Lawrence Mambwe is 30 years old and is chronically sick. He is suffering from both TB and HIV/AID’s. He is depending his life solely on the caring hands of the heart-broken caregivers of Christian Aid Ministries – CAM family. Lawrence cannot stand up or walk on his own. He has severe Kaposi’s sacoma and fungal infection in both legs and his feet are swollen because of the TB making it very difficult for him to stand and to walk on his own. Here, we are taking him to SOS tests as the machines at Kitwe Central Hospital are not working to facilitate for his commencement on Anti-Retro Viral Therapy (ART). Lawrence was commenced on TB drugs Monday May 17 and ARV’s on Thursday May 20. He is going to recover soon but now his life is entirely in our hands and we will continue to care for him until he fully recovers. We are praying to have our care center built so that we can be in the position to help many clients like Lawrence in the community.
Walking the path of life with someone very sick on her back makes Keisha a fulfilled missionary. Though it calls for great sacrifice in doing God’s work, it is fulfilling people appreciate assistance most if you are able to help them while they are so weak and unable to manage on their own. Keisha a true missionary exemplifies to us what it means to love unconditionally. She has left her sick family member in America to come and serve our fellow Zambians suffering from TB and HIV/AID’s in various communities in the Kitwe district. She is serving these lives under Christian Aid Ministries – CAM. Keisha has shown us a good example of a “good” Samaritan who served without tribe, creed or nationality and free of charge
Lawrence Mambwe is now in our home for many months ever since Christian Aid Ministries found him at the church in Kapoto where he was staying. We had never seen him put a smile on his face until coming back to our home and joining our family. He is sleeping well and eating well. The TB drugs and the ARV drugs that he was been commenced on are working well and are the right prescription and consistency. His lost appetite is slowly improving and he is now eating the right amount of food at the right time. When he needs help to go to the bathroom, we are assisting him. We love Lawrence so much. We have given him clothes to wear and bedding to sleep on. Eventually we will buy him a mattress to sleep on. We are very happy now that he is at our home safe and sound.
Cleanliness is next to godliness, this is what the bible says. Patients who are well looked after and kept clean all the time, have higher chances of assured recovery and cannot alternatively infect others. On the following day when Lawrence joined us at our home, we worked so hard. We bathed him and washed all his clothes. Keisha was washing all his clothes while Stanley was busy bathing him with warm water in the bathroom. This was his first bath in nearly two months. We were joking and laughing with him throughout the day. Lawrence is jovial and has a good sense of humor. He said that when he fully recovers and puts on weight, he would go back to the village and bear male twins with his wife to prove that he has really recovered. We all laughed our lungs out. We are working so well with Keisha to help Lawrence forget the traumatic past experiences with his extended family members where he was staying when they chased him away. We feel good when he laughs because by so doing, he is healing spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically.
Counseling is the lifeline of any charitable health organization helping any given set of clientele. In organizations, dealing with patients suffering from TB and HIV/AID’s like Christian Aid Ministries- CAM. Counseling and care givers highlight certain important issues affecting the clients. Stanley Mulenga is standing with Joseph Kabwe explaining more on the importance of tests associated with TB and HIV/AID’s diagnoses at Buchi Main Clinic. Joseph Kabwe is HIV+ and is commenced on ARV’s at Buchi ART clinic. Joseph was once admitted to Kitwe central hospital and had an opportunity to meet with Doctor Liz when she came from America. Joseph is feeling much better now.