Michael’s speedy recovery has greatly impressed CAM
Michael is HIV+ and he is on ARVs. He had a soul that was not healing and we tried to apply all kinds of medication on it but nothing worked out. Now we are glad and grateful to inform you that he is very very fine. He has put on a lot of weight and his soul is almost healed! Thanks be to God for you Doctor Liz and Kim for your support and medical advice on this matter. The honey and sugar solution you told us to use has really worked out so well for him and the wound has almost vanished as you can see on the pictures below. We are happy to inform you that Michael is now vibrant and full of life and able to walk again. He was so happy to receive mealie meal, beans, cooking oil and a chicken from Christian Aid Ministries. We will continue to use this kind of medication on other patients with similar ailments in the future.
Michael (left) receiving mealie meal and a chicken from Mr. Stanley Mulenga
Christian Aid Ministries CAM is so impressed and encouraged with Michael’s speedy recovery! He has gained weight and he is able to walk again now. We so much thank you our partners for your unwavering support for Michael. He could have died by now. The pictures below show how he was before and after treatment. Please know that your prayers advice and your financial support are not in vain. They are working and helping someone in need here to survive.
Before treatment
After treatment
Cliff's Story
Cliff is Stan’s young brother. Cliff is 30 years old and he is single. He is a carpenter by profession and he specializes in carpentry and joinery and roofing. His fiancé whom he was dating in Lusaka died of HIV related infection in 2006. Last year 2008, we started hearing reports that he was feeling unwell and he was coughing so heavily. I advised him to go for a medical checkup and take an HIV test but he could not. When his health condition worsened, I sent for him in July two months ago this year and he came and we are staying together at my home. I spoke to him about HIV/AIDS. At first he was not willing to take an HIV test but later he agreed. When I took him to Newstart centre, his results were positive. The following week I took him to Bulangililo clinic for CD4 count test but his immunity was a little bit stronger and we were told to wait until it drops so as to be commenced on ART. A month ago, we took his sputum for TB laboratory test and it was TB positive. We also took Cliff for X-ray and his x-ray showed that he had a problem in his chest. He was commenced on TB treatment last month in August and his condition has started to improve, though, he is complaining so much on general body itching and nausea.
Cliff (in blue) at Bulangilio clinic
Taking an HIV test at Newstart Centre
Waiting for our clients to be attended to at Buchi Clinic
Christian Aid Ministries has been working so tirelessly to encourage patients and the general public to take courage and go for HIV tests. In Zambia now, almost everyone is HIV+. Statistics show that 65 percent of the Zambian people are dying of HIV related infections. In order to reduce deaths related to HIV/AIDS, our ministry has been going round in communities in order to raise awareness against the TB and HIV/AIDS pandemic, encouraging people to go for HIV tests to know their status. It provides such incentives as pre-HIV counseling, free transportation to HIV testing and other health centers where our clients do not pay anything but our ministry does. We know that when people know their HIV status, they can prolong their lives by looking after themselves properly and stop infecting others with the same virus. It also helps our ministry a great deal to know where to start from in providing care and support to those clients who know their HIV status. We visit and encourage them almost on a daily basis to see how they are coping up with their disease. We provide nutritional, medical and logistical support to vulnerable clients who are so poor who cannot provide for themselves. And most of our clients stay in peri-urban or remote areas and in the outskirts of Kitwe town where access to healthy amenities is hard to find. These are the areas that are at risk where HIV/AIDS is alarmingly higher. We also pray for our clients and encourage them with the Word of God because we know that God is the only answer to any situation whether in poverty or in sickness.
Justin Mutambo’s Story
Justine Mutambo is HIV positive and he is taking emtricibine and efiverenz antiretroviral drugs. Justine is a widower and he stays by himself. In August last month, we were surprised to find that his condition was just getting worse and worse and we did not know the reason why. During our routing visitation to patients in the community, we visited him at his house in Kapoto compound where he stays by himself. We were so surprised to find that he had not been eating all the food that were giving him and it was intact. He said that although he has appetite to eat, he could not prepare food for himself because he was finding it hard, so he would just choose to prepare some sugar solution and take it with his ARV drugs. This adversely contributed to the worsening of his health condition and he became so sick to the point of death. So I decided that he should be able to stay with us at my home for one week so that we can be observing him closely. While with him, we were able to encourage him to eat and he started eating almost everything. I would buy him oranges, bananas and apples from tow and he enjoyed them so much. Bernadette my wife could prepare nshima and he would eat. When he got better, we decided to take him back to his home on September 12 this month. On his way back home, we bought him one bag of mealie meal for his home consumption and we strongly encouraged him to be able to eat. We are so glad to inform you that he has been able to eat regularly now and his health has improved so greatly. We have learnt that not all patients prepare and eat the food that we give them especially those that are so sick that stay by themselves like Justin. So it is our prayer that we have a permanent home for our patients where they will be able to be taken care of properly so that deaths related to malnutrition and HIV/AIDS could be reduced. Justin could have died by now without our support together. He is now too strong to be able to lift a 25Kg bag of mealie meal back to his home in kapoto.
