WEC has helped the local Evangelical Church of the Gambia to establish a nursing school in Sibanor to train community health nurses for West Africa.

You will organise their 2-year government-recognised course. You will provide students with pastoral support, coordinate other teachers' involvement and help to recruit students.

The curriculum will follow the national government recommendations and values of whole person medicine, teaching Christian compassion and including a Bible study component.

As the tutor you will help to organise the course, plan and produce teaching material, teach the students, visit them while they are on attachments and provide pastoral support to them.

There are also  opportunities to engage the local youth and do village outreach alongside the local church.

Qualities & Gifts Sought

You are a registered nurse with at least three years' teaching experience, or a nurse with five years' post-qualification experience who is willing to acquire teaching skills.

You will enjoy both the multicultural and Christian aspect of our team life and ministry.

Flexibility and a willingness to try new things is essential. You are available for at least 6 months or willing to visit intermittently to teach relevant parts of the course.

Our ref: 184

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About Medical Ministry

WEC International has been involved in development through medical work from its beginnings in the 1920s – in the Congo, the Amazon, and the Himalayas.

WEC helps local churches run clinics and hospitals, offering expertise in fields like HIV-AIDS, ophthalmology, midwifery and dentistry. Our medical staff have served in several countries across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Central America. 

What's it like to be a medical missionary?

"Three mornings a week I work at a local hospital. Together with a local nurse we encourage women with newborn babies to breastfeed their infant. We have only a few minutes with each mother yet it is a great opportunity to share God’s love with these young women at a very special, precious and at the same time vulnerable moment of their lives." (a midwife)

"I have loved my time at Sibanor with WEC. I have had the opportunity to learn new skills, develop in confidence as a doctor, and grow in my Christian faith. It has been a huge privilege to be welcomed by the Gambian people and to serve alongside the amazing missionary team here." (Dr Will)

Dr Helen Roseveare, who developed hospitals in the Congo, and overcame incredible challenges, said 'Jesus is worth it'.

WECer Maud Kells OBE from Northern Ireland pioneered nursing training in the Congo. Read her book 'Open Door'

About Gambia

The Gambia is a country in West Africa that is entirely surrounded by Senegal except for its coastline on the Atlantic Ocean at its western end. It is the smallest country on mainland Africa.

The Gambia is a very small and narrow country whose borders mirror the meandering Gambia River. The Gambia is less than 50 km wide at its widest point. It is the smallest country on the African mainland. Banjul is the Gambian capital and the largest cities are Serekunda and Brikama.

Gambia has a tropical climate. A hot and rainy season normally lasts from June until November, but from then until May, cooler temperatures predominate.

The Gambia has a market-based economy characterised by traditional subsistence agriculture. There is also a significant tourism industry.

A variety of ethnic groups live in the Gambia, each preserving its own language and traditions. The Mandinka ethnicity is the largest, followed by the Fula, Wolof, Jola, Karoninka, Serahule, Serers, Manjago, Bambara, Aku Marabou and others.

The cuisine of the Gambia includes peanuts, rice, fish, meat, onions, tomatoes, cassava, chili peppers and oysters from the River Gambia that are harvested by women.

[Source Wikipedia. more here]

There are 30 people groups in the Gambia and 16 are unreached groups.

The Gambia has a population of just over 2 million. 84% of the Gambian peoples have little or no access to the hope of the gospel.

The largest religion is Islam at 84.4%. 4.8% profess to be Christian and of those 0.7% are evangelical.

[source Joshua Project]

Please pray with us for:
-freedom and harmony between religious groups
-the evangelical church which is small
-the peoples yet to hear of the hope of the gospel: Mandinka, Fulani, Jola and Wolof
-young people -Christian radio projects
-Bible translation
-development projects
[Operation World, 2010 print edition]

You can also use the Operation World and Prayercast online resources for prayer.

WEC in the Gambia

WEC has been registered with the government as an NGO in the Gambia since 1966. We have established different social programmes in order to contribute to the development efforts of the government and other stakeholders.

WEC Gambia co-operates with different Government departments, NGOs and charitable organisations to support national development efforts and capacity building through its holistic ministries.

We have projects in agriculture, medical work, education and youth, and literacy.

WEC is looking for committed believers who are willing to contribute to the development of The Gambia and support the local church in outreach, discipleship, training and mercy ministries.

We need people willing to:
– live a simple lifestyle
– serve others and respect people, regardless of their cultural or religious background
– commit to life-long learning, because understanding people and establishing relationships (both in social projects and church life) takes time
– commit to local language learning and cultural studies
– be willing to work in a multinational team
– be flexible and humble
– be financially self-supporting.

Gambia welcomes short-term mission. It is best to stay at least six months, however, one to two years is more rewarding. So the longer you come, the better!

WEC handed over the running of the Sibanor clinic to Evangelical Church of the Gambia in 2017. WEC continues to support the ECG church particularly in helping to recruit ex-patriate clinical staff (doctors, nurses, laboratory and pharmacy staff).

Nicola has used her medical training to serve in Gambia for many years. Read her story

More about WEC in Gambia