Carlan Wendler
Carlan Wendler first heard the call to international missions while a child growing up in California when his mom or grandfather would share stories from their life and service in Zaire (now Congo). These inspiring stories and the solid biblical teaching of Grace Community Church laid the foundation for an early conversion and quick commitment to minister abroad. Having met several like-minded families during medical school, Carlan joined World Harvest Mission (2011) and plans to bring his training and experience in emergency medicine to the charter clinical faculty at the Frank Ogden School of Medicine with Hope Africa University in Burundi (2013). This team of physicians, teachers and their families have begun language school (Albertville, France and later Bujumbura, Burundi) before they settle into practice and instructing at Kibuye/Hope Hospital near Gitega, Burundi.
Kibuye and Hope Africa University aim to address a critical shortfall in east Africa by training physicians and discipling health care professionals to serve medically in one of the poorest nations on earth. Burundi’s GDP per capita is only a third that of Haiti and faces public health challenges in water-borne and vector-transmitted disease, malnutrition, and poor access to basic and advanced care in obstetrics, neonatal medicine, and critical care. Carlan will join the McLaughlin family (Eric-Family Medicine, Rachel-OB/GYN, Maggie & Ben), the Cropseys (John-Ophthalmology, Jessica-teacher, Elise, Micah & Samuel), the Faders (Jason-Surgery, Heather-teacher, Anna & Abi), Alyssa Pfister (Internal Medicine & Pediatrics) and Sarah Crockett (teacher) in serving the Lord and the people of Burundi. Their hope is that as an integrated team of divinely apportioned specialties, they can invest in generations of Kingdom clinicians in Africa.
DESIGNATION NUMBER: 51395
