Nutrition challenges in Mwembezhi

Lutheran Mission Rural Health Centre stands as a beacon of hope for communities that face limited access to healthcare and resources. For many families, it is the first and sometimes only line of defense against malnutrition and its far-reaching consequences. At the heart of these efforts lies the Nutrition Department, a dedicated team working tirelessly to ensure that no child or mother is left behind in the fight against hunger and poor nutrition.

Mwembezhi Lutheran’s catchment area is predominantly rural, with most households relying on subsistence farming for both food and income. Seasonal food shortages, poor diets, and widespread poverty often make it difficult for families to provide consistent balanced meals. Limited awareness about proper nutrition further contributes to high rates of undernutrition, stunting, and micronutrient deficiencies among children under 5. Nutrition is not just a health issue; it’s a barrier to education and overall community development. Recognizing these challenges, Mwembezhi Lutheran Mission Rural Health Centre has a nutrition segment to help in early detection and treatment of malnourished children. We do clinical care, education, and community engagement to create lasting change.

Nutrition services at Mwembezhi
1. Growth monitoring and promotion (GMP)
We provide regular weighing and height checks for children who are under 5. Growth monitoring helps us detect early signs of malnutrition and intervene before problems escalate. Caregivers receive personalized counseling on age-appropriate feeding, hygiene practices, and how to make the most of locally available foods. Early childhood development (ECD) services are integrated into GMP, allowing us to assess developmental milestones and ensure that children are not only well fed but also mentally stimulated through play, laying the groundwork for a healthier future.

2. Management of acute malnutrition
Children presenting with moderate or severe acute malnutrition are given life-saving care. This includes Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF), High Energy Protein Supplements (HEPS), and close follow-ups to monitor recovery. Children with medical complications are referred for inpatient treatment to ensure that no case falls through the cracks.

3. Maternal and child education and counseling
Expectant and breastfeeding mothers receive essential information on maintaining a balanced diet during pregnancy and lactation. Health talks emphasize exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, timely introduction of complementary foods, and continued breastfeeding up to two years and beyond. Mothers are also encouraged to incorporate nutrient-rich locally available foods into their family meals.

4. Community outreach and awareness campaigns
Beyond the clinic walls, the staff and community health volunteers work hand-in-hand with villages. They conduct home visits, follow up with at-risk families, and lead cooking demonstrations that teach caregivers how to prepare balanced meals using locally available foods. These outreach activities not only extend the reach but also foster trust and awareness in the community.

5. Integration with other health services
We work together with Maternal and Child Health, HIV care, diabetes and hypertension clinics, and immunization programs. Late last year, one notable success story was of a diabetic patient who was on the verge of giving up life due to his condition. Through consistent counseling, dietary monitoring, and regular blood sugar checks, his glucose levels were brought under control solely through proper nutrition. Remarkably, he has maintained normal blood sugar levels for more than eight months without the need for medication. This integrated approach demonstrates that nutrition is not treated in isolation but as part of a broader continuum of care, addressing both the immediate and underlying causes of poor health.

The human impact
Beyond every statistic lies a story. Mothers who once feared losing their children to malnutrition now return to the center with healthy, thriving toddlers. Caregivers often share testimonials about how simple lessons on meal preparation and hygiene have transformed their family’s health. In October of last year, 1,700 children under 5 were screened for malnutrition, and 12.6 percent (214) were found to be moderately malnourished and 1.8 percent (31) were severely malnourished. This represented an overall malnutrition rate of 14.4 percent. Following close follow-ups and interventions, moderate cases reduced from 214 to 17 (92.1 percent reduction), severe cases from 31 to 6 (80.6 percent reduction), and the overall caseload from 245 to 23, marking a 90.6 percent overall improvement.

All the achievements in nutrition programs are a result of your support, help from CAMM, and the efforts of our dedicated staff.

Looking ahead
Despite successes, challenges remain. Persistent poverty, cultural feeding practices, and seasonal hunger continue to put families at risk. We will continue to encourage parents to bring their children for growth monitoring and promotion, ensuring that no child misses essential health services.

