Carolina Conference
 CMDA US is the largest of ICMDA’s 84 member bodies. I attended their national conference on 2-6 May at Ridgecrest, North Carolina with 770 others for a fantastic time of Bible teaching, seminars and fellowship. Dave Stevens, a former missionary surgeon, has led the movement for 25 years during which time it has grown out of all recognition. At this event he handed over to his successor Mike Chupp, who has also joined the ICMDA board. Stan Key’s Bible readings on ‘three dangerous prayers’ were a particular highlight for me along with Nancy Pearcey on the theology of the body (see her book and my review) and Quentin van Meter on the fraud of transgender medicine.
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Tennessee Adventures
 After the US conference I spent four productive days at the CMDA national HQ in Bristol, Tennessee. Their offices look out on the Appalachian Mountains and provide ample accommodation for 70 staff along with a radio studio, conference centre and warehouse for resourcing short term mission trips. They support medical students on 300 university campuses, medical missionaries in over 50 countries worldwide and are active in shaping public policy. Former Associate CEO Gene Rudd and his wife Gay provided wonderful hospitality and we even managed to squeeze in visits to the home of country and western music and a giant earth dam. |
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Visit to Vancouver
 From Bristol Tennessee I took three flights to Vancouver on the West Coast of Canada for the CMDS annual conference on 11-14 May. Over 170 attended from all over this huge country and I had the opportunity to speak about the work of ICMDA and give a plenary address on medical ethics. Euthanasia is now legal in Canada (almost 7,000 deaths since 2015) and pressure is being placed on doctors to be involved. Conscience laws are weak and so CMDS, led by their CEO Larry Worthen, is working with other organisations to strengthen state laws. They were successful in Manitoba in 2017 but still have nine provinces and three territories to win over. It is a stark warning to other countries.
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European Excursion
 The 7th ICMDA Western Europe junior and student leaders’ conference took place in Leuven, Belgium on 24-26 May with 50 attendees from 14 countries. The venue was an old monastery in the woods just outside this historic university town. I was one of four main speakers and gave talks on ‘Europe’s Secular present' and ‘Europe’s Christian legacy’ as well as taking part in a wide-ranging panel discussion with our Eurasia Regional Secretary Rick Paul and former HCFI head Chris Steyn. Europe is increasingly post-Christian but there are growing ICMDA linked movements in the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy. Vishal Mangalwadi’s ' The Book That Made Your World' is a must for understanding the Bible's influence on European culture. |
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Upcoming Events
 I’ll be in the UK for the next two weeks in preparation for four weeks abroad from 17 June. First up is the ICMDA annual board meeting in Bali, Indonesia, followed by our South East Asia Leaders’ training – we are expecting 30 from ten countries to attend. Then it’s off to Manila for the Lausanne Workplace Forum. I return to the UK just for the night before heading off again for two weeks in South Africa taking in three events – the IFES World Assembly where I hope to make useful contacts for our student work, followed by the Southern Africa leaders training conference and the RSA CMF national conference. I appreciate your prayers for resilience, preparation and fruitful fellowship.
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ICMDA June-July Prayer Guide
 The second edition of the ICMDA bi-monthly Prayer Guide is out this week. It brings you news, encouragements and fuel for thanks, praise and intercession. Five days every two months are devoted to each of ICMDA’s twelve world regions with brief, easily digestible prayer points attractively presented. The prayer points are also translated and disseminated on ICMDA's social media and WhatsApp groups. Please join us on PrayerMate, print out a copy here or just ask (email us here) and we will send you a booklet in the post. Keep it by your Bible and take a minute each day to bring ICMDA’s needs before the Lord’s throne of grace. |
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Family and Personal News
 Kirsty will be making a two-week trip to New Zealand to visit her elderly mother whilst I am in South-East Asia and South Africa. Jonno and Jessa are busy preparing for their wedding in London on 26 October and it was a joy to meet Jessa’s parents recently when they were visiting from Massachusetts. Our grandson Owen (Ben and Caroline’s boy) is now nearly four months old and gives great joy to the family. Chris has now finished recording seven Spanish music videos in Colombia and is seeking to release them. We are all looking forward to an extended family getaway in Wales on 14-16 June.
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Sincerely in Christ Jesus,
Peter Saunders
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