The Pregnant Women

The pregnant women were laying on a grass mat, on the dirt, surrounded by cows and chickens. The clinical officer had been transferred, so the Ministry of Health was taking advantage of the opportunity to re-roof the clinic. The roof had been damaged by previous wind storms. Not wanting  to completely close the clinic, the Ministry of Health had moved clinic care to the home previously used by the clinical officer, and had left the "cleaner" to administer basic health care and first aid. She administered medication from a closet, using a large book to determine what drugs to provide.

This was my first exposure to the health care system in rural Zambia, and to issues of maternal and infant mortality in Zambia. Needless to say it made quite an impact on me! Unicef estimates that the lifetime risk of maternal death for a woman in Zambia is 1 in 38; rural Zambia has one of the worst maternal death rates in the world. I was relieved to learn that Zambia is in the process of implementing a plan to improve maternal mortality, and the Lundazi area where I was visiting is one of the targeted implementation areas. 

The next day, I traveled to another clinic. This one had a functional building, but was also in transition as again MOH had transferred the clinical officer and public health officer who had worked there for many years. Maintenance was required on the home provided for the clinical officer before the new clinic staff person could move in. 

During the trip, members of the CCAP Zambia synod office invited me to join with them as the offered condolences to a CCAP Zambia pastor who had just lost a newborn baby. I experienced the traditional process of condolence. We sang and we prayed and we sat together. The pastor explained that his wife had high blood pressure, and the baby was born prematurely. The story is not unusual. Often, when I talk to people here about their children, they tell me how many kids they have that are living, and how many are dead.  

My visit to rural eastern Zambia,birthplace of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian/ Synod of Zambia lasted four days. During that time, we visited the two clinics, 4 schools, 2 churches, a theological school, and one community health evangelism site. I enjoyed 6 department presentations, and learned about the courageous work that CCAP Zambia is doing to address the incredible challenges in Zambia. We heard from the Relief and Development Department, the Health Department, the Education Department, the Protected Water Department, the Lay Training Department, and the Evangelism Department. The Relief and Development Department is working on agricultural programs, adult literacy, orphans and vulnerable children, and home based care for those who are HIV positive. The health department is working hard to address  maternal health and other issues. There is great work going on; however, the challenges were incredibly apparent every time we visited the program sites. 

The highlight of the visit for me was the invitation to preach at the licensing of 12 new CCAP Zambia pastors, graduates of CCAP Zambia's fledgling Chasefu Theological College. These new pastors will continue to work for  God’s kingdom here on earth. They will go out, all over the country, and struggle for justice, for health care, for compassion, for healing, for hope. And they will comfort those who mourn, and they will speak of God’s love, and they will offer hope in the name of Jesus.  

I feel blessed to work with CCAP Zambia, and humbled by their amazing commitment to fight against incredible odds. I am humbled by all that they give in order to create the Kingdom of God here on earth. I am humbled by their ability to face incredible pain, and keep on following Jesus. I will walk with them, and learn from them, and pray with them. And I ask that you will, too. God is at work here, and God needs us to be a part of this work, to walk with CCAP Zambia. 

Thank you for your partnership and prayers. Thank you for your love and compassion. And thanks be to our God of grace, of hope, of healing. 

Beautiful sites in Lundazi

A CCAP Basic school

Girls at Mphamba Basic School, run by CCAP, where they run an excellent program to keep girls in school

Girls at a CCAP Boarding school; they are in front of the kitchen where they make their own food

At Chasefu Theological College, they make their own bricks as they rebuild the school

The licensing service for 12 new pastors

After the service, with two of the new pastors

The only woman in her graduating class, Naomi was beaming throughout the service

The second clinic we visited

Women waiting outside the clinic