Written by Jackson Kalewka, clinical officer in charge

Greetings in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, from the Lutheran Mobile Clinic in Malawi as we faithfully serve the communities of Msambo, Suzi, Mwalaulomwe, and Thunga. This month has been marked by God’s continued provision as we maintain our weekly schedule: Tuesday visits to Msambo, Wednesday outreach to Suzi, Thursday services at Mwalaulomwe, and bi-weekly Friday visits to Thunga. Through these consistent efforts, we’ve provided essential outpatient care, nutrition support, HIV testing and counselling, antenatal care, and child growth monitoring to thousands of community members who might otherwise lack access to quality healthcare

It’s June 2025, which means we are halfway through the year! It feels like yesterday when we were celebrating the New Year. We are so grateful for God’s love through all these months. As we are halfway through the year, we are also at the end of CAMM’s fiscal year, and it’s time we reflected on the challenges and opportunities at personal, organizational, national, and global levels. We need to rethink development and global issues. Let us begin by reflecting on recent reductions to U.S. foreign aid, as well as aid from the United Kingdom and the European Union. This has affected many local and international NGOs and has led to aid programs being cut, often leaving little to no assistance for those in need.

At Lutheran Mobile Clinic, we used to benefit from the U.S. malaria initiative, from which we could receive malaria control, diagnosis, and treatment supplies. Most years we treat around 16,000 cases of malaria. Malaria can be particularly life threatening or disabling in children. Prior to the cuts to USAID, we received a good supply of malaria testing kits and the malaria drug we call LA. As the cuts to USAID went into effect, we saw the district hospital requests to ration supplies with other public hospitals who did not have malaria treatment supplies. We had plenty of supplies and were happy to share them with facilities who had little. To date we have not seen a sustainable plan from the Malawi government to provide malaria treatment supplies, and we fear we may have to purchase them from local pharmacies. We have also noted an increase in the number of patients at our clinics. The ability of public hospitals and clinics to provide medications has worsened, with little or no medication available and high prices for consultation and medications at private clinics. People prefer to wait for the Lutheran Mobile Clinic to provide care and medication that is affordable and available. As if this is not enough, Malawi’s poor credit has spiked the rate of inflation which was already around 15% before the credit troubles. The prices of goods and commodities are through the roof, including medications, which makes life very tough for people earning maybe $50 to $100 per month.

In as much as things are not good, we are grateful for how we have managed our expenses at the mobile clinic, and we expect to come in just under budget when our fiscal year ends in late June. As a country, we need to develop strategies and thoughts on the aid structure and how we are going to reduce dependency. We need serious social and economic independence and not just political independence. This makes us value the Lutheran Mobile Clinic’s social and economic efforts and the support that we have from you all in the U.S.

Our HIV testing and counseling services have shown remarkable progress across all four clinic sites, reflecting broader national trends as Malawi advances toward achieving the 95-95-95 HIV targets. The reduced stigma we’ve witnessed demonstrates God’s healing power working through dedicated service. These achievements embody Christ’s command in Matthew 10:8: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” Our child growth monitoring and antenatal care programs have revealed both challenges and victories during this dry season, made possible through the generous support of our faithful donors. The funds you’ve provided have enabled us to purchase essential medical and nutrition supplies and maintain our vehicles for reliable community access, while your clothing donations have brought dignity and warmth to families facing economic hardship. Your donated pill bottles have proven invaluable for organizing medications and ensuring proper dosing for various conditions across all four clinic sites. As Proverbs 31:20 teaches us, “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.” Your contributions have become instruments of his healing grace, enabling us to nurture life from conception through childhood and honor his precious gift at every stage.

May God bless you all for supporting the Central Africa Medical Mission (CAMM).

Written by Lusungu Mwambeye, clinic administrator at the Lutheran Mobile Clinic in Malawi

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are in the season of Lent, where we reflect on the suffering and death of our Lord. Isaiah 53:4,5 says, “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” This passage reminds us that the punishment and suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ brought us everlasting life and forgiveness of our sins.

