Wed lunch mtg W3011 (guest speaker Worldrelief), game night outreach, worship night, and conferences galore!

Dear Public Health Christian Fellowship,

Do you ever feel like you've been walking in the wilderness? Unsure what next, perhaps going in circles, fuzzy sense of God's calling and direction, a little lost and frustrated and confused? Moses told the Israelites (Deut 8:2), "remember the whole way that the lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart." Dear ones, it is in the hard places that we find out whether we do hold God first - keeping his commandments, trusting that we live by his Word and not by our means/our own power, remembering that God's discipline is not meant for our harm but our good (chapter 8). Praying for each of you to trust him anew today, not forgetting who he is and what he has done - best of all in giving us Jesus as savior, redeemer, and friend. 

(Here's a good song for reflection and encouragement today! May your work be to his glory.)

This Wed lunch, 12:15-1:15pm, in Room W3011 (please note room change!), guest speaker and Hopkins MPH/MSN alumnus Amberle Brown will share about her work at Worldrelief - a faith-based organization empowering the local church to serve the vulnerable - as well as her journey to this career and questions to consider when working for a FBO. We will have time to talk about faith and work and public health in practice, and also pray for one another. Dessert will also be present :)

For those who are staying at JHSPH/in Baltimore after May, we need new student leaders - please pray! and email jhsph.phcf@gmail.com if you're interested in seeing what role you can play in this group.

You are welcome to join us at any/all of our recurring gatherings:- Lunch meetings on Wednesdays at 12:15pm in Room W3011 *note room change (contact PHCF)
- Small group on Mondays at 7:30pm in the 929 Apartments (contact Esther)
- Writing Accountability Group (i.e. study group) on Fridays at 4pm (contact Teresa)
Helpful links: PHCF website | map/list of local churches

If you have prayers, reflections, or announcements you'd like to share with the rest of PHCF, please email jhsph.phcf@gmail.com!

Grace and peace,
Teresa - for PHCF

Other announcements:

1. Praises and prayers
2. Housing opportunities
3. Game night at the Carlyle - Apr 18, 630pm
4. Joint fellowship worship night - Apr 25, 6pm, E9519
5. Christian Community Health Fellowship Conference "Risen & Awake" - Cincinnati OH - Apr 19-21
6. Hungry of Hope Christian Conference - Nashville TN - June 22-23 
7. Christian Connections for International Health conference - Baltimore MD - July 13-15

1. Praises and prayers:

• Praise for Easter, give adoration to Jesus, and pray for conversations with our friends and family and coworkers who do not yet know his story!
• MPH Candidate Wai Jia is in the midst of setting up Kitesong Global, a ministry that aims to use the power of narrative through her picture books to uphold social justice and empower the underprivileged. Read more here www.kitesong.sg or watch the talk here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLVrktlhqLI If you are a videographer, teacher, etc. and/or would like to find out more, please write to her at waijia@kitesong.org
• Pray for the newly formed Hopkins Faculty CMDA (Christian Medical and Dental Association) - for faculty from the School of Medicine to connect with fellow believers, and mentorship/support for medical students! Please pray particularly for their first dinner gathering: Thurs Apr 26. For God to do amazing work for the sake of his kingdom through this group, for the building up of the body of Christ, for the logistical pieces to fall in place (favor with JHH/JHU for location, food prep, RSVPs), and for much joy in the planning and meeting!
• Pray for the persecuted church around the world.
• Pray for our seeking of holiness, and not just efficiency or growing in talents/knowledge//giftedness but keeping our focus on Jesus and his glory! Recent conviction from this testimony by Joni Eareckson Tada: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/beware-of-running-too-hard
• Pray for new students! Admissions decisions were due on Apr 15 - so pray for those who are on their way to Baltimore soon!!! For God's direction, for living situations, for spiritual community.
• Pray for our PHCF brothers and sisters who are currently afar for work/practicum/missions/dissertation research, for favor in their work and traveling mercies.
• Pray for our PHCF brothers and sisters who are graduating in a few weeks, finishing their capstones/theses/dissertations, and/or who are seeking God's direction/calling for jobs and career. May we trust in God's plans more than our own, for his ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts (Is 55:9)

