Daniel & Sentina in front of MAF plane at Kajjansi Airfield in Uganda (credit: Damalie Hirwa)

22-year-old burns survivor, Daniel, has big dreams of becoming a lawyer and helping his people in South Sudan, but 20 years ago, he nearly died in a terrible accident. A MAF medevac saved his life…

Reporting by Jenny Davies, Damalie Hirwa and Claire Gilderson

Today, there are hardly any scars from the scalding water and white-hot charcoal, when toddler Daniel fell into a fire and knocked over his mother’s cooking pot. But Sentina will never forget her son’s screams on 18 June 2005.

‘Daniel got burnt. In our village, we don’t have those modern kitchens. We cook on the floor with firewood,’ explains Sentina.

‘He had just started walking and fell into the cooking pot. Unfortunately, his right side got burnt from his hand to his shoulder. All his skin had gone – it was just white.’

Daniel also sustained minor injuries to his face and chest.

5 months after the accident (credit: Peter Marshall)

‘He was in between life and death’

Yambio State Hospital in Western Equatoria was two miles away from their home. When 18-month-old Daniel was admitted, they had run out of basic drugs due to the civil war, which had just ended. Sentina was desperate.

‘We spent five days at the hospital, but Daniel didn’t eat, breastfeed or sleep. His life was in danger.

‘For five whole days he was in pain without any treatment – he didn’t even get a paracetamol. He was in between life and death. I didn’t sleep – I was standing up holding him day and night.

‘I said, “We can’t stay here – we’d better go home. If he’s dying, let him die at home.” I took him home. I was losing hope.’

Sentina – mother of Daniel who was saved by a MAF medevac

Daniel’s grandfather had no choice but to source python fat from a traditional healer in the village – a local remedy to treat burns.

Archbishop Samuel Peni heard about his son’s accident by email (credit: Jenny Davies)

Meanwhile, nearly 4,000 miles away in the UK, Daniel’s father Rev Samuel Peni – now the Archbishop of Western Equatoria – was on an exchange programme giving talks about Sudanese youth living in a war-torn country.

Far from home, Samuel learnt about his son’s plight by email the night before a speaking engagement in London.

‘At the time, there was no proper communication, and I didn’t hear about it for at least four days. A short email told me that they didn’t know whether Daniel would survive because he hadn’t breastfed for days,’ recalls Samuel.

‘The only thing I could do was to pray to God to do his miracle and heal him, then I went ahead with the panel discussion as planned.’

Unexpected help from a kind stranger

Unbeknown to Samuel, long-term MAF supporter – now Rev Canon Peter Marshall from North Wales – was sitting in the audience.

Due to international church connections, Peter had been following Sudanese politics for years and would often attend Christian events relating to Sudan.

Peter has been friends with the Peni family for over 20 years (credit: Peter Marshall)

During the break over sandwiches, Peter got chatting to Samuel and sensed that something was wrong, so he asked him how his family was. This triggered a chain reaction, which ultimately saved Daniel’s life.

‘When he mentioned the word “family”, it touched my heart. I did not know where to begin. When I showed Peter the email, he took it upon himself to contact MAF,’ explains Samuel.

Peter remembers it well.

‘As we were praying for Samuel, I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to ask him if MAF flew to Yambio, and he said, “Yes!” The previous year, I’d met MAF in Kajjansi in Uganda when I was travelling for a Wycliffe conference, so I knew all about MAF medevacs. I asked Samuel if he would like me to contact MAF.

‘Samuel managed to get a message to Sentina through their local governor. After travelling back to North Wales from London, I contacted MAF in Uganda at 10.30pm and by the grace of God, MAF flew them.’

‘Like a jigsaw, it all came together’

But the flight was only one piece of the puzzle. Sentina needed money to pay for Daniel’s treatment at the hospital in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, which Peter also arranged.

‘Sentina had to pay money up front. I had met Samuel on the Tuesday, and MAF’s flight was on the Thursday. Two students from Llandudno happened to be flying out to Kampala for another project, so I managed to give them some money.

‘They arrived on an overnight flight from the UK to Kampala. Another friend met them and got the money to Sentina. Like a jigsaw, it just all came together by the grace of God.’

When everything fell into place, Sentina cried with relief.

‘When I heard that MAF was coming to pick us up from Yambio the next day, I was really happy and that’s when I knew that my son would live. When MAF flew us to Uganda, I knew that Daniel would get good treatment.’

