As an individuals driven by faith and compassion, you must have an understanding of the profound impact that missions can have on communities worldwide, such as those that Mission Partners For Christ plans to serve this summer.
Zimbabwe, often referred to as the “Jewel of Africa,” is a nation brimming with potential, challenges, and opportunities. For aspiring missionaries like you, it’s crucial to gain a deep understanding of this unique land, its people, and its culture. It is through learning about the unique charactieristics of this beautiful nation that all of us, who are planning to minister to unreached and underserved Zimbabwe communities can better foster opportunities to share the gospel and help to facilitate relationships between these communities and our local missionary partners.
In the following paragraphs, we’ll delve into the top 5 things you need to know about Zimbabwe to embark on your missionary journey with knowledge, respect, and a heart full of hope.
1. Zimbabwe Has A Long And Rich History
Artifacts dating as far back as The Stone Age have been discovered in Zimbabwe, which means that the nation has been around for a very long time.
scandal and accusationit is thought that the San, who still survive mostly in the Kalahari desert of Botswana, are the last descendants of these original inhabitants of southern and central Africa. They were driven into the desert by Bantu-speaking groups during the long migrations from the north in the course of which the Bantu-speaking peoples populated much of Africa from Lake Chad to present-day South Africa. The first Bantu are thought to have reached Zimbabwe between the 5th and 10th centuries CE. Zimbabwe is home to many stone ruins, including those known as Great Zimbabwe (designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986). Some ruins date from about the 9th century, although the most elaboratebelong to a period after the 15th century and are of Bantu origin.
Over the centuries that followed, colonizing powers such as Portugal and Britain would invade the land in search of precious metals, like gold. So much wealth was found in the land that former Tanzanian president Julius Mwalimu Nyerere dubbed the nation of Zimbabwe to be, “The Jewel of Africa.”
In 1857, Robert Moffat (father-in-law to David Livingstone) met with Mzilikazi, chief of the Ndebel tribe – an offshoot of he Zulu nation, which opened the door to the establishment of the missions organization, “London Missionary Society.”
Zimbabwe became an independent nation on April 18, 1980 under the leadership of President Canaan Banana, who stepped down after years of misconduct and arrests linked to accusations of homosexuality. President Robert Mugabe served multiple terms from 1987-2017. While President Mugabe’s tenure as the leader of the Zimbabwe people was initially seen as progress, over time his authoritarian leadership style has led to many complaints from citizens of human rights abuses. The current president of Zimbabwe is Emmerson Mnangagwa, who succeeded Mugabe in 2017.
2. Zimbabwe Has Struggled Economically For Decades
Due to multiple factors such as drought, high inflation rates, and involvement in the civil war of the Democratic Republic of Congo (and the resulting withdrawal of outside economic aid), and more, Zimbabwe has struggled to keep their local economy afloat.
Inflation was rampant: the official government estimate reached nearly 8,000 percent in September 2007 (other, nongovernment estimates were up to several times that figure) before the government’s Central Statistic Office stated that they were unable to continue calculating inflation rates, because of a lack of data; the basic consumer goods needed for the calculations could no longer be found in shops throughout the country. In early 2008, after government calculations had resumed, the official estimate had risen to more than 100,000 percent; by the end of the summer, it had surpassed 10 million percent. Economic problems also included an extremely high rate of unemployment, estimated at some four-fifths of the population and among the highest in the world. Employment did not guarantee financial security though, as the wages earned by those who were employed were unable to keep pace with inflation.
Understandably, as the Zimbabwe economy began to falter, the impact to those who call the country home was severe. Rates of unemployment began to skyrocket, and people became uneasy:
Discontent with the struggling economy and the government led to an unprecedented level of public demonstrations against Mugabe’s administration beginning in 2016.
The average life expectancy averages around 60 years old, and the deteriorating health care system leaves many people without accessible healthcare:
The top three health threats facing the people of Zimbabwe are HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria. These diseases contribute significantly to maternal and childhood illness and deaths. Declining economic conditions and rising costs of living have eroded a health system once known regionally for its well-educated, robust workforce and ability to provide advanced medical care. USAID supports programs to reduce preventable deaths and lessen the disease burden, especially among women and children under five.
A 2021 Al Jazeera article noted that, even for the wealthiest citizens, healthcare can be out of reach causing them to spend enormous amounts of money seeking healthcare elswhere in the world.
3. The Religious Landscape of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s religious landscape is incredibly diverse. The majority of Zimbabweans adhere to Christianity, with various traditions such as Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, and various Protestant branches. Additionally, there is a significant population that practices indigenous religions, connecting deeply with ancestral spirits and nature. Islam and other minority faiths also have a presence in this religious tapestry.
