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The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi:

“And this I pray that your love may abound more

and more in real knowledge and all discernment,

so that you may approve the things that are excel-

lent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the

day of Christ. “ -Phil 1:9-10

We are blessed to have wide open doors for effective service through which

to share His love through veterinary medicine. Serving both here at home

and around the world, like Emily Arndt (in the photo on the left), one of our

many field staff, is doing in Uganda. We rejoice in all of those who have

been faithful to join us in serving through their support, prayers, encour-

agement, and service.

CVM veterinarians, veterinary students, and veterinary technicians have

served around the world and here at home seeking to care for His creation

and to show His love to pet and livestock owners. We pray that this review

of our calendar year will encourage your faith and encourage you to con-

sider the doors He is opening for you to join His work through CVM.

To His Glory,

Dr. Kit Flowers

Executive Director

Christian Veterinary Mission

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In 2014, through Christian Veterinary Mission...

people heard the good news of the gospel.

people accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior.

people were challenged to live lives of worship.

people have been involved in discipleship relationships.

hours were spent training in animal health.

livestock were treated by vets, vet techs and students.

51,99815,873

314,6686,064

68,850134,530

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Dr. Mack Boyd, a veterinarian from Texas,

has served on several short-term trips with

CVM over the years. This past May he served

on a trip that took him all the way to the Hi-

malays. Mack and a team consisting of five

vets, two students, and one family member,

spent two weeks climbing mountains in or-

der to work with nomadic herders to improve

the health of their flocks.

The team prepared physically for weeks prior

to the trip, and were eager to start work fol-

lowing the long flight. Their anticipation was

rewarded when they found themselves set-

tling into the thin air of base camp at 8,600

feet. It was the perfect location for many rea-

sons. The camp and makeshift clinic was nes-

tled deep in a mountain pass, which happened

to be the first resting place for local shepherds

who were leading their herds through the

mountains towards greener pastures.

Mack and the team used six backpack de-

wormers, allowing them to work in pairs and

administer the medicine to around 50 animals

in 20 minutes. They treated a variety of mala-

dies from diarrhea to pneumonia, foot rot, bro-

ken legs, and saddle sores.

Regardless of the clinical outcome, the team al-

ways sought to model Christ’s love through their

work and interactions with the herders. By the

end of the trip, the team had dewormed over

20,000 animals and treated about 3,500 individ-

ual animals. It was physically challenging work,

but enormously appreciated by the herdsmen.

The particular region where the team was

serving is not open to the Christian faith,

making Gospel sharing difficult, if not dan-

gerous. However, the Lord was working in

the hearts of those present and when Mack

Short-term MissionsChristian Veterinary

Mission short-term mis-

sion volunteers support

communities in need, by

joining with those serving

long-term on the ground

to provide encourage-

ment, veterinary expertise,

training in animal health

care, and the hope that is

found only in Jesus Christ.

Through these short-term

missions, veterinarians, vet

students and vet techni-

cians have the opportunity

to grow their faith, and

make a sustainable impact

for people that need it most.

He has called us to be His witness-

es in Judea and Samaria and to the

ends of the earth, and veterinary

medicine allows us to get there.

By the end of the trip, the team

dewormed over 20,000 animals

and treated about 3,500 animals.

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Short-term volunteers served on 126 trips to 28 countries.

497

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had an opportunity to answer some questions about Christianity, he

lovingly shared his testimony.

The weather may have been unpleasant, and the mountainous hikes

challenging but doors were opened for the Gospel message that were

otherwise firmly shut. He has called us to be His witnesses in Judea

and Samaria and to the ends of the earth, and veterinary medicine

allows us to get there.

There are many areas of the world that have yet to hear about Christ’s

love, and your skills in veterinary medicine could be the vessel to show

them. Christian Veterinary Mission has short-term trips to countries

around the world, which take place year-round. To find out more, visit

our website at cvmusa.org/Shortterm

Regardless of the clinical outcome, the team al-

ways sought to model Christ’s love through their

work and interactions with the herders.

Long-term MissionsChristian Veterinary Mis-

sion is blessed to be able to

send veterinary profession-

als to serve long-term in

countries around the world.

In sometimes difficult cir-

cumstances, veterinarians

can use their unique skills

to build trusting relation-

ships, leading to opportuni-

ties to share the Gospel –all

the while teaching live-

stock-based cultures how to

better care for their animals

and provide a sustainable

future for their families.

Dr. Shad Wilkerson is a veterinarian from Okla-

homa who has committed to serve with CVM

long-term in Africa. Together with his wife

Amy, and their two children, they are prepar-

ing all they can before they depart. To aid in this

preparation, Shad and Amy ventured to Tanza-

nia, where they participated on a short-term trip

alongside a team of vets and non-vets, with a

goal to share the Gospel and treat animals.

