ZAMBIA MEETING 2018

2018 ZAMBIA TEAM

We had a planning meeting for our mission to Zambia today at our house in Columbus.  The agency we're working with is Gospelink - http://gospelink.com/

Our Columbus Medical Mission Team has come together with this group from Nebraska.  We are lining up really well for the Eye/ENT surgical team. 

Back L->R Dr. Nila N. Otolaryngologist, John N., MacGyver, Dr. Pete D., Ophthalmologist, Sam W., surgery nurse, Dr. Alicia M., hospitalist, Giana B., PA.

Middle row L->R Kim S., nursing, Sandra W., nursing, Heather N., surgery nurse, Elsa G., Dental asst, translator, Miguel G., MA, translator.

Front L->R Casey S., nursing, Nancy G., nursing, Jenn L., Nurse Anesthetist.

We were only missing a couple of the medical missionaries, but we have 2 others on board - Emily and Namdar, both nursing.

We discussed travel plans, equipment and supplies we'll need and saw photos of the place we'll be going.

Good resources I recommended include getting a copy of Town Nyanja, the local language and Into Africa by Dugard that includes some of the history of the area and tells the story of Stanley and Livingstone. Also, the blog by Dr. Marjie Heier has a lot of interesting information about Chifundo Clinic  http://chifundoclinicstep.blogspot.com and Mission Heart on FB has a lot of information and is loading supplies on a cargo container to be shipped soon.  They have shipped two already in the last few months. We are waiting on word about an anesthesia machine that may be donated that we can get on the cargo container.

There is a lot to think about.  We've got some very experienced people and some newbies just applying for their passports who haven't traveled outside the US.  It will be the trip of a lifetime.  Only two of our team has been to Zambia before and we'll be joining some folks from S. Carolina and/or Maryland who are going to help with education and have been to Zambia. Keep us in your prayers.  We are always taking donations of supplies and money.

I will add bios of the team as we approach the trip in July. 

In the meantime, John is heading to Nicaragua with Global Passion Ministries along with Tam B's team in February. I'll see if he can write some of the blog while he's there. 

NN

BACK TO NICARAGUA

Now that John is semi retired he has time to pursue other things.  We traveled to Nicaragua 3 times in years past but then Columbus Medical Mission Team passed the torch to Global Passion Ministries.  This February John is joining their group as a Mcgyver.  They got an article in the Columbus Telegram last week to help promote their spaghetti feed fund raiser next Sunday at noon at Peace Lutheran Church.  There are many inaccuracies in the article, but only those who know the mission well will recognize them.

http://columbustelegram.com/news/local/new-team-same-mission-for-group-heading-to-nicaragua/article_3a178d77-6401-57b2-bef6-85d1a509b06e.html

The Columbus Contingent: 

back Dan Smith, Scott Boettcher - McGyvers

front Tam Boettcher, APRN Kevin Harm, APRN and John Novotny - McGyver