2. Housing opportunities

• Lovely private bedroom and bathroom available in Charles Village, $650/month. All utilities and furniture included; shared common space including large fully equipped kitchen, dining room, and living room. The landlords' heart is to make this house open to international students and scholars, and for those who have a heart to interact with internationals too. (Though anyone is welcome.) More information here. If interested, email Karl Dortzbach at kdortzbach@mac.com or text at 443-570-3668, and he can send you pictures or tell you more!
• Upstairs unit apartment for rent, listing here: https://www.trulia.com/p/md/baltimore/829-e-belvedere-ave-2-baltimore-md-21212--2345922141 The landlord Ananda and his wife live in the downstairs apartment, and are believers, Hopkins alum, and members of Faith Christian Fellowship. Special consideration given if two students/fellows are interested in sharing the upstairs apartment. Anyone interested can contact Ananda directly at 410-435-6417 or by email at ankumar1120@yahoo.com
• Incoming female MPH student looking for roommates! Contact Ruth at +972-58-678-1862 (whatsapp) or rchadwick6@gmail.com
• I am currently a 3rd year medical student studying in Israel but will be taking a gap year next year to get my MPH at JH. I grew up as an MK in Papua New Guinea and China but eventually my family settled in Colorado and that's where I now consider 'home'. In college, I studied Chemistry and Biblical Studies at Gordon College before going to medical school in Israel. Eventually I would like to work in international health development in post-disaster settings, which is why I'm pursuing my MPH. 
• In terms of housing, I'm looking for 1-2 female roommates and living with other believers would be nice but isn't necessarily a deal breaker. As a roommate, I tend to be fairly introverted and usually study at home. I view wherever I live to be a type of sanctuary for restoration and would prefer my own room. That being said, I love to be hospitable and invite people into the sanctuary, which for me primarily consists of feeding people and conversations over tea, coffee, or a glass of wine (I do drink alcohol occasionally). I'm both a baker and a chef, so tasty things are always around and access to a decent kitchen is a must and space to host occasionally would be great. I tend to be on the cleaner side but don't necessarily expect everything to be spotless all the time. As long as common areas and the kitchen are cleaned regularly, I'm quite happy and chill. I do prefer not to have regular overnight guests, especially significant others and male friends, but I am very welcoming to the occasional guest in need of a place to crash. 
• One big thing is that I come with a lovely calico cat named Audrey, so a place that is accepting of pets is a must. She is entirely an indoor cat and is more dog-like than any other cat I've met. She's very friendly with humans but not really with other animals since she's been solo all her life (except for a few intermittent fosters). She has historically warmed up to kittens slowly, but it's a process. Other adult cats have not gone over well. If she were to live with another animal it would have to be done with consideration and careful introduction.
• From a former MPH student and PHCF'er:
• Bright, cozy 3-bed, 2.5-bath rowhome blocks from Hopkins and Patterson Park! Lovely neighbors and next door to local church. Permit parking, security system, in-house washer and drier, with finished basement. Can be furnished or unfurnished. $1900/mos for the house, or $550/$650/$750 per room (depending on the room). Available as early as June 1.
  More details/photos: 
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/16pEFVsVn8XAbVY-QmHONfaygk6ebKDtg/view?usp=sharing
  
  
  I would love to make this a home for a group of Christians! 
  Contact Michelle: 949.500.1214 (text) or email michellejsun@gmail.com

3. Game night at the Carlyle (Charles Village) - Apr 18, 630pm

Saint Mo's church is partnering with Carlyle Apartments (500 W University Pkwy, Baltimore, MD 21210) to host a game night tomorrow night to outreach to students who live in the area! 630-830pm in the rooftop sunroom. More details here.

4. Joint fellowship worship night - Apr 25, 6pm, E9519

Join us for a joint fellowship night! The Medical Student Christian Fellowship (SOM), the Fellowship of Christian Nurses (SON), International Fellowship (JHIF), Graduate Christian Fellowship (GCF) and PHCF going to have a joint fellowship night on Wed Apr 25, 6pm, at the SPH E9519. Will include food, worship, games, a sweet time together. Please email Teresa if you would like to get involved in planning!

5. Christian Community Health Fellowship Conference "Risen & Awake" - Cincinnati OH - Apr 19-21
Encouragement. We could all use some. Especially when we are in the throes of intense training.
The CCHF Conference offers medical students and residents hope as they interact with providers and others who are caring for the poor and the marginalized in their communities.
Join us at the only domestic missions conference specifically for those working to provide excellent and holistic health care to the poor and marginalized in the United States.
Scholarship applications are now available. For more info go to: www.cchfconference.org.
Let me know if you have any questions. I would love to help! - Jessie Thomas

*please note: our sister Rachel Pinto is going, and would love to connect with other JHSPH'ers - also, more scholarships for travel are available!

6. Hungry of Hope Christian Conference - Nashville TN - June 22-23

Are you struggling with emotional eating, or know someone struggling with an eating disorder, depression or anxiety related to food? Share this upcoming conference in Nashville with them, where MPH Candidate Wai Jia has also been invited to speak! http://www.findingbalance.com/hfh/ 

Scholarships are provided at: https://www.findingbalance.com/hfh/scholarshipkhf/

For friends struggling with eating issues/disorders, they can also join the online support group: http://www.findingbalance.com/support/

7. Christian Connections in International Health conference - Baltimore MD - July 13-15

CCIH, a nonprofit "promoting global health and wholeness from a Christian perspective", has its annual conference here in Baltimore at Hopkins Homewood campus (Charles Commons conference center, 3301 N Charles), July 13-15. A really great way to connect with believers who are also public health practitioners, whether health professionals, church leaders, missions organizations, or folks doing research and programs - and truly a great mix of nations represented. Registration is now open! Register here. See the conference program. See conference registration rates (you are a student member if you are in PHCF; we pay annual dues for student org membership). 

(1 Thessalonians 4:1) Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more.