SUMMER 2017
FLYING FOR LIFE
05 SOUTH SUDAN: WINNING THE BATTLE FOR LIFE 08 MADAGASCAR: MEDICAL SAFARI 10 PNG: AIRSTRIP OPENING
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FROM THE GM For most of us the Christmas and New Year holidays are a great time for rest and relaxation, a time to recharge and focus ourselves for the year ahead. Sadly, for many of the isolated communities that we serve, there is no rest or respite from the poverty, war, famine or disease that plague their daily lives. Our collective heart beats for these people. We believe strongly that every person - including those that are isolated - is precious to God and deserves hope in their lives. That is why we continue - even over the holiday season - to overcome jungles, mountains, swamps and deserts to bring medical care, emergency relief, long-term development and the good news of Jesus. Of course if you’re reading this then it is more than likely that you share our passion and desire to see this hope delivered. With the new year upon us, I want to renew my thanks to you for partnering with us in this mission.
TREK THE KOKODA TRACK
In the lead up to Christmas we ran a campaign to raise the money to fund the propeller for a new aircraft in Bangladesh. I am overjoyed to say that we reached our target! Thank you for your incredible generosity. We look forward to seeing the remainder of the aircraft funded by other MAF groups over the coming year. Many lives will be transformed as a result!
FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF AUSTRALIAN HISTORY
We hope you enjoy our new look magazine. As always, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions or feedback.
RAISE FUNDS TO FUEL LIFE-SAVING FLIGHTS IN PNG
In His service, Ian McDougall General Manager MAF Australia
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KOKODA TREK FOR MAF
FAST FACTS
HIGHLIGHTS
Dates: 29 May – 9 June 2017
Trek 96 kilometres through tropical rainforest, over mountainous terrain and into unspoiled villages along the legendary Kokoda Track
Registration fee: $770 (non-refundable) Fundraising target: $4,000 (excludes travel) Travel quote: $5,145, including taxes* (can be fundraised)
Discover the rugged beauty of the Papua New Guinea highlands and the colourful cultures of the region
Accommodation: Twin-share in 3 star hotels and comfortable camping
Follow in the footsteps of Australian history on an iconic pilgrimage
Minimum age: 18 (younger ages considered on application)
Raise funds to fuel life-saving flights in PNG
Visit: www.maf.org.au/kokoda *Subject to change
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Severely malnourished 6-month-old Khasim and his mother Theresa in the stabilisation centre in Renk
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WINNING THE BATTLE FOR LIFE The staff at Medair’s Stabilisation Centre in the far north of South Sudan are saving the lives of severely malnourished children daily with the help of MAF’s weekly flights bringing in therapeutic milk and Plumpy’Nut. Story and photos Diana Gorter, Medair Communications Officer, South Sudan
Six-month-old Khasim breathes hope in a room full of severely malnourished children. His mother Theresa carried him all the way from a refugee camp in Sudan to Medair’s Stabilisation Centre at Abayok, near Renk in the far northeast corner of South Sudan. Only weighing 2.1 kg, he barely survived the journey. When he arrived, his upper arm circumference measured no more than an adult’s thumb. His cheeks were sunken, his eyes too large for his thin face and his skin wrinkly and loose.
bending her head down as if the thought of this traumatic event is too heavy to bear. Now, living in a refugee camp in Sudan, they face other challenges.
“Just after Khasim was born, he looked very healthy and I was not afraid. But his weight was reducing and reducing,” Theresa recounts, creasing her forehead in concern and using gestures to show how much he reduced in weight. “I was praying to God and brought him to the clinic.”
