Spring

I realize that I've been neglecting my blog, and when I remind our doctors how important it is to keep their content updated, I must practice what I preach!  But, I've been busy running around, so here is what has been keeping me busy this spring.

We wrapped up March with three of our biggest events of the year.  The Religious Education Congress, annual Retreat/Seminar and our Appreciation Mass and Brunch.

We took pictures!  At this years RE Congress in Anaheim people from across the country stopped by to be "One in a Million" and let us add their smiling faces to our website.  You can be added there too, check the web site to learn more and view these pictures.

This year was the 15th annual Retreat/ Seminar for doctors interested in serving short term with MDA at Loyola Marymount. We spent the weekend sharing and praying with veteran mission doctors and   those who came to learn more about the opportunities.  Plans are already in the works for some of their service.

We ended the weekend with the Appreciation Mass and Brunch with the supporters and friends of MDA joining us for a Palm Sunday Mass at LMU's Sacred Heart Chapel followed by a lovely brunch.  We all enjoyed hearing from the Retreat/ Seminar speakers and attendees, and the Auxiliary presented the fruit of a year's labor. (More about this in the upcoming newsletter!)

Of course this is in addition to the doctors preparing for long-term service to Tanzania, many of our doctors serving short-term since the first of the year in Ecuador, Honduras and Cameroon.

So this week we are hoping for time to unpack some boxes, before the next exciting round of events and opportunities!   What is keeping you busy this spring?

2012 Retreat/Seminar

Joy, Connections, Excitement, and Anticipation

The 2011 Retreat / Seminar at Loyola Marymount has come and gone… but the feelings of joy, connections, excitement, and anticipation lingers!

This was the 14th year we have hosted this event for doctors and their spouses considering short-term service and we brought together surgeons from Pennsylvania and Alaska; a Cardiologist from Michigan; Family Practice from Arizona; and our California representation included dentists, family practice docs, an ophthalmologist, physical therapist, psychiatrist, physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, pediatricians, as well as spouses with as varied background as attorney, potter, pilot and writer.

One of the highlights of the weekend was the presentation of Dr. Joseph Llewellyn of Palmer, AK, who had attended the retreat for the first in 2010, and who served at Njinikom, Cameroon at St. Martin de Porres Hospital in the fall. He made a presentation this year on “Thoughts From a First‐Timer”. Dr. Ed Malphus who will be leaving to serve in Cameroon for a month in May told me that Dr. Llewellyn’s presentation had been exactly what he needed for his upcoming one month mission to the same hospital.

So – now the planning begins, those attending are already making their plans to serve, interest in sites from Guatemala to Cameroon over the next year.

Next year will be our 15th Annual Retreat / Seminar – and we are already making plans and taking reservations for 2012! If you are, or know, a Catholic Doctor interested in learning about the possibilities, we would love to hear from you.

Never doubt...

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." This quote from Margaret Mead has always been one of my favorites and for years has spurred me on during late nights and long flights with Mission Doctors.

We are still working on wrapping up all of the details following our annual weekend Retreat/Seminar a couple weeks ago. This gave us the opportunity to bring together a group of dedicated mission doctors and their spouses and with those interested in learning about ways they can serve. As I looked over the room I knew this was indeed a group like the "small group of thoughtful, committed citizens" Margaret Mead described.

I again want to take a moment on this blog to thank all of those generous and committed missionaries and thoughtful participants for spending the weekend working to be the change in the world.

Thank you.

P.S. - Interested in attending this event in 2011? We are already accepting reservations - Loyola Marymount University - April 8 - 10, 2011!

What a weekend!

As many of you know, this past weekend was the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress in Anaheim and what a weekend! We shared a booth with Lay Mission-Helpers and had the opportunity to share the story of this great work that has gone on for more than 50 years – there were more than 21,000 registered attendees!

We premiered OMPP...the One Million Patients Project and talked to anyone that would listen about the work of Mission Doctors. Visit www.OneMillionPatients.org

Thousands of faces, hundreds of bookmarks, old friends and new, handshakes & hugs ...phew! It was a great weekend, but needless to say - a quiet Sunday evening was very much appreciated.

But no time to rest….We are so excited about this upcoming weekend, our 2010 Mission Doctors Retreat/Seminar. Doctors and their spouses from around the country are traveling to Los Angeles to learn about Mission Doctors and the opportunities to serve short term in Africa or Latin America. Please keep us in your prayers this weekend, as doctors discern their call to serve. On Sunday our local friend will join us for Mass at LMU. A busy time, but an exciting time as we are all working together to bring health care to those most in need.