September 2023 Newsletter

September 2023 Newsletter

“You need to be patient!” This is a common phrase used by parents or teachers but what is true patience? During my July visit to Malawi and Zambia with Vickie Walther and Gary and Beth Evans, I was blessed to observe the amazing patience of CAMM’s clinic patients. Our trip’s focus was to learn about the Lutheran Mobile Clinic (LMC) in Malawi and

Lutheran Mission Rural Health Centre in Zambia to better serve our supporters. I am excited to share a few of our amazing experiences with you.

Clinic each day truly started the night prior when Violet Chikwatu, Nurse in Charge, and Lusungu Mwambeye, Clinic
Administrator, prepared bins of necessary medical supplies and medications. Each morning, the LMC staff in Lilongwe loaded the ambulance. On the way to the village of Suzi, we picked up additional staff and completed the 1.25-hour drive to clinic. The dirt roads were an adventure in the ambulance. I celebrated the wonderful driving skills of Vincent who navigated traffic in Lilongwe and the bumps and turns of the roads to the villages. Upon arrival at Suzi, our staff efficiently set-up the clinic in the church buildings and courtyard while patients were listening to a devotion under the trees from a church elder. The mothers waited in line patiently to have their little ones weighed via a scale hanging from a tree outside of clinic. Beth Evans and I wandered in the crowd to identify any patients who needed to be moved to the front of the line due to severe illness. Clinic started and ran smoothly and efficiently. I kept thinking about myself headed to a doctor’s appointment in the US and how I would have been frustrated if taken a few minutes late from my scheduled appointment. 

These patients had traveled many hours via foot to get to our clinic, waited patiently for clinic to open and then proceeded calmly through each step of clinic (triage, immunizations, doctor visits, pharmacy, etc.). I witnessed a man with severe asthma being assessed and treated by our staff. He was able to leave clinic with the necessary asthma medications for the days ahead. Another former patient with a leg wound came to share with Beth his gratitude for her medical care as his wound was now fully healed. A baby with febrile seizures was seen by Violet and Beth who determined the baby required a transport to a local hospital for additional interventions. Our back-up ambulance transported her there while the other staff cleaned up clinic and took the main ambulance back to Lilongwe. What a blessing to have our two ambulances so this could all happen! LMC served 250 patients in 5 hours at Suzi that day. There was no chaos and the staff and patients were calm throughout the whole day. It was a true blessing to observe!

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” -Romans 12:12

The next day started in the same way at Lilongwe with loading of the ambulance and picking up staff on the 45-minute drive to the village of Mwalaulomwe. So many mothers and babies were waiting and listening to the devotion when we arrived. After devotion, clinic was again up and ready to see patients with ease. Within an hour, 3 babies were identified as potentiallyhaving pneumonia. The ambulance was able to transport them safely to the local hospital. We rejoiced that the mothers were able to connect with our LMC staff and receive the necessary triage at our clinic along with transport to the hospital. I again thought about patience. How long had these babies been ill? What if clinic was not open that day in Mwalaulomwe. As a mother, I am grateful for urgent cares and medical clinics open 24/7 near my home for my daughters. I am thankful God supported these mothers during their infants’ illnesses and connected them to our medical staff for appropriate medical care and transport.

Words cannot express how thankful I am for the opportunity to travel to Malawi and Zambia to see our clinic staff in
action and the patients served. I rejoice in their patience as they waited for care to nourish their body and soul. Please
reflect with me this month the words of Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
CAMM’s focus of Christ-Centered Healthcare Supporting Gospel Ministry occurs every day through the support you
provide with prayer and financial and parcel donations. Thank you for your support!

Yours in Christ,
Stacy Stolzman, Development Director
development.director.camm@gmail.com

Patients Waiting for Clinic in Suzi
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