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Passion Brings a Greater Perspective in Sudan

Faculty Member Organizes Student Veterinary Mission

05/23/11

For Jason Johnson, DVM, semester breaks allow no time for relaxing. Johnson is an assistant professor of Theriogenology at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, with a passion for people and a love for animals. During this April semester break, he organized a Christian veterinary mission trip to Sudan, Africa. For eight days, he and two other veterinarians supervised a group of six students who share the same passion as Johnson, the passion of helping others.

Political unrest and years of war struggles has been a way of life for the developing nation of Sudan. Sudan gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1956, concurrent with beginning of the civil war within the country. The civil war ended in 1972, but broke out again in 1983. Finally in 2005, peace agreements between the North and South were signed. For twenty-two years from 1983-2005, the war took more than 2.5 million lives and displaced around four million others who fled their homes to take refuge from the conflicts. The 2005 agreement granted autonomy for South Sudan until 2010, when they held their first political election. Earlier this year, the country began developing a referendum for independence, which is set to take place in July. The country, however, continues to see conflict with political elections and many analysts fear disputes among the Sudan states could spark additional political unrest and conflicts in Sudan.

This political unrest in the developing world is just one of the reasons Johnson has focused much of his recent veterinary relief efforts in the southern Sudan. Johnson has been doing work with Christian Veterinary Missions and other Non-Government Organizations in developing countries for more than seven years, in countries such as Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya and South and Central America. However, for the past two years Johnson realized the need in Sudan and felt his veterinary background would be important to the developing country whose greatest asset is their livestock.

“Not to get too mushy on you,” Johnson said during an interview, “but, I love people and it is so worthwhile when you see their smiles.”

He continued, “As a veterinarian, I believe we are all responsible for improving the food and monetary sources associated with animals on a global level, my heart calls me to assist in the poorest places of the world. It brings me joy and keeps me grounded.”

Johnson explained that in these developing nations livestock is an asset for the people, they eat, drink, make clothing and ultimately need their cattle (and other large animals) for survival. “Sometimes the cattle are their only and most important asset, the people care as much about their livestock as their children; livestock is the common dominator that binds many developing societies,” he explained. “The most common thread that penetrates the poor of the world, those that live off of less than US $1 per day, is their absolute dependency upon livestock for survival.”

Johnson and the six students—fifth semester students, Meghan Brookhart, Autum Busarow, Caitlin Cipro, and Ethan Horst and sixth semester students, Chelsea Faircloth and Josh Henry—from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine boarded a plane in St. Kitts headed for Sudan with a few stops in between. The team met-up with two of Johnson’s former Auburn University classmates, Paul Evans, DVM, and Bridget Shirley, DVM, Tennessee-based photographer, Kevin Neely, and Atlanta-based pastor, Larry Arnold, as they began their two-day journey. For many of the students this would be their first time experiencing the culture of a developing nation.

“With every new leg of the flights, we realized the cultural transition, from developed world to landing in a field where they had to clear the birds before we could put the plane on the ground,” said Josh Henry, sixth semester student.

After arriving in Sudan the team gathered in two jeeps and headed to their camp, located in Mundri, southern Sudan. The camp would serve as their base point for their daily journeys to outlying villages—“manyattas” or “bomas” as referred to by the local people. The base camp and mission was co-organized with the Four Corners Ministries based in Wedowee, Alabama, USA.

Each morning the team would rise at 5:00 a.m. to begin their day, which would consist of a meager, by most standards, breakfast and a trek throughout the country to manyattas for their day of veterinary work. The goal of the mission was to provide veterinary care for the animals and to educate the people about ways to improve the health of their livestock. Supervised by the three licensed veterinarians, the students would begin by assessing the Ankole—a mixed-breed of cattle in Africa—and then care for the animals, using local medications and traditional methods of treatments.

“Dr. Johnson wanted to ensure the people would have access to the treatments after we left, so we used local medications and local products,” said Josh Henry, sixth semester student. “We wanted to be certain to respect the local ways of life and their ways of care.”

