Breakout 1, Friday, April 14 7pm

As Christians working in healthcare, we operate in a world and culture that is increasingly at odds with Biblical values. Nowhere are these misaligned values more evident than in discussions surrounding gender, sexuality, and abortion. Dr. Armistead will help us explore these topics, and provide guidance on how to live winsomely and faithfully as healthcare workers who find our primary identity as followers of Christ.

Dr. Armistead is a board-certified Family Medicine physician. He grew up in Hanover County and attended William and Mary for college and the Medical College of Virginia for medical school. He completed his Family Medicine residency in Kansas City.

He and his wife JoAnn began their missionary ministry serving in a hospital in the South Asia in 1999. They served the Lord there for 11 years with Scott serving as a hospital staff physician, while JoAnn taught missionary children at Murree Christian School. It is not currently possible for them to continue their longer term ministry in the Middle East, so they relocated to Richmond VA.

Dr. Armistead serves as Area Director for the Richmond chapter of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. He relates to students at the VCU Medical Center. he is involved in regular meetings and provides mentorship and Bible studies along with organizing group meetings and conferences geared towards promoting healthcare missions. He has taken a number of short-term teams to Africa, including a trip that he just recently returned from. He also serves Afghan refugees who have relocated to the Richmond area.

Providing health care can open the door to spiritual conversations with our patients. However, significant obstacles exist, including the perceived wall between science and faith, and the challenge of moving conversations from the secular to the spiritual realm. This presentation will seek to provide health care practitioners with the confidence and the understanding necessary to address spiritual issues with patients.

Dr. William Griffin serves as the Vice President for Dental Ministries with the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. He received his undergraduate degree at the University of Notre Dame and his DDS degree at Virginia Commonwealth University. His 38 years in private practice included regular international dental mission trips and involvement with various local efforts to help the dentally needy.

In addition, he has served with a Pregnancy Resource Center and a Classical Christian School. His greatest passion in life is communicating the love of Christ, in word and in deed, through healthcare. He and his wife Linda have been married since 1983.

This talk will discuss ways to navigate the unique opportunities of short term missions. You will be challenged to embark on your journey with consideration of the culture in which you will be immersed and spiritual preparation. We will discuss how to prepare for the field intentionally. Are you prepared to change the world or have the world change you?

Mkiyah Gonzalez is a Certified Nurse Practitioner with a passion for exploring different cultures. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Hampton University and served for four years as a nurse in the Army. She later completed her nurse practitioner training at Frontier Nursing University.

Mkiyah is grateful to work at the Fredericksburg Christian Health Center, where she can address healthcare needs and share the love of Christ. She has had the opportunity to be part of short-term missions in Guatemala and Peru. She speaks conversational Spanish and enjoys doing life with her husband of 21 years and their five children.

How can we advance the kingdom of God in our families, churches, workplaces and communities? We'll discuss the concept of faith-work-family life integration and share several key practices that enable us to live in God-focused way in all areas of our lives.

- Cultivating a personal and growing faith

- Committing to a community of believers

- Intentional involvement in local community activities

- Doing as many things together as a family as possible.

- Seeking to share the gospel and disciple others at home, at church, at work and in the community.

- Befriending and mentoring new believers.

Key passages:

- Jeremiah 29:7- seeking the peace and prosperity of your community

- John 17:14-15 - being in the world but not of the world

- Matthew 28:19 - going and making disciples

Larry Mathers, a physician, and his wife Rachel, a nurse practitioner, have been happily married over 26 years.

They live, work and minister in Newport Tennessee, where their two wonderful children Laura, 17, and Eli, 14, were born and raised.

They view their medical work as a calling and since 2003 have worked with Rural Medical Services (RMS), an FQHC dedicated to caring for the underserved. Larry is chief medical officer of RMS and chief of staff at Tennova Newport Medical Center. He practices full spectrum family medicine with obstetrics, caring for adults, children and expectant mothers. Rachel works for RMS as a primary care nurse practitioner.

