Working in a Gumuz village in Ethiopia, fieldworkers with Christian Veterinary Mission were called upon to assist in a situation quite outside their practice of ordinary veterinary medicine. Because of the caring relationships they had built with villagers while treating their animals, they were asked to intervene in what was exploding into a tribal war.
Yachewli was being traded by her brother for a wife, which is the usual custom for her people. A Gumuz man who wants to be married will trade his sister for the sister of another man, and take her as his wife. But Yachewli—a baptized believer—ran away because the man she was supposed to marry was three times her age. She was also in love with another believer from a neighboring village. Because Yachewli ran away, her brother would have to return his new wife, which made him very angry. He found Yachewli and beat her. Soon, three villages were poised on the brink of tribal warfare.
But new believers in one of the villages applied Biblical principles they learned from the CVM fieldworkers. Exhibiting Christlikeness, they paid in full what was required by their culture to form a truce, making a way for Yachewli to return to her brother’s home in peace without being forced to marry. God is using CVM staff to transform people and communities. This kind of relationship-building is at the core of our goal of transforming lives. As our veterinary fieldworkers use their professional expertise to care for livestock in countries that depend on their animals for survival, relationships are developed that open doors for sharing the gospel message.
In this past year, 738,854 animals were treated by veterinarians serving in missions, and 44,704 training hours were conducted by CVM missionaries and partners. There were 21,291 people that heard the gospel message (5,372 people accepted Christ) and 6,482 people who were involved in discipleship relationships. Through our efforts, 219,562 people were challenged to live lives of worship and 311 participants went on short-term missions trips (101 separate trips). During this year, 31 veterinarians (including 8 on staff) and one veterinary technician continued serving full-time through CVM. Additionally, 9,592 pet sympathy cards were sent to grieving pet owners through our “Loveline” pet-memorial program.
CVM maintained a presence in 29 veterinary schools across the country and hosted six Real Life/Real Impact regional student conferences in the spring. We also participated in 19 professional veterinary meetings and 12 state meetings. In March 2009, CVM conducted a week-long course for more than 20 fieldworkers and volunteers interested in future service with CVM, focusing on principles of holistic sustainable development and participatory learning.
Every year, people around the world struggle to survive because they don’t have the right knowledge, skills, or resources to care for the animals that are their livelihood. We live and work alongside these people to encourage them and provide them with not only much needed veterinary expertise, but also the hope that is only found in Christ.