While in country, their service took them deep

into the Maasai bush. They walked miles to

reach the distant villages and were preparing

for a long day of deworming when a teammate

came up to Shad with a problem. It was discov-

ered that these Maasai people did not speak any

Swahili, and there was no translator nearby!

With no clear solution, they stopped to pray and

then, trusting God, they continued their work.

About fifteen minutes later, Shad was walking

through the field when a young Maasai warrior

approached him. He introduced himself and

struck up a conversation, in English. As Shad

stood there listening, the young man began

speaking about how desperately the other Maa-

sai warriors needed to hear about Christ. Shad

was speechless!

Shad asked him, “David, are you busy this week?

Could you help us reach your people for Jesus?”

The young warrior graciously agreed. A short time

later Shad found his teammate and introduced

him to the translator that God had provided for

them in the middle of the Maasai bush.

Later in the week, the team prepared for a day

of treatment in a remote area. When they ar-

rived, people and animals started to appear in

the distance. Before long, herds of hundreds of

sheep, goats, and cattle were upon them. The

team prayed and began their work, treating 100,

The young man began speaking

about how desperately the other

Maasai warriors needed to hear

about Christ.

With no clear solution, they

stopped to pray and then trusting

God, they continued their work.

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40Veterinarians and 2 vet techs served long-term in 14 different countries.

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200, up to 500 goats. As some were medicating

livestock, others on the team were engaging

the men in conversation. They had been work-

ing for several hours and yet the people and

animals continued to come. The team pulled out

the fi nal bott le of dewormer and began to treat

the last herd of the day. Just as they fi nished the

bott le, they saw yet another herd approaching.

They explained that they were out of medicine

and that their animals could not be treated. The

herdsmen were quite disappointed, but turned

around to start their long walk back home.

Moments later, as the team was packing, they

opened a box to fi nd two additional bott les of de-

wormer –it was enough to treat the new herd and

then some! Excitedly the herdsmen returned,

bringing their animals in for treatment. While

the treatment was taking place, the Gospel was

presented. By God’s grace, many Maasai came to

know Christ as their livestock were treated.

For the remainder of the trip whenever they had

a need related to reaching people for Christ, the

need was met. As Shad and Amy look forward

to fulfi lling their calling, they are encouraged to

see that God is using veterinary professionals to

build his Kingdom around the world.

To hear more stories from our fi eld staff that serve

long-term, visit us at cvmusa.org/Longterm

Whenever the team had a need

related to reaching people for

Christ, the need was met.

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Christian Veterinary Mission offers third and

fourth year missions-minded veterinary stu-

dents an opportunity to use their skills cross-

culturally through the Missions Apprenticeship

Program. This unique program allows students

to spend time with professional overseas vet-

erinarians to learn first-hand what it means to

pursue God’s calling to serve long-term through

veterinary medicine.

Elizabeth Wall, a fourth year student, chose to

participate in the Missions Apprenticeship pro-

gram to better understand Christ’s calling on

her life. In previous years, Elizabeth had partic-

ipated in short-term trips to Haiti and Hondu-

ras, and frequently pondered where she fit into

global missions. Was travel just a fun adventure

for her, or could living in another country be a

long-term calling?

Having consistently felt called to study Spanish

and work with the Latino community, Elizabeth

felt led to serve in Bolivia for six weeks, giving

her an opportunity to use her language skills in

veterinary medicine. While there, she worked

with three CVM field staff members and their

families, spending time working with various

local communities in a variety of locations,

from large cities to small villages.

She built relationships with Bolivian veterinary

students, participated in small animal surgery

clinics, and observed and assisted with surger-

ies and diagnostics at the veterinary teaching

hospitals. She taught about livestock disease

and vaccination, worked on a large beef ranch

and was also able to participate in Bible stud-

ies and church services alongside missionaries

from many organizations and countries. During

her trip she gained a stronger understanding of

the Bolivian culture and her own calling.

God has called each of us in different and spe-

cific ways. He cultivates our passions and skills

so that we are uniquely enabled to bring Him

glory. Each of the CVM field staff work in dis-

tinctly different ministries which complement

each other. She realized that diversity of God’s

Student MinistryChristian Veterinary

Mission recognizes that

veterinary students are the

next generation of industry

professionals and so we in-

tentionally invest the time

to illustrate how their faith

and their chosen profession

can intersect. From Real

Life / Real Impact week-

ends to short-term mission

trips and Christian Vet-

erinary Fellowship groups

on campus, students are

inspired to pair their faith

with their profession.

