posted on January 1, 2024
CAMA: Community Health Care in a Rural Setting in Guinea
Nestled among the mountains of central Guinea are a number of smaller towns and villages without gospel access. A couple or single with a solid biblical understanding and strong evangelistic gifts will be able to reach out in larger rural areas to provide this access. Working as part of a team, they will seek to develop wholistic health care and community health education strategies to enable the Fulani to thrive as individuals and communities.
Position Type
- CAMA worker
- Health care
- Partially funded
- Single or couple
Responsibilities:
- Work with local leaders to develop programs that focus on improvement of overall health, community health education, and access to basic health-care needs
- Research and implement new health education programs based on community needs
- Provide visionary leadership that develops creative ways to meet physical and spiritual needs of the communities being served
- Work alongside development team with other projects as appropriate
- Communicate regularly with supporters
Required Qualifications:
- A recognized bachelor’s degree
- 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
Biblical Characteristics:
- Ability to articulate personal conversion and call to gospel ministry
- Demonstrated heart for the poor and marginalized (Micah 6:8)
- Theological Alignment with The Alliance
- Demonstrated flexibility and grace in all aspects of life
- Vibrant spiritual life with consistent practice of spiritual disciplines
- Ability to learn and recover from failure
Timeline for Deployment:
Summer/fall of 2025. Once appointed and fundraising 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:
The Fouta region lies about 11° north, providing a warm dry season (March–May) with temperatures reaching 100°F while cooling off at night, a rainy season (June–October), and a cool, windy period early in the year. Towns in the Fouta are mildly developed with part-time electricity and cell phone coverage. Dirt roads can be quite rutted and secondary routes difficult to traverse.
World Factbook – Guinea
Joshua Project – Guinea
Language Expectations:
Language is an essential part of ministry. Those who do not know the language will attend a language study program. The goal will be to speak, read, and write the language at a functional level in order to mentor, teach, and train others.
CAMA workers will receive one year of French language study followed by a study of the local language.
Health Considerations:
Basic health services and medications are available, but Guinea lacks quality, comprehensive health care. Advanced diagnosis and treatment need to be obtained outside the country. Medical conditions requiring constant monitoring and control are difficult to maintain here. The use of malaria prophylaxis is strongly recommended.
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.
Children’s Educational Plan and Options:
Children’s formal educational opportunities are limited in the Fouta region. There are no local French or English language schools that provide an acceptable level of education for workers’ children. A boarding option is available in a neighboring country for older children. Homeschooling is recommended for younger children.
Compensation Package
The successful applicant(s) will receive a full compensation package with the expectation that, once appointed, efforts will be made to raise a portion of support costs through the applicant’s network of friends, family, local church, or other resources. Information on support costs will be made available upon application. Training and/or coaching in fundraising is available.
Whole-Life Health
CAMA Services is the relief and development specialized structure of Alliance Missions. As part of an evangelical denomination, we are committed to biblical holism, which is modeled and reflected through our work. Due to this commitment, part of the required qualifications includes optimal emotional, spiritual, and physical health. These will be assessed during the application process.
Important Clarification
Applicant(s) should be aware that serving in the international world often requires a higher degree of grace and flexibility. For example, overseas teams can be suddenly and unexpectedly impacted by illness, government decisions, financial realities, team changes, or other factors beyond the team’s control. The challenge for applicants is that these factors can sometimes necessitate the sudden redefining of a position, which may take place before, during, or after the application/interview process has begun or is completed.
Questions?
Please email Lisa Ramsey at [email protected].