An ambulance met Sentina and Daniel on arrival in Kampala and whisked them off to hospital. That night, Daniel finally received pain relief after five days of agony. He stopped crying and started to breastfeed. He slept.

With MAF, the flight from Yambio to Kajjansi near Kampala took three hours. By road, it would have taken five days!

‘MAF gives people a chance at life’

MAF pilot Simon Wunderli: ‘Medevacs can go either way’ (credit: Andy Aitchison)

MAF pilot and trainer, Simon Wunderli – who picked up Daniel and Sentina from Yambio and flew them to Kampala – remembers Daniel’s life was hanging in the balance.

‘Medevacs can go either way, especially in the places where we fly. Most of these places have little to no healthcare, but MAF gives people a chance at life in a country where survival isn’t a given.

‘In the West, we just call an ambulance. We are so privileged, we have no idea. We just take it for granted and if it doesn’t work, we complain. We can call emergency services and have someone come – that doesn’t happen in Yambio! The plane comes the next day only if the weather is permissible! It’s such a stark contrast.

‘A baby surviving from burns like that is unusual, so having this success story is fantastic – it makes what we do at MAF worth it!’

Simon Wunderli – MAF pilot and trainer

Daniel spent three weeks in Kampala receiving treatment where Samuel eventually joined them. When Daniel was discharged from hospital, MAF flew the family back to Yambio.

Simon – who flew aircraft P2-GRA (formerly N856RA) at MAF’s King’s event last year – is convinced that Daniel will use his gift of life to serve others.

‘I know what he is going to do – he is going to use his testimony for his people. Daniel will have such a big influence on his community.’

‘MAF was the only thing that connected us to the outside world’

Peter – now aged 91- has been supporting Daniel’s education for the last 21 years. He first met Daniel in Yambio in November 2005 – five months after the accident. It was Peter’s first flight with MAF.

Peter with Daniel on his 10th birthday in Yambio (credit: Peter Marshall)

Since then, he’s visited Daniel about 10 times. Peter last flew out to meet the family in 2014, aged 80! Today, he and Daniel are in regular contact via Facebook.

So deep is Archbishop Peni’s gratitude to Peter, that he made him honorary canon of Yambio’s All Saints Cathedral, which celebrated 100 years last year.

As for MAF, he will never forget what the charity has done for both his family and his country.

‘The vision of MAF is to reach remote places where there are no airlines or airports. MAF’s vision is the reason why we are grateful for the life of Daniel today.

‘And during the war, MAF was the only thing that connected us to the outside world. MAF makes travel easier and a reality for us. We have tasted the sweetness of MAF’s vision and for this, we are really grateful.’

Sentina agrees.

‘I thank God so much that MAF was able to come to Yambio in South Sudan. If MAF was not there to rescue Daniel, he would not be here – he would have died. Because of MAF, I still have my boy today. He’s a big boy now!

‘We still fly back and forth with MAF today. We won’t stop using MAF unless MAF stops flying to Yambio.’

A life saved to save others

Daniel is currently living in Kampala, but regularly uses MAF to fly back to Yambio to visit his family.

‘I’ve been using MAF for almost 20 years. I love MAF’s service because they are always friendly and make it possible for me to visit my loved ones safely.

‘Each time I fly with MAF, I picture myself having great things in my life. It’s my pleasure to use MAF.’

Daniel is eternally grateful to Peter who played a critical role in both his survival and his studies.

‘By God’s grace, I got help from Peter Marshall who facilitated a flight with MAF, and this saved my life. I would like to thank Peter for his sincere support in my life and for my education. I am so grateful. May the Lord bless him.’

Peter has been supporting Daniel’s education since he met him (credit: Peter Marshall)

‘To Simon who flew my mum and I – I’m really grateful. You took me to get proper medication, and you saved my life by the grace of God. I send my sincere greetings and would like to meet you one day.

‘If you look at me now, I am so healthy and no one would know or notice if I didn’t tell them what happened.’

Daniel’s calling is clear – he wants to dedicate his life to helping others.

‘It is my dream to speak for people who are unable to defend themselves. I believe the same God who helped me 20 years ago, is the same God who will help me make Yambio and my entire country a better place.’ 

Daniel is well on his way to fulfilling his dream – he has just passed his A-levels with flying colours and is now looking into studying law at university.

Daniel wants to study law to help his South Sudanese people (credit: Jenny Davies)