Project Rapha

July 2026 Report

20–24 July 2026, Lusaka, Zambia — a record of the first Project Rapha medical outreach.

1. Why We Gathered

Care That Begins With Relationship

Project Rapha grew from the regular encounters and listening at Project Nshima. As we learned about the health and everyday needs of neighbours near Lusaka's Main Post Office and Cairo Road, we prepared an outreach that brought health professionals and volunteers together.

2. Care Offered

Medical and Spiritual Care Together

From 20 to 24 July 2026, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical students, counsellors, and ministry volunteers offered basic medical assessment, wound care, essential medicines, counselling, and — for those who wished — prayer and pastoral care. Food and clothing were shared alongside, and efforts were made to connect people needing further care with local hospitals and services. We sought to meet each person's immediate need with dignity.

From the Field

Moments Shared Together

A volunteer in conversation with a participant

A volunteer applying a dressing to a foot

A volunteer measuring a participant's height

From the Outreach

Training and Community Care

Photographs from the preparation and the field during the July 2026 outreach.

Training and preparation

Medical students observing a clinical training simulation on a mannequin — Clinical training simulation

Trainees gathered around a clinical simulation station — Around the simulation station

An instructor guiding a simulated patient exercise during training — Guided simulation practice

Trainees seated in a circle for a group discussion — Group discussion

The training team posing together after preparation — The training team

A practical clinical demonstration during training — Practical demonstration

Trainees holding certificates of completion — Certificates of completion

Clinical care

A clinician measuring a participant's height inside the outreach tent — Height measurement

Clinicians conducting consultations at the temporary health station — Consultations at the health station

A clinical screening being carried out at the outreach — Clinical screening

A clinician at the consultation tables inside the outreach tent — At the consultation tables

The team attending to a visitor at the screening station — Attending to a visitor

A clinical scene inside the outreach tent — Inside the outreach tent

The medical team at work inside the consultation tent — Inside the consultation tent

Staff reviewing forms with visitors at the outreach — Reviewing forms with visitors

Community care

A volunteer with two young people outdoors — A volunteer with two young people

A volunteer tending to a young person's hair outdoors — Tending with care

A volunteer and a young boy posing together at a community care event — A volunteer and a young guest

Teamwork

Health professionals reviewing records together — Reviewing records together

Two clinicians listening and taking notes together — Listening and taking notes

Two team members reviewing forms together — Reviewing forms together

Wound care photos

These photographs include wound care. Open the section below to view them.

3. People Serving Together

A Local Team and Volunteers

This outreach was carried by Zambian doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical students, counsellors, and ministry volunteers serving together. Each contributed their skill and time to care for people with respect and dignity. The team was assembled locally and worked alongside the community it served.

4. What We Learned

Recording and Refining for Next Time

Reflecting on the first outreach helped us see where stronger preparation is needed: record keeping, privacy, patient flow, and connections for people who need further care. We want to carry these lessons into the next outreach and consider with local healthcare providers how care can continue.

5. Continuing the Work

Toward the Next Rapha

Project Rapha continues. Our next outreach is planned for 4–8 January 2027 in Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia's Central Province. We are selecting a team of about 40 doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and medical students; the team is not yet finalized. The current estimated total budget is approximately US$20,000 and may change as preparations develop. We will share the venue, scope of care, expected patient numbers, and detailed budget as these are confirmed.

We invite you to join through prayer, professional service, and support for these preparations.

Next round preparation

Day by day

Stories, photographs, and videos from the July outreach are gathered here.

No stories have been published in this category yet. As field updates are prepared they will appear here.

All Field Letters

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