Attending the Mission Doctors Association Gala: A Night of Calling, Courage, and Hope for Mwanbani

Last evening, I had the privilege of attending the annual gala of the Mission Doctors Association (MDA)—an evening that was far more than a fundraiser. It was a testimony. A reminder that medicine, when united with faith and service, becomes something sacred.What Mission Doctors Association Does

For more than six decades, Mission Doctors Association has recruited, trained, and sent Catholic physicians to serve in mission hospitals and clinics across Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific. These are not short-term “medical trips.” These are doctors who commit to months—and often years—of service in some of the most underserved regions in the world.

MDA provides:

  • Professional vetting and placement of physicians

  • Cultural and spiritual formation

  • Logistical support for overseas assignments

  • Ongoing partnership with mission dioceses and hospitals

In places where one doctor may serve hundreds of thousands of people, their presence quite literally saves lives.

Why This Matters for Mwanbani

As many of you know, through LiftLife Global Health, the special projects initiative of Caritas Veritate Missions, we are working to build the Mwanbani OBGYN Labor & Delivery Center and Maternity Waiting Home in the Mbeya region of Tanzania.

Brick and mortar alone do not save lives.

Doctors do.

Midwives do.

Cardiologists do.

Physical therapists do.

At the gala, as I listened to physicians share stories of delivering babies by flashlight, performing surgery with limited equipment, and accompanying families through both life and loss, I could not help but think of Mwanbani.

We are building a center for safe births.
We are raising $5 million over the next three years.
We are working with Church leaders and mission partners.

But we are also praying—and now actively hoping—that one day soon, Mission Doctors physicians will walk the halls of Mwanbani.

A Vision for the Future

Imagine:

  • An experienced OB-GYN mentoring local Tanzanian doctors

  • A cardiologist helping manage high-risk pregnancies

  • A family physician strengthening community health outreach

  • Long-term training that builds local capacity for generations

This is sustainable mission work. This is what changes mortality rates. This is what keeps mothers alive so their children can grow up with them.

A Night of Inspiration

The gala reminded me that the Church’s medical mission is not an idea—it is alive. It is vibrant. It is filled with doctors who have said “yes” to serving Christ in the poorest of the poor.

And as I left, I carried one prayer in my heart:

Lord, send us the doctors Mwanbani will need.

If you are a physician discerning mission service—or if you know one—perhaps Mwanbani is part of that calling.

Because in Tanzania, mothers are still walking miles in labor.
Babies are still being born without adequate care.
And hope is waiting for skilled hands.

LiftLife Global Health
Saving Mothers. Saving Babies. Saving Generations.