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 Elder Jim Bullock reassures children at vaccination clinic. Photo by Sister Nancy Bullock.By Lillian Shea, Public Affairs, and Elder Garry Flake and Sister Janet Flake
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was very active July 19th to July 24th in helping the Health Department with the Measles Campaign in Zambia. There were 417 members of the church that helped at the clinics across the country, each member giving about 10 hours in a day. More than 1,000 members were expected to participate in distributing fliers and assisting during the campaign.
The Church was one of 4 organizations with logos on the material, alongside the Ministry of Health, the UN World Health Organization and UNICEF. The Health ministry lacked the man power and so members were the ones who went out into the centers to help with ensuring that the mothers stayed in the que and registered the children’s names.
One of the clinics treated over 700 children in one day. Children were given Vitamin A drops, polio vaccine, measles vaccination and were dewormed. It is hoped that through the combined efforts, well over 90% of the 1.7 million children targeted to be vaccinated for measles will be treated.
In June of this year, Zambia experienced a measles outbreak affecting approximately 1,000 individuals. For this reason, the campaign was of utmost importance in the minds of health personnel.
Both givers and receivers could feel the blessings coming from the spirit of this effort, which reflects the focus of the All African Helping Hands initiative: “Love given-Love received”. After one of the days, some of the volunteers went to eat lunch and one of the waitresses came up to them and said “You people from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were wonderful to us and so helpful at the clinic with me and my daughter.” The name of the Church has become synonymous with “Help” to people in the communities of Zambia.
 Helping Hands volunteers getting ready to help. Photo by Sister Nancy Bullock People lined up for measles vaccinations. Photo by Sister Nancy Bullock. Inside the clinic. Photo by Sister Nancy Bullock. Waiting for medical care. Photo by Sister Nancy Bullock. Helping Hands in action. Photo by Sister Nancy Bullock. The crowd keeps coming. Photo by Sister Nancy Bullock.
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