CHURCHES OF CHRIST
Second Edition
Copyright © 1999, 2001 by Phillip Eichman
Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2. HISTORY OF MEDICAL MISSIONS
4. MEDICAL MISSIONS SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES
5. OTHER TYPES OF MEDICAL EVANGELISM
6. MEDICAL TEAMS ORGANIZED BY INDIVIDUAL CHURCHES OF CHRIST
7. THE FUTURE OF MEDICAL EVANGELISM
I have read the contents of this work and am pleased to recommend it to all who are interested in the history of involvement in Medical Evangelism of Churches of Christ over the past years. I have admired the efforts of Dr. Phil Eichman, who has spent many hours gathering and sorting through bits and pieces of information, reading widely to ascertain with accuracy what has been accomplished, who has been involved, and where the work has occurred. Although he has been fully employed as a Professor of Biology at the University of Rio Grande in Rio Grande, Ohio, he has found the time and energy to do this research on his own time. His interest is not just academic, but comes also from having participated, along with his wife, Nancy, and children, John and Amy, in medical missionary trips into Central America.
I consider it an honor to be asked to write this Foreword. I believe that this book will be a valuable source of information for researchers for years to come.
H. Glenn Boyd
President Emeritus
International Health Care Foundation
The details regarding medical missions among the Churches of Christ are not easy to obtain. They are scattered among reports, summaries, newsletters, and a few publications in brotherhood papers. I have attempted to bring together as much of this information as possible. I want to thank all of those who responded to my request for information. I especially want to thank Glenn Boyd, President of International Health Care Foundation, for assisting in many ways, including reading over the manuscript, making many helpful suggestions, and encouraging me to complete the project.
I am a biology professor and not a medical professional. My family and I, however, have made short-term medical mission trips to Guatemala with Health Talents International and have seen first hand the tremendous physical and spiritual needs of those in developing countries. It was because of those experiences that I considered this project in the first place.
My purpose for writing has been twofold: First, to collect and document what has been done in the past, and is presently being done in medical missions by those in the Churches of Christ, and secondly, to encourage others to become involved in medical missions. There is much to be excited about. There are many fine medical mission projects that are supported by individual Christians and congregations of the Churches of Christ. There is also much more to be done. Each day the number of people in the world without adequate health care, but more importantly without Jesus, continues to grow.
I do not consider this project completed. I know that there are many other individuals and congregations involved in some type of medical missions. I would hope that these will send me information so that this report may be expanded to include others as well.
Phillip Eichman
I would like to express my appreciation to those who made this second edition possible. First, I want to thank those who responded to my requests for information. Without them, it would have not been possible to update and expand the coverage of medical missions. I also want to give special thanks to Glenn and Shirley Boyd for their valuable assistance in reading over the manuscript and making many helpful suggestions. I appreciate Glenn also for his willingness to write a Forward for this edition. Finally, I want to thank my wife, Nancy, for her patience, encouragement, and assistance in this project and my son, John, for designing the cover.
Once again I have retained the extensive notes and cited, whenever possible, the source of the information. This may seem a bit strange in a book like this but I have done so for one reason. Although I have been involved in medical missions in some small way, this is not my story. It is the story of others who have labored to bring physical, emotional, and spiritual healing to those who desperately need it. It is to those individuals, who serve the Savior in a willing and compassionate manner, that this second edition is dedicated.
Phillip Eichman
2456 St. Rt. 141
Gallipolis, OH 45631