Medical Missions

It has been a number of years since I have provided a thorough update on my medical work in the small country of Eswatini. As you may recall, it is a small, landlocked country in southern Africa that has a population of about 1.3 million people. The vast majority of Swazis lack access to ENT care.  

In 2018, Erin and I created a very small nonprofit, called Inheritance International, largely due the lack of any surgical mission organization we could partner with in Eswatini. Since then, due to God’s provision, a local organization has been created, called Medical Mission Eswatini (MME). Founded by Dr. Jonathan Pons, a fellow Christian brother and ophthalmologist, MME is based out of Mabuda Farms in Siteki. It has been our homebase for surgical missions since 2023. Working with MME is a much more ideal arrangement than attempting to manage our own nonprofit. Thus, we have allowed Inheritance International to wind down.  

Our relationship with MME has smoothed the road to allow me to work at Good Shepherd Hospital.  
Also located in Siteki, it is a Catholic hospital where a former ENT worked. After his departure, the ENT clinic and operating suite has been under utilized. Over the last three years, Good Shepherd has generously allowed me to use the space to care for patients, as well as providing anesthesia and nursing staff. This arrangement has worked out exceedingly well. Since 2023, I have completed four surgical mission trips!  

In late 2023 I was overwhelmed with God‘s answer to prayer in bringing Dr. Allan Ho to the team. He is an otologist based out of Edmonton, Canada. He has extensive experience with the Inuit people of northern Canada, who are known to have severe and chronic ear infections. This is an issue which also plagues Swazis. Dr. Ho came on his first surgical trip with me in February 2024. We returned in the summer of 2025 and had the pleasure of bringing Lynh Vaccarello, an audiologist he works with, on a trip. This trip was also a first, given that she could test and fit patients with hearing aids, which are extremely difficult to obtain in Africa.  

Another way that we have seen God provide is through a dedicated chaplain named Captain. He is a faithful servant of the Lord and has proven incredibly helpful in the translation of a Gospel tract, praying with patients in their native language, and teaching the Word to patients and families while they wait to be treated. Our belief is that meeting spiritual need is just as important (or more than!) as meeting physical need. It is why we serve. 

I have remained in close contact with both Bulembu and Project Canaan, organizations which care for large numbers of OVCs (orphans and vulnerable children). As often as needed, I still make stops at each of these locations while in country in order to provide care to children at their own campus clinics. When needed, we are able to arrange for their caregivers to bring children over to Siteki to receive the operations that they need, which is very fulfilling given how much we love these two ministries.

It is my plan and sincere hope that through God’s grace I will continue continue to return to Eswatini on 7-10 day mission trips about every nine months in the short term, and perhaps more frequent and for longer periods in later seasons of my life. 

While Good Shepherd has been an adequate solution in the short term, it does not meet our long-term goals for providing ENT care in the country. With each trip, we must pay the hospital for use of their space. In addition to this, the facilities there are very limited and there is no dedicated area for audiologic care. Dr. Pons has a vision of creating a dedicated campus at Mabuda Farm where multiple specialities can provide care, both in clinical and surgical capacities. He greatly desires to incorporate the ENT branch of MME into this multidisciplinary campus, which is where we would transition our clinical and surgical care over the next 3-5 years.  

The reason I am providing this update and reaching out specifically now is because we are attempting to raise $80,000 for the ENT portion of this clinic. This is the first phase of the campus, which will eventually also have an operating room.  

Would you consider a donation to support the building of the ENT clinic at the MME campus? Here is the link for donating through their US based fundraising partner so that all donations are received in US dollars and are considered tax deductible.

Thank you for your love and support.

Isaiah 58:10,

Luke

DESIGNATION: MME - ENT

DESIGNATION: GRACE VISION CAMPUS BUILDING PROJECT