging and equipping Christian health leaders from throughout West Africa to promote sharing of information, best-practices models and encouragement. In doing so, MAP is building awareness of the need for the church throughout West Africa to enter into biblically holistic ministries. For instance, a community health center in Benin develops innovative ways to use recycling, composting and agriculture to promote good nutrition and environmental stewardship -- and to raise funds along the way to support health services. It's a model that other Christian hospitals, clinics and centers struggling with their own finances might be able to follow. Through the development of Christian Health Associations in a number of West African countries, MAP is helping to facilitate the sharing of such information. Support for Christian Health Institutions Assessing the needs of Christian health institutions in West Africa and defining how MAP and others can meet these needs. In English-speaking countries of West Africa, Christian health facilities are often well developed. That's not the case in French-speaking West Africa. The difference has to do with the colonial development of the nations. The result is that most Christian health institutions in French-speaking West Africa face financial, resource, and personnel crises. MAP's assessments have already led to the provision of medical supplies and health training workshops. Communication Supporting the other program areas with information. Much of the work of training, networking and needs assessment require an ability to print, publish and disseminate the latest information. Plans for the communication program include possible publications on health, leadership and information sharing. In addition, a resource center composed of materials on whole person healing and other topics is planned. Message from the Regional Director Edouard Yao "Disease, please, don't infect me. I don't have money to purchase medicines. Please don't infect me." These words are the lyrics to a song from one of West Africa's most popular singers. They reveal the despair of most West African people. While much of the world is preparing to enter the Third Millennium, in most parts of West Africa, people are struggling with basic needs. In the new global economy, little hope is left to them. In this context, MAP West Africa works to support health institutions and professionals who care for these people, raise the Church's awareness so it will address these challenging issues holistically, and equip and link Christian leaders who are willing to face these challenges. May God's people all over the world allow room in their heart to attend to the needs of West African people. In doing so, they will have done this to the least of the Lord's brothers. Edouard Yao has been the Regional Director of MAP West Africa since August 1995. Previously, he supervised bible translation projects for nine years in West Africa. He is a native of Cote d'Ivoire. He and his wife, Mary, live in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.