Responsibilities:

• Direct patient care appropriate to medical specialty
• Train African health-care workers
• Contribute to the administrative work of the hospital as a physician leader in a department or training program (i.e., director of the lab or assistant director of the surgical residency, etc.)

Required Qualifications:

• Completion of Alliance Polity course
• Completion of the World Perspectives Mission Course (minimum of Certificate level) or equivalent
• A minimum Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) score of 40
• Board certification within specialty
• Active U.S. medical license

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience training health-care workers is appreciated
• Previous experience with cross-cultural living and limited resource medicine

Biblical Characteristics Desired:

• Kingdom-minded
• Biblically grounded
• Spirit-dependent 
• Competently skilled
• Self-aware
• Self-disciplined

Timeline for Deployment:

Summer/fall of 2024. Following appointment, and once fundraising goals and other qualifications are met, the appointee is required to attend a cross-cultural and language-acquisition program and pre-field orientation prior to deploying.

General Information:

Bongolo Hospital is located in a remote area in a small town of about 7,000 people. Basic supplies are available in town and can be supplemented through our annual shipment from the U.S. and occasional trips to the capital (350 miles away). Housing for missionaries, African physicians, and hospital administrators is on a station maintained by the mission.

CIA World Factbook – Gabon
Joshua Project – Gabon

Language Expectations:

Language is an essential part of ministry. The successful applicant(s) will receive one year of intense language study followed by ongoing language and cultural acquisition. The goal will be to speak, read, and write the language at a functional level in order to mentor, teach, and train others.

International workers will receive one year of intensive French language study in a French-speaking environment.

Health Considerations:

Gabon is a relatively hot and a very humid country. Being in good health is important, but chronic diseases such as diabetes or hypertension are acceptable if they are under good control.  Of course, Bongolo Hospital has a number of capable physicians and a well-stocked pharmacy.

Expectations for Spouse:

Spousal roles vary based on the spouse’s gifts, training, and abilities, as well as the needs of the team. It is expected that both spouses will be meaningfully involved in meeting ministry objectives, depending on the nature of family roles, children, etc.

In the setting of Bongolo Hospital, there are many jobs that need to be done, many of which we don’t have staffing to accomplish. Additionally, many international workers cover certain responsibilities outside of their giftedness and training, because of necessity. This is true in the medical arena as well as in the running of the mission and hospital. Imagine a small town and what it takes to run the town infrastructure—that is what is needed. Practically anyone can find a job at Bongolo.

Children’s Educational Plan and Options:

Currently, there are multiple education options for children on the Bongolo team—for preschool children, there is a local French language school that team families have used and have had good experiences with. Families on the Bongolo team are welcome to homeschool their children. The Bongolo team has an experienced teacher who has made a long-term commitment to the team. She facilitates a full-time K-12 co-op for team children. Parents with school-aged children participating in the co-op make a small commitment of their time teaching at the co-op. This is arranged individually with each family. For students in grade 8 and above, boarding school options in the region also exist.