“I came to South Sudan because I heard that Medair is providing good services,” she says, gently rocking Khasim back and forth on her lap. “Another reason why I came is because people don’t have to pay. It’s free treatment.” Straight after Theresa and Khasim arrived at Medair’s Stabilisation Centre for severely malnourished children, the staff pulled all stops to save Khasim’s life. Khasim was vomiting with chest problems. The staff immediately put him on antibiotics and F-100 therapeutic milk, a special formula to treat severe malnutrition. Now, a month later, Khasim is still a tiny baby and his skin hasn’t lost all the wrinkles, but his cheeks are full and he has the energy to play
A long journey A year ago, Theresa and her four children fled for their lives to Sudan, leaving all their possessions behind. “When the shooting started, it was very difficult. We started running but it was a long distance to reach the border. I was carrying my children,” Theresa says,
“My husband is a fisherman and we don’t have enough money.” Theresa hasn’t any money to feed her children, let alone to pay for muchneeded medical care for Khasim. To save the life of her baby son, she had no other choice but to return to the place she had fled from.
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Incredible transformation. This is the photo story of another child - two-year-old Rashid - from when he first arrived (top-left) to receiving the food and medicine that restored his life (far-right). with his fingers while his eyes follow the movements around him. In addition to his mum’s breastfeeding, Khasim still receives therapeutic milk several times a day, which he is eager to drink from a large plastic pink mug. Theresa says with a smile lighting her face, “He is getting much better. His health is improving very fast and his weight is now 3.2 kg. I’m very happy. I’m giving thanks to Medair for their services. May God help you.” Once Khasim is fully recovered, she will go back to Sudan but her hope is that one day they will be able to return to their homeland. “The crisis is the challenge at the moment. We will return when there’s no more insecurity and shooting. I hope that Khasim and my other children will go to school. I hope that one of them will become a
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doctor or a teacher, so they will have a better life,” she says with a sigh. Plumpy’Nut and F-100 MAF has served Medair in South Sudan for years, including once a week to Renk. Much of the cargo is medical and nutrition supplies, but for the last year it also has included the F-100 therapeutic milk and other supplies for the new Stabilisation Centre that Medair set up at their Abayok clinic in one of the displaced communities in Renk County. The clinic treats severely malnourished children with medical complications. South Sudan is facing the most severe hunger season since independence. According to FAO, UNICEF, and WFP, up to 4.8 million people will be facing food shortages over the coming months. That’s almost half of
the entire population. Young children and pregnant and lactating mothers are among those most badly affected and are extremely vulnerable to develop malnutrition. The children in Medair’s crowded Stabilisation Centre in Renk are a heartbreaking example of the harsh reality of the food crisis in South Sudan. The situation has become increasingly worse over the last year. The number of children in the Stabilisation Centre has tripled and Medair has put up an extra tent to provide care to the increasing number of severely malnourished children brought to the centre. Fifteen children sit in the centre now. Some smile, others just stare, too sick and exhausted to respond. Their mothers hold them close to their chests, offering their tiny, very severely malnourished bodies warmth and
protection. The MAF and Medair staff refuses to give up on any of the children because we believe that they can survive. It’s a gift to be able to take care of these beautiful children and – together with them – win the battle for life.
“Medair is very grateful for the partnership we have with MAF. We are working in a very remote area of South Sudan, which is hard to reach by other means of transport. They make our work in Renk possible! I want to sincerely thank MAF for enabling us to keep carrying out this service.” Frances Oakley, Medair’s Health and Nutrition Manager
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MADAGASCAR MEDICAL SAFARI 155
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CONSULTATIONS
MAJOR SURGERIES
MICRO SURGERIES
ULTRASOUNDS
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For almost 10 years, MAF has been working alongside various partners to organise “Medical Safaris� into some of the most remote villages of Madagascar; areas where there is little or no medical care available. These are images from a recent Medical Safari into Beroroha. The arrival was greatly anticipated. Ox carts and pirogues were organised by the mayor and offered free for transportation of kit and personnel. Dartania (pictured second from the top), only 18, has breast cancer surgery to remove a tumour. Ouda (left) is from a neighbouring town. He receives surgery for a cyst on his right cheek that has been growing for 5 years. He started losing the sight in his right eye but had not previously sought medical help because of concerns over expense, shame of what he considered a disease, and not being used to doctors. Below, a baby safely delivered just hours earlier sleeps. His mother had not yet chosen a name. Each person we are able to reach with these aircraft is precious in the eyes of God. We thank God for the opportunity to partner with you in serving them.
