Francesca
is Coordinator of the Medical Department for the Diocese of Aru, in DR Congo.
This involves coordinating the work of seven health centres, working as a doctor
including consultation, ward rounds and emergency visits.
Francesca
has been working as a CMS mission partner since 1994, based in the Ituri
district in the north east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In recent years,
an increasing amount of her
time has been spent on management ¬proposal and report writing, fundraising and
accounts. In addition to this, she
has been involved in teaching at several different nursing schools. Each health
centre has 20-40 inpatient beds along with maternity facilities, a midwife, a
laboratory technician, at least two nurses and a variable number of ancillary
personnel. Francesca acts as a support for those who are working in very
isolated situations.
Francesca
grew up in London, moving to Bristol in 1971 to read Physics at Bristol
University. She enjoyed an early career as a physicist, including gaining a PhD,
before switching to medicine and training as a General Practitioner. One of the
reasons for her career change was that medicine would present more opportunities
for overseas work. After qualifying as a GP in 1990, she worked in Avon and for
several short periods helped in hospitals in India, Kenya, Swaziland and
Pakistan. A member of Christ Church Clifton, Bristol, Francesca was involved
with children's work, catering, house groups, christian basic groups, and
mission meetings.
Francesca then did specialist training at the Liverpool School of Tropical
Medicine as well as spending two terms at the CMS training college, Crowther
Hall, and four months learning French, before travelling to what was then ZaIre
in January 1994.
At times, fighting in Congo has obliged her to move across the border to
Uganda, from where she has continued her work – on both sides of the border.
There has been damage to her clinic and looting of equipment, but each time she
has worked valiantly to restore the clinic and her team. Without doubt, she has
consistently brought much needed relief to the people of a region that most of
the world regards as just too difficult.
Francesca loves the opportunity to participate in sport, particularly tennis,
cycling and swimming, and wishes there was more opportunity for these in Aru!
Do please
pray for Francesca and her work in your prayers.
Graham is currently involved with teaching and training the next generation
of pastor-teacher-evangelists in Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the Eurasian
Mission College - Kazan in Tatarstan, Russia.
I
left Chudleigh during the January snow, heading 2,000 miles via Moscow to Kazan
in Tatarstan to teach an international group of student-pastors and the most
difficult part of the journey was the first 100 metres ... getting out of
Highlands Park! There was plenty of snow in Kazan as well but somehow they are
better equipped to deal with it.
The lecture room was an amazing sight with 38 students who had come from far and
wide, many making very hazardous journeys. The small study group shown is made
up of an Uzbek, Tajik and Tatar. My task was to teach the New Testament book of
Acts which narrates the truly epic struggle and success of the first Christians
as they battled against opposition to make known the good news of... death
defeated, sins forgiven and life given a new passion and purpose through Jesus
Christ. The dynamic of the book absorbs the student as the spread of
Christianity is described. How was it that a small discipleship group could
‘turn the world upside down’? In our study we were reminded of the big purposes
of God, the power of prayer and preaching and the attractiveness of Christians
living Christ-like lives in an unhappy and selfish society.
The Mission College in Kazan, Tatarstan, is strategically placed, being one of
the southern Russian regions. Students can come and study in Kazan from any of
the surrounding countries such as Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan –
countries not always as favourably inclined towards Bible Schools. They return
to their home regions encouraged and better equipped to teach and train in their
own small church groups. The student-pastors are so eager to learn and to use a
special and unique opportunity to study and prepare for the future. It is a
privilege to teach such men and women.
I am acutely aware that these student-pastors lead hard lives in harsh and
difficult countries. Although committed and eager to serve they may well be
carrying scars and family problems from years of crushing communism and
government tyranny. Christian families are often the poorest and most
down-trodden. However, with the truth and hope of the gospel in their hearts and
minds, they do rise above so much that is oppressive and debilitating. I admire
their uncomplaining fortitude and their dedication to the task of mission.
Indeed they remind me of the very disciples whom we met as we studied the Acts
of the Apostles together.
Graham's latest reports: (Adobe PDF and Microsoft Word formats)
![[Under Construction]](images/undercon.gif)
Francesca
is Coordinator of the Medical Department for the Diocese of Aru, in DR Congo.
This involves coordinating the work of seven health centres, working as a doctor
including consultation, ward rounds and emergency visits. 
Francesca
grew up in London, moving to Bristol in 1971 to read Physics at Bristol
University. She enjoyed an early career as a physicist, including gaining a PhD,
before switching to medicine and training as a General Practitioner. One of the
reasons for her career change was that medicine would present more opportunities
for overseas work. After qualifying as a GP in 1990, she worked in Avon and for
several short periods helped in hospitals in India, Kenya, Swaziland and
Pakistan. A member of Christ Church Clifton, Bristol, Francesca was involved
with children's work, catering, house groups, christian basic groups, and
mission meetings. 