This month’s newsletter tells the story of Smith Patulani, an under-5 child who is a patient at our Msambo clinic. Smith was born in October 2023 at Daeyang Luke Hospital in Lilongwe. According to Smith’s mother, Modester Patulani, Smith was born through a normal spontaneous vertex delivery, and there were no complications during birth and throughout the postpartum period. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Patulani hails from Kabula village, Traditional/Authority Chimutu in Lilongwe District. The village is not far from our Msambo clinic.

In February 2025, Smith got sick. He was presenting with fever, vomiting, and general body weakness. Upon seeing this, his parents took him to a local hospital, the Chankhungu Health Center. Chankhungu Health Center is one of the government health centers close to Smith’s village. At Chankhungu, Smith was tested for malaria, and the result came out positive. He was given a first line malaria treatment (lumefantrine artemether), which he took for three days at home, and he got well.

One Monday morning in early March, Smith’s father discovered that Smith’s lower limbs were not functional. He informed the mother, and they were both shocked, knowing that the child was fine after completing his malaria treatment in February. They then visited the Lutheran Mobile Clinic at Msambo on 17th March 2025, where they met one of our clinical officers, Davie Khumula.

At the clinic, Davie asked the mother some questions, including the medical history of the child. The mother explained everything and of course the malaria that he had in February. Davie also asked if the child received the polio vaccine, and the mother said the child completed all the vaccines, including the polio vaccine. The child was then examined for any possible signs of malaria, and there were none. Davie then examined the child’s legs for muscle strength, reflexes, and muscle tone.

He found that the muscle strength and reflexes were absent, and there was decreased muscle tone. Davie then explained more about the child’s condition to the parents, his plan of referring him to a hospital, and its importance. Smith was then referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital for further investigation for the possible cause of the paralysis, management, and initiation of physiotherapy treatment. We look forward to hearing more from Smith’s parents and how he is coping with physiotherapy treatment.

Lastly, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the people who think about us. Your prayers keep us going. Your various donations have been of great impact to us, and that is why we keep running. May the good Lord continue blessing you and all that you do. As we journey through this season of Lent, may we embrace reflection and renewal, fostering a spirit of compassion and gratitude in our hearts.

Written by Violet Chikwatu, nurse in charge

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

Partnerships are everywhere in our Christian faith: partnerships with our fellow believers, partnerships with our home churches, partnerships with the pastors that guide us, and most ultimately our partnership with God. In Philippians 1: 3-6 we are reminded by God that partnerships are necessary to share the good news of the gospel.

The Central Africa Medical Mission (CAMM) started as a partnership; the Lutheran missionaries used the Central Africa Medical Mission to provide healthcare to the local community and because the community’s physical needs were being taken care of, doors were opened for the missionaries to share God’s spiritual love and healing with those visiting the clinic.

Today, CAMM operates with many partnerships. We partner with the missionaries through the Board of World Missions and the One Africa Team, with local national staff, with local African pastors, and with supporters all across the United States and abroad.

The Board of World Missions and the One Africa Team help support CAMM by providing spiritual support, marketing support, and help to lead CAMM’s mission. WELS Christian Aid & Relief (CAR) provides CAMM with financial grant support. CAMM has been extremely blessed by CAR with their grants to purchase medicine, fuel, and vaccinations. They are a key financial supporter for the short-term medical camps that were held in Kenya in 2024 and the camp that is planned for February of 2025.

While today we have all national staff at our clinics, originally CAMM employed an American nurse-in-charge and an American clinic administrator in both Zambia and Malawi. The individuals who held these positions moved far away from their families and lived in Malawi and Zambia for three years or more. They helped lead the national staff and relayed communication on clinic operations back to the CAMM stateside committee, even though communication was slow due to limitations in phone and mail service, especially from our start in 1961 through the late 1990’s. CAMM relied on the leadership and professional background of the American nurse-in-charge and American clinic administrator at each clinic to ensure the clinics ran smoothly, and their partnership was essential to the success of CAMM, especially in those early years.

