Flying for Life Spring 2016

Spring 2016

The quarterly magazine of MAF Australia

Flying o Life

2 South Sudan Emergency Evacuation

8 Haiti

Hurricane Matthew Response

MAF Australia

Message from the GM

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MAF Miyalk

We want to also say thank you to everyone who partnered with us in our “Fuel for Father’s Day” campaign.

Together we raised over $100k! That’s a lot of fuel!

Naomi Beath, wife of pilot Michael Beath in Arnhem Land has created a stunning coffee table book that contains stories written by MAF women, accompanied by beautiful imagery from this country.

Together we have been able to bring help and hope to many isolated communities across the world.

As you read the incredible stories in this magazine I hope you are encouraged by the kind of impact you are having in remote communities.

View a preview of the book and order a copy at: mafmiyalk.maf.org.au

To that end, I hope you are enjoying flicking through your 2017 MAF calendar! These are some of the faces that you have helped bring a smile to.

May God bless you and your family this Christmas season as you celebrate the hope given to us in our Lord and Saviour.

Welcome to the Spring edition of our magazine - the final one for 2016. As I look back on the year that has passed, I am very thankful to God for your support of the ministry that He has placed before us.

If you are yet to receive your calendar, please let us know by emailing us at maf@maf.org.au or by calling 1800 650 169.

Ian McDougall General Manager

SNOWY MOUNTAIN HIGH 18th to 23rd April 2017

Staff movements

James and Ruth Mollenhauer

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Register to rid

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Facilities Manager, South Sudan (new to field)

This is Henry Drake MAF were crucial in helping this Baptist missionary in the Congo in the 1960s during the civil war. We flew him from Kinshasa to the various mission stations, so he could assess whether to evacuate the missionaries or not.

His daughter wrote that “after his death, I received an email from a missionary, who said that MAF were flying dad to where this missionary and his family were stationed, but they had already evacuated and were on a boat heading for the capital city. The MAF pilot flew low, so dad could drop a message to them in a bottle, then escorted their boat back to Kinshasa.

What’s it like to serve with MAF? We understand that getting to know a mission organisation - and the part that you can play in it - can be a daunting process. So we’ve put together a 5 part email series that will help unpack what it means to serve with MAF.

Email 3 Who’s sitting next to you: Email 2 Look out the window:

Meet some of the families serving with MAF

Email 4 Your flight crew: The team at MAF Australia and how they can help you

MAF’s operations around the world

Email 5 Coming in to land:

Email 1 Pre-flight brief:

What’s next?

Your guide to MAF

This is one of the reasons we support the work and were delighted that dad had remembered you in his will”.

To recognise the commitment of donors who are leaving a gift in their Will to MAF, the Harry Hartwig Fellowship has been formed. Those who have graciously informed us that they have included a gift in their Will to MAF Australia become members of the Harry Hartwig Fellowship, and will receive from time to time invitations to special events and mail outs – our way of saying ‘thank you’ for their generous support and being a lifeline beyond their lifetime.

No matter how many times we see new staff come on board it always reminds us that God is still working in the hearts of many to be a blessing in overseas mission.

Looking ahead 2017 will be one of those inspirational years for MAF Australia shaping up to be one of the biggest years we’ve seen in recent history. While we expect to be welcoming many more new staff into MAF mission service we are also mindful of the many critical vacancies that still exist and continue to encourage those with the following skills to consider serving overseas: Human Resources, Finance, IT, Management If you like to talk to us about any of the needs we have, please don’t hesitate to contact me on 02 80146450. We look forward to hearing from you.

Kuren Galant

maf.org.au/workwithus

Recruitment Manager

Flying for Life ISSN: 2202-0365 Design/Editor: Cadence Media (Rich Thompson) Email: info@maf.org.au Printer: BHB Printing Flying for Life is the official magazine of Mission Aviation Fellowship and CRMF in Australia. Articles may be printed with acknowledgment.

Flying for Life is a member publication of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

If you no longer wish to receive Flying for Life (MAF News), please advise us at: MAF Australia 1800 650 169 and your name and details will be removed from our distribution list.