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FIRST LANDING JUNKARAL AIRSTRIP
A Deutscher lawn mower, a windsock, cone markers, and all the official survey gear were the cargo for the helicopter ride to the Jiwaka/Madang border area. Story Anton Lutz and Remi van Wermeskerken Photos Anton Lutz Summer 2017 / FLYING FOR LIFE / 10
John Bromley, the CEO of the PNG Rural Airstrip Agency (RAA), and Anton Lutz were on a mission to survey an airstrip that hadn’t been used in many years. Before MAF resumed flights to Junkaral, John and Anton were sent by helicopter to help the villagers of Junkaral make the final improvements to their airstrip: lengthen the strip, cut down many tall trees on the approach/ departure end of the runway, and survey the airstrip to make sure it met all MAF requirements.
immediately descending to a circuit altitude of 1,000ft. “Looking out the cockpit upon arrival over Junkaral“, Remi recalls, “it was obvious to me that the villagers had put in an incredible amount of work to cut this airstrip out of the forest, remove rocks and trees, level it and plant grass. After several passes at different altitudes to ensure a safe landing (and take off), everything on our MAF checklist had been confirmed as in order and safe, and a very uneventful landing was made. That is, until the engine was shut down.”
Anton recalls, “The airstrip was built in the late 90’s but fell into disuse in 2002. The grass had grown tall, but the dream was not dead. The Junkaral community, led by auxiliary policeman Jack Goi, had done a lot of work over the last couple years hoping to re-open their airstrip. The RAA and the Jiwaka Provincial Government were able to step in and make this final push possible with good, old-fashioned hard work and partnerships.” “The first day, there was the lawn mowing. John did the first few runs down the strip with the new Deutscher mower then handed it over to the local lawn-mower-intraining.“ “The second day, as we burned off the dry grass trimmings and installed the windsock, the community was getting excited. When we began the official survey in preparation for the first landing, the community began preparing for the next day’s feast and celebrations. “On our third morning, we were the privileged guests at the first landing celebrations, after which we planned to return to Goroka with MAF pilot Remi van Wermeskerken.” The first MAF flight arrives Remi’s 25 minute flight involved steeply climbing to cross a mountain range at about 8,000ft and then
Immediately a horde of very excited villagers came to meet the plane and the amazing pilot that had made the first landing in many years. They knew that now they would soon be able to get goods, services and help flown in, and their very sick people flown out to hospital. Remi continues, “The villagers started marching around the plane in excitement. They even picked me up and carried me around the plane as they realized that after all those years of hard work, they would finally be able to have planes land and take off from their own airstrip.” “Upon departure, another overflight of the airstrip was completed to see how much work would be required to make it a two-way airstrip instead of being a one-way strip. Another steady and steep climb was needed to get over the mountain range again to get back to Goroka. Looking down on the rugged mountains that have blocked the way to health care, education and contact with the outside world for so long, we were again amazed at how the villagers at Junkaral would now be able to quickly and safely fly people in and out of their village using MAF services.“
From work to celebration. A big moment in the life of the community. Summer 2017 / FLYING FOR LIFE / 11
FROM THE
NEWS DESK A SMALL PLANE DOING BIG THINGS A FLYING START: FIRST MEDEVAC OUT OF JUNKARAL PNG
Re-opening the airstrip in Junkaral, PNG (see page 10) has already proved to be a life-saving decision. After a long day of flying for pilots Remi van Wermeskerken and Dave Rogers, at the moment they were ready to go home, the Goroka base received a call that there was a very urgent medevac in Junkaral. A man was bleeding to death. At first, the pilots figured there was nothing they could do, because Remi was almost out of flight time, there was no payment for the flight yet, it was hard to communicate with the village, and last but not least, there was only one hour and 31 minutes till their curfew. At the last minute they were given a “thumbs up” and quickly took off to rescue the patient. “The weather was much worse than we initially thought“,
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said Remi, “so we had to fly a considerable distance in the opposite direction first before finally getting on course. We landed a little later than planned in Junkaral and knew we had to move fast.” “We quickly strapped the patient and caregiver in and gave them the passenger briefing. And off we went, climbing back up to 8,000ft and later 10,000ft due to poor weather, finally landing safely in Goroka, but very close to our curfew time.” “Remi concludes, “it was a long but also very satisfying day. Had we not picked up the patient right away, he could have bled to death overnight as the people in the village couldn’t get the bleeding to stop.” What a relief for the Junkaral community to see their airstrip make a real difference to one of their own!