In 1994, the Lutheran Rural Health Centre in Zambia was turned over to national staff to run the clinic. The same followed for the Malawi staff in 2022. Where would CAMM be now without the knowledge, commitment, and integrity of the Malawian and Zambian staff? CAMM relies on them to ensure devotions are held each morning and to treat each patient that arrives at our clinics with empathy and professionalism. The staff is the face of our clinics and through the love and compassion they share with each patient, they are reflections of God’s compassion to them. The local pastors of the Lutheran Church of Central Africa are also key partners with CAMM, as they have an important role to further develop the spiritual welfare of each staff member and patient.

Finally, all of our supporters are key partners with CAMM. Schools, churches, and women’s groups, including LWMS, help spread the word about the work of CAMM with even more individuals across the country. And this in turn has caused an outpouring of support, in the form of prayers, monetary donations, assembling and mailing parcels to the clinics, and special projects such as a CAMM baby shower, chili potlucks, special mission Sundays, and school mission projects, which help fund building projects and new vehicles. The CAMM stateside committee members are filled with gratitude when we see photos of these activities or learn of all the assistance that is being provided. Since CAMM is supported solely by donations, we would not be able to carry out our work without the partnership of all of you, our supporters.

God has truly blessed the work of the Central Africa Medical Mission for over 60 years, beyond what we ever could have imagined. May he continue to use all of these partnerships to guide and bless our work in the future to provide Christ-centered health care and to share the gospel with all those who come to the clinics.

Have a blessed Christmas season as we celebrate the joyous birth of our Savior!

Written by Angela Sievert, Central Africa Medical Mission chair

I recently traveled to Malawi and Zambia and was looking forward to sharing some updated information and news about the field. My wife Beth and I recently gave a presentation about CAMM for the Grand Canyon Circuit of LWMS (Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society) at a retreat at a camp outside of Prescott, Ariz. There were about 80 women attending and three Arizona pastors who helped with devotions and worship. We were glad to see our former Malawi Mission Liaison, Rev. John Holtz, and a former pastor in Zambia, Rev. John Hartman and his wife, Sharon.

At the retreat we had the opportunity to learn about the mission work to the Native American Mission, including the school in Peridot. We also heard about the mission to the children in Mexico and its Spanish ministry to Mexicans in Tucson.

We shared our slides about the Lutheran Mobile Clinic in Malawi, the Lutheran Rural Health Center in Zambia, and the medical camp that was run in Kenya last February. We enjoyed answering questions and feeling so much support for the ongoing work of CAMM. We knew these women would be praying for our African staff and supporting the mission with their prayers and offerings. It was apparent that many of them also had ministries in their churches and with other mission organizations. We give thanks for these brothers and sisters in Christ, who love Jesus and want to help spread the gospel around the world!

In other news, in Malawi we have recently completed the construction of two private consultation rooms at our clinic at Thunga Village. We have seen that outpatient numbers have been growing at this clinic, which has caused crowding and even less privacy. We decided that it was it about time that these patients were provided the same degree of privacy as the patients at our other clinics, hence the new consultation rooms were built. Now all outpatient consultations at all four of our clinics are conducted in private.

Also, in Malawi, after a few months of wondering why we have not received many parcels, we have just received 40 parcels of pill bottles and other supplies. Supplies were getting low and we were beginning to worry. But the Lord provided. We suspected that something was amiss either at the post office or customs, but only recently discovered that parcels were being held by the Malawi Revenue Agency (MRA) for possible customs duty. Lusungu Mwambeye – our administrator in Malawi – was able to work with the MRA and get the parcels released to us without duty. She also obtained a letter from MRA giving us customs clearance for three months. While our stocks are looking good today, it can take up to three months for a parcel to arrive, so please keep the parcels coming so that we always have a ready supply of pill bottles, blankets, hats, onesies, etc. for our patients.

Written by Mr. Gary Evans, CAMM Field Director.