Here is a quick breakdown of the various faith of Zimbabwe:
The wonderful thing about Christianity being so baked into the Zimbabwe culture is that when Mission Partners For Christ visits Zimbabwe in July 2024, there will already be some understandiing of the gospel we’ll be bringing (even though we’ll be working with unreached communities)! God has been working for a long time to prepare the unreached communities of Zimbabwe to be open to the gospel message, and we’re so excited that God chose to call us to be the ones who get to go!
4. Missions and Partner Collaboration in Zimbabwe Are Central Parts of Her History
Success stories of missionary work in Zimbabwe abound, illustrating the profound impact that partnerships and collaboration can have on communities. Missionaries, in cooperation with local organizations and communities, have been able to address pressing issues such as poverty, healthcare access, and education. These endeavors have led to transformative changes in the lives of Zimbabwean individuals and families, fostering hope, empowerment, and a sense of solidarity.
We’ve already mentioned Robert Moffat earlier in this blog post, but have you ever heard of Charles Daniel Helm and his wife Elizabeth? Together, they served in Matabeleland (now known as Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) for 40 years, starting in 1875. They were so well respected that Charles became an interpreter and an advisor to King Lobengula. You can learn more about their story here.
Missions are still needed in Zimbabwe to ensure that gospel continues to be shared and spread and to work alongside existing organizations that are working to empower Zimbabweans to thrive.
Collaborating with local communities and organizations is not merely an option but a fundamental necessity for effective missionary work in Zimbabwe. The local knowledge and cultural understanding that these partnerships provide are invaluable. Such collaborations also foster trust and mutual respect, key elements for building long-lasting relationships and making a positive impact on the lives of those they seek to serve.
For our medical mission trip this summer, we will be working alongside our missionary partner, FICA (Faith In Community Aiders). FICA’s goal is to come alongside underserved community and make healthcare and education accessible longterm, which sets the community up to thrive and to succeed in their local economic growth.
Zimbabwe stands as a captivating and culturally rich nation, offering both challenges and opportunities for missionaries eager to make a difference.
As you prepare for your missionary journey, remember that Zimbabwe’s people and communities hold the keys to transformative change. By fostering partnerships, respecting local traditions, and approaching this mission trip with humility and empathy, you can contribute to the betterment of lives and the strengthening of bonds.
Not signed up to join us in Zimbabwe? You can learn more and apply here!
There are seasons in every Christian life that might see us going out into the world to share the love of Jesus, and there are seasons where we might be called to stay home while others go. For those of us that remain behind, it is important to note that we are still called to serve. But our service might look different than the missionary in Africa.
Our service might appear to be quieter, but it is certainly no less significant. For every missionary called abroad, many more of us are called to work that is just as important: supporting the people in our lives as they serve on their mission trips.
Support comes in many different forms. Today, I want us to look at a few ways we can support the missionaries in our lives.
Pray
We often hear the phrase, there is power in prayer. While we believe there is power, it isn’t in the prayer itself, it is in the God to whom we pray. This is the God who shaped the universe, set each star in its proper place, and crafted the mountains. This same God not only created you, me, and every human being throughout history, but He also ordained the times and places in which we would live so that we might find Him (Acts 17:26-27)
It is this God that people serve when they embark on their mission trips. They seek to bring His truth to those who need it the most and to love them in action as they live out the gospel. Remembering them in prayer as they do this important work is to hold them in your hearts and to connect to their work in the best possible way.
Help With Fundraising and Communication
This is an often overlooked area for many Christ servants who need support from their loved ones and their communities.
Samuel Werner, guest posting on Sharon K Hoover’s blog, wrote about the importance of assisting missionaries with things like setting up websites, creating fundraisers, tracking donations, etc… Most who choose to serve have limited time to keep track of updating supporters or fundraising. Taking a little time out of your day, week, or month to assist them with these things would be a greatly supported gesture.
Werner says,
“A huge help for me in the past was I had someone help me with my mailing newsletters. I would send them an email with the writing and a few pictures. They’d take it and form a pretty little newsletter to send out to my supporters. They’d even keep track of the mailing list for me. That was a HUGE blessing. There is a lot more to being a missionary than just ministry. Offer your services. Just ask, “Is there anything I can do to help you?”
Samuel Werner
Do you have organizational skills or the ability to help set up a GoFundMe? You can put those skills to work by supporting your missionary loved one.
