In the West, it’s fairly easy to see a doctor, dentist or vet. In a remote, drought-stricken area of Kenya, however, the inhabitants are not so fortunate, Gary Clayton writes.
Earlier this year, Mission Aviation Fellowship partnered with friends from Christ Is The Answer Ministries (CITAM) to fly a team of doctors, dentists, veterinarians and missionaries to Olturot in northern Kenya.
Without the flight, which took less than 1¾ hours, the team would have been forced to endure an arduous 11-hour road trip. The time saved by MAF’s small, speedy aircraft enabled the medics and vets to spend far longer looking after the isolated community.
The doctors examined 2,957 patients, treating cases ranging from respiratory tract infections to migraines and conjunctivitis. They also provided cervical-cancer screenings and dental care.
The vets, who were kept similarly busy, treated about 17,520 animals.
Physician Dr Peterson Karimi, who took part in the outreach, says: ‘Whenever I witness the transformation of individuals from a state of illness to one of wellness, it warms my heart and underscores that divine intervention has played a role in their recovery.’
While the dedicated doctors made a lifechanging contribution to the community’s health, the missionaries shared their faith with as many people as possible. Then, as soon as the sun set each evening, the CITAM team showed the Jesus film, with some 1,520 villagers watching enthralled as the evangelistic movie movingly depicted the Saviour’s life, death and resurrection.
The result of this ‘holistic blend of medical services and spiritual guidance’, Dr Karimi explains, left a profound impact on more than 800 individuals who found solace and hope in Christ.
According to veterinarian Dr Joel Memusi, who also took part in CITAM’s safari, ‘The prevailing challenge in Olturot revolves around drought, leading many residents to relocate their animals in search of greener pastures. While we couldn’t tend to all the animals due to this reason, we did manage to provide significant assistance.’
Many of those living in Olturot thanked MAF for making the week-long evangelistic outreach possible, with one extending ‘gratitude to the mission for providing us with complimentary medical and veterinary services combined with evangelism.’
