Onias Magwe mourned the passing of his father. His grief was compounded by the sad fact that his father had not received adequate medical care because it was simply not available in his town of Gweru, Zimbabwe.
For in this place the nearest medical services are 30 miles away both a local and national crisis. In Zimbabwe 35,000 children die every year from preventable diseases. Due to economic hardship and political forces, there has been a 40% drop in funding for medical care.
This was one “Goliath” of a problem!
Park United Methodist Church (Canal District) – located in the poverty-stricken Kenmore neighborhood of Akron – followed God’s call to help Onias and his wife Diana, both healthcare professionals, to build a small hospital in Gweru so that others like his dear father would not die from a lack of basic medical care.
Park United Methodist Church is a part of the East Ohio Annual Conference.
Magwe grew up in Zimbabwe and later moved to the United States. Through the generosity of the people of Park UMC he was able to bring his wife and children to the United States as well. Magwe ultimately earned a business degree from The University of Akron and an RN degree from Stark State College. His vision for this clinic and his passion to bring healthcare services to the community he comes from springs from that fateful day his father passed.
“I was a small boy when my father passed away. He was a long-distance bus driver and developed a back problem. When his pain became unbearable, he opted for surgery. After surgery he was discharged to his rural home where there was no sanitary care. His wound immediately became septic, leading to him eventually succumbing to the sepsis and dying. Knowing what I know now I know my father would not have died had he been given proper sanitary care. This and other similar incidents are still prevalent in Zimbabwe. This led us to ask ourselves the question: ‘Do we have to be rich to make a difference?’ We prayed for guidance from there on and came to the decision to build a clinic.”
Park is a small but faithful church. It was already engaged in impactful ecumenical ministry in its mission field with a community meal, community garden, free store, a medical mission to Jamaica and a 501c3 mission center. Taking on building a clinic was akin to deciding to face Goliath. The people dared once again to be Davids!
Construction started on the clinic in 2014. “It has been a paycheck-to-paycheck and donations-from-the-Park-UMC project” said Diana. “Together we have walked the journey with faith. We have followed God’s guidance throughout.”
The clinic building structure is now complete. Much has been accomplished. The church has raised about $25,000 of the $200,000 needed to fund the clinic.
“We would like to thank Pastor Linda Sommerville, Pastor Pamela Buzalka, and all past and present Park UMC members for your support,” shared Diana.
It doesn’t matter how large or small a church is in the East Ohio Conference, or even how blessed it is financially, all things are possible with God when the people of God dare to be Davids!
excerpt from a story by Rev. Pamela Buzalka, former pastor of Park UMC
This story represents how United Methodist local churches through their Annual Conferences are living as Vital Congregations. A vital congregation is the body of Christ making and engaging disciples for the transformation of the world. Vital congregations are shaped by and witnessed through four focus areas: calling and shaping principled Christian leaders; creating and sustaining new places for new people; ministries with poor people and communities; and abundant health for all.
