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From Luke’s Journal February 2024 | Vol.29 No.1 | Missions and Sacrificial Service

One of the key focuses of CMDFA is to promote self-sacrificial service both in Australia and overseas. Currently there are about fifty CMDFA missionary members serving in international missions or working with mission organisations.

Missionary members are an active part of our fellowship and it would be great if their work is supported by the wider CMDFA Fellowship. (CMDFA membership is free for missionary members, but this needs to be renewed annually).

CMDFA have formed a Missions Special Interest Group (led by the Mission Hub comprising of Michael Burke, Patrina Caldwell, Russell Clark, Calvin Ma and Leon Tan) to encourage our student and graduate CMDFA members to live missionally, as Jesus commanded.

Ways CMDFA can support self-sacrificial and missional living include:

• Supporting student electives in partnership with our missionary members.
• Hosting meetings and workshops about mission work for our members.
• Providing opportunities for meeting missionary members (to promote their work before they leave as well as when they are on home assignment).
• Partnering with mission agencies to promote their work and provide support for their medical missionaries (by offering free CMDFA membership) and opportunities for short term missions.
• Regular check-ins with our missionaries.
• Praying for our missionary members – both in our monthly prayer letter sent out to the CMDFA prayer team, as well as at our weekly online prayer meetings held on Friday nights, where urgent prayer can be facilitated. Missionary members often join the online meetings, which both encourages them and those who pray for them.
• Offering ‘corridor consultations’ for missionary members by connecting them to the relevant health professional with expertise in particular areas of health if the missionary needs advice.
• Developing a directory of CMDFA members who are willing to treat missionary members at reduced fees and at short notice when they are on home assignment (as it is often difficult for people to get specialist appointments in the short time they are on home assignment).
• Offering mentorship to refugees doctors and dentists who are trying to start a new life here in Australia.
• Providing friendship and practical support for missionaries on home assignment and when they eventually return to Australia permanently.

There are many other ways we can support our missionaries and promote mission work. If you have other ideas about how we can support our missionary members, if you would like to be involved in any of the initiatives mentioned above, or if you would like to join the Missions Special Interest Group, please get in touch with us.

If you are in the process of going on the mission field, please let us know so that we can partner with you on your journey. Please contact us through the National Office by emailing office@cmdfa.org.au

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