Back to: senior six s6 divinity paper three
Contributions of the Church Today In Providing Medical Services in East Africa
- The church has established health centers in Uganda e.g. Bishop Kihangire medical centre at Biina.
- The church has also recruited professional medical personnel inform of doctors and nurses to treat the sick people in its hospitals.
- The church provides free drugs to the sick people e.g. it has given ARVs to the AIDs patients.
- The church has promoted immunization programs by calling upon people to immunize their children against the killer diseases.
- The church has sponsored many students to study medicine and other health medical courses both with in the country and abroad.
- The church has formed the Uganda Christian joint medical council with a major goal of promoting good health in Uganda.
- It has solicited for funds from developed countries to support health program in Uganda
- The church has jointly worked with government in providing health services in Uganda e.g. it has offered free HIV testing with the help of the government.
- The church institution has carried out health journeys in remote areas treating the people with different illnesses in villages.
- The church has constructed big hospitals in Uganda which treat complicated diseases e.g.Catholic Church has expanded lubaga and Nsambya hospitals and Mengo hospital has been expanded by the protestant church.
- The church provides free guidance and counseling services especially to people leaving with HIV/AIDS.
- The church has established medical schools to train more health workers especially nurse. E.g. Nsambya medical school and Mengo medical school in Uganda.
- Some of the church leaders work in the hospitals to supplement on the shortage of man power in hospitals e.g. Nuns in catholic hospitals.
Problems the Church in East Africa Has Faced In the Provision of Health Services
- The church has faced a problem of in adequate funds to facilitate them of providing quality health services to the sick.
- It has also faced a problem of shortage of man power of doctors and nurses who are too few to treat the many patients.
- Insecurity in some areas with wars has also made it hard for the church to treat the sick in such areas.
- Hostile tribes in some parts of East Africa are against the provision of health services due to their conservatism hence limiting church work e.g. the karamajongs.
- The church has got limited land to build more health centers and expand the existing ones especially in urban areas like Kampala.
- The emergence of new and rare diseases like Ebola, Marburg etc have caused a big challenge to the church medical department.
- Some Africans are too confident of their traditional medicine/ herbs and this has interfered with the church provision of modern drugs.
- Poor roads in some remote areas have made it hard for the church to carry out its health missionary journeys.
- There is rampant corruption among some church leaders who at times misuse the health funds got from the donors.
- Some times the government interferes negatively with the church work of providing medical services to the patients
- Illiteracy among many people of East Africa is also a problem e.g. some people cannot follow the instructions of taking drugs because of illiteracy.
- Low levels of technology have hindered the church effort of providing quality health services to its clients.
- Inadequate medical facilities in form of medical machines like x-ray machines, ambulances etc is another obstacle to the church.
Questions:
1. Show the contribution made by the church in providing medical services in Uganda today. (13 marks) 2. What limitations has the church faced in this endeavor? (12 marks)
Basic Christian Practices
1. Baptism
- Baptism is a Christian initiation rite /ritual as Muslims has circumcision.
- Baptism is one of the major sacraments in Christianity and it’s considered to be the first practice in the life of a normal Christian.
Characteristics/ Features of Christian Baptism
- It is an out ward physical and visible sign of one’s spiritually that confirms one’s belief in Christ.
- In most churches, it is conducted when the person is still young. I.e. young babies are baptized especially among catholic and protestant churches.
- The young baptized babies are represented by mature Christians commonly known as God- parents.
- The young ones are mainly baptized in the churches of their biological parents and therefore they become members of such churches.
- The Pentecostal and Adventist churches, baptism is done on old Christians after they have accepted to get baptized.
- In the Anglican and catholic churches, baptism involves sprinkling of water on one’s fore head to show his or her acceptance to follow Christ
- In the revival churches, baptism is done by physically dipping/ immersing the person in the stream of water to show his acceptance to die and resurrect with Christ. Roman 6
- Instructions are given verbally to the one being baptized to accept God and believe in Jesus asa Messiah.
- The young ones are represented by their God parents.
- Christian baptism is presided over by religious leaders such as priests, Reverends, Bishops etc.
- Baptism is a public ritual/ practice which is done in the presence of other Christians who act as witnesses.
- During baptism, the baptized person acquires a Christian name identifying him/her with Christ and there fore, celebrations follow welcoming that person into the church.
- It is practiced on both boys and girls using the same practice not like in Islam where boys are the only ones circumcised.
- Baptism is not compulsory to every one but any one who wants to show his commitment to Christ is called upon to be baptized.
- It is believed that those who get baptized would receive the Holy Spirit therefore they stand high chances of receiving spiritual gifts like speaking in tongues and performing miracles.
- In traditional churches, the baptized Christians usually put on white clothes to symbolize their commitment to live holy lives.
- In many churches today, baptism involves giving of baptism cards to those who have been baptized.
- In the catholic churches, there is burning of candles during baptism to symbolize receiving of spiritual light for those being baptized.
Qn. Explain the main features of the Christian initiation rite/ ritual.