MAF Australia and CRMF ABN 26 134 583 887

PO Box 7187 Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 Phone: 1800 650 169 | 02 8014 6450 Email: maf@maf.org.au Website: www.maf.org.au Privacy Statement MAF is committed to your privacy. We will only disclose your information in accordance with our Privacy Statement and/or with your permission. Our Privacy Statement explains what information we collect from you and how we intend to use it. You can view our Privacy Statement at maf.org.au

Front cover: Rich Thompson

Spring 2016 Flying for Life 3

South Sudan: Emergency Evacuation

Emergency evacuation

With the presence of conflict, tight time pressures and the absence of communication links, the MAF team in Juba pulls out all the stops to attempt the evacuation of 20 girls from a city experiencing extreme violence.

Story & Photos Temporary Ops Manager South Sudan

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or two days I’ve been hearing disturbing stories about violence in a nearby town just three hours’ drive from Juba. People talk of brutal attacks during the night, although specifics are not often given. The phone network in the town is down, and any information coming out is very patchy.

As I pull into the MAF compound it’s getting late and the day’s heat is finally easing. I prepare to go and clean up after a day’s work and as I do I’m approached by Cathy, the director of a local orphanage, Confident Children out of Conflict (CCC).

In the years that I’ve known them, CCC have gone from being a small care centre to a substantial orphanage, now with over

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50 young girls and a few vulnerable boys.

They have become UNICEF’s first stop in Juba for caring for at-risk minors. MAF has a long history with the orphanage, offering free flights to children needing specialist medical treatment in Kenya or Uganda, and providing guidance and the free use of MAF tools for the construction of the orphanage residential compound. In recent years MAF families have been spending time at the orphanage, playing games with the girls and encouraging them in their education.

Cathy works tirelessly on behalf of the street children of Juba, and has been witness to horrific situations, but she always maintains a real level of hope. This evening, though, she’s different. She looks very

worried. We sit down, I brew us some tea, and she tells me the story.

“I’m really concerned about the girls we sent to the town,” she tells me. “That place is really falling apart. They’re really not safe.”

Getting the girls back It turns out that, in order to help some street girls break with their destructive habits, CCC had sent approximately twenty girls out of Juba to live in this nearby town. A partner organisation, Iris Ministries, has been housing the girls and ensuring that they get access to a good education. For months this arrangement has been working well, but with the current violence at night the risk to the girls has increased drastically.

With the increased insecurity the roads out of town have also been affected.

The town is effectively cut off from the outside world, with multiple attacks on the roads. Right now the only safe way in or out of the town is by air.

“We need to get those girls back here to Juba,” Cathy continues. “We don’t really have room for them, but it’s much better than leaving them there at risk of attack. And for once I can pay for the flight. I have some money from UNICEF. It’s for another project but this is an emergency.”

I think about the following day’s flights. With the recent outbreak of conflict which occurred in July, most of MAF’s aircraft and pilots have been relocated temporarily to Kenya.

Operating with only a skeleton staff, MAF South Sudan is flying with only one aircraft, supported on occasion by flights from MAF Uganda. I know that we have a long route for Medair, a regular partner, the next day. The aircraft is already loaded, and the flight will travel north to almost the tip of South Sudan, a six hour round trip. Trying to evacuate the girls the same day will be a challenge, but I know we need to try.

I explain to Cathy that we’ll do what we can, and go and talk to the pilot.

It’s already late and I know the pilot will be trying to get a good sleep before the next day’s flight. But when I visit him and explain the situation, he’s instantly engaged.

“Whatever we have to do” “It’s going to be tight,” he tells me, after we discuss the options, “but I think we can do two flights to get them out. I have some allowances in my duty time that let me go longer than planned.

And if it’s an emergency, then we’ll do whatever we have to do.”

It’s clear that a prompt start is essential, so the next morning we leave

the MAF compound just as the first light enters the sky. Under the current security situation it’s not wise to be driving around in the dark, and our drive to the airport is much quieter than usual – we’re one of the first vehicles on the road.

Throughout the day we keep a close eye on the time as the pilot files radio reports giving his updated position and arrival timings. The biggest concern with the evacuation is the security risk: with no phone network in the town it’s very hard to get a clear idea of the current level of danger at the airstrip itself.

We gather all the information we can, and decide that it’s safe for the pilot to proceed.

A snag in the plan We need two flights to bring all the girls out safely. He’s made good time flying back south and it seems that two evacuation flights may just be possible.

But just as we drive the vehicles out to the plane to refuel his plane and configure the seating for the evacuation, we hit a snag. A VIP flight has just landed – the president of Kenya making a state visit – and all incoming flights are on hold. We sit in a line of airfield vehicles, waiting to pass the VIP area to reach the long parking apron from where humanitarian flights are dispatched.