Give Generously
This is perhaps the most common way to support those who are sent out into the world to share the love and gospel of Jesus. But it remains one of the most important forms of support. Without the generosity of believers, like yourself, many mission trips just could never happen. It costs money to travel. It costs money for lodging. It costs money for supplies.
Arrange Housing For Furloughs
For those who serve on a full-time basis, furloughs are a big part of their work. Popular to popular opinion, furloughs aren’t just a break from being in the mission field, although that can be part of it. Furloughs are also important for recruiting new people to the team, fundraising, and more.
Dr. Don Sisk explained how furloughs are often misunderstood in his Ministry 127 blog post from 2014,
“Even though it is good to separate for a time, furlough is not vacation. I remember my wife Virginia sharing a conversation that she had with a pastor’s wife during our first furlough. The pastor’s wife said to her, “I wish my husband got a year of vacation after every four years.” Most of the time, a furlough schedule bears little resemblance to a vacation since missionaries must travel from city to city visiting potential supporting churches or participating in mission conferences.”
Dr. Don Sisk
Often, those who return home on furlough, need someone to help them secure housing for themselves and their family for the length of their stay. As you can imagine, this can be a difficult task when you’re not even in the same country where you will need to find a home. This is where the support of their loved ones and community can be extremely helpful. You can check out potential rentals on their behalf or you can go through your own list of contacts to see if anyone has room to spare.
Perhaps you, yourself, have a guest house or spare room and can offer to host?
Stay in Contact With Loved Ones Serving On A Medical Mission Trip
Being a missionary can be rewarding work in many ways, and yet it can also be lonely and exhausting. Hearing from loved ones back home can be a great way to feel supported while in the mission field. Just knowing that your community is remembering to include you, in some way, in their lives is a great encouragement.
This can include letters, video chats, care packages, and more. Even picking up the phone to send a quick, “thinking of you” text is sure to bring a smile to the face of your beloved missionary.
Hear Directly From Those Who Serve
Youth With A Mission (YWAM) created their own video back in April 2020 to discuss what ways of receiving support from their communities have been most meaningful for them. Take a look now in their video, “How To Support A Missionary Without Money”
YWAM: Free Ways Ro Support A Missionary
Did you learn something new about how to support the missionaries in your life? Leave us a note in the comments and let us know!
It never ceases to amaze how the Lord always seems to bring together the exact right people for each trip. Not once, in the entire history of Mission Partners For Christ, have we been left wanting for people. It is a testament to the Lord’s faithfulness; when He calls MPFC to minister in a country, He is also faithful to call the people we need!
This trip was a beautiful reminder for all the MPFC team members of why we go on medical missions. We firmly believe that medical missions are one way God communicates His love for people through His children. Can you imagine being an adult who has never seen a doctor even once? We meet so many people with that same story on every single trip. God has so lovingly provided for these communities by calling medical professionals to their nation.
This trip was no different, and our team was so blessed to love them as Jesus does by providing free medical care and telling them about the Savior who cares for them!
Here are just a few of the highlights from our November trip to Togo:
Togetherness
We had an incredibly diverse team of volunteers to help meet the needs of the villagers we saw at our clinics. In total, we had 55 team members ranging in age from mid-20s to 60s and hailing from around the world from nations like the USA, Nigeria, Benin, and more!
One amazing thing to note about such a large team is that there was always a sense of togetherness and unity. Many of us were strangers at the start of this mission. Yet, we all became comfortable with one another very quickly. MPFC founder shares one vivid memory that stays with me is one from the third morning:
As we all gathered outside on the patio where we were staying, we cheered and clapped for one another as we stepped onto the patio. There was such an atmosphere of joy in assembling as one group to spend time together in the Word and worship our God (in French and English!).
As I took in this scene, I was struck with this one conviction: this moment of pure joy in just getting to fellowship with other believers felt as if God were winking at each of us and saying, “You’re special. You’re needed on this team, and you’re making a difference by being here.”
I’ll always cherish that memory.
Sheri Postma, RN
Would Komlan Join Mission Partners For Christ On Another Trip? “Yes, The impact on the people we have served strengthen me to more to do this again”
Medical Professionals And Non-Medical Personnel Working Side-By-Side
We were blessed to have a number of people from many different backgrounds working alongside us, including a pharmacist (Julie), a doctor (Kim), 2 nurse practitioners (Akouete and Edward), and 2 nurses (Devora and Komlan). plus our founder, Sheri Postma, RN who works on all of our trips.
