Mwandi Mission Blog

UKirk SC is Headed Back to Mwandi May 2017!

In the summer of 2017, 9 members of UKirk SC and Shandon Presbyterian traveled back to Mwandi, Zambia! We continued the work begun there by our mission team in 2013, again travelling with a medical team which performed cataract surgeries and provided primary medical care, and working with the Orphan and Vulnerable Children Project. The last few days were spent soaking up the culture and landscape of Zambia by visiting Victoria Falls and going on a safari!

While in Mwandi, we worked with the Mwandi United Church of Zambia Mission. The Mission is located in Mwandi Royal Village on the banks Zambezi River. The town of Mwandi can be found in the Southwest corner of Zambia and 147km due west of Livingstone. The Mission was established there in the 1870s by French Presbyterians and has played a significant part in the development of Zambia and Barotseland in particular.

It originally started out as a hospital and church and has since grown into a large integrated mission station with a hospital and related outreach programs, such as the Orphan and Vulnerable Children’s Project, an agriculture program, and a thriving church and Bible school. These medical, religious and social programs serve a catchment of around 30,000 people

The Mission has a number of overseas partners including The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), The Presbyterian Medical Benevolence Foundation, The Church of Scotland, and the Uniting Church of Australia. In addition, the Mission has support and friends across the world who support our programs. These range from small outback churches in the Australian Desert to large metropolitan churches in Europe and America. They truly are a global family.

For more information on Zambia, the Mission, and the organizations we’ll be working with, visit these links below:

The Hospital has a very basic informational website at: mwandimission.org

The Mwandi Orphan and Vulnerable Children Center’s website is www.mwandiovcproject.com

www.travel.state.gov/zambia.html

www.zambiatourism.com/travel/cities/livingst.htm

If you are interested in coming with us on this life-changing trip to Mwandi, please email us at jcook@shandonpres.org!

(October 18, 2013) “Expect Miracles” read the woman’s bracelet at Kandiana – the retirement home in Mwandi, Zambia. We were taken with her indomitable spirit – she would sing and dance no matter what – even dubbed “The Dancing Queen” by our team. Indeed quite a witness in what we perceived to be a most meager existence.

“Expect[ing] Miracles” now at the other end of life’s circle for the children at the Mwandi Orphan and Vulnerable Children Project, known fondly to our UKirk-Shandon Mission team as the “OVC” from our service there in May. Earlier this month the OVC suffered a terrible loss: two fires completely destroyed the supply building with all the kids’ food, clothes, medicines, vitamins – everything. Those that had just the barest of necessities through the OVC — now have none.

“Expect Miracles.” And as people of faith we do. And in addition to expecting miracles, we pray for the OVC, children, staff, and people of Mwandi during this devastating tragedy. And in our expectation of miracles, as God’s people we also give and give generously. Just think: through the blessing of the Holy Spirit, our prayers and gifts during “just such a time as this” can weave together with others from all across the globe to accomplish a miracle: the quick and easy rebuilding, recovery, and re-supply of all that has been lost in the fires at the Mwandi OVC.

“Expect Miracles.” And pray. And give generously through Shandon Presbyterian’s “Mwandi OVC Fund” or through the OVC website (mwandiovc.com). Thanks for your prayerful and financial support that helped us first travel there in mission and now helps us respond there faithfully in prayer, support, and love!

(May 28, 2013 11:00 PM) We are packing up our things to leave after enjoying a beautiful day on our safari. The safari in Botswana was amazing, and it was a great way to close our trip here. After our safari, we were able to end our stay in Mwandi with a worship service at the hospital chapel with several members from the community. Our group lead the worship service, and we were able to say good-bye and thank God for our stay here, for the lives we have touched, and most importantly – for the people who have touched us. The trip has truly been a life changing experience, and it has been a bittersweet good-bye. We plan to leave Mwandi at 7:45 in the morning and travel to Livingstone to visit Victoria Falls and stay a night in the lodge. We will be landing in Charlotte around noon on Friday, and we plan to arrive in Columbia between one and two. Please continue to pray for safe travels for our group. We miss all of you, and we will see you soon!

This is the beautiful view that greets us after a long day of mission work.

Kenny and his painting buddy

Austin on the farm

I was blind but now I see

The “eye” team

Dr. Ozzie and Darrell in the “theatre”

Pastor John and Frank leading the blind

OVC children sporting their new clothes

Rebecca providing OT services in Mwandi

Christi reading to the children at the OVC

Darrell feeding the children at the OVC

Lunch time at the OVC

The children at the OVC were so excited to recieve their new clothes from our group.

Rebecca and Kahimbi

Kenny at the OVC

Sarah, Darrell, and Dr. Ozzie at the eye clinic.

Frank with the people of Mwandi

Our group on our tour through the village.

John with Fistidus

John showing off his soccer skills

Taylor at the OVC

Dr. Ozzie assisting a patient.

Faith enjoying our first sunset in Mwandi.

Our group after playing soccer with the kids at the OVC.

(May 24, 2013 9:20 AM) The last few days here in Mwandi have been very exciting and VERY busy! We have been working on various projects here in the village. We have realized that we all have our own individual God-given gifts, and we have been putting those gifts to good use. Frank and Kenny have been assisting with several patients under their special career specialties. We have had the privilege to witness Dr. Ozzie and his staff (Christi, Sarah, and Darrell) give sight to the blind. Rebecca has formed several relationships with children by providing her rehabilitation services. Brooke and Faith have put their gifts of painting to good use by giving the farm’s dairy a new look, and they’re excited about leading energizers at the OVC’s Youth Group tonight. Austin has formed several relationships with the farm-hands here, and he is currently plowing a field to provide hay for the cows. John has continued to bless each and every one of us here with his gift to inspire others to learn about the Lord. John recently had the privilege to lead the Bible Study at a local church, and the experience was one we will all cherish for a life-time. Finally, I have continuously been blessed to see the light of God shine through each and every child here in the OVC and at the high school. We have also had a great time getting to know our individual group members, and we have grown together as a team. We have laughed together, laughed at one another, and even cried with one another. As we continue to uncover and use our gifts, we continue to embrace and enjoy each and every moment we have left here in Mwandi.

(May 20, 2013 6:20 PM) We are winding down at Simba House after a long day in the sun. We toured the village of Mwandi today, and we enjoyed getting to learn more about the customs and culture of the people here. After our tour, we visited the OVC. At the OVC, we had a devotion with the children, we fed them, we read with them, and we even got to play a little soccer. (They were a lot better than the rest of us 🙂 ) A few members of our group worked with Dr. Ozzie today in the Mwandi Mission Hospital. There, they saw patients in need of treatment. We are currently waiting for those group members to return so that we can eat dinner. There is a great deal of work to be done here in Mwandi. We are ready to see where God will lead us on this journey and anxious to see the ways in which he will use our hands to do his work. We are not able to upload pictures at this time. The Internet connection here is just not strong enough. We are hoping to get a stronger signal and be able to upload some later this week.

(May 20, 2013 7:30 AM) A warm Good Morning from Africa! We are getting ready for breakfast and for a tour through the village. We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon and a beautiful sunset as we wound down last night. We will upload pictures soon!

(May 18, 2013 10:04 AM) We have safely landed in New York! We area now boarding the plane for Johannesburg.

We are less than 48 hours from departure! As we finish the last minute preparations, please continue to pray for our group. We would like to thank everyone for their contributions and prayers. Without all of you, this trip would not be possible.