June was a sorrowful month in Malawi, as the country mourns the demise of its vice president, the Late Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima. The vice president along with eight other high-profile delegates, including the former first lady Shanil Muluzi, were killed in an aircraft crash in the Chikangawa forest while on their way to the burial ceremony of the Late Ralph Kasambala, the former Attorney General. According to reports, the late vice president’s jet flew off the radar shortly after takeoff and crashed in the Chikangawa forest due to bad weather. The Chikangawa Forest is in Malawi’s northern region and is about a 40-minute flight from Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe, the country’s capital.

We also mourn the demise of the Late Lucious Banda who was the country’s presidential advisor on youth and art. He was a legendary musician who started his career in the early 1990s and released 20 albums to date. He was dubbed ‘soldier’ due to his music genre, which advocates for the betterment of the poor and fights for their rights. In these terrifying storms, we rest our hope, peace, and comfort in Christ. Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

On the same sad note, as reported in our May newsletter, the Lutheran Mobile Clinic supports children with disability to access physiotherapy treatments at Children of Blessings. Unfortunately we have lost one child, Tamara, who died following continuous convulsions and was also found with low blood sugar. She was admitted to Kamuzu Central Hospital and passed away a few days later. The remaining four kids who are still under Lutheran Mobile Clinic transport fund to get physiotherapy are progressing well with their sessions. We thank God!

As temperatures drop in Malawi and concerns rise relating to the impact of cold weather on communities, we have had our physicians educate our patients and guardians about pneumonia, cough, and colds throughout this cold season. The unprecedented surge in patient numbers strains resources but demonstrates the critical need for healthcare services in most areas. The last week of June, I had the opportunity to chat with some patients mostly to know why they would rather spend more on transport to come to our clinic when they can use the same funds to access private or government hospitals close to where they reside. One patient said, “In addition to the availability of medications at Lutheran Mobile Clinic, the staff treats the patient with respect and empathy, unlike the public or private hospital”. The other patient stated, “The physicians do not listen to all the concerns of patients but instead immediately send them to the pharmacy to get the medications or refer them to buy, whereas Lutheran Mobile Clinic physicians take their time with patient consultations”. Another patient stated that “when tested with malaria rapid diagnostic test, before the blood clots, the nurse/lab assistant at Lutheran Mobile Clinic provides cotton swabs to patients whilst at the public hospitals, sometimes they are advised to rub the blood in their hair and the blood will clot quickly which to a patient comes off as rude nurses”. These are some of the reasons why people prefer our healthcare provision to other hospitals/clinics on top of almost the free service provision and availability of medications.

Despite the rough roads that hurt the backs of our staff members from consistently driving in bad conditions, the Lutheran Mobile Clinic has been tirelessly serving the communities, providing critical medical assistance to those in need. I would like to applaud my team for always showing up for the clinic to serve the communities in need.

On behalf of the Lutheran Mobile Clinic staff team and the communities we serve, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your generous donation towards the purchase of our new ambulance. Your support and generosity have made a significant impact on our ability to provide critical emergency services to our community. The 2023 Toyota Landcruiser/Ambulance is admired by many as a new model but also its great off-road performance. Despite the bumpy roads, this new ambulance has great shock absorbers that make the effect of the bumpy roads less noticeable. Thank you once again for your generosity and commitment to the Lutheran Mobile Clinic’s cause. We are deeply appreciative of your support and donations; it makes our work possible and easy to manage. May God bless you all and give you good health. 1 Thessalonians 1:2, “We give thanks always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers”. Amen!

Written by Lusungu Mwambeye, Clinic Administrator for the Lutheran Mobile Clinic in Malawi

Greetings in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is April and people have started harvesting their maize fields. The harvest has happened a little bit earlier this year as people are trying to protect their crops from theft. These theft cases have risen because a lot of people have empty fields due to the prolonged dry spell that Malawi experienced in January and February. This dry spell has really affected this country and the harvest is worrisome to the point that the Malawian President declared Malawi in a state of disaster.

