Workmans in Zambia

09/07/2025

To our stateside friends, Dr Meredith will be speaking in Lakeside, Ohio on July 25th about her journey following God's call to serve Him through medicine and the amazing things happening at CURE Zambia. Details at this link if you want to drop in!
https://lakesideohio.com/events/cls-women-to-revere/

05/06/2025

Interview with Dr. Meredith as she explains her work at CURE Zambia and the importance of cleft care going beyond "closing the hole" to "restoring wholeness". Check it out!

CURE has a comprehensive approach to providing surgical care for children with disabilities. We support their families and strengthen the capacity of local church and healthcare systems in the countries we serve.

23/02/2025

When Dr Meredith was a little girl, she dreamed of having a horse. She's the first to say ahe was one of those awkward horse-crazy girls who was a little too obsessed, but spent countless hours in daydreams and prayers. Does God pay attention to these crazy irrational prayers of kids? Certainly this was just an impossible fantasy that Meredith had long packed away with the other trappings of Neverland.

Fast forward 35 years. After realizing one dream come true in working at CURE, Meredith had another dream realized when she had the opportunity to become a co owner/co parent of two horses in our neighborhood last year. For Meredith it was like all the longing and prayers of a child (that adult Meredith assumed had just been to childish for God to hear) had actually been heard and answered. As if God had planned this amazing surprise all along, like a parent who gets the BEST present months before Christmas and has to keep it secret until Christmas morning! Every ride has been a reminder of God's faithful love, embarrassingly generous, to that little girl long ago.

Bundu, the cuddly snuggly male horse was too stubborn to trot but always happy to take a carrot. Unfortunately he fell suddenly ill and passed away today. Thank you Bundu for helping make Meredith's dream a reality, if only for a short time.

12/02/2025

Daniel has had a difficult time lately. After his father died, he developed an infection on his nose that destroyed the tissue and left much of his nose missing. He didn't like going outside because he was ashamed of what he looked like. But because CURE International now offers plastic surgery full time, some really incredible things are happening.

Reconstructive procedures that are delicate, intricate, and require multiple surgeries and long term care are underway in Lusaka! Dr. Meredith was able to perform a forehead flap transfer to help Daniel have a new nose. This isn't an unusual procedure in the US, but it's rare in underserved parts of the world where the time and resources aren't available. This procedure involves creating a new "nose" from Daniel's forehead skin and cartilage from his ribs and ears. First, Dr Meredith drew a new "nose" on his forehead--then she harvested the cartilage from his ribs and behind his ears--next, she sculpted the cartilage into the shape of his new nose--then, she cut the skin from his forehead and flipped it down over the cartilage, then turned it around to cover the nose area and sewed it into place. Finally, she stiched up the flap area of the forehead with special sutures to minimize scarring.

Is this a MIRACLE? I think so, and here's why.

First, God has revealed to his creation the intricacies of the human body--allowing our science and medicine to understand His design and how to work within His creation to bring this kind of restoration and healing. #2) God has brought together donors, administrators, doctors, nurses, and staff, all over the world to put the people and resources in place to serve Daniel and thousands and thousands of children like him. This is worth it, y'all!!! Thank you for your role in Daniel's healing. You are right here with us, every day, healing kids and sharing Jesus through your love, prayers, support, and donations. Check out cure.org/gifts to see some unique ways you can be part of these miracles!

08/02/2025

THE Ohio State Univeristy won the National Championship in January. Dr Meredith wears Buckeye gear in theatre. Coincidence?? HARDLY. O-H!!!

24/01/2025

It's really fascinating to see how different cultures view different animals. Our kids are quite enamored by chameleons (thanks to the Disney film Tangled and maybe even Geiko commercials?) They are harmless but many people believe they are dangerous. In fact, we saw a story in the news where two men were arrested for trying to bewitch the President of Zambia, and among the things the reports noted in their effects was a chameleon.

This is the 3rd or 4th one we've found at the hospital or the kids school and brought home to relocate to to the forest. Live a happy life little guy!

18/12/2024

Plastic Surgeons don't often find themselfes in life and death situations, but if they do, they spring into action! As Dr Meredith arrived to work, she saw a massive crow in the parking lot trying to eat....a chameleon!

Now chameleons have a bad rap in Zambia, but Dr Meredith thinks they're cute. The poor little guy had changed almost completely black as he was fighting for his life. So she shooed away the bird, scooped up the critter, and put it in a paper bag. And then set it on her desk until she finished clinic (which offered a BIG surprise for staff coming through her office!!) Now Mr Chameleon has been safely relocated to the forest!

28/11/2024

We love to see random OSU gear in Zambia, but was extra special when little Elijah came to clinic sporting his Ohio State shirt. Today, this little Buckeye is thankful Dr Meredith restored his smile. And JUST IN TIME for THE BIG GAME. He may not be sporting it right now, but we're sure he'll be grinning come Saturday afternoon. O-H!!!

16/11/2024

Little bit of a different "before and after." Eve met Catherine, a CURE patient, 2 years ago on our site visit to Zambia. They became fast friends, even though Catherine couldn't run and chase Eve around the playground.

Yesterday, David stopped by the hospital with the kids and Catherine happened to be there for a followup visit...and it was a reunion for the ages! Only this time, they were BOTH running and jumping and playing all over the playground. 🤩🤩🤩

12/10/2024

We live in a big city, but it doesn't take many kilometers off a main road to feel like we're in the country. Meredith wanted some new plants, and found a guy on Facebook selling them. He lived off the main road toward the hospital, so we headed up there. Like many non tarred (paved) roads, it was rough! We wondered how it anyone could come and go in rainy season. But we found ourselves at the gentleman's house. He has a passion for gardening and has turned cultivating planters and seedlings into his full time business at his house. His plot was turned into a full garden center filled with all kinds of small plants for sale. He had a lovely setup! His little boys latched on to our kids quick. The older brother said we were the first muzungus the baby had seen, but we become fast pals too. Zambia is lovely and the people are wonderful!

06/10/2024

With the boys growing like weeds, we had to stock up on some new clothes. We went to DAPP, which is a second hand store that sells donated items from Europe. It has a real similar feel to Goodwill in the US, and we found some great jeans for k120 ($4.50) Not bad! thought you'd like seeing the store and the drive through the neighborhood behind it.

30/09/2024

We had an exciting start to our weekend, as David and Charlie became volunteer firefighters in our neighborhood. A plot is under construction across the road, and a caretaker lives on site. He lit a mosquito ring but didn't notice spilled cooking oil, and the shed he was in went up in flames. David and Charlie raced over to help the two security guys already there put out the fire. Fortunately there was water, but no buckets. Charlie grabbed the shovel off the truck and started throwing dirt on the fire and breaking off branches to keep the trees from catching while David raced home to get buckets and a hose. The crew got the fire under control before the whole forest went up in flames (it's dry season and a drought...all the trees would light up like an old Christmas tree). But the young guy, Saviour, suffered some bad burns to his back, arms, and a little on his face. Fortunately, he was across the road from the friendly neighborhood plastic surgeon and her fully stocked med kit. Meredith took him to our place and got his wounds cleaned to prevent infection (he was covered in dirt and mud!), bandaged him up, got him some clean clothes and something to eat. The security team gave him a place to sleep and made sure he got to the hospital in the morning (last we heard he was doing well and a sister was going to care for him). We were glad to be able to help, but also got a great reminder that not everywhere can you call a 3 digit number and expect to help to arrive in an emergency. We are all in this world together and need to look out for one another! Next post will return to our normally programming of kids getting surgery and snakes and spiders. :-)