I write this blog post from the beautiful country of Zambia. I’m here with a team of 5 people who are teaching mental health skills to medical students, psychiatric residents, and chaplains. We’re working at the University of Zambia and at Trinity Chaplain College, both in Lusaka. The trip has been eye-opening in many ways.

The up-side of this trip is that Zambians are generous, kind, gentle, and soft-spoken. They appreciate any help that is offered. Their country has never been at war during its 50 years of existence.

The down-side is the wrenching poverty that is all around coupled with a lack of resources. There are 6 psychiatrists for a country of 13 million people. There is one psychiatric hospital. The hospitals are overwhelmed and underfunded. There are few counselors, no treatment centers, limited medications, and no support groups or recovery programs.

Our team has promised the Zambians that we will spread the word about the desperate needs here. There is a tremendous demand for people to come and help. If you are a mental health, medical, or ministry professional please let me know if you might be able to make a trip to offer support. You have the opportunity to change lives and in the process you may find that your life has been changed as well.