Reach Beyond to Provide Practical Medical Advice for Village Health Workers in Central Asia Where Advanced Medical Care Not Available

Contact: Ty Mays, 770-256-8710

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Aug. 19, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- After a government in Central Asia closed all medical centers and first-aid stations in small villages, Reach Beyond (www.reachbeyond.org), through a partner ministry, plans to distribute a specially produced and translated medical resource that will provide local health workers with vital information on how to treat and care for villagers. 

Photo: In the wake the government closing all medical centers and first-aid stations in the area, village health workers in an undisclosed Central Asian country will soon have access to a specially produced medical resource that will help treat children and their families.

With the closure of the healthcare centers, residents in this country, which is not named due to security reasons, no longer have direct access to medical care unless they travel several days to nearby cities. Many of the residents, who are desperate for medical advice and care, have turned to local healers, some of whom prescribe treatments that include bleeding for an infant with colic or placing hot stones on a patient's chest if he or she has an infection. 

Reach Beyond and its partner are assisting local village health workers with modern healthcare training and understanding regarding various illnesses and medical practices. Much of the practical advice is compiled in a book. Work has begun on translating the book into the language of the local villages, as well as updating some of the medical practices outlined in the resource.

"How desperate it must feel to see your local medical clinic or first-aid station close," said Wayne Pederson, president and CEO of Reach Beyond. "With no medical help for miles around, we're hoping to translate and update the medical resource as soon as possible so that people can be treated and lives can be saved."
 
For more than 80 years, Reach Beyond has used mass media, education and healthcare to demonstrate the love of Christ and communicate the gospel around the world. While it's illegal to evangelize in this particular country, ministry leaders hope the love of Christ and the hope of the gospel will be demonstrated through forming personal relationships and caring for physical needs.

The local ministry partner has obtained the rights to translate, revise and publish the book in languages spoken in the area. In addition, the ministry hopes to someday air excerpts of the book on local radio stations, reaching an even larger audience.

Those interested in learning more about Reach Beyond and its work around the world can visit www.reachbeyond.org.

For 82 years the passion of Reach Beyond (formerly HCJB Global) (www.reachbeyond.org) has been to make disciples of Christ. Using mass media, healthcare and education and working with partners around the world, Reach Beyond has ministries in more than 100 countries. The gospel is aired in more than 120 languages and dialects. Thousands of healthcare patients are meeting Jesus. Local believers are being trained as missionaries, pastors, broadcasters and healthcare providers.

To schedule an interview with a key leader from Reach Beyond, contact Ty Mays @ 770-256-8710 or tmays@inchristcommunications.com.