CHILINDE DISTRICT OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BRINGS HEALTH SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY

Chilinde District health department was on Sabbath 29th July, 2023 seen providing health services to people surrounding Sanjiko Church which is one of the branches of Tambalale SDA Church.

Chilinde district of the seventh day Adventist church is comprised of 5 churches namely Chilinde, Chipasula, Monekera, Kaliyeka and Tambalale.

Geared in what looked like a mini clinic, where you could find medicine, a doctor, nurses, and other medical personnel, people from the surrounding areas got medical assistance free of charge. Not only did people re

ceive medication, but they also gained knowledge on how to use natural remedies from well trained natural remedy personnel givers who taught the people on how they can prevent some of the diseases that people suffer from as well as how they be healed using naturally found resources. There was a lab where people were being tested for malaria, a dispensary where they were receiving medicine as well as Blood Pressure machine where medical personnel checked people for blood pressure and heart beat.

People came from all corners surrounding Sanjiko CDSS which the branch uses as a Church. Thus men, women, boys, girls and the elderly had to run to the clinic to seek assistance from the well trained personnel who were ready to help God's people.

It was all happiness from the people who got assisted as some failed to express their happiness as they only gave praises to the Lord for coming to their rescue just in time as they did not have even a single penny to use to go to the hospital to receive medical assistance."I am very happy that God has used this church to come to my rescue because I have been able to receive medication right at my own compound. I give thanks to God and I have been blessed today because I had no money to use for transportation to and from the hospital which is very far from here" said one of the beneficiary, Mr Ndelemani Dickson (58 years old) who is a non believer as he said that he does not belong to any Church when he was asked about which church he belongs to.

A total of 102 people received medical assistance where amongst them were 27 adult males, 59 adult females, 6 male children and 10 female children. These people were from different denomination and they all received medication from the Set up Clinic.

Before Clinic services commenced in the afternoon, people earlier on had to hear the word of God from the Bible courtesy of Evangelist Elder Ellaton Makhiya who took the congregants into the scriptures and narrated to them on what caused people to suffer from different types of diseases and how God loved His people by providing plants and other means of treatment to His people. Gen 1:31, Gen 3:6, Romans 8:22, Psams 104:14, Exodus 15:26, Psalms 103:2-3, Psalms 147:2-3, Psalms 147:5, Isa 30:

26, Rev 22:2 and Rev 21:1-4 were read to support his preaching which stated that although people suffer from so many diseases but God created plants and vegetation to heal those diseases. In his preaching he also stressed that these diseases will come to an end by the time Jesus will come.

Speaking to the District health leader for Chilinde, Mrs Mellia Wella on what made the department to organize such an out reach to Sanjiko, she said "this was a very important out reach that we have brought to the people surrounding this area, this was organized because we noted that most of the people in the villages are lacking this type of assistance"

Concurring with the District health leader was Elder Edward Kapusa who was so impressed with what happened on this particular day and he said this was just the beginning as they have other plans to visit other areas as well." We are happy that God has fulfilled what we planned for Sanjiko this year and from here, we are planning to go t

o other areas to reach other people with the little assistance we are able to provide to the people.

Ephesians Choir sang and gave message of hope to the people who congregated at Sanjiko church on this particular day.

Story by Hajira Chikhuwi

CMC Media