We also had a number of nonmedical volunteers join, which was great! We were blessed by Norm (attorney), Roger (CPA), and Barb (Women’s Ministry Leader)
While our medical team saw patients, our non-medical team provided us with tons of support by:
Weighing children
Offering Health Education
Setting up medical clinics
Bus driving
Cooking
Translating
We were so thankful for all those who volunteered their time and their skills to ensure a successful medical mission trip for all.
Nurse Practitioner Ed Treating A Patient
Roger fitting a young child with a new pair of expandable shoes
Yelivo villagers praying to accept Jesus as their Savior
MPFC Founder, Sheri Postma, With the four TCD Champions of Togo
Reaching Kings & Village Chiefs
One thing Sheri specifically prayed about before traveling to Togo was for God to open doors to reach village leadership with the gospel, and our Father did not disappoint!
We had the privilege of meeting with a king in the village of Yelivo. He was such a kind man who was very open to our work. He was curious, however, how we chose his village to minister in, and we were able to tell him that we were there only because God specifically told us we were needed there. This king appeared to be in awe that God would single out his village, so he invited us to his palace and opened up some of the grounds where his palace stood for us to hold our free clinic.
Why Does Julie Recommend Mission Partners To Christ To Other Aspiring Missionaries? “Well organized group, always keeps God first, & humble leadership!”
Women Matter To Jesus
One heartbreaking aspect of medical missions that I will never get used to is seeing how, in some places, women often don’t have a sense of how much they matter simply because they exist.
We saw many women who are, quite honestly, treated like the property of the men in their lives. These people were created in God’s image, and they don’t understand how deeply loved they are.
That’s something that many of us here in the USA can take for granted. SO many of us are blessed to know our standing with God and to be able to make my choices for our own lives, never having to wonder if we’re worthy of love.
Many of these women also lacked basic education about their own bodies. A common theme we saw with older women were concerns about not being able to get pregnant anymore. In that culture, the ability to give birth heavily impacts your worth to the rest of the community. So, as menopause sets in, and with little to no education about what is happening with their bodies, many of these women were left devastated and desperate for any help we could offer.
Thankfully, God provided for these women by ensuring we had a local midwife to volunteer alongside us. She was able to take each woman aside and teach them about menstrual cycles, what it means when menopause begins, and how to care for their bodies’ changing needs.
God Is In The Tiny Details
While we often bring back stories of miraculous healing during these mission trips, we cannot say that we witnessed supernatural healing this time. However, What our team witnessed was just as powerful as any sudden healing.
Over and over and over again, we saw God show up in the details.
We saw Him show up on a hot day when we were suffering after spending hours in the hot sun, and one of our team members prayed for a simple breeze to bring some relief to us all. This person clasped their hands together and prayed, “Lord, we need a breeze right now.” In immediate response, God sent a refreshing breeze.
We saw God show up as our glucometers kept breaking and refusing to work for us. It was believed that the malfunctions were sent from Satan as an attempt to halt our ministerial work. So Sheri picked up those glucometers, unsure if she had the faith to pray what she needed to, and asked the Lord to fix the glucometers.
Once again, God responded and fixed them!
Each time our team members saw God show up to make it possible to keep working and treating patients and sharing His love, we felt as if He were whispering in our ears, “I love you, and I love these people. Keep caring for them and telling them how much I love them.”
Why Did Roger Join Us In Togo? “The president/founder of MPFC does a FANTASTIC job of preparing for the trip, setting up logistics, and showing us that prayer is important for ALL things!”
Lasting Impact For the Gospel
If you’ve been following Mission Partners For Christ for a while, you will know that the driving force behind the work that we do is to share the love and the gospel of Jesus with unreached communities. We believe in pairing our medical expertise with gospel work because it helps to illustrate to those we are serving that we’re not speaking empty words to them when we share the gospel. We love them because the Lord loves them, and God loves them so much that He cares for their physical needs and the spiritual health. On each medical mission trip we venture on, we also bring some tools along with us that can be used by local missions partners. Togo was no exception. We were able to bring with us a number of solar audio Bibles for each of the four communities we served. These audio Bibles allow villagers to hear the Word of God in their native language, making the gospel much more accessible to all. We took these solar audio Bibles and divided them between each community, to ensure maximum reach for God’s message.
We May Have Left, But The Work Goes On
Something that a lot of people may need help understanding about short-term medical missions is that while we may only physically be with the villagers for a short time, the work continues long after we leave.
One of our objectives in coming into these villages is to support our local partners on the ground. Helping to facilitate relationships between our partners and village leadership helps to ensure that the village will be empowered to thrive under their own leadership. We aren’t there to fix anyone but to ensure these villages have the tools they need to succeed.
