Nov 2008
The hazards of mission flying
November 25 2008
Maybe you have seen the photo which has circulated on the internet of the pride of lions basking in the shade beneath the wings of a twin engine airplane in a Kenyan game park. Well today, fellow AIM AIR pilot John McNeely and I have our own version of the tale (tail) to tell; this is the scene which awaited us when we returned in another plane to retrieve 5Y-BLG which had been left overnight at a game strip. These two husky brutes seemed nonplussed as we approached in our large Caravan plane and were only persuaded to move off after I turned my prop blast on them and kicked sand in their faces. Even at that, they only waddled off about 30 meters and plopped down again to stare lazily at us and our now arrived passengers. The local tour drivers explained that they had seen these guys earlier in the day feasting on a hippo carcass, which would explain their sated behavior. Fortunately they only used the convenient shade of the plane to cool themselves under and didn't gnaw on the tires or try to play on top of it like Pride Rock. The whole drama provided some comic relief to the team of visiting ENT doctors who we picked up and flew back to work at Kijabe hospital.
—Andy Keller (AIM AIR pilot)
Keller's Camera – flying for Cure
November 19 2008
"I can hear the buzz of cast saws,
the wailing of scared infants, and the quiet murmur of doctors and
patients talking in the rooms beyond where I sit and type this
letter. Antiseptic, hospital smells fill my nostrils making me glad
that God has given me a different calling, but one that is none the
less usable for His kingdom. What a privilege to play the small
part that I do in the whole process"
Nothing in this life, except maybe death, is as heart wrenching as seeing a child who is afflicted with a severe, debilitating birth defect, disease, or injury which they had no part in bringing upon themselves. Hydrocephalus, Cleft Palate, Club Foot, Spina Bifida, Scoliosis, and skin trauma due to severe burns, are all examples of conditions which can severely damage the life of a young child. Not only does the physical impediment make life extremely difficult for the child and family, but scorn, ridicule, and shame add emotional and spiritual trauma as well. Seeing a life that has been stunted in its youth which has never known the simple joys of running, walking, kicking a ball, or smiling is heart breaking for me personally. That's why I am so supportive of the ministry of Cure International.
Cure International operates a handful of hospitals around the world which specifically focus on treating children suffering from orthopedic conditions like those mentioned above and at the same time providing Christian spiritual counseling to heal the deep wounds that many patients and parents suffer from. More specifically, Cure has a hospital at Kijabe, Kenya and this week I was with a team from that hospital on one of my absolute favorite "safari" flights. Although I get very little flight time during our three day trip, the results of using the airplane to facilitate this ministry are as rewarding as anything I could do for AIM AIR. The team is comprised of orthopedic doctors, technicians, and spiritual counselors who will see about 400 patients in the course of the three days we are together. Qualified orthopedic doctors are extremely scarce in Kenya and almost non-existent in the areas where I fly this team. Parents will bring their children from hours away to get an opportunity to receive the help and hope this team has to offer.
Today I had had the opportunity to sit in on several patient exams, almost all of which brought tears to my eyes. The tears were at first of compassion and empathy, but more so they became tears of joy to know that God was reaching out to these young lives through hands and hearts dedicated to bringing the hope of Christ. Hope that starts with reconstructed bodies and overflows into reborn spirits.
–Andy Keller
This is what a typical clinic looks like:
About half of the team are comprised of technicians who deal with casts, braces, and molds for making orthopedic devices.
Ethiopian doctor Tewodros Zerfu and American surgeon Tim Mead examine the children for possible treatment or follow-up on previous procedures. Patients are referred to the Kijabe hospital for surgery.
Nothing in this life, except maybe death, is as heart wrenching as seeing a child who is afflicted with a severe, debilitating birth defect, disease, or injury which they had no part in bringing upon themselves. Hydrocephalus, Cleft Palate, Club Foot, Spina Bifida, Scoliosis, and skin trauma due to severe burns, are all examples of conditions which can severely damage the life of a young child. Not only does the physical impediment make life extremely difficult for the child and family, but scorn, ridicule, and shame add emotional and spiritual trauma as well. Seeing a life that has been stunted in its youth which has never known the simple joys of running, walking, kicking a ball, or smiling is heart breaking for me personally. That's why I am so supportive of the ministry of Cure International.
Cure International operates a handful of hospitals around the world which specifically focus on treating children suffering from orthopedic conditions like those mentioned above and at the same time providing Christian spiritual counseling to heal the deep wounds that many patients and parents suffer from. More specifically, Cure has a hospital at Kijabe, Kenya and this week I was with a team from that hospital on one of my absolute favorite "safari" flights. Although I get very little flight time during our three day trip, the results of using the airplane to facilitate this ministry are as rewarding as anything I could do for AIM AIR. The team is comprised of orthopedic doctors, technicians, and spiritual counselors who will see about 400 patients in the course of the three days we are together. Qualified orthopedic doctors are extremely scarce in Kenya and almost non-existent in the areas where I fly this team. Parents will bring their children from hours away to get an opportunity to receive the help and hope this team has to offer.
Today I had had the opportunity to sit in on several patient exams, almost all of which brought tears to my eyes. The tears were at first of compassion and empathy, but more so they became tears of joy to know that God was reaching out to these young lives through hands and hearts dedicated to bringing the hope of Christ. Hope that starts with reconstructed bodies and overflows into reborn spirits.
–Andy Keller
This is what a typical clinic looks like:
About half of the team are comprised of technicians who deal with casts, braces, and molds for making orthopedic devices.
Ethiopian doctor Tewodros Zerfu and American surgeon Tim Mead examine the children for possible treatment or follow-up on previous procedures. Patients are referred to the Kijabe hospital for surgery.