SOUTH SUDAN
MAF South Sudan pilot, Eivind Lindtjørn, is currently the only pilot in South Sudan licensed to fly the small 4- seater Cessna 182. When Eivind talks about the plane, it’s with a passion (verging on gushing) about this smallest of MAF planes. It has little to do with the plane itself, however. It’s the service that the plane is able to provide for mission and church flying at a reasonable cost. “I love the Cessna 182 because it fills a gap that has existed for years
where MAF couldn’t offer a small and cheap aircraft. For me, this is what mission and church flying is all about – that they can charter a plane for one to three passengers to fly wherever they need to go – to reach out to a village or to fly supplies – and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. The large Caravan is perfect for big groups or a ton of cargo, but there are also these missions with less funds that need to send one or two guys, or just 200-300 kilos of stuff. The 182 is perfect for that. It takes us back to the kind of Nate Saint era type of flying. I feel much more connected to our partners. Because of the type of flying that we do, I wait with the passengers and then I go back with them, so I get to know them at a different level. We have prayer fellowship before we go. I feel a part of the ministry when I fly this plane.
ONE FLIGHT SAVES THREE LITTLE LIVES MONGOLIA
In 2016 Blue Sky Aviation (MAF’s name in Mongolia) began offering a regular flight to a new destination called Tosontsengel. This small, isolated town is not served by any other air operator and people who need to reach the capital by land have to face a very difficult and time-consuming drive. Recently, MAF pilots Roy Rissanen and Dallas Derksen flew to Totsontsengel and picked up 4 medical patients who were in great need of medical treatment in Ulaanbaatar (UB). One patient was an older woman who had
difficulty moving, one was a small child who had suffered 1-2 degree burns over much of his body and needed more advanced care that was only available in UB. Then there were 2 other infants who were on oxygen and urgently needed to receive more advanced medical care. Dallas reports: “if we had not come to fly this flight, these 3 small children would most likely have remained in the small local hospital, and may have even died there due to lack of advanced medical care.”
THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOUR
Empreza Di’ak does on Atauro Isand was simply inspiring. In 2015 Empreza Di’ak opened their new island community and business centre. This was followed by the initiation of projects including free range duck farming, seaweed drying, a tilapia pond, compost production and garden beds, and the opening of a beautiful local handicraft shop. For Jason, visiting the community centre involved a ride from the airport in the back of a local taxi – a motorbike with a trailer attached to the back. During the visit Jason saw the variety of vegetables being grown, and how different types of fish are being nurtured to see what is best for local sale and consumption. Since Empreza Di’ak began working on the island in 2011 at least three hundred people have received direct supported by the organisation, just on Atauro Island.