Our partner on the ground in Togo is Global Hope Network International, which works with underserved communities on a 3-5-year coaching program called Transformational Community Development (TCD). In order to create lasting leadership within the village itself, a special person, called a champion, is chosen from the community as a teacher and a leader throughout the coaching program. Once the village has graduated, this person will maintain a leadership role within their community to ensure that the entire community continues to thrive and succeed.
This program focuses on five different components to empower each person in the community:
Access to clean water for the entire community
Every girl and boy will have access to primary-level schooling
Health and sanitation education for the community
Resources for sustainable family income
Access to nutritious food to end malnutrition and hunger
As a missions team, it was our privilege to help foster relationships between GHNI and the communities we were serving and to be used by God as a tiny part of setting each community up for long-term success.
We are all so grateful that the Lord called us to Togo. It never gets old to see the many ways in which God chooses to open doors for the gospel.
We were so blessed to treat nearly 2500 patients in the short time we were in Togo. When asked if they would like to receive a gospel message and/or be prayed for, 625 people said yes. Our volunteers met them with love and care at our makeshift counseling center. In the end, 77 people accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior!
Since we left Togo, our partners have given us some fantastic updates!
All four villages have access to a VIP pit latrine (toilet) that will improve sanitation and keep people healthy.
Three hundred eighty-five more people gave their lives to Jesus – including a king!
All four villages we served have said “yes!” to Global Hope Network International’s TCD program and are all at the beginning stages of creating their own committee to oversee growth and development.
Please remember Togo in your prayers, particularly those who have accepted Jesus. As we all know, those early days of faith are vulnerable. We pray they will all learn to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading and grow in community with our faith partners in the area.
If you are new to the Mission Partners For Christ organization or haven’t heard of medical missions before, you might find yourself wondering, “what is the point of all of this?”
So many of us who are living in the USA (or other first-world nations), might find it difficult to empathize with the need for medical missions. Most of us can simply pick up the phone and make an appointment to see our primary care physicians. Most of us have also grown up with some amount of knowledge about health and how to care for our bodies.
It can be hard to see it, but many of us actually carry a great deal of privilege. We can take it for granted that, when we need it most, we can have access to medical care for ourselves and our families.
Many people around the world have never seen a medical professional before. Those who grow up in developing nations may also lack access to things like medication, proper foot or eyewear, or basic knowledge about nutrition or how to care for their bodies.
This is where organizations like Mission Partners For Christ come in.
Medical Mission Trips Matter Because Everyone Deserves Access To Medical Care
We Provide Free Screenings and Treatments At Our Clinics
Did you know that some nations have only a handful of doctors to treat the thousands or millions of people who live there? The medical professionals who work in these places are dear and precious resources, but they become overwhelmed by the sheer number of people who need their expertise. That only includes those who are able to find the transportation and money necessary to see these medical experts. It is a privilege in many places to have access to any medical professional.
Many people live in remote villages and/or lack the resources to see a doctor due to the level of poverty around them.
Mission Partners For Christ goes exclusively to places where access to medical care is limited or non-existent for the people who live there. When we travel to a location, we work with our local partners who already have established relationships with the people who live in that area. Working together, we open free clinics that make healthcare accessible to all who need it. The doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who volunteer with us spend hours each day meeting with people, screening them for health issues, and providing whatever treatment or medication is necessary.
We Provide Health Education To Those Who Need It
In a previous post, we discussed why health education matters in medical missions. It isn’t simply a way to teach people about their bodies and the growing bodies of their children, although that is extremely important. It’s also a way to help people connect with their bodies, and to give them a greater sense of agency and control over their lives. For many who have lived in impoverished nations, health education is a luxury that is simply not affordable.
Mission Partners For Christ is able to help bridge the gaps wherever they exist. We love nothing more than to help people understand better how to care for their bodies. We can teach them about proper nutrition and hygiene to prevent or manage serious illnesses. We can teach them how to prevent injuries by taking notice of the signals that their bodies are sending them and how to respond to those signals. We can teach them what are normal and healthy developments of growing bodies and when it’s time to get help from an expert.
We Share The Gospel With Those Who Have Never Heard It
We don’t just care for bodies on our medical mission trips, we also take the time to care for the souls of those people too. We go on these trips to love people in action and in truth, and so we make it a priority to share the gospel whenever we can.
When Mission Partners For Christ opens a free medical clinic to work with underserved communities, we don’t just see them as bodies to treat. We see them as souls who are deeply loved by the Creator of Heaven and earth and Who so desperately wants a personal relationship with each one of them.
