The Good Shepherd at Work Keir Thelander, M.D. Assistant Program Director Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons Bongolo Hospital, Gabon, West Central.

The Good Shepherd at Work

Keir Thelander, M.D.Assistant Program Director

Pan-African Academy of Christian SurgeonsBongolo Hospital, Gabon, West Central Africa

The Call for all of us

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38

Keir and Joanna ThelanderLuke, Sarah

GABON

We will go

• 2004 God called (Genesis 12:1)

• January 2006 Albertville, France, Language training

• August 2006, arrival in Gabon at Bongolo Hospital

What are we to do?

Jesus Response:

When He saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36

What?

Compassion– Meeting practical needs– Meeting medical needs– Most importantly meeting spiritual needs

by giving them Jesus

Why?

Harassed and Helpless

Jessicka – rode in a car for 6 hours with a broken pelvis

Helpless

• Then what happens when the electricity is cut?– When there is no backup

power– And you need oxygen

Why?

Sheep without a Shepherd

The ratio of surgeons to people in Africa is estimated to be

1:250,000

In some countries, it is

1:1,000,000

Not Enough Shepherds

• Missionaries can’t be the only ones to meet these needs of compassion and shepherding.

• We are only a few. How much can we do and for how long?

The PAACS

The PAACS stands for:

Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons

What does PAACS do?

• Trains Christian African surgeons in Africa to stay in Africa and be Shepherds for Africa

• Trains Shepherds

Where is the PAACS?TRAINING TRAINING CENTERSCENTERS Soddo Christian Soddo Christian Hospital (5)Hospital (5)

Mbingo BaptistMbingo Baptist Hospital (3)Hospital (3)

Banso BaptistBanso Baptist Hospital, Hospital, Cameroon (5)Cameroon (5) Bongolo Hospital,Bongolo Hospital,

Gabon (4)Gabon (4)

AFFILIATED AFFILIATED HOSPITALSHOSPITALS

Evangel Hospital Evangel Hospital Jos, NigeriaJos, Nigeria

Cure CCH, Mbale, Cure CCH, Mbale, Uganda Uganda

Kijabe Hospital, Kijabe Hospital, Kenya Kenya

Tenwek Hospital, Tenwek Hospital, Bomet, KenyaBomet, Kenya

Training in Progress

harassed and

helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Partner with PAACS to help disciple and train “shepherds” for Africa in Africa

Volunteer as a short- term Christian “visiting professor”

Partner with us financially

You are Needed!

For More Information

Website www.paacs.net

Keir Thelander, MD – [email protected]

David Thompson, MD, FACS – [email protected]

Bruce Steffes, MD, FACS – [email protected]