Thoughts on security. And many announcements!

Dear PHCF,

Borrowing words today from Fabs Harford (click link to read a wonderful blogpost).

May they be secure who love you. This is a proverb, a prayer, a hope - given to a God who hears. And if we turn the phrase around, we conclude that those who love you will be secure. Lord, we pray that today, we find our security in you alone. May we take that greatest commandment as truth: to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. And out of the abundance of this love, may we be able to turn and love your neighbor as yourself - and recognize our neighbors in the people we interact with in class, at work, and out on the street.

Announcements:

1. General PHCF spring schedule

Please join us at any/all of our recurring gatherings:
- Lunch meetings on Wednesdays at 12:15pm in Room W2300*
*W2300 is in the hidden hallway of 2nd floor: go to the atrium next to W2008; the hallway with W2300 is next to the copy machine
- Small group on Mondays at 7pm in the 929 Apartments (contact Mary and Esther)
- Small group on Saturdays at 11am in Upper Fells (contact Teresa)
- Writing Accountability Group (i.e. study group) on Fridays at 4pm in Room W2303
[For all events, you can access our Google Calendar here!]

2. Conference on Christian Faith, Reason, and Vocation Feb 18 at Homewood

Join us at the inaugural conference on Christian faith, reason, and vocation at the Homewood campus on Saturday Feb 18, 10am-4pm! Please RSVP here: http://832society.com/symposium -- We would love to see you there! You can also support the conference financially. Email Teresa at jhsph.phcf@gmail.com if interested in helping out!

3. CCIH Conference July 13-15, scholarship due tonight, registration open now

CCIH is hosting its annual conference here in Baltimore (Homewood campus), July 13-15. Its theme is Strengthening Global Health: Faith at the Center, a concept closely linked to their core focus area of Integrating Faith and Health. It is a great opportunity to learn and network with people who do amazing work for the Lord all around the globe. PHCF is a member organization of CCIH, so make sure to note that you're a student member. Registration is now open. Scholarship applications (general if you're interested in global health, or MCH-specific if you focus on maternal/child health) are due tonight!

4. CCIH Feb Prayer Calendar (pdf version here)

• February 1-8 | Medical Education
• Pray for the work of CCIH member PRIME (Partnerships in International Medical Education) integrating rigorous science and compassionate care, and answering their Christian calling through teaching clinical skills to healthcare professionals. About PRIME's 64 programs in 25 countries
• February 9-16 | Hunger
• Pray for millions of people in Ethiopia affected by a drought threatening food security. About the crisis
• Prayers of thanks for the work of CCIH affiliate the Alliance to End Hunger to help citizens advocate in support of the 842 million people worldwide affected by hunger. Learn more about the Alliance and hunger around the world
• February 17-24 | Refugees
• Pray for people fleeing war-torn nations and persecution and in need of medical care, food and other necessities.
• Prayers of thanks for the work of Adventist Development and Relief Agency, Medical Teams International, Mennonite Central Committee, Samaritan's Purse, UMCOR, World Relief and all other organizations helping refugees.
• February 25-28 | ACHAP Conference
• The ACHAP (Africa Christian Health Associations Platform) Biennial Conference is February 27 to March 3 in Lesotho. Pray for safe travels for all. About the conference.
• Prayers of thanks for this opportunity for Christians to gather. Thanks to American Leprosy Missions, IMA World Health and the World Council of Churches in joining CCIH as ACHAP conference partners.

5. CCIH job opportunities: apply now!

CCIH is currently hiring for two part-time, remote-work positions - best for logistically-minded, self-motived people who are passionate about international health and love Jesus. [click links for job description PDFs]

• Conference coordinator - for a consultant to manage logistics for the upcoming conference (Jul 13-15)
• Project coordinator - to manage logistics for two grants and various other "team player" aspects of working on a small staff

6. Do you like writing/editing? Contribute to the Hopkins Dialectic: 

The Dialectic, a journal of Christian thought at JHU, is seeking grad student editors/writers for its spring 2017 issue. Please see attached for a list of abstracts. Some more details:

• If you'd like to edit, please sign up on the attached google doc with your name and email address below the respective piece. Your role: look through the piece at least once before the final draft is due on March 26th (if you'd like to be more involved, the full writing schedule is at the bottom of the document for your reference). We will connect you with the writer so a timeline can be mutually agreed upon. 
• If you'd like to submit writing (1500-4000 words for essays, anywhere up to 1500 words for poetry), please email your piece to jhu.dialectic@gmail.com by March 18th. We will get back to you within the week concerning whether your piece has been selected or if additional edits need to be made. Unfortunately, due to printing constraints these pieces will not appear in print this issue, but they will be uploaded online and posted on our Facebook account (our FB account has nearly 400 likes and last year--when our account had only ~200 likes--pieces got on average 50-100 hits). In the coming semesters we hope to open up our print edition to grad students as well. 
• Any questions? Please email Karl Johnson: kjohn198@jhu.edu

7. Interested in service learning in DC? Upcoming DIP DC trip with InterVarsity:

On Feb 24-26, graduate students can experience Washington, D.C. and to learn, from a Christian perspective, about the problems and prospects of the city. More details here: http://www.gfmma.org/dip/

Ending words of Jehoshaphat's prayer to the Lord upon the approach of Moab and Ammon toward Judah: "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (2 Chron 20)