Newa Amos

The Lord has been faithful to the Lutheran Mobile Clinic and all its staff. He is keeping us healthy so that we can continue serving his people. However, we are still experiencing a huge number of patients in all the clinic sites. The top diagnosis at all these sites remains malaria. For the past weeks, our Mwalaulomwe Clinic has seen a huge turnout of patients. So much so that we ran out of medication during clinic hours and had to send our ambulance back to our pharmacy in Lilongwe for restocking. This is happening because the government hospitals have a low supply of malaria commodities, includes malaria testing kits and medication. We hope that the supplies will be available soon and that God brings healing upon his people.

I would like to tell you about our disabled kids at Msambo Clinic; the Lord has been so faithful in their lives. Newa Amos is a four-year-old little boy. In 2022, at two years old, Newa suffered cerebral malaria and was admitted to Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe. This malaria affected him such that he lost developmental milestones. He could not sit, stand, or walk. He lost speech and started drooling. After he was cured of malaria, the boy was discharged through the physiotherapy department and the mother was told to visit three times a week. Due to transportation problems, the mother was unable to visit the hospital as required and was just staying at home with the little boy. After a few weeks, this mother together and her boy came to our clinic at Msambo to find out if we could help in any way. Our clinic was able to help with money for transport and the boy started getting physiotherapy sessions at Children of Blessings Hospital which is a little bit closer to her home.

2024 marks two years since Newa started his physiotherapy sessions at Children of Blessings. He visits the hospital two times a week. The mother was taught how to do the physiotherapy at home. Both the physiotherapists and the mother play a great role in making sure that Newa gets back on his feet. Today, Newa is four years old, and he can sit, stand and walk alone without support. He is now in a speech class, and he can utter a few inaudible words, but there is hope that he will be able to talk.

Currently, our clinic supports five kids with transportation money so that they get their physiotherapy at Children of Blessings. There is a great improvement in all four kids, and there is hope that they will be able to live normally. The mothers and the kids’ families are very happy and thankful for the help they receive.

The medical mission’s work in fighting disease and malnutrition in children, especially the disabled ones, helps to prolong their lives and gives them and their parents a chance to hear the gospel and be saved. We are so very thankful for all who give to the Central Africa Medical Mission to make it possible. May God continue blessing you.

Written by Violet Chikwatu, Nurse in Charge for the Lutheran Mobile Clinic in Malawi

Almost three years ago, Pastor Mark Anariko Onunda from Lutheran Congregations in Missions for Christ—Kenya approached the One Africa Team (OAT) and the Central Africa Medical Mission (CAMM) with a proposal to hold a week-long medical camp at a Lutheran congregation near the town of Sagana, Kenya. These medical camps are common in Kenya, and the government approves of them to reach people in rural areas with free screenings and medical care.

The CAMM committee prayerfully considered and agreed to this, knowing that nothing should be done that would detract from the work we are doing at the Lutheran Mobile Clinic in Malawi or the Lutheran Mission Rural Health Center in Zambia. OAT was in favor, because Pastor Onunda’s main goal was to bring patients to the church by providing evangelists to lead devotions and share the gospel of Christ with people coming to the camp. With a generous grant from WELS Christian Aid and Relief, the cost was covered. After almost a year of preparations by our Field Director Gary Evans, Pastor Mwangi, John Michoro, and other leaders of the congregation at Karima Lutheran Church, together with the Kirinyaga County Health Department, the four-day camp became a reality from February 26-29.

Six volunteers from the CAMM committee arrived four days early to complete the work of sorting and organizing supplies and medications in the storage room and setting up the camp in a large field near the church, joining Gary and Pastor John Roebke. They met with key government staff to confirm what supplies were still needed and which services would be provided. Tents and toilets had already been installed. Volunteers from the congregation were available to help set up chairs, tables, handwashing stations, and rope lines. Everyone worshiped together under one of the tents on Sunday prior to the start of camp. There was a sense of unity of faith and joy in the mission ahead.

