Walter Fisher

Walter Fisher (29 November 1865 – 30 December 1935) was an English surgeon and missionary who worked in Zambia for over 40 years. Born in Greenwich, Fisher was raised in a large, middle-class home. A "Plym", Fisher used his faith as a foundation for his service to people. He completed his medical studies in Guy's Hospital and qualified as a surgeon in 1887. Fisher established the Kalene Mission Hospital in 1906 in the remote northwest corner of Zambia. The mission expanded to the Mwinilnga district in Zambia's North-Western Province and to neighboring areas of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The hospital was known for embracing the local Zandu culture. A school, orphanage, clinic, and farm were later added to the services at Kalene. Early life and education Fisher was born on November 29, 1865, in Greenwich, England, the fifth of nine children. His father was a businessman and owned a fleet of fishing smacks. His parents had a deep interest in gospel work and often hosted missionaries, including Robert Chapman and Henry Groves. Fisher was raised as a "Plym", which was a member of the religious community originally known as the Plymouth Brethren. This community would later be known as CMML, Christian Missions in Many Lands. Any adult male in the church, often referred to as a "brother", could give a sermon or lead communion; a different approach than most Christian branches that allocate these responsibilities to ordained priests. This foundation heavily motivated Fisher and he knew from a young age that he wanted to be involved in missionary work, later being baptized at the age of fifteen.