Global Spotlight: From Vintage to Malawi
Six months ago, Mike and Bekah Russell followed God’s call and moved their family from Los Angeles to Blantyre, Malawi to serve with CURE International. Mike is now one of only three pediatric orthopedic surgeons in the entire country, working toward establishing an orthopedic oncology practice so children with bone cancer and deformations can receive critical care locally. Bekah is actively involved in ministry at the hospital and in the surrounding community, offering presence, care, and spiritual support.
A Story of Transformation
"Please amputate my son's leg. We cannot afford the $11 transportation cost to bring him down to your hospital and we need to return to the North for planting season."
Despite having already been in Malawi for three months, I was a bit taken aback by the direct nature of this request. While this women's son had a significant deformity, the leg was certainly able to be saved and just would require a few surgeries, which would be provided free of charge. After explaining to the mother that we could assist with transportation costs, I turned to her 7-year-old son and asked what his preference would be. His response broke my heart. "I just want the kids at school to stop making fun of me."
We (Mike, Rebekah, Everest (5), Adelaide (3), and Maverick (1)) recently moved to Blantyre, Malawi to partner with CURE International and serve as medical missionaries. I (Mike) serve as a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon with a focus in limb deformity and children with various orthopaedic malignancies.
Here the average Malawian makes under 1 dollar per day and unemployment hovers at almost 90%. Hyperinflation and social unrest are rampant, and basic commodities like gasoline and cheese are often impossible to find. With this social and political unrest in the background, it is a huge honor to provide high quality orthopaedic care to our patients, and being able to couple this with a very overt Christian message is a particular blessing.
As they continue to settle in and put down roots in one of the world’s poorest countries, Mike, Bekah, and their children are learning, serving, and trusting God day by day. We’re grateful to share their story as we explore the ways God is at work through our Vintage network overseas. We look forward to walking alongside them in this season!
If you would like to learn more about how Mike and his family are living out the Gospel and transforming lives through surgery in Malawi, you can subscribe to their newsletter, follow them on instagram (@RussellFamMalawi), and check out their video update for Vintage here!
Prayer Requests
They are asking for prayers for the following as they transition into the new year:
Deeper community. With moving so frequently during medical training, our community has so often been transient in nature. We are so excited to be placing our roots here in Malawi and embracing the relationships that develop.
Health and safety for the family. From tropical illnesses, to snakes, to killer bees, to elephants, to road traffic accidents, to human violence, there are certainly no shortages of avenues to pray for!
A message from Mike and Bekah:
“Vintage - We love and miss you guys! We would love to chat more if you have further questions - russ6871@gmail.com. And if you are interested in partnering with us in this journey, here is a link to donate, with 100% of donations going directly to fund surgeries at CURE Malawi.”
