A Council for World Mission (CWM) delegation led by the General Secretary, Rev. Dr Jooseop Keum, visited the Presbyterian Church of Myanmar (PCM) in Yangon from 30-31 July to develop concrete strategies for the Agape Hospital Project. They also made a solidarity visit to the Myanmar Council of Churches (MCC).
The CWM team was joined by Rev. Philips Woods, Associate Director for Global Strategy and Programme from the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Update on Agape Hospital Relocation Project
The Agape Hospital was established by the Presbyterian Church of Myanmar to provide basic healthcare and accessible health services to the community in Chin State, which is currently underserved by medical facilities.
Built to complement various mobile clinics, the hospital also provides scholarships to educate and train skilled medical personnel.
Since 2022, over 10,000 out-patients, and over 1,000 inpatients have received much-needed healthcare. However, with the COVID-19 outbreak four years ago, the hospital found itself in need of a relocation as well as being able to better cope with the consistently high demand for oxygen from COVID-19 afflicted patients.
A project that was mooted since 2022, the hospital is set to be relocated to a six-acre plot of land allocated by the Presbyterian Church of Myanmar. The last two years have seen the project take on a greater urgency as the hospital faces increasingly dire space constraints.
Meanwhile, the aftermath of the pandemic has necessitated the move to further develop and upgrade the hospital staff’s professional capabilities through degree courses and internships as well as looking into the procurement of new medical and hospital equipment.
Besides the relocation progress updates, the meeting also provided a vital platform that allowed both CWM and the Presbyterian Church (USA) to gain a deeper understanding of current challenges in relation to local contexts and to discuss the critical steps forward.
A show of solidarity with Myanmar
The meeting with the Myanmar Council of Churches the next day marked an important opportunity that gave the CWM delegation valuable insights into the challenges faced by churches in Myanmar in the face of the recent local conflicts, and afforded a glimpse into Council’s visions and plans for the future.
The two-day event signalled concrete steps that were taken by CWM to not only display its solidarity with the Myanmar churches and people but also greatly strengthened partnerships, and offered assurance and comfort in a time marked by increasing fear and uncertainty.