Our medical mission trips have enabled us to share the saving gospel of Jesus Christ with countless thousands of people since our founding less than a decade ago. The ability to share the message of the Cross with the unreached is our motivating factor to do the work that we do.
After we leave a location, we remain in touch with our local partners and we often hear reports of how our work in these places has made lasting differences in the lives of those we interacted with. And we rejoice for the opportunity given to us, by God, to share Jesus with those who needed Him.
Would you like to make a lasting difference too? Consider how you might get involved with Mission Partners For Christ.
We also need people to consider supporting us financially – we can only do the work that we do because of generous people like yourself. Because Mission Partners For Christ is a 501c3 status nonprofit, your donations are tax-deductible.
Consider a commitment to holding our organization in prayer. We have a monthly prayer meeting that you can join. Contact us for more information on how to get involved.
Spread the word! You never know who in your network might be looking for a way to get involved in missions, and you might be the one person who gets to introduce them to Mission Partners For Christ and the work that we do!
Consider inviting Sheri to speak at your church or event. She has a wealth of experience to share about medical missions and is excited to introduce people to this way of sharing the gospel.
Did you learn anything new about medical missions? Leave us a comment and let us know!
We’re officially in the swing of the new year, a time when many people reconsider their priorities and challenge themselves to new goals and pursuits. If you’re considering New Year’s resolutions (and even if you aren’t), please consider a New Year’s resolution with a longer-lasting impact than gym memberships or woodworking.
As you know, millions of people, especially in the 10/40 window, are still waiting to hear the saving gospel of Jesus Christ for the first time. Additionally, many have little to no access to modern medical care.
Mission Partners for Christ has several medical mission trips taking place throughout 2024: Sierra Leone from March 2-11, Zimbabwe from July 12-21, and Northwest Africa from October 12-21.
Medical missions are an excellent and tangible way to be the healing hands and feet of Jesus to the unreached.
“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.”
– Matthew 9:35
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
-Isaiah 52:7
ABOUT OUR 2024 TRIPS:
Sierra Leone: March 2-11
Medical care is not readily available to the people of Sierra Leone, which is located in West Africa. This nation has the world’s third highest infant mortality rate. The average life expectancy is just 56 years. Sierra Leone allows freedom of religion with 78% of the population practicing Islam. Through our compassionate medical care, sharing of the gospel and prayer, we trust God that many will come to know and trust Jesus Christ.
Applications are closed for Sierra Leone, but we need donations to buy the medical supplies we’ll need for the trip. We also need prayer warriors to keep our team members and our work before the throne of God. Please get in touch with us if you would like to join our monthly prayer meeting.
Zimbabwe: July 12-21
The people of Zimbabwe have limited access to medical care and usually cannot afford to pay the price to see a doctor. In the rural areas where we will serve, the population is normally treated by community health workers who have very minimal access to medication and medical supplies. The people, along with the Zimbabwe government, will greatly appreciate your willingness to travel and provide assessment, treatment and health education. Along with free medical care, we will be bringing with us the saving gospel of Jesus, and they are very open to hearing about Christ and receiving prayer.
Applications are still open for Zimbabwe!
What we need:
Health care professionals with at least 2 years’ experience working in the medical field after graduation. This is a requirement of the Zimbabwe licensing board. They will not allow medical or dental students. Non-medical professionals are also needed for the logistics and distribution of the expandable shoes, weighing babies, triaging patients, and keeping children occupied while their parents see a doctor.
Three quarters of this region is desert. Modern day slavery still exists. The life expectancy is only 61 years. We are holding 4 days of medical clinics in 4 different villages. We have identified these 4 villages, because they are unreached with the gospel and the residents are living in deep poverty.
What To Expect: MPFC, along with our partner Global Hope Network International (GHNI), will be working alongside the communities and their leaders in a coaching process to help them emerge from poverty. We will be addressing: health, sanitation, access to clean safe drinking water, income generation and a primary education for every girl and boy. We will also be providing care through our eyeglass clinic and distributing expandable shoes.
Applications for Northwest Africa are still open. Here are the people we’re praying will apply:
Physicians, dentists, medical students, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, optometrists, physical/occupational therapists, and non-medical helpers.
Please apply here if God is leading you to join us in this closed nation.
Not Able To Serve In Person? No problem!
There are plenty of ways to make an impact for Christ without leaving home.
Pray: The prayers of the saints are a powerful force that demolishes strongholds and fuels the advancement of the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. Your prayers will help us bring the soul-saving gospel message and lifesaving medical care to some of those who need it the most.
