Gunshot medevacs save lives in South Sudan

Story and photos by Thorkild Jørgensen 

28th May - Abdikadir's story 

Abdikadir Mohamed was sitting on the airstrip of Mvolo hoping desperately for a flight to Juba. He had a gunshot wound in his leg and needed surgery. 

Abdikadir had been in a convoy of three trucks attempting to drive the 200 miles from Rumbek to Juba. They passed Mvolo in the early morning, but were suddenly attacked by two soldiers outside Yeri.

'MAF doesn’t fly to Mvolo very often...God was with Abdikadir and he could go to Juba the very same day!'

The driver of Abdikadir’s truck and another man were killed, but Abdikadir managed to escape into the bush with a bullet through his leg. His truck was set on fire, while the other two trucks fled back to Rumbek.

When eventually everything became quiet Abdikadir crept out to the road and got a lift to Mvolo. Here his wound was dressed to stop the bleeding, but he needed surgery. The clinic had no other option than to take him to the small airstrip and hope that an aeroplane would turn up.

MAF doesn’t fly to Mvolo very often, but on this particular Monday MAF-pilot Wouter Nagel was on his way to Mvolo with Joseph Njuguna from the organisation "Every Village". When the Cessna 182 landed on the airstrip Abdikadir was sitting literally 20 meters from the plane with a big bandage around his foot. God was with Abdikadir and he could go to Juba the very same day as he was attacked.

At the airport in Juba, a brother and a few friends came on to the apron to take Abdikadir the rest of the way to the hospital.

31st May - Chain's story

Violent ambushes are almost to be expected in South Sudan, and for Chain Nyikango the outcome could have been deadly.

14 people were ambushed on the road between Pochalla and Buratol. Chain Nyikango jumped out of the car and immediately one of the robbers aimed his weapon at Chain. One bullet went through his mouth and hit his teeth and cut his tongue. Another bullet hit Chain’s left hand and took the thumbnail off his other hand. At this point Chain was unconscious on the ground and ricocheting debris damaged his left eye and resulted in considerable swelling of the face.

The robbers fled the scene when they realised that there was a soldier in the car. All 14 passengers, including the injured Chain, six women and five children, returned to Pochalla. Chain’s hands were dressed and the mouth stitched to stop the bleeding, but he needed better care than could be given at the clinic in Pochalla.

The next day on Friday 1 June MAF flew Chain Nyikango to Juba where he was admitted to a hospital.

'Chain jumped out of the car and immediately one of the robbers aimed his weapon at Chain. One bullet went through his mouth and hit his teeth and cut his tongue. Another bullet hit Chain’s left hand.'

Please pray

• For the treatment and full recovery of Abdikadir and Chain.

• For the families of those injured or killed in the brutal attacks that happen every day in South Sudan, including the ones last week.

• For the safety of those travelling on the countries roads.

• For those working to bring peace to South Sudan.