10 Sep September 2024
Finding the joy at clinic
As you read blogs, self-help books and Facebook posts, they seem to have one common theme: How do you find your joy and happiness in life? You may look around and joy seems to be missing in so many areas of your life. There may seem to be less smiles and less laughter. Work is hard and tedious, relationships are difficult to maintain, and healthcare is expensive and time consuming. We go to church and surround ourselves with the gospel, but is the joy we feel truly displayed? In Romans 15:13, Paul wrote, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Are we overflowing with hope?
This past month, I traveled to Mwembezhi Lutheran Rural Health Centre in Zambia along with Gary Evans, Field Director and Alisad Banda, Clinic Administrator. While all of us had been there many times in the past, we were not expecting to see the joy displayed as we drove past Martin Luther Church, which is adjacent to the clinic. Hundreds of people were camped out for a five-day Lutheran Church of Central Africa campout.
What a surprise! Kids were running and playing, adults were socializing and getting ready for the day and the singing … nothing can truly impact you like the sound of an African choir! The harmony, smiles and joy that we saw and heard is my version of the singing I hope to hear when I arrive in my home in Heaven. To hear a sample of the choir singing, visit our Facebook page where we have posted a video. What a blessing to hear and see the fellowship as we ventured down the road to tour the clinic buildings and see the clinic at work.
The joy did not stop at the campout. You could see the smiling faces of the clinic staff, the moms as they weighed their babies, the village residents greeting us and thanking CAMM and clinic staff for being there. Some of you have experienced these sights first-hand, but for those that haven’t, I pray the videos and photos that CAMM shares help bring you joy and give you a sense of the joy that is displayed at the clinic.
Your support, whether through prayer, shipped donation boxes, monetary donations, or sharing the work CAMM does, brings me joy and helps us share your joy with the patients that visit the clinic in Zambia as well as the clinics in Malawi.
Whether it be from seeing the photos and videos CAMM posts, or the joy that surrounds you in your personal life, we pray that God continues to bless you and bring you joy. CAMM humbly thanks you for your continued support that helps to spread joy to so many within our organization.
Angela Sievert
CAMM Chair
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colassians 3:17
Fall LWMS Rally Letter
Central Africa Medical Mission (CAMM)
Updates from the Field Director, Gary Evans
After a long wait, the new ambulance arrived in Malawi. We ordered and paid for the vehicle in September of 2023. It arrived in Lilongwe on March 30, 2024. To get here, the vehicle travelled from Japan to Gibraltar. There, it was put in a container where it left Gibraltar by ship in late December. Once in Dar es Salaam the container was put on a truck for the 1,000-mile overland trip to Lilongwe. We are so thankful as this ambulance is needed to get clinic staff and supplies safely to clinic each day.
Malawi had a period of 3 weeks with no rain in the middle of their growing season, but rains had returned to the central region by early March. Unfortunately, a little too late. People did not expect a good harvest. In Zambia this year, rains have been very sparse. The government declared a state of emergency and began scheduling power cuts because of low water levels in the Zambezi River – the country depends heavily on hydroelectric generation for its power needs. Since March, this area has been experiencing power cuts that are lasting between 8-12 hours making the working conditions in the clinic very difficult. This is not going to be a good harvest and hunger could be a very real possibility.
The blood count machine that was needed at the clinic in Zambia has arrived. The machine has been delivered to us and as of July everything was up and running. We are so thankful for the donations that enabled us to purchase this needed equipment.
Finally, there is a big need for hand sanitizer and sunscreen at the clinic in Malawi. If this is something your group could help with, you can find the shipping instructions on our website.
Updates from the Lutheran mobile clinics in Malawi
- From January to July of 2024
- 40,144 patient visits were completed
- 9,043 children under the age of 5 were cared for
- A total of 9,090 vaccines were given
- Out of 876 HIV tests given, only 10 came back positive
- 172 new patients began family planning counseling
Kenya Medical Camp updates
Back in February of 2024, CAMM, in partnership with One Africa Team and the Kenyan Kirinyaga County government, held a four-day medical camp in Salima. Many leaders and church members helped to organize the logistics, financials, and communication required for the medical camp. We were able to serve close to 1,500 patients during the four-day camp. With only one percent of the population in the surrounding community professing the Lutheran faith, there was hope this clinic served not only these patients’ physical needs but was also a way to touch their souls by hearing the love of Jesus.
The next medical camp is currently being planned for February 2025 in the town of Kiangwaci. For this camp, five to six volunteers are planning on traveling with two of the CAMM stateside committee members for a service experience of a lifetime.
Pill bottle donation reminders
Used pill bottles are constantly in need at all of the clinics. They are often used to send creams, ointments or syrups home with patients. Here are a few reminders if your group is interested in gathering, preparing, and shipping pill bottles to Africa.
- Ensure all bottles are clean and without stickers or sticky residue.
- For Malawi, please package bottles in groups of 50 in a large ziplock bag. This makes it easy for the staff.
- Shipping costs are the responsibility of the group preparing the package. Many have used Thrivent Action Grants to cover these costs which can run from $150-$200 depending in the size of your package.
For shipping addresses and additional guidance, please visit the website.
As always, please reach out if you have questions. cwc.camm@gmail.com
Stephanie Otto, CAMM Contact Women Coordinator
MONETARY Donations: Check (Payable to Central Africa Medical Mission) Mailed to
WELS Gift Processing N16 W23377 Stone Ridge Drive Waukesha WI 53188
Donate online: camm.us/donate
www.CAMM.us/howtohelp
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