In 2006 the CareNow Foundation was just getting started, and one of the original projects we undertook was to help establish a mobile clinic in Zambia through Susan Hundshamer, RN who moved to Zambia the previous year. In partnership with CareNow, Susan operated this mobile clinic in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia, from mid 2006 to August 2007, and was the medical outreach director of the Action Zambia Missionary organization.
During that time Susan was joined by Stephanie Brink, a midwife who was a natural partner to provide care to new mothers in their area. In August of 2007, the mobile clinic was moved to a rural location in Zambia called Sinazongwe and they began operating the mobile clinic out a missionary base established by Missionary Ventures International. Susan and Stephanie served the healthcare needs of the Tonga people of the Zambezi Valley until the end of 2008 when they began to make preparations for their return to the United States.
Transfer of Assets and Activities to Mission Medic Air
On February 10, 2009 Geoff Bowen, the Chairman of Mission Medic Air, and members of his team met with Susan and Stephanie in Lusaka to coordinate the transfer of the remaining assets of the Zambia mobile clinic to Mission Medic Air. These assets consisted of the Toyota GX Cruiser, which had faithfully served Susan and Stephanie as their mobile clinic during their time in Zambia, and approximately $20,000 in medicines, equipment and supplies from Sinazongwe. Geoff and his team reported being overwhelmed by the generous donation to their efforts. MMA had been in great need of a vehicle to travel to certain locations that cannot be reached by air, but can be by road.
MMA wasted no time in putting the mobile clinic, medicines and supplies to work. On February 19th they began a 4 day trip to Mambilima, a small town located in the Luapula Province of Zambia. It has a population of about 23,000 and is situated near the Luapula River. It has one District Hospital and a Special School for the physically handicapped. Volunteering on this trip was one medical doctor, three nurses, one lab technician, one dentist and several administrative team members. During the two days they held the clinic, they treated over 400 patients for a wide variety of illness and medical needs including 120 receiving dental care. The majority of the medicines used during this trip were from the stores transferred to them by Susan and Stephanie. This is just one of many examples of the work that MMA is doing on a routine basis in serving the healthcare needs of those in rural Zambia.
At CareNow we were very pleased to begin working with MMA at a providential time, and be able to seamlessly coordinate not only this transfer of assets but also the continued provision of healthcare for the least served people of Zambia.
Programs and Accomplishments
Susan Hundshamer and Stephanie Brink faithfully served the young and the old, the sick and the forgotten people of Zambia. They cared for those in pain and provided what relief they could. They taught young mothers how to care for their babies. They saved lives and they comforted the dying. The CareNow Foundation has been privileged to support the mobile clinic that Susan and Stephanie ran during their time in Zambia and considers them both “True Heroes”.
Susan sums up their work best in her final newsletter from Zambia excerpted as follows:
My time in Zambia was one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced. Working with Stephanie Brink, we were able to help thousands of patients, feed starving children, administer medication, and work in conjunction with the local hospitals. We made friends in the community and loved being able to work out of local churches.
Perhaps one of our most important accomplishments was the training of five Zambian health workers and two nutrition workers. Stephanie worked with two ladies in midwifery and helped expand the nutrition program. An enthusiastic group of people stepped forward and volunteered to be trained as health workers so that they could go into their communities and bring healthcare to their neighbors. For 13 months we trained with them everyday and watched how they developed from laypeople into highly skilled medical personnel. I am in awe of their dedication and perseverance not only to this program, but to every aspect of their lives. I am proud to say that they are now highly capable of working on their own and are awaiting their healthcare certificates from the Zambian government.
The Zambian people taught me that what matters most is people. This sounds so simple but the Zambian people showed me what it really means. Despite my zeal for the work we were doing in Zambia, and my love and affection for the people, it has come time for me to leave. God was the one who stirred my heart to go to Zambia in the first place. Without His consistent nudging I never would have been a part of this amazing journey. For now He has called me back to Southern California.
I do not regret any of my decisions or time in Africa and I certainly will not forget all the memories that were made. I will not forget the smiles on the kids faces as they leave the feeding program or the pained expressions of old widows as they limped to clinic. I will not forget the constant wails of death, nor the joys of birth. I will not forget the friends I made or the babies I lost. I will not forget that I went to share the love of Jesus and if He ever calls me again, I will go.
Susan Hundshamer