Above us somewhere the pilot will be circling, one plane amongst several waiting to land at South Sudan’s now bustling international point of entry.

As we sit watching the clock, growing increasingly concerned about the effect of the delays, we run through ‘Plan B’ scenarios. I had checked earlier with Cathy, asking which girls should be the priority if only one flight is possible.

The oldest ones, she had told me, since they are the most at risk of rape if the situation turns bad.

The first flight departs Finally there is movement up ahead, and the first vehicle in the backlog is cleared to move ahead. Soon we are all moving again, making the long drive out along an old taxiway, past a ramp area heaving with United Nations

‘I pass the pilot a cold soda and we go through the latest known security information. Thankfully, the pilot is highly experienced. ’ (UN) aircraft, past the small fleet of helicopters chartered by the Red Cross, until we finally reach MAF’s allocated parking area. Beside me, my colleague is on the phone to the fuel truck, relying on the good relationship he has with him to ensure that the MAF flight will get priority refuelling.

Finally allowed to land, the plane taxis quickly to the parking area where our vehicles are lined up. The pilot shuts down the engine and opens his door. As the refueller starts his work and the dispatch team swarm around the plane to prepare it for the flight, I pass the pilot a cold soda and we go through the latest known security information. Thankfully, the pilot is highly experienced.

We consider taking enough fuel on this flight for two round trips, which will save time on the next turn-around – but the plane will then be too heavy to take all twenty girls at once if the situation in the troubled town takes a further turn for the worse. So, counting on another good turn-around, we make the decision to give an option to evacuate all 20 at once if absolutely needed, by keeping the fuel weight down. As soon as the fuel truck has finished, a young South Sudanese lady, Mary, from CCC

The whiteboard in the MAF office shows the tight timeline the pilot needed to work towards.

Spring 2016 Flying for Life 5

South Sudan: Emergency Evacuation

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Evacuation flight 1

Safe and sound in Juba

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climbs on board – the orphaned girls are minors so they need someone to accompany them throughout the journey.

A few minutes later the plane is airborne again – the dispatch team claim this is a new team record for speed of turn-around – and we run through the timings again. In this job you learn never to use the phrase “if all goes well” – because inevitably something doesn’t go as planned.

Nonetheless we calculate that the plane should be able to make the two flights and get back to Juba before the airport closes for the night.

The first flight arrives While we wait we call Cathy, so that she is ready to receive the first group of girls. The government is understandably strict on how orphans are treated by foreign organisations so we need to ensure that the children are met from the aircraft. A few minutes later Cathy turns up, in a large, white, top-of-therange four wheel drive. In the driver’s seat is a young lady who has started volunteering with CCC. She is the daughter of a government minister, and it’s clear that her presence is also

smoothing the way with the various security personnel. She and Cathy join us as we drive back to the aircraft parking area.

Monitoring the sky and the runway from our parking position, we frequently plug our ears against the high-pitched, ear-splitting whine of the various planes and helicopters that taxi past. Suddenly, as we stare into the pale blue sky high above a local military base, a dark spec appears. Moments later it’s taking shape, and before we know it the first evacuation flight has landed.

The second flight This time the ‘pit-stop’ is different.

We’re still all-business – making sure the refuelling truck is on hand to quickly top up the fuel tanks, unloading bags from the cargo bays under the aircraft, getting security feedback and reviewing the remaining flight hours available – but this time there’s a difference. It’s in the form of 12 young girls and boys who spill off the plane, bubbling with excitement from the thrill of the flight, running up and burying Cathy in a huddle of hugs. The sight seems to energise our dispatch team on the ground, and we work with renewed effort to get the final

arrangements for the next round trip.

As Cathy and the girls squeeze into the four wheel drive and the MAF passenger van, ready for the trip back to the CCC compound, I pass on an extra bit of good news to Cathy: a prayer supporter who’s been following my regular prayer request email snippets which have been sent out through the day has offered to cover the cost of the two flights.

As the plane sets off for the second trip, MAF’s ground staff continue to work the scene: a staff member with good connections to the head air traffic controller prepares to smooth the way if we need to come back in after the official airport closing time.

