Written by Deb Taylor.
“Don’t underestimate how God could use your skills on a short-term mission in Africa!”
These were the challenging words of Rev Simba Musvamhiri, CEO of African Enterprise Australia, during a visit to our church in Camberwell, Melbourne in 2023.
Fast forward 12 months and a team of 10 from our church recently returned from Lilongwe, Malawi, deeply thankful for an incredible and life-changing experience. Of the many at our church who expressed initial interest in a short-term mission trip, the team that eventuated consisted of five doctors, together with their wives (serendipitously all some kind of trained teachers or allied health professionals, as well as former Sunday school and SRI/CRE teachers). We were also delighted that Rev Simba joined us for the first week.
Sharing medical experience
Doctors from Australia giving donated equipment to medical staff in Malawi.
Under the leadership of the current director of AE Malawi, Dr Cornelius Huwa, a dynamic young paediatrician and palliative care specialist turned pastor, our team partnered with Kamuzu Central Hospital, a major teaching hospital in Lilongwe. Among our team were three GPs, with one specialising in psychiatry, a renal and dialysis physician and a gastroenterologist with expertise in therapeutic endoscopy.
Upon arrival in Malawi, we quickly discovered that AE has recruited a truly wonderful team of passionate and highly skilled young people with real hearts for serving others and for sharing the gospel. It was an absolute joy for us to spend two weeks with them and a privilege to have our every need met from pre-arranging our accommodation and a cook to provide our meals, to daily pick ups and even dongles for Wifi in a country where this is definitely not standard. We all became great friends.
The doctors were each allocated to their respective units where each day they faced what one described as “a torrent of humanity”. On their arrival each morning hundreds of patients lined up at the gate. They saw many different cases including malaria, organophosphate poisoning and one case of rabies which provided an opportunity to discuss the absence of rabies in Australia.
Death was not infrequent at KCH with patients often much younger than in Australia. The path to the hospital passed by the mortuary where many mourners were always gathered.
One of the most striking experiences was the challenge of diagnosis and management of patients without the tools and tests considered standard in Australia. Sometimes these tests were not available, e.g. cardiac troponin testing for myocardial infarction or iron studies for anaemia. Other times the hospital had simply run out, e.g. glucose testing sticks for diabetes, or the paper for the ECG machine.
The witness of hospital staff
Doctors at the Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH)
Over dinner each night the team exchanged incredible stories of the hardworking staff at Kamuzu Central Hospital tirelessly serving and treating their patients. As partners, we enjoyed seeing each of the Australian doctors rise to the challenge; at first feeling overwhelmed and helpless in the face of such grave need, then gradually finding their feet and a place where each might contribute, and eventually seeing each one extended in completely new ways and blessed in the knowledge that God had really met and used them.
They witnessed an inevitable element of moral trauma and burnout in many of the hospital staff. However, equally striking was these health professionals’ skill and capacity to achieve much with very little. They were struck by the many Christian staff in the hospital, resilient as they cared for their patients. They saw God’s presence in small ways like a nurse playing worship music in the operating theatre or a doctor discussing church supports with a patient’s family on discharge as a standard part of their care plan. Daily they came home encouraged by the countless expressions of Christian faith in a tough hospital working environment. Towards the end of the visit, AE arranged a dinner to which many of these staff were invited, and we were able to thank, encourage and bless them in their work.
Transforming ministries
As partners we didn’t know beforehand what we might be doing in Malawi, but our hosts had planned an extraordinary program. We visited schools, rural villages, Transformation Projects, and ran discipleship sessions with young people preparing to start university and work.
We met women in an AE tailoring course who proudly showed us the sewing they were learning and the beautiful garments they had produced. We witnessed a further group of these women graduate from last term’s tailoring course, glowing as they received their certificates surrounded by proud families and friends. We then watched incredulous as these families carefully fastened a new Singer sewing machine and table to the back of a bicycle and rode it home to their village where it would begin a new life. And later we visited two different villages where accomplished graduates of this same tailoring course are teaching other women in their village the skills they have been taught in order to make a real difference not only to their own families but also in their communities. The spirit of generosity everywhere we went was staggering.
With each new group of people we met we were encouraged to hear individual testimonies of faith. We met a member of the Foxfire Youth ministry team, previously struggling with no sense of purpose and substance abuse issues but now transformed, full of hope and on fire for the gospel. We met a sewing student, formerly working in prostitution, but now being discipled in prayer and shining with hope for her future. Then there was a woman in one of the villages who introduced herself as a tailor. She explained that she has been able to provide school uniforms and fees not only for her own children, but also for other children who had previously been unable to attend school in her village. We witnessed so much hope, joy and real-life faith.
Serving alongside
Camberwell Drs Team and AE Malawi Team
But neither did we get away with merely observing. Everywhere we went, we were asked to share our testimonies, a prayer of blessing here, a worship song there or an impromptu Bible message to 600+ school children! We were challenged to let go of any feelings of inadequacy and launch into what we were asked to do, and God absolutely met us.
A particular joy was our visit to Phereni school, a disadvantaged school supported by AE. From the moment we stepped out of the mini bus we were literally swarmed with welcoming children wanting to give us a high five. We were touched by the respect we were shown. The kids were thrilled to meet us and it was definitely reciprocated. As a bunch of mothers and grandmothers or near grandmothers, we felt such love for these kids as they surrounded us with great excitement. Frankly, we were in our element!
The principal explained that there are up to 1400 learners enrolled at Phereni School up to the age of 14 and only 22 teachers. With limited classrooms, it is not uncommon for one teacher to teach 200 children at a time. The principal expressed heartfelt gratitude to AE for mending many broken desks, digging a bore and providing a water pump which has increased school attendance as the children no longer need to travel such long distances for water each day and which has also boosted the school’s academic performance. There is no electricity in the school and no internet or computers. A meal of the Malawian maize porridge is supplied mid morning as most kids arrive at school without having eaten anything. Once again, we saw the profound impact AE is having in Malawian communities.
The principal was surprised when we told him we had brought along the equivalent of four large suitcases full of gifts and supplies from our church at home so he called an impromptu assembly. It was our absolute joy and privilege to then present school supplies and stationery, balls and frisbees, hats and donated school uniforms, and other gifts to this ecstatic group of children. I will never forget their genuine gratitude and their beautiful smiles.
Finally, another highlight was visiting Mrs Rachel Lungu, widow of the late Rev Stephen Lungu, former Director of African Enterprise. Stephen had twice preached at our church in Melbourne and his testimony has left a lasting impact. Sadly, Stephen died of Covid in 2021, but we were able to speak with Rachel and visit his grave, where we laid wreaths and sang a very moving rendition of ‘It is well with my soul,’ in both English and Chichewa. On the Sundays we also worshipped at his former Presbyterian church where we were very warmly welcomed and treated to seven different choirs.
Blessings of church partnership
We give thanks for the way that stepping out in faith and obedience to Simba’s challenge has resulted in wonderful blessings to our church in 2024. In addition to this short-term medical mission, 19 young people from our church aged 17-24, together with two older couples including youth group leaders, visited Kigali, Rwanda in June on a two week youth mission. God also abundantly blessed this trip with eyes opened and connections with AE in Rwanda strengthened but I will leave those stories for others to tell….
Deb says, “I encourage churches to explore the fantastic work of AE in Africa, and also how you can partner with AE in Australia. It is exciting to support the work of people on the ground who are passionate in their delivery of programs to improve lives, present the gospel and extend God’s Kingdom.”