Larry and Rachel are committed to various ministries and leadership roles in their church and community. Larry serves as a deacon, an adult Sunday school teacher and has worked on various church committees. Rachel has served on the mission and personnel committees. Together with their children, they help lead worship each week. Larry has coached AYSO soccer for several years and Rachel has served as president of the community swim board and volunteers at their children's school in a variety of roles. In addition, they provide support to several overseas missionaries and Christian service organizations.

“Abide in me and you will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Join Dr. Simpson to explore the importance of abiding. What does it mean to abide? We will discuss practical ways for personal spiritual disciplines and personal spiritual retreats. Whether on the field here or abroad, disillusionment, burnout, culture shock, team struggles, marriage/parenting struggles - all reasons people leave their post. Join me as we look at the secrets from the vineyard (John 15), and the importance in abiding (being a disciple), only then can we shine His light into the darkness to make disciples. It isn’t our heart for the nations, or love for our people that will keep us focused and moving forward, it is abiding that gives us staying power to press on toward what He has called us. Come, let’s plug into the power source of all good things.

Dr. Deidra Simpson is an Associate Professor of Pharmacology at Liberty University, teaching BSN, MSN, and DNP students. While her specialty is cardiology, she has interest in precision and functional medicine. Having been a military spouse and a missionary in East Asia, both of which required frequent transitions, she has experiences in various aspects of pharmacy from consulting, academic detailing, clinical practice, and ambulatory care. However, teaching has always been her passion. Dr. Simpson also considers it a privilege to be the International Student Support Faculty for the School of Nursing, providing mentorship and support for the International Students and TCKs within the program. Her greatest joy is knowing the students personally, speaking truth and life into their lives.

In every country, on every continent there are men, women and children trapped in jobs into which they were coerced or deceived and cannot leave. Around the world, it is estimated that there are 25 million people subjected to human trafficking or forced labor. Not only is this an ethical and moral issue but trafficking erodes the safety and health of our communities and security of our borders. Human trafficking disproportionately affects the underserved and vulnerable such as runaways, refugees and those living in poverty. lt is important to learn the indicators and signs of human trafficking and then take action to fight against this horrible crime. Learn what you can do to help prevent, rescue and restore victims of human trafficking in your own backyard and around the globe.

After a college mission trip to Mexico, Sharmayne felt called to dedicate her life to full time missions. She went to medical school while continuing to serve on the mission field, specializing in Infectious Disease at American University, Managua. At Johns Hopkins University, Sharmayne completed a master’s degree in international public health, and did an Infectious Disease fellowship, focusing on Tropical Medicine in Lima, Peru. Sharmayne is involved in anti-human trafficking efforts in several developing countries and founded an NGO that supports safe houses and awareness/ prevention efforts. She serves as a medical liaison for the Rio Grande Valley Anti-Trafficking Taskforce, is chair of the CMDA Human Trafficking Commission and serves on the Amazing Grace Ministries anti trafficking team. Besides her work in combatting human trafficking, currently Sharmayne is serving at COLM, a clinic staffed solely by volunteers on the Texas- Mexico border offering free health care in an underserved community. Each year she leads and participates in medical mission teams around the world including Latin America, Jamaica, Samoa, Nigeria and Sudan.

As Christian healthcare professionals, we have unique opportunities to glorify God and share the Good News through our work. While the opportunities exist, there are barriers to faith sharing as well.

On the mission field, healthcare professionals may face governmental restrictions and cultural differences. On the home front, restraints may come in the form of insurance guidelines and workplace culture. In this presentation, we will explore modern-day concerns and potential solutions for how to make Christ the cornerstone of your practice, wherever you may be serving in the world.

Caroline received her Masters in Occupational Therapy from Midwestern University and completed a fellowship at Memorial Hermann to specialize in neurological conditions. Caroline has a special interest in medical missions and spent three years volunteering with a nonprofit organization in Vietnam to start a therapy center for children with special needs, and has published a book on her experiences there. Caroline also has a passion for therapeutic photography. She has run programs with children and developed a new program for adults.

Recently, Caroline moved to Tennessee to help start a therapy farm with services based in animal andnature-assisted intervention.

