Malawi (MNN) — Malawi's government has long ruled the nation's economy, keeping the country and its people in poverty. Diseases like HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis are on the rise, and health care continues to be a struggle. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are only 2 doctors and 38 nurses per 100,000 people. There are about 14.8 million people in Malawi, and half of them are kids.
So how does a ministry like CURE International–which serves kids with physical disabilities despite their ability to pay–keep a hospital running for 10 years?
"It's so clear that healing matters to God," said CURE president and CEO Dale Brantner. "And that healing is not just physical: it's spiritual as well."
Brantner says quality orthopedic care is generally unavailable in Malawi. As a result, most people fly to Europe or Dubai for treatment. But since CURE offers a higher level of orthopedic care at the Beit CURE International Hospital, more Africans are going there for surgery. These private operations help the hospital stay open despite rampant poverty in Malawi.
What's on the horizon?
"CURE will continue to go into some very difficult places," Brantner said. "Many of the lessons we've learned in Malawi will have tremendous impact throughout the entire network, helping us to raise the level of excellence."
It's easy to lose sight of the Great Commission by focusing on their hospital's success, Brantner admitted.
"It's brought healing in that country and into Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and over 20,000 children have been healed," he shared. "It's just so easy for the ministry to always gravitate to the tasks at hand.
"We want to remain true to our calling, which is to preach the Good News to the poor."
Pray that CURE workers would keep sharing the Gospel with the poor in Malawi and around the world. Share this story with your friends on Facebook and see how you can help CURE Malawi here.
