PALLIATIVE CARE

When you look at the word “Palliative”, it means to bring relief, to cloak. It is a holistic care approach for those suffering from chronic disease or any stage of serious illness, as well as those at end of life. We support patients and their families physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually to provide dignity and quality of life and death when they are most vulnerable. Mozambique needs this care approach in the North, and it starts with program development and awareness at the community level while training local volunteers and staff. Included in the Palliative Care program is an evolving partnership with Beit CURE Children’s Hospital in Malawi to care for children with bone/skin deformities and disease.

Our program has grown from a very small District Home Based program to the pioneering of a Provincial level program which involves developing National government home care and healthcare staff. With overwhelming chronic and terminal disease, we have narrowed our focus recently to children and those in our communities suffering with cancer. Our newest phase of this programming includes setting up a Consult Room at the Provincial Hospital and the construction of a PATHOLOGY LAB. Currently, there is no lab in our province to process biopsies and diagnose cancer, so this has caused an increase in mortality and unnecessary suffering.

RAFAEL HEALTH CENTER & CLINIC

We serve a God that heals, has healed, and is healing. Much of what we do in our community can be read about in Scripture. We see in Isaiah 61:1-3 and Matthew 5:14-16 how we should live, minister, respond and love our neighbors. Physical needs must be "bound" before hearts and ears can receive anything of eternal worth. There is an abundance Jesus refers to, a prosperity and happiness that comes in the holistic care He provides. We are light, and darkness must and will flee, not because we demand Justice, but because He is Justice, and He is a good Father. All this to say...it is time to build a city on a hill. A physical building and a space that will provide freedom and care for those with the greatest needs.

Our initial focus clinically will be a holistic approach for children 5 and under, children with special needs, burn/wound care, and Palliative/End of Life Care. It will also be the only training center in Mozambique that will educate and train health care professionals and local community activists in the area of Community/Home Based Palliative Care. We will have classroom space for our community and colleagues to use for literacy, language learning, parenting classes, and religious studies. We will create a community garden for demonstration, nutrition education, and nutritional supplements for our malnourished children.

Exciting, and yes, it requires prayer, faith, finances, time, and teamwork! We are looking for prayer and financial partners to complete the building projects and develop sustainability which will also be an ongoing ministry to equip and empower our local colleagues and community members.

Dame Cicely Saunders, the founder of the Palliative Care movement, said:

“You matter because you are. You matter to the last moment of your life and we will do all we can, not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die”.