Mission Aviation Fellowship flew a team of nine veterinarians from Christian Veterinary Mission to Kenya’s Baringo County, where they offered veterinarian services to livestock-reliant communities – and shared the gospel.
Story by Hillim Gitonga
“In a few weeks most of our animals will be producing more milk and will look healthier. I hope that the team will be able to come back again soon,” said Kapanat Meri, one of the villagers who brought their cattle to be treated by the visiting vets.
‘‘I really appreciate them coming to our area and treating our animals.”
Coordinated by Veterinarians Mission Program (VMP), in partnership with Christian Veterinary Mission (CVM), the teams were able to spend a whole week visiting villages including Kapindasum, Chemorongion, Sosionde, Kasiela and Ramacha.
An extraordinary total of 17,689 animals were treated including cows, sheep, goats and even dogs. Common cases such as abscesses, diarrhoea, cataracts, trypanosomiasis were diagnosed and treated.
For many people in Baringo County, livestock is extremely important. It's their source of food, income – and also their identity. But for most, veterinary care is hard to come by and often too costly.
Dr Ezra Saitoti is a veterinary doctor and one of the founding members of VMP.
‘‘It would have taken us around 12 hours to get to this area, but we are lucky to have partnered with MAF – hence the journey of only an hour.
We are using our veterinary skills to enhance the kingdom of God by treating the livestock and targeting men who are the owners, so that they can have a chance to know about the Word
The team’s passion for their work and the care they gave meant a lot, not just to the animals, but to the people who depend on them.
‘‘We thank God for the VMP and CVM visiting our communities,” said Pastor Samuel Tuwei. “They have treated our animals and preached the gospel. The people are thankful to these organisations. We rarely get help in this area because it’s remote, but we appreciate what the two organisations have done.”
The team shared the Word of God and visited schools in Chemorongion, Kapindasum and Kasiela, sharing a film about Jesus Christ with the students.
‘‘Accessing this area is challenging but thankfully MAF was able to fly us,” said CVM’s Assistant Director of Workplace and Student Ministries, Curtiss Gibbs.
“The treatment being given included deworming the animals and giving them vitamins, so they’ll be able to produce more milk, and to give them vitality.”
Milk is a precious commodity in a place where water is a major challenge, and without it, even getting food to eat becomes difficult.
As much as the reception has been touching, the partnership between CVM, VMP and MAF has been even more impactful.
Being able to reach and treat thousands of cattle each day isn’t just a win for the veterinary teams. It’s a lifeline for the communities that depend on these animals for survival. It’s a reminder that when people come together with a shared purpose, real change is possible, even in the most remote places.