TIMOR-LESTE
MAF pilots often don’t have the time to visit the organisations and communities they fly for. They often simply deliver their passengers to their destination and head off for more flights. For Pilot Jason Job, getting a glimpse into what the organisation
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TRANSFORMING LIVES WITH YOUR WILL As I write I am filled with gratitude at the number of gifts in Wills that MAF received during 2016. It is incredibly uplifting to know that our donors care enough about the work that MAF does for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that they ensure that they have an impact even after they have passed away. It must be said that there have been numerous gifts from people that were not donors during their lifetime, but felt the call in their hearts to do so in their Will. We are also encouraged by others that were helped by MAF in their travels or work and have felt the need to give such a gift out of gratitude. Each gift was given out of love with the intention of making it possible for MAF to bring the life-transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as life-sustaining services, to some of the poorest and most remote, isolated people on earth. It is really surprising that studies show that at least 45% of Australians do not have a valid Will. If you die without a Will your estate will be distributed according to a pre-determined formula and, if your only living relatives are more distant than cousins, your estate will pass to the government. Nobody wants this to happen. It would seem that many people think that they “don’t own anything “not realising the value they have accumulated. It is, however, important that your loved ones know your wishes no matter what they may be. Making a Will is the only way you can be sure your wishes will be followed after you die. It also offers the perfect opportunity to reflect on what’s been important in your life, or what you’d like to see supported in the future. It means less confusion and heartache for your loved ones in their time of grief. Of course, when making a Will, your loved ones come first. After having considered their needs, you may want to leave something to charity. This is entirely up to you. If you’re lucky enough to be able to look back and say you’ve had a good life and been blessed, wouldn’t it be nice to know there’s a way to help those who haven’t been so fortunate? A gift to MAF in your Will, whatever the size, will make a real difference to remote and isolated people. It will help transform lives. God bless, Edgar Voigts Relationship Manager | (02) 8857 0862
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A small snapshot of the many thousands of lives transformed each year as a result of the partnership between you and MAF.
CURRENT VACANCIES For almost 70 years, pilots, engineers, managers, IT technicians, teachers, administrators and many other professionals have come together to bring transformation to remote communities. Find out how you can play your part: maf.org.au/workwithus or call Kuren Galant, our Recruitment Manager on 1800 650 169
PILOTS
MANAGERS
Critical - 8 positions available
1 position available
Mission Pilots, (Various Locations)
Country Director, (Various Locations)
Mission Pilots, (PNG)
Finance Manager, (PNG) Critical - 1 position
Senior Flight Instructor, (Mareeba)
HR Manager, (PNG) Critical - 1 position
6 positions available 3 positions available
ENGINEERS
available available
Quality & Safety Manager, (Kenya)
1 position available
Experienced aircraft engineers, (Various Locations) Critical - 4 positions available
Deputy Programme Manager, (South Sudan) 1 position available
Avionics Engineers, (Various Locations)
Area IT Manager, (Various Locations)
Deputy Director of Maintenance, (South Sudan) 1 position available
Quality, Safety & Security Manager, (Arnhem Land) 1 position available
Chief Engineer, (Various)
Security Manager, (South Sudan)
2 positions available
Critical - 1 position available
Operations
Ground Operations Manager, (South Sudan) 1 positions available Flight Scheduler & Logistics Officer, (PNG)
1 positions available
Other Roles
Technology Services Representative, (Arnhem Land) 1 position available Home School Support, (Arnhem Land)
1 position available
Building Maintenance Assistant, (Arnhem Land) 1 position available Stores Manager, (Arnhem Land)
1 position available
Flying for Life
(ISSN: 2202-0365) Design/Editor: Cadence Media (cadencemedia.com.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. FRONT COVER: Courtesy Luanne Cadd
1 position available
1 position available
Quality & Safety Manager, (Mareeba)
1 position available
Finance Manager, (Uganda)
New - 1 position available
Short-term
IT Short-term Roles, (Various Locations)
Various positions available
Short-term IT Manager, (PNG)
Critical - 1 position available
Short-term Finance Manager, (PNG)
Critical - 1 position available
Short-term Flight Scheduler & Logistics Officer (PNG) 1 position available Short-term Deputy Programme Manager, (South Sudan) 1 position available
MAF Australia and CRMF ABN 26 134 583 887 PO Box 7187 Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 Contact: 1800 650 169 | 02 8014 6450 maf@maf.org.au | 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 Summer intend to use it. You/can view our FOR 2017 FLYING Privacy Statement at maf.org.au
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