Before we know it an hour has passed, and we find ourselves thinking about the return time. If the time on ground in the troubled town goes well, the plane should be arriving at any point. But with the phone network cut right off, there’s no way to know what has happened to the pilot and his passengers at the other end.

Songs of joy Standing in the shade of the wing of a nearby aircraft, we scan the sky for signs of the next arrival. “He’s there,” someone calls, and we all look as a small dark dot against the white-blue of the hazy sky quickly becomes the distinctive flat ‘T’ shape of an approaching

high-wing aircraft.

If the reception of the first plane was something to watch, the arrival of the girls at CCC’s compound is even more special. We turn onto the road leading to CCC and as the recognise the familiar sights the girls break out into a loud, chanting song, boisterous and overwhelming, but with a powerful message. I don’t catch all the words but it has to do with following the instructions of their new, caring ‘parents.’ Something they must have sung every evening in the dormitory at CCC. As soon as the minibus pulls through the compound entrance the girls scramble out, and the driveway becomes a throng of hugs, shouts, and tears. The girls all came here because they had no family that could care for them, so the other girls became their sisters. Some of them have been separated for months, living in the town from which they’ve just evacuated.

The day has been draining, with the burden of concern sending the plane into an unknown situation adding to the pressure of working long hot hours in Juba’s ’raining humidity. But in the instant of observing the girls’ reunions, it all becomes worth it. The pilot steps back and discretely snaps a few photos. I stand off to the side by the minibus.

It’s their moment; we watch, and appreciate, and give all the glory to God.

The reunion at the CCC compound

Spring 2016 Flying for Life

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Haiti: Hurricane Matthew Response

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Hurricane Matthew Response in Haiti

74.4 aircraft flight hours flown 8,586 kg of cargo delivered 26 different organisations flown 183 people flown 86 flights

These stats are as of Oct 30. Thank you to all those who have asked to help financially with this effort. At the moment - in partnership with DFID, we have been able to fully fund this operation! Your prayers, however, are still very much in need!

8 Flying for Life Spring 2016 www.maf.org.au

Extensive damage to roads and bridges makes accessing rural communities difficult

Delivering 1000kgs of medical supplies

Preparing relief supplies

Disaster relief reaching those in need

Spring 2016 Flying for Life 9

Bangladesh: Hope for Little Rifu

Hope for little Rifu An effective three-way partnership between HumaniTerra, Friendship Floating Hospitals and MAF is bringing hope to many isolated communities throughout the poorest areas of rural Bangladesh.

Story by Charmaine Viljoen Photos courtesy Friendship/ HumaniTerra/ MAF

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ifu is seven year old and from Barobakia Union in Cox’s Bazar.

Her father Mohammad Farid is a day labourer who supports the family within his limited means. Rifu is the youngest of her four siblings.

One early winter morning when Rifu was only 2 years old, she carelessly laid her hands onto the mud stove, which left her severely burnt. With assistance from the neighbours, her parents immediately took her to Upazilla Hospital.

Due to financial constraints, Rifu and her parents had to return home disheartened after a month’s treatment.

It took almost 3 months for her wounds to dry. Gradually, her hand became contracted at the wrist extending to the elbow of her right hand. As a result of Rifu’s physical anomaly, she always felt down as she was bullied by her friends at school. She did not want to continue to go to school anymore. Eventually, she started to consider herself as a burden on her impoverished family. Given her

10 Flying for Life Spring 2016 www.maf.org.au

father’s financial status, he could never afford medical treatment for his daughter, let alone surgery. There was nothing he could do to save his daughter from a life of stigma and suffering.

operated on by a world-class surgical team from abroad. They were grateful to the dedicated healthcare team onboard. “Many people we know have had their surgeries done at this hospital! It really is a blessing for poor people like us since we don’t have the money to do the surgery elsewhere. We are very thankful to this hospital for bringing this service to us almost free of cost.” they said.

Hope arrives Then one day, Rifu’s parents heard something incredulous. A hospital carrying medical and surgical teams would be arriving at their remote, forgotten char, on a ship named Rongdhonu Friendship Hospital (RFH).

HumaniTerra and Friendship Upon hearing this, a flicker of hope Since 2005, HumaniTerra has been ignited in their hearts. They set out to travel all the way from their village to the ship. Rifu was first screened by Dr. James, the Medical Officer of Rongdhonu Friendship Hospital and was selected to receive reconstructive surgery from the HumaniTerra team.

