Flying to Merti

Last week was interesting...my first medical short term mission team. We (2 airplanes, I flew the 206 and M. DeLorenzo flew a Caravan) picked them up at Lewa Downs, a fancy safari park just north of Mt Kenya to fly them to Merti, a Borana town in north-east Kenya. They had too much stuff. Rather than leave the medications behind, they left 2 people behind (who weren't closely involved in the clinic, one was a long time AIM missionary who'd helped coordinate the trip) and I went back early early the next morning to pick the 2 up and fly them out to Merti.

Departure out of Lewa was scary. Lewa Downs sits in a bit of a bowl. Strong winds out of the southeast rose over a ridge from Mt Kenya and created strong downdrafts as the wind flowed into the bowl. I took off, all normal, got to 100 feet, and could climb no more. I droned on at best climb speed, full power for about 5 miles until suddenly the airplane started to climb. I'd flown out the north side of the downdraft. Whew.

That was Tuesday. Wednesday the team did the general health clinic all day. Handing out vitamins, a de-worming treatment for everyone, and looking at whatever malady the people of Merti showed up with. Mike (the other pilot) and I helped a little with crowd control. The clinic, though, had things very well organized. There was no crowd, they had lots of local help from the (tiny) local church to keep things orderly. Things worked very well.

Merti, by the way, is 90% muslim. The Christian presence is very small, but is growing despite active persecution. Christians can't get jobs in Merti, for instance. The point of the clinic was to provide a tangible example of Christian love, even to those who persecute them. About 90% of the people in the clinic were muslim. The team will be following up through Galge, the local pastor with more aid to the town. Galge's story was amazing. I wish I could tell it as he told it, but suffice to say that he was a muslim who converted to Christianity and is back ministering to the people of his home town. Beleta is another man who's story was just amazing. A muslim chaplain in the Kenyan military he is now a Christian. Also a Borana, he's planted 4 churches for the Borana in Nairobi's slums.

People like Galge and Beleta are humbling. I had the privilege of flying Beleta's family out to Merti from Isiolo (near Lewa Downs) on Thursday so they could attend a wedding.

Thursday...I flew the first 5 missionaries out to Lewa Downs, picked up Beleta's family on the way back, then picked up 3 more short-termers and another 400 lbs of baggage and flew them all back to Wilson/Nairobi. I have a great job.