History

MMA seeks to improve the health status of all individuals irrespective of caste, creed, class, race, gender, religion or political persuasion. Medical Mission Aid (MMA) commenced in 1920 as an auxiliary of Church Missionary Society (CMS) supporting their missionaries in practical ways, particularly in the supply of medical equipment and allied materials for their work in developing countries. Based on the Biblical teaching of God’s love and compassion in Christ and the mandate to the church to care for the poor, sick and victims of injustice, MMA is dedicated to relieving human suffering, poverty and hunger through a ministry of practical medical and health related activities.

For many years MMA packed boxes of needs to support the work of these missionaries. The first recorded boxes were to Foochow in China. A number of churches had MMA Auxiliaries who assisted with sewing baby gear for the CMS allied hospitals, raising funds for the shipping of equipment and supporting the practical needs of the medical work. These groups were not only in Victoria but also in NSW and Tasmania. With the high cost of transport and the increasing availability of items “in country”, the packing of containers for delivery of aid finished by 2010.

Alongside this practical ministry the organisation ran an Op Shop, initially in Malvern, then Hawthorn, Kew and latterly in Balwyn. The Op Shop contributed funds to support the work, but ceased trading towards the end of 2019. Funds currently come through direct donations and bequests, and the generosity of many has enabled new projects to be funded along with the highly successful “in country” scholarship training program, for local medical workers. Today the work of MMA is based in Victoria with a number of churches as well as individuals supporting this work.

In the late 1990’s MMA became a funding organisation and in 2002, became independent. In 2014, it registered as a not-for profit organisation, continuing to support both medical work allied to CMS workers, but also able to support a widening need in developing countries. MMA provides funding for medical training scholarships for local people, for medical supplies, and for other allied medical work with the aim of strengthening local capacity and improving the health and wellbeing of disadvantaged, vulnerable and marginalised communities.