CECCA has a large medical work. Hundreds of rural clinics and four hospitals combine medical care and evangelistic opportunity. Thousands of people depend on CECCA when serious sickness strikes.

Training Nurses

WEC has struggled to provide adequate numbers of doctors and nurses to be a help in recent years. Health in Congo is an area of real human need. Many die for lack of medicines and proper care. Missionaries can help in the area of direct care but the prime focus would be on training.

Today CECCA has a number of Congolese doctors and many nurses. It is desireable to increase these numbers so as to effectively operate a viable health care ministry. We also want to disciple these health care workers for their own spiritual benefit and for their ministry to the sick and others in their community.

WEC and CECCA are members of an inter-mission, inter-church medical work originally established at Nyankunde near the eastern border of Congo. The Evangelical Medical Centre (CME, initials in French) was the result of the work of Dr Becker (AIM) who initially developed the hospital side and Dr Helen Roseveare (WEC) who initiated the nurses' training school.

As members we have contributed personnel to this higher-level medical work. In November 2002 the centre was overrun by a tribal militia. 2000 people in the hospital, village and neighbouring mission were reported masscred and the hospital and houses were looted. Many of the staff have returned to their home areas. Others continued the work on CME at the AIM hospital at Oicha. Two WEC doctors (Philip and Nancy Wood) are serving at Bunia where CME is now concentrated. More missionary help would be greatly appreciated.

• Personnel needs: Doctors, Nurses.