“Our purpose is to build the Church.” Unified under this call, Central Africa Medical Mission (CAMM) organized a short-term medical camp from February 10-14, 2026, in Chabera, Kenya. Executive Director Kate Wood and retiring Field Director Gary Evans led six WELS volunteers, coordinated with the leadership of the African Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC), engaged LCMC church volunteers, and partnered with the Kenyan Health District in the third ‘pop-up’ medical camp in Kenya. The first medical camp in the underserved Chabera area drew just shy of 2,400 children, women, and men in five days, many arriving by foot, and some by motorcycle taxi traveling up to five kilometers (about 3.12 miles) for free medical services, medical screening, and medication.

“A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” Our core team of 12 ‘strands’ included Paul Mboya, John Michoro, Pastor Sammy Mwangi, Bishop Onunda, and eight CAMM representatives from America and England. We flourished, unbroken, relying on collective strengths to witness God’s amazing provision in cross-cultural relationships and in Kenya’s rainy season, which arrived early, stirring up sticky, red mud. We weathered communication lapses that can happen when diverse cultures work together and faced a myriad of opportunities to meet the daily surprises, to us, unexpected, but God-undaunted! Creatively, we pivoted to address dwindling medicine supplies, giving urgent IV support when we lacked equipment, and transporting a critically ill patient to the hospital. We bonded in God’s diverse, resourced family!

“His mercies are new every morning.” The LCMC advertised the medical camp through flyers, word of mouth, and a couple of large banners at crossroads in the community. Kenyan medical professionals provided screening, consultation, and education, assisted by CAMM volunteers. The LCMC staged large event tents, acquired plastic outdoor chairs, and designated pathways with red twine to guide people through the camp for services. Every patient received a gospel-based welcome, a printed booklet to take home, and often, individualized prayer. Witnessing a pastor kneel and place his hands on the patient to pray framed possibilities for complete healing. When wind upended one tent, and pouring rain carved a stream through the pharmacy tent, God’s people scrambled and showed up with many hands and hearts to ensure everyone’s safety, righting chairs, and filling troughs with stone. We experienced God’s new mercies every day in Africa and hold fast to his mercy in deeper ways as we return home.

“Read your bible, pray every day if you want to grow.” Simple lyrics Chabera’s church children sang during a three-hour worship service, lyrics that set the tone and rang through camp every day. The song welcomed ten first-time visitors the Sunday we worshiped together, and welcomed patients, young and old. Singing, beautified with hand motions, became our anthem, sparking God’s love and faithfulness despite fatigue, uncertainty, and at times, frustration. Pray for the Chabera church and community and stay tuned to see how God continues to bless them.

Written by Janet McElvaine, member at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Everett, Wash.

Last month, my husband Gary and I visited Malawi and Zambia over 11 days, meeting with our leaders and staff and visiting clinics. This was my third trip to Africa in the three years since Gary and I returned to the United States. Gary had also been to Kenya to start preparations for our 2026 medical camp, and then joined me in Malawi. We stayed in the apartment adjoining the house in Lilongwe and were able to see just how our Clinic Administrator, Lusungu Mwambeye, is capably handling the challenges of running the Lutheran Mobile Clinic. One example is how she arranged for surveys to be done of all four of the clinic properties to obtain government leases and prevent people from encroaching on the properties. We were there for the monthly staff meeting, and saw everyone diligently working together on monthly inventory and statistics, so that Violet Chikwatu, Nurse in in Charge, could complete the government reports for May. Violet and Lusungu continue to work well together and keep things running smoothly.

Going out to the village clinics is always my favorite part of these visits. It was obvious that the many outpatients seen in a day reflected the recent higher numbers in our monthly reports. I noticed that some patients had been seen at local government clinics and prescribed medicine that they were told to obtain at our clinics, because those clinics didn’t have any. I observed the nurses at the pharmacy station calmly giving numerous injections and intravenous medications for children and adults who were seriously sick with pneumonia, asthma, and infections. There were several referrals to the hospital in Lilongwe. I saw in Violet’s record where in one day, eight patients were referred, mainly with severe pneumonia which is common in the cold season. These people depend on the preventative care and lifesaving treatment which the Lutheran Mobile Clinic provides. We are thankful that the Central Africa Medical Mission (CAMM) is able to afford the essential medications, and that Violet works hard to find them in pharmacies around Lilongwe. Most importantly, we know that our patients also hear the soul-saving message of the gospel.

Moms waiting for the under-fives clinic

I was still impressed with how—despite seeing 150-200 patients along with the under-fives, antenatal, family planning, nutrition and HIV testing/counseling clients—the clinicians and nurses worked cheerfully and efficiently as a team. The same volunteers which helped us through COVID were still doing blood pressure checks, malaria tests, weights, and directing patients to the proper lines. Violet stepped in to help in whatever station she was needed. The nurse-midwives were happy to receive a new fetal doppler we had brought, to more easily hear the infant heartbeat of our antenatal clients.

One of the highlights at Msambo clinic was being able to see all five of the children with disabilities who still receive regular physical therapy, and their mothers. All are continuing to make progress in mobility or speech. One little girl named Lontira who was born with a very deformed spine and has had difficulty sitting, is waiting for surgery. Her mom told me she will go to a hospital in Blantyre when the specialists come to Malawi to do these complicated procedures. She is a member of the Lutheran church in Msambo. We pray for her brave mom, and for Lontira to have a successful surgery, which will improve her mobility.

After a busy week, we flew to Zambia. We spent time with Alisad Banda, Clinic Administrator, who drove us out to Mwembezhi for a day at the Lutheran Rural Health Center. The staff warmly welcomed us as they prepared for under-fives and diabetic clinic (pictured above). We spoke with Future Beloyi, our nurse who recently completed midwifery training. She was also happy to receive a new fetal doppler for use with antenatals. We also spoke with Muzundwase Chikwekwe, a nurse who would soon start her midwifery training for the next 18 months. The clinic will benefit from having two Lutheran nurse-midwives, with about 150 deliveries at clinic in the past year.