At the end of a crucial surgery, the doctor’s team from HumaniTerra successfully released the contracture of her wrist. Her parents were delighted A friendship floating hospital about the fact that their daughter was anchored for a week of surgeries

intervening in Bangladesh, in the riverine area of the Gaibandha and Kurigram districts in the North of the country.

The river islands of the Brahmaputra (chars in Bengali) are inhabited by over 1.5 million people. These islands are subject to flooding and erosion, and thus render living conditions extremely difficult and basic, in particular during the monsoon season. The instability of the sand islands forces the inhabitants to move regularly, to repeatedly build their homes and constantly prepare the ground for agriculture. Consequently, the char population has less access to resources than the Bangladeshi average, and basic services are close to nil.

HumaniTerra partners with Friendship floating hospitals. The floating hospitals and its volunteers bring hope to people without medical access in the remote marginalized communities.

HumaniTerra sends 8 surgical missions (orthopedic surgery, reconstructive surgery, ophthalmology, gynecological surgery, pediatric surgery, plastic surgery and others) each year and takes care of the training from the diagnostics to the post-operation follow up of the local paramedic staff. HumaniTerra also contributes to providing the hospital boat with specialised equipment and consumables adapted to the most frequent pathologies.

Help fund a propeller!

As it stands, this is the only amphibious aircraft in Bangladesh. For the past 17 years, our amphibious aircraft has been working tirelessly to help reach these communities.

The demand is so great that there is now an urgent need for a second aircraft in the MAF Bangladesh program.

There is simply too much work to be done with one.

Because a new amphibious aircraft is likely to cost around $3 million USD, the MAF world is globally coming together to raise money for its many parts.

Would you help us fund the propeller?

We need $80,000 to help make it a reality.

Get involved by calling 1800 650 169 or visit maf.org.au/propeller

MAF’s Amphibious Cessna 208, the only amphibious aircraft in all of Bangladesh The amphibious aircraft Earlier this year, a team of 4 Medical personnel volunteered their time and expertise on the Rongdhanu Friendship Floating Hospital (RFH). They took a domestic flight from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar, then the microbus and then the country boat to reach RFH. It took nearly 6 hours! Unfortunately they were not able to book the MAF aircraft at this time as it was undergoing its 200 hour maintenance check. In the week the team was on board the ship they performed 44 surgeries of which 20 were major procedures. MAF pilot Mark Blomberg then took the tired team back to Dhaka on the MAF amphibious aircraft which took a swift 45 minutes a striking contrast to their tedious flight + bus + country boat journey there.

Spring 2016 Flying for Life 11

Timor-Leste: Care Packs for Medevac Patients

Care Packs for Medevac Patients Story and photos by Kim Job

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request for prayer from a medevac patient’s family on the MAF Timor-Leste mobile phone, sent members of our staff into prayer for this family. As they responded to the request, arranged to visit the hospital and prayed for this Timorese family, there was a sense of gratefulness in our hearts. This was the moment we had dreamt, planned and worked for over the past year. Thank you God! The majority of the flights MAF TimorLeste does in this country are medical evacuation flights. People who are sick or injured in remote parts of the country, often need to be transported to Dili National Hospital, for further medical care that the clinics in the districts just cannot provide. Due to the rough, bumpy and unpredictable nature of Timorese roads, road travel is not possible, especially in situations when blood loss is severe, such as from a pregnancy or a severed hand.

Three MAF pilots and two GA8s, make it possible to provide an air ambulance service for those in most need of significant medical care.

The ministry of MAF in Timor-Leste Recently, MAF Timor-Leste experienced its busiest month ever, completing 31 12 Flying for Life Spring 2016 www.maf.org.au

medical evacuation flights in September, transporting 37 patients. The situation that faces our medevac passengers is a daunting one in many ways. The patients generally arrive to the plane with one family member and small bag of personal belongings, they often didn’t expect to be needing our medevac services that day. For most, this will be their first time to fly in an aeroplane and possibly even their first visit to the

“As MAF staff we wondered if perhaps there was something more that we could do for these medevac patients that we transport” nation’s capital city of Dili. They may speak a different language to what is spoken in Dili and in most cases they or their family member are seriously ill. As MAF staff our hearts often ache with the scenes we see and hear about, during these medical evacuation flights. Pregnant women are the most common evacuation passengers, with complications involving blood loss occurring often. Small babies and infants who are struggling to breathe from lung

conditions. Victims of trauma such as road accidents or a boy who impaled his arm on a tree branch. The reasons for the flights vary, but the response of our pilots doesn’t. Our pilots seek to show the love of Christ to each patient and their family, during this time of tremendous distress, by transporting them to Dili and caring for them as lovingly as possible.

