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Medical Missions Foundation - MMF
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Is it really true that more doctors are now serving
in overseas missions?
- Hasn't CMDF been supporting missionary doctors?
- Where do MMF raise it's funding from?
- How will MMF funds be used?
- Shouldn't the home-churches be raising the support?
- Who will be eligible for MMF support?
- Who administers the funds?
- How can I help?
- Who do I talk to?
Is
it really true that more doctors are now serving in overseas missions?
Yes, 14 Singaporean doctors and dental surgeons are presently serving
in Nigeria , Tanzania , Cambodia , Vietnam , Central Asia, China
and Middle East . Six missionary doctors are presently home for
theological training or for personal/family reasons, with intention
to return to the field. The CMDF holds regular meetings for a group
of 10-15 doctors preparing seriously to serve in medical missions.
And that's not counting 22 doctors serving in churches as pastors
or working with para-church organisations located in Singapore.
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Hasn't
CMDF been supporting missionary doctors?
Although CMDF has always contributed in a modest way towards missionaries,
support is uncertain and depends on pledges from a few oncerned/
interested members. With MMF, we are able to maintain a more sustained
support and also to respond more effectively to urgent requests
from the field. Over the years, the medical missionaries have expressed
their deep-felt gratitude for the encourgement and support shown
by the Christian medical fraternity through the MMF.
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Where
do MMF raise it's funding from?
MMF raise it's funding for the missionary doctors through organising
Annual Golf Tournament, Charity dinner and donation from individuals
and corporations.
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How
will MMF funds be used?
Support will vary according to personal/family needs. It will go
towards general expenses, travel and deputation expenses, CME-related
costs and other professional activities. However, MMF funds are
not geared towards supporting mission agency infrastructure or for
equipping of mission hospitals. The MMF committee gives some leeway
to the individual missionary as to how the funds should be allocated
or diverted according to changing circumstances in the field.
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Shouldn't
the home-churches be raising the support?
Certainly! MMF/CMDF is just one of several partners in this venture.
The home-church is the principal support base. Peers/friends are
another important group. MMF aims to complement rather than take
over. Generally, a larger grant will be allocated to the missionary-doctor
who comes from a small church-group.
We believe missionary-doctors have special needs which are not part
and parcel of the general allocation in a missions agency. Examples
are renewal of practising licence with Singapore M edical Council,
medical defence fees, CME upgrading, travel grants for medical conferences,
subscription to medical journals or medical websites etc. Over the
years, MMF has managed to increase its annual allotment because
of the generosity of the local Christian community : $104,000 (Yr
2005), $123,000 (Yr 2006), $172,000 (Yr 2007)
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Who
will be eligible for MMF support?
It will be used to support Christian medical or dental graduates
who are Singaporeans or Permanent Residents and who wish to serve
as cross-cultural missionaries either in medical or other Christian
work.
MMF will also support medical missionaries who are posted back to
Singapore by their mission organisation to do full-time Christian
work after a period of posting overseas.
Short-term missionary work (those of less than one year duration
) will not be considered but ‘tent-makers' in creative access nations
are eligible. Funds will not be used for lay-theological training
but medical missionaries undergoing theological training can seek
funding. If funds are limited, preference will be given to CMDF
members.
Foreign medical missionaries do not come within the MMF purview.
Foreign doctors residing in Singapore for theological training,
medical apprenticeship or mission organisational postings also do
not qualify. Instead, CMDF will be the appropriate organisation
to provide support for any such worthy causes/personnel.
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Who
administers the funds?
MMF funds are separately administered by the MMF Committee (called
Board of Advisors in the Trust Deed ), who advise the Board of Trustees,
which is appointed by the CMDF Executive Committee. The MMF Committee
comprises CMDF doctors and dental surgeons, together with a Christian
lawyer and a Christian accountant to assist in the legal and financial
aspects of the fund.
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How
can I help?
You can help by informing the MMF of any missionary doctors or dental
surgeons serving overseas, even if they are well-supported by their
churches and do not require financial support. We want a full list
for contact purposes and for medical students who seek elective
attachments to mission-hospitals. Besides, CMDF/MMF is always looking
out for missionary doctors on home-visits to speak at CMDF gatherings.
You can help organise a support-group among Christian doctor-peers
(medical year-cohort) to raise funds for the MMF. This is especially
relevant if one of your batch-doctors is serving in the mission-field.
Class-representatives are needed to help the committee maintain
links with the field-workers.
Consider making a legacy towards this project. You can help sustain
the missions work by making donations. Cheques to be made payable
to “Medical Missions Foundation” and mail to: 420 North
Bridge Road, #05-07, North Bridge Centre.Singapore 188727.
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Who
do I talk to?
Eric Lee / Michelle Wong, CMDF Aministrator, will be available to
offer the necessary information.
You can send an e-mail to admin@cmdf-singapore.org or talk to any
member of the MMF Committee or CMDF Committee.
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