Central Africa Healthcare Organization

When and How Did CAHO Begin?

CAHO began as a dream. Even before my official retirement in 1990, I had a dream of harnessing all the potential of the dozens of nurses, medical students, residents in training, and short-term physicians who had previously served at Kibogora, Kibuye, and Nundu hospitals. I estimated that there were around the world about fifty medical doctors who had served and were still vitally interested in medical missions. The impact of this group of people, who now number around one hundred, could be a mighty force to assure the continuation of the medical missions work.

The first meeting was an informal gathering in 1990 of about ten people—mostly medical doctors. Initially, Dr. David Crandall represented Kibogora Hospital in Rwanda, Dr. Tim Kratzer represented Nundu Hospital in Zaire and I represented Kibuye Hospital in Burundi. This meeting was held at the Free Methodist Foundation (FMF) in Spring Arbor, Michigan with Elmore Clyde representing the FMF. Our purpose was to discuss the formation of a loosely-knit organization whose goals were to support and be a sustaining force composed of medical people and any others interested in medical missions.

I dreamed of an Endowment Fund that could be built up to sustain the work. I discussed this with Dr .Elmore Clyde, previous missionary to South Africa and General Director of Free Methodist World Missions. Elmore, who at that time, had joined the staff of the Free Methodist Foundation discussed my dream with Dr. Stanley Thompson. Dr. Thompson agreed to meet with Elmore Clyde and me. When we met, Stan Thompson had already drawn up papers of contracts between the Free Methodist Foundation and CAHO. These consisted of The Central Africa Health Care Operations Fund and The Central Africa Health Care Endowment Fund.

The goals above were not only financial support, but to be an organization that medical missionaries could turn to for any needs, such as finding and sending critical supplies, and act as a liaison for the hospitals. These people would also become representatives of the Central Africa Hospitals.

From the beginning another avenue of fellowship and strength for medical people was the development of the CAHO Spring Conference. Through the past sixteen years CAHO has held this annual conference whose goal has been to convene a weekend retreat for spiritual advancement. This weekend is always held on the last complete weekend in April. The first conference was held in Winona Lake Indiana and since then each April at Spring Arbor, Michigan. Here, we have had the assistance of the FMF and the Spring Arbor University and Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church.

The Central Africa Health Care Organization has been incorporated in the State of Michigan as a non-profit organization. It has worked through FMF as its sole banker and receiver of funds. Over one million dollars have been channeled to medical missions. The operations fund fluctuates from month to month as funds are received and dispensed to the various hospitals.

CAHO has recognized the need to give moral support to the medical work in Haiti, and recently the fledgling medical work in Mexico City. We observed that CAHO could also stand for Central America Health Care Organization.

CAHO has a mailing list nearing four hundred. The attendance at its spring conference numbers around one hundred and fifty.

At the present CAHO is a dream come true. Many people and organizations have been helpful to us. FM World Missions has recognized CAHO as an integrated auxiliary. World Medical Missions (allied with Samaritans Purse) has been a help to us in providing supplies and personnel, as well as putting us in contact with numerous evangelical doctors all over the USA.  


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CAHO now operates as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization