What do you do at SIM UK?
I’m the Health Coordinator for SIM UK. It’s a voluntary role that I’ve done since returning from a five-and-a-half-year term in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
What does your job look like day-to-day?
Most of what I do is online. Once a new worker has been accepted and knows where they’ll be going and what they’ll be doing, I’m tasked with providing SIM UK Health Clearance for them. This process ensures the worker is currently fit for the role they’ve been called to, and that they’re prepared for the new risks to their health that they’ll encounter, particularly in developing and tropical countries.
The process varies depending on their destination and planned length of service and may involve referrals for health screening or a full medical, possibly a psychological assessment, and a collection of vaccinations. They also have a lot of information to absorb, helping them learn how to maintain good health in a new and possibly challenging environment.
A second aspect of my work is to help with reimbursement of healthcare costs incurred while our workers are abroad, through a SIM International cost-sharing programme called SIM-MED. Finally, I’m available to provide ad hoc healthcare advice to our workers while they’re away.
What makes you passionate about your work?
I’ve been involved in providing healthcare for many years. Maintaining good health is essential to thriving in gospel ministry in cross-cultural settings, and I want to do everything I can to help our workers achieve that.
Being able to be one small part of the whole process of sending gospel workers to reach the least reached is a great privilege, and when we hear from our workers of people coming to faith in Christ, churches growing and maturing, and people in great need being helped and supported, Christ is honoured and glorified and that makes it all worthwhile.
How can we pray for you?
- for efficiency, consistency, and good time management;
- that through all the busyness of life, the goal of everything I do will be for the honour and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ – that he will be the ultimate focus of it all;
- that my faith will continue to be deepened, and that I’ll be able to show Christ’s love to others through my work, church, and family.