“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” -James 5:16 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” -Ephesians 6:18
Donate: Miracles can happen when God’s people share their resources to help the less fortunate! Any contribution the Lord leads you to give will yield dividends, both for the unreached here and in the Kingdom to come. Even a little bit will go a long way.
Your generous gifts will help us purchase supplies, hire translators and vital personnel for our trips, and open many doors for populations in the 10/40 window to hear the gospel. Remember, as a 501c3 non-profit, donations to Medical Partners for Christ are tax-deductible.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” -Matthew 6:19-21
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” -Proverbs 19:17
Share: Get the word out about Medical Partners for Christ and our serving opportunities via social media, word of mouth, and any way you interact with friends and loved ones. Your aunt, nephew, or best friend may be the answer to someone’s prayers! God may be calling a loved one or friend to the mission field, and your social media post may be just the confirmation they’re looking for.
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
-Matthew 28:19-20
“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'”
-Acts 13:47
Medical mission trips are a unique and fantastic opportunity, both for the participants and for the recipients and there is a way for any and everyone to contribute, whether by attending a medical mission trip or by being a part of the faithful support team back home.
Thank you for your prayers, contributions, and support throughout 2023. We couldn’t have done it without you!
Prayer is the language that we use to communicate with God.
It’s also the language that we use to communicate our love for those around us, and indeed all of creation. Have you ever gone to a loved one, grief weighing on your heart over something and had them respond by praying over you (or a heartfelt promise to remember you in prayer)? That kind of love is powerful. It’s also an integral part of missions, serving as an essential foundation for the success and impact of the work that we do. Missionaries recognize that our work is not merely a human endeavor but something that God calls us to and, through prayer, we seek spiritual strength, discernment, and direction. Maintaining an active prayer life helps us to nurture a deep sense of humility, ever cognizant that we rely on our Heavenly Father for everything we do in service to Him.
God’s wisdom is sought long before trips are set up with our partners, before we announce them on our website, and certainly before any applications are even received. After our team members have been approved, we make it a priority to connect with everyone on a zoom call before we ever meet in person so that we can get to know one another, develop relationships, and begin to pray together.
Guinea
Often, in the course of planning one of our medical mission trips, problems seem to arise. We wrote about that happening during our February 2023 trip to Guinea.
First, we had an issue with housing. There would be no hotel for our team to stay close to the community we would be serving. So our team took it to the Lord in prayer, and God came through for us in a bigger way than we could have ever imagined:
“The team prayed and within one week I was notified that a man who owned a water company had a newly built home where he never stayed. It was available for us. It had 3 large bedrooms, 3 bathrooms with running water, electric and area for our team to relax, eat meals, worship, pray and read the Bible together. This was a modern home in the middle of nowhere!” – Sheri Postma
Another issue arose when we were informed that our partner in Guinea, Mission Aviation Fellowship, had not been approved to fly inside of Guinea, and it didn’t look good for them to receive that permission before our trip. Once again, our team got down on our knees in prayer and asked God for a miracle. The Lord did not disappoint.
“On February 3 (one day before our trip), the MAF Country Director had a meeting with the Customs Director to ask for temporary flight permissions for February. MAF Guinea referred me to another airline company that mostly did flights for miners. The cost was $4995 USD for one plane each way and it could not hold our entire team. Hundreds of people started praying!
Finally, we saw our prayers answered and MAF received the temporary permission. We were the 1st passengers flying with MAF Guinea.” – Sheri Postma
Last we heard, 95% of the patients we treated in Guinea were feeling better. Praise God!
Burundi
This past July, in Burundi, our team was constantly going to the Lord in prayer about all kinds of things: prayer for those who would be hearing the gospel to have hearts that are open, prayer for unity within our team, prayer for healing for our patients, and so much more. The way that God showed up again and again was astounding and re-affirmed our faith that we serve a God who holds the universe in His hands and who loves each and every one of us.
One example of how we turned to prayer during a hard moment in Burundi was right at the very beginning. We entered the country and immediately all of our medical equipment, medication, and other things that we had brought to give to patients were being held in customs by Burundian officials. Due to strict regulations, they needed close inspection. This meant that we were unable to leave the airport with our things. It felt like a helpless moment, but Sheri knew that God is the God of the impossible and immediately prayed, “God, You’re going to have to work this out for us!” A few days later, some of the supplies were released to our team, but not everything. However, between medication that had previously been shipped ahead of our arrival and supplies by the Burundian medical professionals who were volunteering with us, we never needed the missing supplies. Much like the story of Jesus and the multiplying of the loaves and fish, we had enough to meet every need.
