A team of dedicated veterinary missionaries led by Dr Josiah Mandieka travelled on a MAF flight to show love to pastoralists by caring for their livestock.
They provided treatment for 12,000 animals but that workload was made possible because the flight spared them an exhausting 15-hour journey, leaving the veterinarians feeling refreshed and with more time to do their job. Some veterinarians, who had to travel by road, arrived 15 hours later.
The 600km trip from the capital Nairobi to the remote region of Lodwar can be fraught with security risks, sometimes requiring a police escort, but the MAF plane brought them to their destination in just two-and-a-half hours.
Most people living in Lodwar are pastoralists who depend mainly on their livestock. The treatment of thousands of animals ensures good health and livelihoods for families. Additionally, the mission had a spiritual impact, with 90 people committing to their faith and one being baptised in Lake Turkana.
The success of this mission would not have been possible without MAF.
Dr Mandieka said: "The success of this mission would not have been possible without MAF. Their assistance allowed us to reach the people of Turkana safely and efficiently, and we pray that this partnership continues."
The team said people in Sopel, a village in southern Turkana County, were grateful for the visit. With no local veterinarian and the nearest one 60km away, many of their animals had been dying from preventable diseases. The free services provided by the visiting veterinarians were a critical lifeline, transforming both the physical and spiritual well-being of the community.