The government staff included clinical officers, nurses, nutritionists, laboratory technicians, a pharmacist, pharmacy techs, and record keepers. There was a truck in which women could be screened and even treated for cervical cancer. American volunteers assisted wherever they could, whether taking blood pressures, checking blood sugars, doing triage, weighing patients, finding equipment, running to the storeroom to bring medications to the pharmacy, placing garbage and sharps containers, and monitoring the overall workflow. The church volunteers registered and numbered patients, directed them where to go, answered questions, emptied garbage, cleaned, translated the Kikuyu language, spent time talking with patients, and led Bible studies, and hard-working women made traditional African food lunches for 70 people each day!

All patients were screened for hypertension and diabetes and received nutrition advice, health education, and medications as needed. Over the four days, 1,400 patients were seen. One 12-year-old girl with a very painful ulcerated rash on her ankles for two years was finally treated with the correct antifungal and antibiotic medication, and follow-up was arranged. A woman who had dangerously high blood sugar but had not been taking medication for diabetes was treated with IV fluids and insulin. She could go home with oral medication and was taught how to change her diet to help keep her glucose levels down and to follow up at a local clinic. “Asante sana” (thank you very much) was heard often. We were told the community had benefited greatly from the camp, and the church leaders knew that there would be many new visitors to church the next Sunday.

Although the volunteers were tired, dirty, and sensory overloaded at the end of each day, it was gratifying to know that it was mainly the Kenyan peoples’ initiative and efforts that made the camp happen. We were watching God’s plan unfold for people to hear about their Savior as well as have their health needs met. Will there be more Lutheran medical camps in Kenya? God willing, yes. Meanwhile, our clinics in Zambia and Malawi continue to thrive.

Thanks be to God!

Written by Beth Evans, CAMM Nurse Advisor

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Originally appears on the Central Africa Medical Mission website. Learn more and follow updates at camm.us.

As I write this letter, it is late December and it’s amazing how it feels just like yesterday that we were celebrating the beginning of 2023. Now that we are just a few days away from ending 2023, there is so much to be grateful for—especially the gift of life that the Lord has granted us throughout the year.

Here in Malawi, December always comes with heavy rains. It’s the time when all the farmers plant their fields knowing that the rainy season has arrived. However, this December was different because a lot of districts had not received any rain until mid-month. This brought so many worries to farmers as they had no hope on when the rains would start. But because our Lord is good, by December 20, Lilongwe and other districts received heavy rains. People were happy and ready to work in their fields.

Despite being happy about the rains, during this rainy season the clinic faced challenges in so many ways. December 20 was a clinic day at Suzi, and because it had rained heavily we had difficulty traveling to the clinic site. The road was bumpy and very muddy making it hard for driving. Despite all these difficulties, we still made it to the clinic as our land cruisers are good, even on bad roads.

Upon reaching the clinic, we found a large crowd of people—men, women, and children—sheltering under the roof of the clinic and some under the trees as it was still raining. The people were happy seeing us as they thought we wouldn’t make it due to the bad road. When our staff were setting up the clinic, our clinicians had already started seeing the patients that were triaged by the village staff before we arrived. These people were very sick and the complaint that presented the most was malaria.

Malaria is a condition that worsens during the rainy season and is one of the leading causes of death in Malawi. From the month of October on, our clinic started registering an increase in malaria cases that worsened in November and December. Not only has this malaria affected children under five, but it is also affecting adults. As a clinic, we are always prepared for this as we carry enough malaria testing kits and medication for uncomplicated malaria. Not only that, but we also carry with us medication for complicated malaria, which we give to patients before we refer them to hospitals for continued management. As always, our staff, who are hardworking and team players, did an outstanding job in dealing with the large number of patients we saw that day. When a staff member sees that a colleague needs help, they can be relied on to jump in and assist without being told to do so. We thank God for this and may he continue blessing all of the staff.

Written by Violet Chikwatu, nurse in charge at the Central Africa Medical Mission Lutheran Mobile clinic in Malawi. 

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