Another example was later in our Burundi stay, when crowds of people who were desperate for medical care & education began to grow out of control outside of our clinic. Many people started pushing to get to the care providers, leading us to make the difficult decision of closing the clinic for the safety of everyone present. We were devastated to have to close the clinic so early. But God was still in control.
After the clinic closed, our team took some time to debrief and gather ourselves, and suddenly a young evangelist, named Prince, who was volunteering alongside of our team told Sheri to go and pray over the crowd of 150 still gathered by the clinic. Wasting no time, she did just that. Incredibly, this lead to an opportunity for Prince to stand up and begin sharing the gospel!
This led to an incredible moment that our team will never forget: we all began to pray with and over the crowd. A few of our team members, who were so shy they had never prayed out loud before, jumped in and prayed without abandon as the Holy Spirit began to move. We layed hands on the sick and prayed for healing. We may never hear how God continued to move in the lives of those people we were so blessed to be able to pray for, but we know a seed was planted that day and God will be faithful to see it grow to fruition!
Island In the Indian Ocean
We cannot tell you which country we visited in the Indian Ocean in 2019 because it is a nation that is very closed to the gospel. However, we were granted permission to enter the country so that we could bring our gift of free medical care and health education. During this time, we secretly shared the Gospel. One of our translators observed our team members during the outreach, and there was an opportunity to for us to share the gospel with him as well.
This particular man came from a very influential family in the area. His father and grandfather are both Imans (spiritual leaders within the Muslim community). After hearing the gospel, this man gave his life to Christ.
We stayed in touch with him and prayed for him, and when we returned in July 2022 we saw how his life is flourishing. He is now married with 2 kids. His wife is a believer. He has a good job, transportation and a very nice home with running water (these things are very unusual for an inhabitant in this country).
In the year since our last trip, there are now 25 believers (which is incredible for this closed country). They are meeting secretly every week for Bible study and church for fellwoship and discipleship.
Even better? The government of this country is asking when our team will return. We praise God for growth in this closed nation and for the open doors He has given us to share His love.
Benin
In November 2021, our medical mission team traveled to Benin and served the Dassa community. We quickly observed that this group of people, so beloved by God, did not have access to clean drinking water, and our hearts broke for them. Children were walking up to 2 hours each way, every day, to find drinkable water for themselves and their loved ones. God put it on our hearts to do something about this, so we organized a fundraiser as a team to be able to buy this beautiful community a clean water well. We were anxious about our ability to raise the required $18,000 to do this, but we prayed and we trusted God to provide. We didn’t have to wait for very long for the Lord to come through for the Dassa people; within a month, our goal was reached! We were able to tell the villagers that they would be receiving a Christmas gift of clean water for their entire community! As a result, the government agreed to give our partner the land needed to build a church for the Dassa people. Recently, in one month, 25 people gave their lives to Christ.
Burkina Faso
In March of 2019, our medical mission team served in Burkina Faso, which is a land-locked nation in West Africa. As we served the people there, we were also able to share the gospel and we prayed for hearts to be open to accepting the Good News. On the last day of our medical outreach, we witnessed 100 souls come to Christ. One of the men in this group would go on to be discipled to become a missionary to his own people group. This was the unreached people group that we went to reach with the gospel!
As we prepare for our next medical mission trip to Sierra Leone in March 2024, we are already praying for the people there that we will be serving. We are praying that they will see healing. We are praying for opportunities to share the hope we’ve found in Jesus, and we are praying for the gospel to take root and continue to spread long after we’ve gone.
We are now accepting applications for our next trips to Zimbabwe and Northwest Africa; be part of the work that God is doing in Africa as we seek to bring healthcare and the gospel to underserved communities.
However, if you’re not yet ready to commit to traveling with us, there are other ways to be part of the work we are doing:
Become a donor. The donations we receive from generous people, like yourself, allow us to commit to this work. Your money will be used to buy medical equipment, medicine, supplements, and help cover the costs of scholarships for medical and dental students to join us and gain practical real-world experience.
Join our prayer team. We meet once a month over the phone to pray together about our trips and those we’ve served, and shared the gospel with, so that they might continue to grow in faith. Contact us to learn more
Share the word with your friends and family! Sharing our blog posts or social media posts are a great way to show your support for the work that we do. You never know who might be waiting to learn about an opportunity to get involved with a medical missions organization like Mission Partners For Christ. YOU could be that person to introduce them to us!