“The earth is the Lord’s...and those who dwell in it” (Psalm 24:1, AMP). God has one great mission, and it is global. From God’s perspective, it is all domestic. America is a growing mission field that is a significant and strategic part of God’s global mission to fill the earth with His glory through the knowledge of His son. This session discusses ways medical Christians are living out the gospel through healthcare in areas of strategic need here in the United States, and how many of those efforts tie in to advancing Christ’s kingdom globally.

Dr. Emmanuel Clottey is a Professor of Public and Community Health in the Department of Public and Community Health. He holds an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry, three master;s degrees in divinity, Theology, and Public Health and a doctorate in Public Health. Dr. Clottey is a M. Alfred Haynes Research Training Institute for Social Equity Scholar from Meharry Medical College and a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). He did a Chaplain residency and served as a Chaplain at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. He was the Senior Pastor of St. Peters Methodist Church and the Superintendent Minister of the Methodist Church in Kenya (Langata Circuit), overseeing ten congregations and community schools. He also served as the Supervisor of two Community-based projects for vulnerable children in Kenya; Tusaidie Watoto Nursery School and Wesley Empowerment Center jointly run by the Methodist Church in Kenya and the Karibuni Trust. Dr. Clottey is passionate about sharing the gospel and serving underserved populations. He has contributed to articles in peer-reviewed journals and to chapters in two books: Pathways into the Political Arena: The Perspectives of Global Women Leaders and The International Handbook of Psychopathic Disorders and the Law (2d Ed.). His research interests include Community health education, obesity, leadership, and the contribution of Faith-Based Organizations to Public Health. He is a member of the American Public Health Association (APHA), the Christian Connection for International Health (CCIH), and the Technical Exchange for Christian Healthcare (TECH).

Dr. Tom Kollars has over 30 years of international experience in Emergency Response to (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High Yield Explosives), Biology, Epidemiology, Education and Public health, where he has led and collaborated on chronic, infectious, and vector-borne disease projects in over 50 countries with over 1,500 scientists and physicians.

Tom retired after 23 years in the Army at the rank of LTC, having served in Combat Arms and Preventive Medicine and Emergency Response. His last position held in the Army was as the Brigade Surgeon of the 415th Chemical Brigade USAR, with the responsibility of oversight of medical operations for over 2,500 military and civilian personnel in the event of a release of Weapons of Mass Destruction in North America, and held a TS/SCI clearance. Tom is a certified team leader and instructor in CMAT, FEMA and CMU and has the highest certification in emergency management in the DoD, and has experience in WMD planning and evaluation, and product development and testing.

Tom has been an instructor and senior consultant in numerous organizations including the Department of State, Department of Defense, the Smithsonian Institute, businesses, and the World Health Organization.

Dr. Kollars has also worked as a senior scientific consultant in the BTEP and TADR programs for HHS and DoD and led Red Cell teams and advised during national and international exercises.

Tom has served as a department director in academia and private firms with oversight over international health program management, infectious disease epidemiology, vector-borne diseases, molecular biology, immunology and GIS modeling and pharmaceutical/vaccine development.

Tom is also fond of teaching and has taught K-12, undergraduate and graduate science and public health courses in several countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Central America. As an entrepreneur,

Dr. Kollars’ inventions have been featured on international media, e.g., Scientific American, Discovery Channel, CNN’s Inside Africa and TBN. Dr. Kollars was a fully certified pest control operator in the Army, Air Force and Navy and since retiring, is president and CEO of his own pest control company with operations in Georgia and South Carolina.

Tom is honored to serve as the Vector Control Consultant, Epidemiologist and Health Care Chaplain for the Afro European Medical and Research Network (AEMRN) and their former North American Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Dr. Kollars has over 80 peer reviewed publications.

Tom is also an accomplished classical, jazz, and gospel trombonist having played internationally with symphonies and big bands. He also composes music using algorithms based on nucleic acid sequences and molecular elements, coding for chords, notes and words with the goal of spreading God’s Word around the world.