God cultivates our passions and

skills so that we are uniquely en-

abled to bring Him glory.

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Veterinary students were engaged with Christian Vet-erinary Fellowship Groups.

1,903

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calling impacts the ministry of each person.

Elizabeth’s time in Bolivia pointed her towards using veterinary medi-

cine as a vehicle for ministry in combination with her communication

skills in Spanish. She hopes to enter practice in the United States in a

region with many Spanish speakers. International missions will continue

to be part of her life in some capacity, as she feels as though she may be

called to repeatedly lead short-term teams to the same location.

Students are the next generation of veterinary professionals, and many

are discerning how their passion for veterinary medicine intersects with

their heart to serve Christ. There are many opportunities for these stu-

dents to explore how God is leading, whether through short-term mis-

sions, serving in their own communities, or in Christian Veterinary Fel-

lowship groups.

Visit our website for more information at cvmusa.org/Students

During her trip she gained a stronger understand-

ing of the Bolivian culture and her own calling. Vet-

erinary medicine is a vehicle for ministry in combi-

nation with her communication skills in Spanish.

Dr. Christina Lehner is a veterinarian who has

chosen an unconventional path to use her skills

in veterinary medicine as a vessel for God’s glo-

ry. Focusing on end-of-life care, she is present

at some of the most difficult times of pet own-

ers’ lives, and it’s in these moments she’s able to

demonstrate Christ’s abounding love.

Working at a clinic early in her career, a client

once requested that a vet come to their home.

Their sheepdog, “Grace,” had lived a long life,

and was in poor health. Unable to stand, the fam-

ily knew it would be very difficult and painful

to transport her to the clinic, so they were quite

thankful to have Christina come to them.

During this time Grace seemed calm and re-

laxed, laying on her dog bed, surrounded by her

family. She was simply at home, and Christina

was her special visitor. The family shared their

favorite memories and they celebrated Grace’s

life with tears, stories and even a bit of laughter.

Then, they said good-bye.

Christina was touched by this in so many ways,

and it has greatly impacted her career path since.

This was the peaceful goodbye of a friend and it

was a service done at home. Instead of the anx-

iety-provoking procedures that she had seen in

the clinics, Christina felt a strong sense of God’s

presence in those moments—unlike what she

had ever experienced before as a veterinarian.

Christina pondered this and considered that

God was using her experiences, her skills, and

her heart, to serve families in new and important

ways by helping with this end-of-life struggle.

Once she realized this, it was a whole new start

to her career! This was a way that she could

care for both the animals and give a bit of

peace to their families. It was also a way that

Christina could share her faith by allowing the

Lord to work through her during what is nor-

mally a difficult time.

Through this experience, Christina decided to

start an in-home end-of-life veterinary care

Workplace MinistryChristian Veterinary

Mission seeks to encour-

age and equip veterinary

professionals to model

Christ’s love through their

profession. By providing

resources and training op-

portunities that empower

vets and vet techs to use

their veterinary skills for

God’s glory, we seek to

encourage them to live out

their faith in practice, serve

others in their community

and abroad, and grow in

their own faith.

Christina felt a strong sense of God’s

presence in those moments—unlike

what she had ever experienced be-

fore as a veterinarian.

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7,484Personal contacts were con-nected and interacted with at 55 professional meetings in the United States.

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service, eventually developing this project into

her primary job. She found the best blessings, in

a growing confi dence to trust the “Giver of Life”

in all circumstances.

Christina would have never dreamed that her

career would be based on putt ing animals to

sleep. But she doesn’t see it that way. For her, it’s

more about listening to the Lord and being obe-

dient to His calling. In some of the most sensi-

tive moments of life—when families are saying

goodbye to their pets, and in turn refl ecting on

their own mortality—minds open to the amaz-

ing love that God has shown all of us.

Veterinarians have been blessed with the train-

ing, knowledge and technical skills necessary

to care for animals. But how can faith in Christ

be incorporated into daily life and careers and

be used to spread the word of God?

On a daily basis, this may mean simply being

more Christ-like in words and actions. On a

more experiential basis, it may mean serving on

a mission trip to a foreign country that would

benefi t from the teaching of a vet, or serving

others domestically or locally. For Christina,

she realized that when she was working with

Grace and her family, she was tapping into the

role for which God had created her.

Christian Veterinary Mission seeks to see vet-

erinary professionals live out their faith in their

profession. Visit our website for more informa-

tion on ways that you can incorporate Christ in

the workplace at cvmusa.org/WMT

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Thank you for your partnership!