Meeting Practical Needs But as the pilots carry out these flights, their wives, who often hear the stories and pray for safe flying, especially when the weather is bad, were dreaming of something more. As MAF staff we wondered if perhaps there was something more that we could do for these medevac patients that we transport. Were there any practical needs we could meet? How could we communicate that we were praying for them in this time of illness or trauma?

Was there more that we could do?

As a team, we began to talk to those we knew who worked in the medical field, those who live and work in the remote districts and an idea began to form. The dream of a care package for each medical evacuated patient began as a way to communicate to these

Care packages help to communicate the love of Christ to each patient

MAF staff packing care packages

families that, as an organisation, we were here doing God’s work, we did care about them, we were praying for them and we are willing to help if there was a need.

Dreams take time to become a reality.

Planning, revisions, project proposals and funding all need to be arranged. In creating these care packs we wanted to use local services as much as possible, so we arranged for a local women’s sewing centre to create the bags and re-usable pads for us to include. The Gospel of Mark booklets needed to be sourced from a local Christian organisation. Colouring books that tell the story of Jesus in Tetun, were bought from another mission organisation.

Then the supermarket needed to be tackled, with several boxes of supplies being bought for just the first month’s needs.

The MAF pilot wives, Angela, Deborah and Kim, took over the MAF office one morning as they assembled all the supplies together to create the care packs. Four slightly different packages were created, one for women, one for men, one for children and one for babies, based upon the needs of each group. A card attached to the strap of the bag says, “We are sorry for your

Items for the care packages are sourced locally

suffering and illness at this time, and pray that you will recover quickly. We would like to give you this gift. We hope it will bless you during your hospital stay. If you would like someone to visit you to pray with you, please call us. We would love to hear from you again with any updates about how you or your family member are recovering from your illness.” It was so exciting when the first care packs were finally being distributed, with Aldo, our Timorese staff member giving the pack to the family with an explanation of what it was.

Bittersweet Moments Not long after the care packages began being distributed we received the phone call mentioned previously. The family of a medevac patient was requesting that we come to the hospital to pray for them and the patient. Two of the MAF team, along with several other Christian friends who are fluent in Tetun, went to the hospital and were greeted by many family members and many curious onlookers. People were interested in the “malae” or foreigners who were there to pray for this Timorese man and his family. It was a bittersweet moment for our staff, as the injured man had passed away before they arrived, but we

had been given a precious opportunity to reach out and love a family in their time of sadness and need. Jesus words, recorded in Matthew 25:40 often echo in my heart as I think about the patients who we transport on our planes, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

Living in a country like Timor-Leste presents you with many needs and very quickly we have come to realise that we can’t solve them all. But when we listen to the Spirit’s leading and work together with the team God has assembled to be MAF in this place, we can make a difference in the lives of many.

Ready to go!

Spring 2016 Flying for Life 13

News Desk

News Desk ARNHEM LAND

Crawly creatures TIMOR LESTE

Hands Together When God calls a pilot or an engineer to serve Him by working with MAF that often means He is calling a spouse and even a family too.

Over the past six months, Deborah Moser and Kim Job, both MAF wives, have been volunteering each week at Liman Hamutuk (Hands Together), centre for disabled people in Hera near Dili. They have been planning, dreaming and working towards supporting these young people and their families.

Several of the young boys were particularly interested in planes so they

decided to arrange an outing to the MAF base. The group had a picnic lunch in the hangar, watched the larger planes come and go, and still thoroughly enjoyed opportunities to play pilot, by sitting in the planes. As people who are around aeroplanes often, we forget what a novelty it is to see a plane up close. But for these families, they found the sight of the Airnorth plane, an Embraer E170, which has about 72 seats, landing and taking off just two hundred metres from where they stood utterly captivating.

What an incredible belssing!

One particular day, MAF received a request to relocate a family from Darwin to Elcho Island. The special thing about this request was that there was to be a collection of animals needing transportation also. On the 15th of June, MAF Pilot Rene Don flew to Darwin and picked up the following: Two large olive pythons, 2 lap dogs, 1 bearded dragon, 1 shingleback lizard, 1 goanna, 1 galah, 1 baby saltwater crocodile, 1 woomer python, 2 blackheaded python, 2 carpet pythons, plus their owner and belongings!