Stan giving ARV drugs to Justin at Stan’s home
Christian Aid Ministries collects TB drugs and ARVs for bedridden and chronically ill patients. The ministry also buys supplementally drugs for patients when it is in short supply in the health centers.
Justin was very happy to receive a bag of mealie meal for home consumption
Justin went smiling all his way home in a good condition
Nutrition
Beans, cooking oil, and chicken are a rich source of proteins for patients while nshima, which is made from mealie meal, is a carbohydrate and gives them energy
Our Clients were so happy to be able to receive a chicken each for their meal. As a matter of fact, this was the first time Christian Aid Ministries was able to buy chickens for its clients. Patients were so very very happy and they really thanked the ministry so greatly for this wonderful kind gesture.
Justina receiving a chicken fro Christian Aid Ministries during the food distribution to the patients in St. Anthony communit
Catherine and Stanley Mulenga offloading mealie meal chickens cooking oil beans and some clothes in readiness for distribution to the patients in St. Anthony community
Musonda said this on receiving the chicken, “God is merciful.” “I did not know that I will eat today but He has provided to me through Christian Aid Ministries.”
Almost everyone danced when they were receiving a chicken each. Mercy one of our clients said that it is almost three months since she last tested a chicken in her mouth. “So today is jubilee for me and I will eat like a lion and forget about my illness
Moses Mwango is a new client. His wife died of HIV/AIDS related infection in 2003. On 26th August 2009, we took Moses for HIV test and his results came out positive. However, his CD4 Count showed that his immunity is still strong and he cannot be commenced on Antiretroviral Therapy treatment. His sputum results also indicated that he does not have TB, though, he has been feeling some chest pains.
Moses Mwango receiving cooking oil in St. Anthony community
Catherine sorting out clothes in readiness for distribution to the patients
Clothes for young children and the elderly both for mars and females
Catharine’s first born daughter (in red) sharing mealie meal to Christine Buleti out TB and HIV/AIDS patient in St. Anthony community
All our patients in St. Anthony received clothes and food staffs on this day and they were very happy
In readiness for the building project at the Care Centre in Zamtan, Christian Aid Ministries has bought a 1000 liter water storage tank to help with water storage during the block making. This tank will also help store water for the patients even when the construction project is completed. It is so ideal and versatile
Thank YOU! Thank YOU! Thank YOU So much for your support!
We would like to thank YOU So much our dear faithful partners for your unwavering support to Christian Aid Ministries. Your contributions bring a lot of Hope and healing to our clients. We are who we are and do what we do because of you! Frankly speaking we cannot do anything without you. Your guidance, prayer and financial support have greatly contributed to building CAM to this level. Ministry work has always been coupled with a lot of challenges but they feel lighter and surmountable when you our people who love us come to our aid and pray for us. You encourage us so much in so many ways. We thank you very much for enabling our ministry to be able to serve the dying world. Nowadays, it is difficult to love but you; you have showed us love in totality. Christian Aid Ministries is making so much headway in its quest to care for the weak and unrecognized vulnerable society and able to achieve its objectives in the community all because of you. Look at how your support and prayers are working in touching many lives here. If we were to take pictures of all the patients that you are helping here, you can be amazed because they are numerous. They are able to smile again because you have touched them. All the agony and pain in their muscles and bones have completely vanished! These people are bearing a huge testimony to your faithful prayers and support to them. Your great self sacrifice is evident because at least one life in a day is being served from untimely deaths due to TB and HIV/AIDS. You are the apple of our eyes and we LOVE you much! Please bear with us in some of the areas where we are not doing well, we are here to learn and we will begin to polish up. Never tire in doing good, for the Lord is watching over you and He is accounting for every time and dine that you are spending for others in this ministry. We Love you so much and we are praying for you!