Growing through change
In the United States, September marks the return to school. Summer break ends, bedtimes are reinstated, and early morning commutes resume. For many, change is uncomfortable. We settle into routines and expectations, and when those shift, we either struggle or learn to adapt.
Over the past seven years, our clinics in Malawi and Zambia have seen many changes. Gary and Beth Evans began working in Malawi (again) in 2019 as clinic administrator and nurse-in-charge. As the clinic staff began to get comfortable with their leadership, it wasn’t too much longer before the COVID-19 pandemic began. While the pandemic didn’t affect many people in Malawi, it changed the way we ran clinic—including running clinic without Gary and Beth’s leadership, when they were instructed to return to the U.S. After their return to the field, change was in store for the Mwembezhi clinic in Zambia. Since the clinic staff in Zambia had been nationalized for several years, the One Africa Team requested Gary Evans then assist with managing clinics in both countries, requiring frequent travel between Malawi and Zambia.
In 2022, Gary and Beth’s tenure with the Lutheran Mobile Clinic concluded, and the Malawi clinic staff was fully nationalized as well. This change meant that day-to-day operations would no longer be overseen by expatriate leadership. Instead, Gary stepped into a new role as field director, visiting both countries three to four times per year. Under this model, clinics in both Malawi and Zambia continued to flourish. Encouraged by this stability, the CAMM Stateside Committee (CAMMC) began exploring opportunities for expansion, provided that growth would not jeopardize ongoing operations.
In 2024, we held our first short-term medical camp in Kenya. Many CAMMC members volunteered their time, talents, and treasures to assist with this new and exciting change.
Kate Wood, executive director of CAMM
Now, in 2026, we find ourselves in another season of change. I (Kate) was selected as the new executive director of CAMM, after serving on the CAMMC as secretary for over three years. In my new role, I spent eight months learning about clinic operations, administration, and management from Gary Evans, prior to his retirement. This change has affected not only the two of us, but also our staff in Malawi and Zambia, the CAMMC, our families, our One Africa Team missionary partners, the LCMC-Kenya team, and many others.
Change is rarely easy, but I am working to embrace it. I am establishing new routines, setting new expectations, and relying on my education, my background in health care administration, and my experience on the CAMMC to guide me.
While this change is significant for me personally, it is also another opportunity for all of us to adapt and grow. I am eager to continue building on the work carried out by CAMM leadership over the past 65 years, and I look forward to seeing where God leads the Central Africa Medical Mission in the years ahead.
Written by Kate Wood, executive director of Central Africa Medical Mission (CAMM)
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