We met with Jackson Kalekwa, clinical officer in charge, and Anthony Kasonga, laboratory technician, to discuss topics like the need for more space for maternity patients and a separate laboratory area for TB patients. Anthony is the chairman at Martin Luther Church, adjacent to the clinic. We learned that he has been instrumental in growing church attendance to about 100 people each Sunday, including many clinic staff members, despite there being no permanent pastor. Alisad also holds Bible studies for staff on a regular basis. Crispin Chikonka, the clinic’s psychosocial counselor, gives a devotion for clinic attendees each morning. The clinic now has a second clinical officer, Samalani Nyirenda, who works as a clinician alongside Jackson. We were glad to meet him in person and know that he was a welcome addition to the team.

That’s the update from the field! Gary and I joined three other CAMM committee members in attending the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) Convention in Tulsa, Okalhoma, the last weekend of June. It was a joy to meet fellow CAMM supporters and speak with those who might be new to the medical mission. They have good questions and ideas for how to communicate about the mission and support our staff and patients. Thank you all so much for continuing to show your love for the work of CAMM and being faithful in prayer!

Written by Beth Evans, former nurse in charge for CAMM

Last December the clinic lost one of our members of staff, a nurse/midwife by the name of Mayase Banda. Mrs. Banda had worked at the clinic for 13 years. On Sundays, she would attend Martin Luther Church, which is on the grounds of the clinic. Pastor Titus Mbele conducted her funeral service. Is there anything one can talk about that happens without God being involved? I am not sure of anything, but one thing is that God exists everywhere and, at the end of the day, there is nothing that happens for no reason. She was one of the senior nurses, and we appreciate her work and time spent at the clinic.

Working as a member of the administrative staff at the Lutheran Mission Rural Health Centre, I am grateful for God’s grace. The facility has seen people come to the health center from as far as 15 kilometers to seek medical services, and we have heard people say, “We came this far because the medicines in this facility are prayed for and we trust that we shall find the help.” Others still say because of the name of God they trust they will be healed.

Appreciating God is acknowledging that while we were lost in sin, God did everything according to his plan to save us from the powers of Satan and power of death and indeed purchased us with his blood. Jesus Christ suffered death for the whole world to be saved. It’s a gift worth appreciating. Maybe a question would be this: How do we show appreciation for what God has done in our lives? How do we as individuals, parents, children, families show this appreciation? When you are alone and look around at how far God has brought you, do you pause for a moment and appreciate him?

Appreciating God comes in many ways. I would rather raise a generation that will have fear for the Lord at all times. There are times when I see children who do not always live as God and their parents have taught them to live.

Finally, it would be a great thing if children would be encouraged to maintain the legacy of a Christian family, so that even when the parents are gone the faith will remain. As people, we discuss how well-mannered the children are, but sometimes I find it difficult to help families realize that they could do more to help their children to be faithful, truthful, honest.

I ask that you continue to pray for families and children and encourage them to grow strong in their faith.

Written by Alisad Banda, clinic administrator in Zambia

HYPERTENSION AT LUTHERAN MISSION RURAL HEALTH CENTER (MWEMBEZHI)
The hypertension program started when the clinic saw the need. Patients were traveling to hospitals in Lusaka (the capital of Zambia) for drugs refills. This is about 50 miles from the Mwembezhi area. Due to lack of funds, most of the patients were unable to travel to Lusaka. In 2004, we had seven patients who suffered strokes in our catchment area; of those, three of them died the same month because of hypertension. Seeing the need, we began the program for those who were not able to go to Lusaka for treatment and medications.

The program began with only ten patients. The number has kept on increasing so much that now we have 561 hypertensive patients. To make sure we attend to patients in line with the Ministry of Health policy, members of staff sat and started a special blood pressure clinic one Saturday per month. Since Saturday is not a working day, it helped members of staff to decongest patients on treatment days. On Blood Pressure day, all members of staff report for work at 8:00 a.m. Blood pressure check-ups are done. We have essential hypertension (the diastolic blood pressure between 90 to 99mmHg) and crisis hypertension (the diastolic blood pressure above 100mmHg). All patients with essential hypertension are given their monthly drugs refill. Patients with crisis hypertension are admitted for observations. They can only be discharged when their blood pressure stabilizes. If it fails to stabilize, we refer to the hospital for investigations and further management.

However, hypertension has no signs and is not painful. As a result, it is very difficult to convince patients to take drugs for life. Some older people still believe in witchcraft. In 2019, we lost one Village Headman who came to clinic because of an abscess. He was also found to have hypertension. He was given drugs for the abscess and hypertension, but when the abscess healed, he refused to take the hypertension drugs. He said he cannot continue taking drugs. After four months, he was brought to the clinic with a stroke. We referred him to the hospital, but the hospital could not help. After his death and burial, Mr. Kalekwa called for a meeting with the Village headmen to explain his death. Headmen who believed in witchcraft saw the need for taking hypertensive drugs. The senior headman told other headmen to stop believing in old beliefs. He said they should always work hand in hand with health personnel to avoid disease complications. All the headmen promised to educate their citizens.

Drugs for hypertension are purchased by our clinic administrator, Mr. Banda, through the help we get from CAMM. The clinic staff work hard to provide good quality health services to all hypertensive patients. We start every morning with devotion and a prayer, followed by health education. All hypertensive patients are happy with and appreciate the services we provide.

May the almighty God bless you all in helping the poor in Zambia.

Written by Jackson Kalekwa, clinical officer in charge