Why Family Medicine is Needed in Burundi —And Why I Am Called to Train Physicians There.

Burundi is a nation in need. With a fragile healthcare system, extreme poverty, and a shortage of trained doctors, many people—especially in rural areas—suffer without access to proper medical care. Most specialists are concentrated in the capital, serving only a small fraction of the population. The rest rely on overburdened general hospitals or untrained providers, leading to preventable suffering and loss of life.

This is why family medicine is crucial. Family physicians are trained to provide comprehensive, compassionate, and Christ-centered care to people of all ages. They stand in the gap where specialists are scarce, managing everything from childbirth to chronic diseases, offering preventive care, and serving as pillars of community health.

I believe God has called me to return to Burundi—not just to practice medicine, but to train the next generation of Burundian family physicians. The need is great, but the harvest is plentiful (Luke 10:2). By equipping doctors who will stay and serve in Burundi’s rural hospitals, we can bring healing, hope, and the love of Christ to the most vulnerable.

I am not walking this journey alone. I am working with other missionaries at Kibuye Hope Hospital to establish the first family medicine program in Burundi under Hope Africa University. Together, through prayer, service, and collaboration, we hope to raise up skilled, compassionate physicians who will transform healthcare in Burundi for generations to come.

This is more than a career. It is a calling. A sacrifice, yes—but one made with joy, knowing that through faith and medicine, lives will be changed for eternity.

Would you join me in prayer and support as we work to raise up skilled, compassionate physicians for Burundi?