Hi, I’m Anna Trimble and I am about to begin my fifth year of studying medicine at the University of Glasgow. In July 2024 I completed my 4-week medical elective in Mukinge Mission Hospital, Zambia, with a fellow medical student. This placement was arranged through Serving in Mission (SIM) and I am extremely grateful to MMN for supporting me. Looking back, I can say that every single prayer request I had for this trip has been answered. God is so faithful! He granted me safety, good health, friendships, stamina for working in the hospital and He revealed Himself to me in many ways.

Mukinge Mission Hospital is near the rural village of Kasempa in the North-Western Province of Zambia. It is a grant-aided public hospital founded by Evangelical Church Zambia (ECZ). Within the province, the hospital has a good reputation for its care – its motto is ‘Quality Health care with God’s love’ – so people travel long distances to be treated there.

Monday to Saturday were spent working in the hospital. I divided my time between the female medical, paediatric, maternity and theatre departments – a real variety of experiences. The day started with morning worship, prayer and devotions at 07:30. This was followed by the doctors’ handover meeting. From 08:30-13:00, I would help the doctor with patient reviews, then after lunch, I would see new admissions, write discharges and take part in any practical procedures.

From day one of the placement, I was respected as part of the healthcare team, and I was given many supervised opportunities to assess and treat patients myself. This was a great learning experience and gave me a taste of what it is like to work as a junior doctor. The doctors reflected Christ in so many ways – how they cared for the patients, how they worked with the other staff members, and how they took time to teach me and answer my questions.

There were many differences I noticed between working in Zambian and UK hospitals – firstly, the language barrier. Most patients spoke Kaonde, the local language, with a handful speaking English. I was able to learn a few key phrases for taking histories, and the nurses were excellent at interpreting, however, I still missed being able to build a friendship with the patients, and to use my words to communicate empathy for their situations.

I was struck by the insufficient supply of staff and resources. The healthcare team were short-staffed and working under a lot of pressure. One day on the paediatric ward there were 40 sick children – with many of them lying on the floor – being looked after by 2 nurses and 1 doctor. I found it difficult seeing patients suffer due to a lack of available medications – a lot of medications used in the UK are too expensive for the hospital to buy, and sometimes the pharmacy would run out of common medications. In addition, the range of biochemical tests available from the lab was limited, and the tests took longer to process. There was 1 X-ray machine in the hospital, with no CT or MRI. This meant that the doctors had to rely a lot more on histories and examinations to reach a definitive diagnosis.

Mortality rates are high in the hospital. Living on site, there were nights I would be woken by the death wails of family members who had just lost a loved one. I will never forget what this sounded like. It was really sad to witness a handful of paediatric deaths, which could have been prevented if the children were brought to hospital earlier, or if there was an ICU. I reflected on how different the outcomes would be for a lot of the patients I saw if they had the care available in the Western world. I was reminded by someone that as God’s servants we are called to do the best with the resources he has given us. We are to learn to trust him with all the lives in our care, knowing that He is in control, no matter what the outcome.

What made this placement very special and unforgettable was the influence of Christianity in the hospital. To begin the day in unity with other broken humans coming before God and seeking his strength and wisdom was so beautiful. In the hurt and pain of illness and death, God’s presence and peace was so tangible in the hospital. I learnt so much by witnessing how prayer and spiritual counselling from chaplains are integrated in the patient’s care. On a few occasions I was able to observe the doctor praying with patients, asking for God’s protection as they returned home to challenging situations. This has encouraged me to think about how I can integrate my faith and prayer into my own practice as a doctor in the UK. Such peace and relief comes with casting patient’s burdens onto the Lord, knowing that his power, love and comfort surpasses that of any human doctor.

The hospital runs a weekly Good News Club, led by chaplains and short-term mission workers, welcoming around 50 children each week. Hannah and I were able to help out – I found it so encouraging to see the children’s knowledge of the Bible and passion for knowing God – their joy is contagious! We were so warmly welcomed by the local ECZ church we visited each week called Bethlehem. The sung worship was so uplifting, - such energy and joy – and the preaching was faithful to God’s word.

One of the highlights of the trip for me was the community and friendships – it felt like a family. Evenings were often spent sharing meals, attending bible studies or prayer meetings, and hanging out with the missionary kids! To hear how the missionary doctors and nurses have willingly sacrificed so much to come and faithfully serve God in a challenging environment was truly moving and inspiring. They do not just try to get through the working day as quickly as possible, but slow down and look for God’s hand at work – they have a real desire to have meaningful relationships and conversations with patients. I was challenged by a discussion we had on burnout in mission; in a context where the needs are unending it is so important to take time to tend to your own heart and your own needs; to be filled up so that you can pour out.

Going forward from this elective, I am feeling spiritually refreshed and ready to be involved in what God is doing here in the community in which he has placed me in Scotland. Life and work look so different in the UK compared to Zambia – but both are a challenge in their own way. In the UK as followers of Jesus we must stand out against the culture of individualism and apathy towards God and be more sensitive and gentle in how we share the Gospel in the workplace. God has been reminding me of Matthew 16:25 recently ‘For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.’ I want to commit my career and future to God and go wherever he calls me. I don’t yet know what this will look like but I know that he is a good God and he has a good plan. Please pray that God uses me as his vessel to make his glory known here on earth wherever I am, and continue to pray for God’s blessing for Mukinge – for the hospital staff, the patients, reliable water and electricity, the good news club, and the local churches. Thank you!