All crawly creatures and their owners were safely delivered to Elcho Island thanks to the Cessna Caravan and the extra space in the pods to secure these animals.

Hurricane Matthew Rural Response

HAITI

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After the devastation left by Hurricane Matthew MAF were among the first on the scene to begin disaster response and humanitarian efforts. Here is what our Haiti Program Manager David Carwell had to say...

“This is a different kind of crisis. It’s not happening in the capital, as the earthquake was. It’s not happening

where the central population is. It’s happening out in rural areas that are difficult to reach, and they’re even more difficult now because bridges are out and roads are impassable. So we’re going to use aircraft to go to those airstrips that are in the southern peninsula and take as many supplies and personnel as we can, first responders.”

THE CONGO (DRC)

UGANDA

A life saving medevac for young Joel Pilot Greg Vine wrote: “This morning I flew to Kasese to pick up 7 month old baby Joel who had been taken care of by a local hospital after serious burns to the head, arms and body. His mosquito net caught fire from a nearby flame and the burning plastic net fell on him as he slept.

The hospital managed to stabilise him but he now needs skin grafting in order to progress with healing.

When we were asked for the flight late Saturday night there was an older sister who’d suffered even worse burns.

Unfortunately she died in the night.

Corsu hospital is going to carry out the surgery on the baby in Kampala.”

Dr Sarah Hodges, anaesthetist and wife of the founder and surgeon of Corsu hospital, updated MAF a week after the medevac, reporting that baby Joel is doing very well. “The graft on his scalp has taken well and his hand is healing”.

We give thanks for this outcome as many times medevacs do not always end happily, but regardless of the risk, MAF always do all they can to invest into lives that need to be urgently airlifted.

The Word of God brings joy to the Logo People In March of this year, MAF airplanes landed at the Todro airstrip, bringing translators, church leaders, and other special guests to join a crowd of over 3,000 people.

They waited in breathless anticipation as dancers and musicians led a joyous procession down the hillside between rows of mango trees. Next came men carrying a tipoye (Chief’s seat), which held boxes containing the Word of God in the heart language of the Logo people.

The boxes were opened, the Bibles held high, and someone shouted, “The Book of the New Covenant!” Cheers erupted, as did many tears. Stories of sacrifice and a moment of silence followed for those who had given their lives to make sure this day would come to pass.

For those who saw this project through to the end, there were times it seemed this day might never happen.

Bibles bringing hope

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Our MAF aircraft carry a Bible Box full of Tok Pisin Buk Baibels and some English Bibles, as well as little Bible dictionaries and commentaries, for distribution to the bush. The Bibles are provided by MAF Technology Services (in PNG known as CRMF) for sale at a hugely discounted price, (in PNG something is of little value if received for free, so it’s very important to them to purchase items). In addition the pilots also try and provide eye glasses when needed to help the people to read the Bible.

This year, our Wewak based pilots Paul Woodington and Sebastian Kurz have distributed over 1000 bibles to the people in the Sepik plains and northern parts of the Highlands towards Telefomin and Mt Hagen. How amazing is that!

Stories and photos: Kim Job, Peter Higham, Paul O’Brien, Greg Vine, Jenn Wolf , Glen Sim

Spring 2016 Flying for Life 15

Kokoda Trek o MAF

2017 marks the 75th anniversary of the Kokoda Campaign.

Trek the Kokoda Track, follow in the footsteps of Australian history, and raise funds to fuel life-saving flights in PNG!

Fast Facts

Highlights

Dates: 29 May – 9 June 2017 Registration fee: $770 (non-refundable) Fundraising target: $4,000 (excludes travel) Travel quote: $5,145, including taxes (can be fundraised) Subject to change Accommodation: Twin-share in 3 star hotels and comfortable camping Minimum age: 18 (younger ages considered on application)

> Trek 96 kilometres through tropical rainforest, over mountainous terrain and into unspoiled villages along the legendary Kokoda Track > Discover the rugged beauty of the Papua New Guinea highlands and the colourful cultures of the region > Follow in the footsteps of Australian history on an iconic pilgrimage > Raise funds to fuel life-saving flights in PNG

www.maf.org.au/kokoda MAF Australia

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