Johnson prepared the students before the mission began by holding preparation meetings explaining the current political situation, the societal customs and the potential dangers associated with the trip to Sudan. He also educated the students about the vaccines necessary for travel and the limitations on luggage—basic necessitates only: one backpack for the entire two-week journey. The group would sleep in two small rooms with cots and mosquito nets for the duration of the trip. The room would be their only storage location for personal belongings and veterinary supplies—which meant sleeping next to the tick spray.

Team members also collected parasites, with ticks being the most abundant. Ticks are most important parasite in the region as they are carriers for the most debilitating diseases of east Africa. Sixth semester student, Chelsea Faircloth, is working with another RUSVM faculty member to analyze the ticks to determine what diseases are being carried. As a student participant in the mission trip, Faircloth was able to assist with the parasite collection and will ultimately be a part of the research on campus, allowing her to correlate the two elements as a part of her veterinary education.

“The mission was a great experience, we were really able to apply what we are learning in the classroom,” said Faircloth. “As I am sitting through my toxicology lectures, everything makes more sense. The hands-on experience was amazing; and I realized my Ross education had really prepared me to do this…I knew the foreign animal diseases and understood the keys to surveillance.”

Following a hot African morning of veterinary treatments, the team would begin the most important part of their mission, the educational component. Through the use of a local translator, who also worked as a veterinary officer with the government, Johnson and his students were able to utilize pictures and drawings to teach important care tips to the Sudanese cattle-keepers. The team discussed applicable diseases and how to recognize them, as well as key components for treatment. To prepare for the educational component, which Johnson deems as the “most important aspect of the trip for the Sudanese people,” the students learned local names for diseases and tried to incorporate local treatments into the education. Pictures and drawings on poster paper and the use of participatory training, where the cattle-herders performed the task after being taught, were the primary methods of teaching. Animal workshops were conducted in locations in which veterinary care is not available, therefore the educational component aims to be the element which will continue to be beneficial into the future.

In the evenings the team would travel back to their camp to write in their journals and reflect on the days activities to prepare again for the morning. Many evenings would consist of a little playtime with the local children before dark and then a meal around 9:00 p.m. Bed came early, as the next morning would be just around the corner.

Henry said of the experience, “This was so life-changing, it made me feel so small and I truly had the opportunity to realize the important things in life. Even the stars in the sky were bigger and brighter than I had ever seen before.”

After returning to St. Kitts for the new semester, many of the students are already planning their next veterinary missions trip. Some of the students have since reconsidered their career pathway are looking into public health and large animal medicine which they may not have considered in the past. The opportunity and wisdom gained from the Sudan mission will be unforgettable for the students, changing many of their perspectives making them even more grateful for what they have.

“We went there to help the people and their animals, but the people were really the ones who blessed us,” said Faircloth. “We were given the bigger gift of simply getting to know the people.”

Johnson has a true passion for helping others; he is also lending his expertise locally, in St. Kitts. In collaboration with the government veterinarians, he is hoping to set-up a program to improve genetics of the cattle which will in turn produce a higher level of meat quality in the local herds and provide the possible of a stronger beef industry for the country.

Johnson’s love and passion for the developing world continues, as he is already planning his next mission trip to southern Sudan.

About Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine
Ross University is a provider of medical and veterinary education, offering Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree programs. Founded in 1982 and located in St. Kitts, West Indies, the School of Veterinary Medicine is accredited by the St. Christopher & Nevis Accreditation Board and the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education to offer the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree program (AVMA COE, 1931 North Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173, 847-925-8070). The School of Veterinary Medicine is affiliated with 22 AVMA-accredited U.S. veterinary schools where students complete their clinical year. The University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital is the only facility outside the U.S. and Canada accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association.

Ross University’s administrative offices are located in North Brunswick, NJ. For more information about Ross University, visit www.RossU.edu.