Renewing the Gospel's call to heal the sick by supporting Anglicans working across the world in health care, whether in clinical settings or in the community

Welcome

In this edition, we celebrate the milestones of our first in-person AHCN working group meeting, hosted by the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui. Through shared prayers, reflections, and collaborative discussions, Anglicans from across the globe have come together to advance our mission of health equity and healing.

From the inspiring words of Bishop Luke Pato to practical plans for regional hubs, this newsletter highlights the transformative power of faith, connection, and action. We also feature insights from participants, updates from the Christian Mission Hospital in Bangladesh, and opportunities for prayer and involvement.

Together, let us continue to foster hope, serve the vulnerable, and advocate for holistic care in our shared journey of faith.
 

If you have any further comment or want additional support in your advocacy work, please do get in touch on ahcn@anglicacommunion.org

Reflections from our first in person meeting, hosted by the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (The Anglican Church of Hong Kong)

In the opening service at St John’s Cathedral, Hong Kong (SAR), Bishop Luke Pato (AHCN Co-Convenor) spoke of the joy and beauty of finally meeting together as the AHCN working group, for the first time.

He spoke of the importance of hearing and understanding one another, across our continents and languages, to foster our common humanity. As Anglicans, he said, we have huge potential to enable health equity by championing peace; working with and within communities to eliminate disease and illness. He ended by asking us to remember the poorest, those who suffer most when we do not care for the planet or for one another in our delicate system of interdependencies.

Bishop Luke’s words echoed across the week and they echo still. As we continue to steadily advance as a network – our prayer is that we would increasingly strengthen those cross-border interdependencies, learn more and more how to love one another in our diverse contexts, and help to defend the rights of the poor and dispossessed in our advocacy as Anglicans and custodians of a common home.

We met to promote peace and to live out Christ’s healing mission. To share the Gospel and to heal the sick. To encourage one another and inspire one another to persevere in that mission, because, as it is written in Psalm 9: 

‘God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish’

Purposes like these had motivated our provincial representatives to travel from Bangladesh, Jerusalem, Guatemala, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, and many more. At the end of our few days together, this gift of hope within us had been fanned into even greater flame.

The reflections of one of the participants and provincial representatives, the Rt Revd Dr Murray Harvey, are available here

And so too, the report from another participant and provincial representative, the Revd Dr Herlon Bezerra, is available here 

As both Herlon and Murray share, we spent our time in discussions about the needs of our regions, countries and churches; working out how as a group we could equip Anglicans in health to meet those needs. A great deal was achieved which we expect to see bear fruit in the coming months and years. Particularly we are aiming to begin regional hubs of the AHCN. 

At the same time, we are still mindful of our limits. The AHCN is almost entirely run by volunteers and we are often restricted in our capacity. Yet, those limits do not mean we cannot care for one another and benefit one another through connection and dialogue. 

On the final day of the first in-person meeting of the AHCN working group in Hong Kong, we each wrote our hopes for the future on a cross in St John’s Cathedral, recalling Bishop Luke’s words. We wrote our reflections silently on small paper hearts. Walking by the high altar, we pinned them in the quiet. While we did not communicate to one another what we had written, the sense of a shared mission was evident. 

Meeting together was an opportunity to dream of what might be possible in working together, in our particular areas and health ministries across the Communion. We can sharpen one another, listen to the trials and burdens of each other’s work, and consider solutions in tandem. We know that will continue to be valuable. 

Prayer Points

At the AHCN, we are committed to praying for our members, their work, and their churches. If you have a story, need, or experience as an Anglican serving in health that you would like to share, please contact us at ahcn@anglicancommunion.org. We would be honoured to include your prayer requests in future newsletters.

This month, we share a prayer request from Prodip Chand Mondal and the Church of Bangladesh. 

Prodip Chand Mondal, married to Reba Dipali Mondal and a proud father of two, holds a Master's degree in Business Administration. Since October 2020, he has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the 100-bed Christian Mission Hospital in Rajshahi. His leadership focuses on ensuring the hospital’s self-reliance while promoting the gospel through health programs led by the Church of Bangladesh. Under his guidance, the hospital has attracted skilled doctors, increased patient numbers, and strengthened its outreach to ethnic poor communities through initiatives like the Malakar Memorial Fund, enhancing the Nursing Institute’s reputation and hospital services.

However, the Church of Bangladesh, including the Christian Mission Hospital, faces significant challenges. Post-pandemic recovery has been slow, and recent leadership disruptions, exacerbated by political unrest in July 2024, have led to corruption and discrimination. False allegations, particularly spread via social media, have undermined the credibility of church leaders.

These challenges have caused disruptions in community services such as schools and hospitals, while internal conflicts further hinder progress.

Christian Mission Hospital, Rajshah 

Prayer Requests:

• For unity and perseverance among nursing students, staff, and patients, as they strive to continue their mission of service and healing.
• For the recruitment of new missionary volunteer doctors, especially in obstetrics and gynaecology and for a general surgeon to join the team

Despite these trials, progress is being made in every area of the church’s work. The Church of Bangladesh deeply appreciates the prayers of the AHCN as they persevere in their vital mission.

You are receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in the Anglican Communion Health Network and work of the Anglican Communion Office. If you wish to unsubscribe, click below.