Accommodation

Accommodation

The Blessings Hospital complex has excellent facilities for welcoming visitors.  Our facility is literally just a couple of miles from the international airport.  We think you’ll not only feel comfortable, but surprised at some of the conveniences we have on campus.

101_2485Housing

Our main guest house features four bed rooms with up to 8 bunks in each room.  There are two restrooms/showers complete with hot water.  The house also has a large living room area.  All beds are covered with mosquito nets.

The Sara Walker Village is four guest huts built in a traditional Malawi style.  Each hut has comfortable beds with a private bath & hot water for showers.

Our campus has multiple security guards to protect the campus.

Water

Our campus has its own bore hole (well) on the property that keeps water in the tanks which flow through the whole campus.  This water is clean and safe for showering & washing hands.  We use filtered and bottle water for drinking (and even ice cubes!)

IMG_1027Electricity

Our campus is powered by the utility that runs 220 v current.  In the likely event of a power outage, we will turn on our 60 kw generator that runs both the hospital and housing.  The hospital & guest houses are also fully furnished with 110 v American style electrical plugs to be able to plug in those phone chargers and laptops safely.

Weather

Malawi is made up of two primary seasons: dry & wet.  The dry season begins in early May and runs until the end of November.  Temperatures in June usually range from mid 70’s during the day to low 50’s at night.  Sept-Nov features highs in the mid-80’s and lows in the mid-50’s.  You’ll bring a mix of clothing.  Most people wear scrubs on campus.  We have a supply closet of scrubs or you can bring your own.  You’ll also bring a light jacket or sweatshirt for the cool evenings.

Health

The first thing many people think about with travel to Africa is often diseases and risk.  Malaria is a common ailment in the country.  Team members will be advised to take a malaria prophylaxis (we will give you several recommendations, like doxycycline).  Also, the best prevention is keeping deet spray on.  We’ll give you all the info you need prior to departure.

The vaccinations we recommend are hepatitis A & B, typhoid, and an up-to-date tetanus.

We can accommodate a CPAP machine and usually have several on every trip.


Food

Our campus has a cafeteria built specifically to host our visiting surgical teams.  Our food is prepared in a clean and safe environment.  We prepare a mixture of American favorites and local dishes.  We do eat lots of chicken and fresh produce such as rice, cabbage, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, & many fruits.  Coffee & tea are both grown in Malawi and are always available in our cafeteria, even for souvenirs to take home.  We even have Coke Zero!  There is no need to bring food from home.  If you don’t like the dinner selection, peanut butter & jelly will always be on hand.  The application has a place for dietary needs such as diabetic, gluten-free, vegetarian, lactose intolerant, etc.  We do our best to accommodate these needs.

Communication

Multiple individuals on campus have cell phones at all times.  Your family members will be given these numbers in case they need to contact you.  Our internet on campus is usually reliable, although slow.  Most team members use iMessage to communicate brief messages back to home each day.

Packing List

All team members will receive a full training manual, complete with packing list.  You’ll have plenty of time to pack.

Fundraising

Yes, it is intimidating for many to see the $2,600 sticker price for this mission trip.  Most people cannot afford to pay this out of pocket.  Hundreds of team members have found many people are very generous in donations to help raise the needed funds.  Once accepted to the team, we’ll share with you a fundraising process that we have found to be fruitful through the years.  It will take some diligence and prayer on your part, but don’t let the price be your primary deterrent.  We like to ask people to consider if God is calling them to be on this trip.  If God calls, then he will provide a way.  Funds raised will be channeled through the Chikondi Health Foundation, which enables the donor to receive a tax deduction.  You will receive a weekly report of funds given towards your trip to be able to thank your donors.

065Safari

You have the option of adding two extra days prior to the surgery week to experience the best game park in Malawi, Liwondi National Park.  A 5 hour journey from the Blessings Hospital campus, you’ll experience a luxury chalet, fine dining on the shores of the Shire River, and the amazing wildlife.  Guests almost always see elephants, hippos, gazelle, fish eagles, crocodiles, baboons, monkeys, warthogs, water bucks, and much more.  The cost of this safari adventure is $250 in addition to the cost of the surgery trip.