2026 Karanda Mission Hospital, Zimbabwe

Thank you once again for your tremendous support for my trips to Karanda Mission Hospital in  Zimbabwe. My trip was from Feb 25 to April 1st 2026. As I have told others, when you go to Karanda you spend almost a week simply traveling, but with the good you can do at Karanda the exhaustion etc. is well worth it.  

I was able to get to Karanda on February 28th after a 3 day travel period and was immediately put to work. I assumed the work load would be much lighter since we have a full time PAACS trained surgeon now at Karanda, a Zimbabwean national, but educated and trained outside the country. He did have to spend 2-3 years in the capital of Harare working with local surgeons before being credentialed to work at Karanda. However, the workload has greatly increased at Karanda with them seeing almost 140,000 patients a year. Thankfully they now have 6 national  doctors and a Canadian doctor (Paul Thistle) and a PA (Kiersten Hutchinson). The work load, if anything, was heavier than before, despite the new surgeon.  

The theme and emphasis of Karanda is to Serve God and to Serve Others and to do all for the Glory of God. Our sign depicts a symbol of the medical logo with steps leading to the Cross and that is the whole purpose of the mission. Our offer of physical healing allows us to reach many who need spiritual healing and the hospital staff, chaplains, pastors, all try to do this.  Once again I encountered patients from all over the country, many from the capital and many from farther South. The reputation of the hospital remains strong for which I thank the Lord.  

While at Karanda I was able to share a message in chapel, take part in the dedication of the new chapel, mentor several Canadian medical students in the OR and on the wards and perform 140 + surgeries, mostly major as the national staff take care of a lot of the minor cases. As I mentioned in the the quarterly prayer letter (it may not be out yet), I am always saddened at the tremendous burden of advanced cancer patients Karanda deals with, the lack of timely operation for perforated bowel and abdominal abscesses, peritonitis, tumors and the list goes on. I am amazed how most of these patients survive and do well despite the lack of advanced critical care. 

Continue to be in prayer for the ministry of Karanda. It is much unchanged in many ways but the full time missionary staff is now only 3, but we have great, long serving, national staff who, hopefully, will be able to carry on, if and when these 3 retire. They continue to receive many short termers who really assist in the work load and help keep the hospital running. Thank you again for your support. 

Sincerely, 

Dan Stephens