A United Nations Confirmation

Although we did not seek the United Nation’s approval for going to Kenya, we have discovered that they have indeed confirmed our call. An article published by the United Nations explains in detail the problem of “brain drain” in Africa. Almost weekly as we do our presentation, we speak of this problem and how it further leads to the poverty in Africa. In fact, we discuss this issue and our calling to address it on our website, The Mission Safari.

Brain drain can be devastating.

Brain drain can be devastating. The UN estimates that over 20,000 skilled Africans leave the continent every year. Most are from the medical profession. As a result, African countries spend over $4 billion dollars annually to employ over 100,000 non-Africans to replace them. This does not include the number of highly skilled missionaries that serve on the continent.

Many factors contribute to this problem. Poverty and failing economies with high unemployment drive some Africans away. Human rights abuses, armed conflict, and government corruption force others to seek safety elsewhere. African governments have sometimes been slow to stem the tide of departures, often referring to leaving workers as “unpatriotic”.

The United Nations is working on several initiatives to lure the Africans home and to help retain those who haven’t left. Governments are also working hard to recruit their own people back. In Kenya, the new president, Mr. Mwai Kibaki, has been quoted as saying, “[we invite Kenyans] who have been hounded out of our shores by repressive policies of our predecessors to come back home and join us in nation-building.”

Although these efforts are to be applauded, it will take more than fancy networking and UN initiatives to make an impact. This is where we believe that our efforts with Mission to the World, coupled with the work of the Institute of Family Medicine (INFAMED) in Kenya, is so strategic. As we work with INFAMED to train Kenyan medical residents in Family Practice, we will be working to improve their medical skills, giving them the necessary training to work in a variety of medical settings in Kenya. However, the medical training will not be enough. The discipleship of these professionals is key. It takes a Christian Worldview to work with the poor. It takes a Christian Worldview to have a heart for service; to please God, rather than your bank account.

We are thankful that the United Nations recognizes the need for our work. We are not going to “do the work” of a skilled African. We are going to train the skilled African and “work” ourselves out of a job.

Comments

[Andrew]

That is an important distinction to make...that of training the Africans instead of doing their job for them. If missions is to make any real progress, more missionaries (whether they be medical such as yourself, or whatever field they work in) need to catch that vision.

[Tim]

You hit the nail on the head. In my view (limited as it may be) the next "wave" of missions to "partially" reached cultures needs to be in the area of training. It must include a serious dose of "Christian Worldview" to be effective however. Just "training" them is not enough; it must have the culture transforming impact of "worldview".