MISSION AVIATION FELLOWSHIP VOLUME 5 ISSUE 1 2022
NEWSPAPER OF MAF SOUTH AFRICA
REACHING THE ISOLATED
WE HAVE GONE DIGITAL You are receiving this e-Magazine because we have redesigned our quarterly newspaper into a digital format! We are so excited about this new venture and the people we will be able to reach because of it. 1
MAF is an international Christian organisation whose mission is to fly light aircraft, and to use other technologies to bring help, hope and healing to people in some of the world’s poorest communities. Every four minutes an MAF plane is taking off or landing somewhere in the world to assist missions, churches, aid and development agencies, and other local groups to transform lives and share the love of God.
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FROM THE CEO
MAXINE HOLMAN CEO of MAF SA
A new chapter has begun with the start of a new year. We have so much hope and expectation for the year ahead and are filled with gratitude for what the Lord has already granted us this year. Most of our gratitude is for you – our MAF Family, who care for us, pray for us and support us so faithfully no matter the circumstances. Thank you for being such generous and thoughtful partners of the work to which God has called MAF. Thank you for your obedience to His call and the generosity that you show through that obedience. We say this often and it is entirely true – we could not do any of this without you.
With the new year here, we would like to share some stories of hope and excitement. We have seen some amazing stories thinking back on last year. You will read about how MAF is playing our part in tackling Bible poverty in isolated communities. You will also learn about the strengthening of communities in Chad and what role we have in all this.
Thank you for helping us end the year strong. Your encouragement and support refreshed us greatly and helped us start this new year with so much hope and excitement. We hope we can share a bit of that with you in this newsletter.
You make it possible for isolated communities to receive the hope, help and healing that they long for. Your support shares the love of Jesus to Finally, we will share a beautiful isolated communities around story with you from one the world. of our long-standing MAF missionaries – the Liprinis – and the new adventure they have been on as part of MAF. You will especially get to see Lorraine’s perspective and enjoyment of MAF’s work.
FEATURED STORIES
TACKLING BIBLE POVERTY
STRENGTHEING COMMUNITIES IN CHAD
LIPRINIS ON AN ADVENTURE
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Your support is powerful.
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Can you imagine going through a medical emergency, knowing that the nearest help is several days’ walk away through tropical rainforest, rugged mountain terrain or desert? Emergency flights save patients lengthy and potentially fatal overland travel. MAF performs thousands of medevacs each year. Will you be part of the solution so that the people we serve can fly? I WANT TO KNOW HOW!
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THE MAF HIKE FOR FLIGHT IS BACK!
Make memories. Make an impact. Move mountains for the isolated. DRAKENSBERG
14 - 18 APR 2022
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Over the last couple of years, we have sadly missed out on the chance to walk so that isolated people don’t have to. But the wait is finally over, as we will be kicking it off again this April!
R5,500 FEE
The Hike for Flight is all about walking in the shoes of the people we serve in isolated regions of the world. Every kilometre you conquer will raise funds for a life-saving flight. With just over R500, you can help fuel a life-saving flight for 20 minutes. Buckle up and take a deep breath, because this three- or four-day round trip is an adventure to remember! As part of this adventure, you will hike through the rugged terrains of the Drakensburg Mountains, so get ready to experience dramatic big-mountain scenery! 5
Story and photos by Katie Machell
TACKLING BIBLE POVERTY
“Bible poverty, simply put, is when a person or people(s) do not have meaningful access to the Bible in their mother tongue or heart language.
MAF passengers Angelina and Grover met in Canada when they undertook the same master’s programme to become Bible translators, having both individually experienced a clear call to that ministry. First arriving in Chad in July 2019, they hoped to begin their assignment in the central city of Mongo after a few months in the country. However due to Covid and other events their plans took a different course, and they finally arrived in Mongo to begin their work in August this year. On a recent flight, Angelina reflected on their journey so far.
“Try to imagine what it would be like to try and exercise our faith without the Bible. How would you come to understand who God is and what He has done? Where would you go to learn how best to practice your faith? How would you evaluate the accuracy of what you are taught about Christ and the Christian faith? Though not impossible, these questions become substantially more difficult to answer without access to the written, authoritative word of God, Photo: Angelina and son Elizer. and we are often guilty in taking this for granted.” (1)
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“The first time I heard about the need for Bible translation, that not everyone has access to the Bible in their language or the language they understand best, I was in high school. I was at a conference, and I talked to someone who worked for Wycliffe [the worldwide Bible translation organisation] who told me about how not everybody has access to scripture.
“It’s amazing when I look back and see how God was developing my interest, how He had been preparing me for Bible translation work through my degree in linguistics, even though I didn’t know it at the time.”
Fast forward several years. Having completed their studies, Angelina and Grover became members of Wycliffe and “I remember wondering why I hadn’t ever started praying about where they could heard of this; I grew up going to church, serve. but I didn’t know there was such a thing as Bible poverty. So it caught my attention. “We wanted to go somewhere where there was a great need for Bible translation “Later I studied linguistics at university and and after looking at options, we narrowed in my final year, as I considered what to do it down to Cameroon or Chad. We felt led after graduation, I attended a class at a local to choose Chad, and the more we read church with guest speakers from Wycliffe. about the country, the more we prayed One shared the story of her work in Papua about it, the more we felt peace.” New Guinea, and it really impacted me; I felt the Holy Spirit was giving me a nudge. Photo: C208 on the ground in Mongo. I read her autobiography, and through that the Lord called me into Bible translation.
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Subsequently they joined SIL, Wycliffe’s partner organisation that specialises in linguistics and literacy education, to serve with SIL Chad.
their son Elizer was safely born and they were able to come back when he was a few months old. This time there were no further obstacles to their relocation, and they are now three months into their new By the time they arrived, they had learnt life. some French, and added daughter Valerie to the family. “We don’t have reliable electricity or running water,” Angelina explains, “so “Our first field assignment was Arabic Grover set up a solar system and we can learning and cultural orientation. When have some lights and fans, and a fridge for we got here, Grover was asked to cover cold water. He also moves water every day technical services at the SIL centre in from outside barrels into the indoor area N’Djamena for a few months, so whilst so that we can wash dishes and hands. It’s there we each met with a language helper been a bit tricky with two little kids and no for a few hours a week. This gave us a running water but it’s also good exercise; good start, although opportunities to use you get a lot of arm workouts carrying buckets! our Arabic were limited.” As the time to move to Mongo approached, Photo: C208 on the ground in Mongo. the Covid-19 pandemic took hold and so the family returned temporarily to the USA. Following a high-risk pregnancy, 8
“We like the community feel of Mongo, we like the pace of life. In this very ‘open door’ culture, people can come to visit any time, and they want you to visit them often as well. That is so helpful for our language and cultural learning, but it’s not always realistic for us with the kids, so we’re still navigating that, establishing rhythms and boundaries. As we don’t know the culture very well yet, we sometimes make mistakes, but people are kind and genuine. So far, we’ve just felt very welcomed.”
them use a new word or phrase, I just jot it down next to me on the concrete. “I feel like my Arabic is conversational, my grammar is still poor, but I can get by. I feel much more confident than I did in N’Djamena, because now we live much closer to the community and use our Arabic every day.”
They are also looking for other things to get involved with as they grow more proficient in the language and more accustomed to Arabic study continues: Grover has a daily life in Mongo. two-hour class, while Angelina works more informally. Photo: Pre-flight prayer with Phil, Grover and
“When visitors come, we roll out a mat in daugter Valerie. our front yard and we’ll sit with them and share water or tea. I take some chalk and sit with whoever is there, and when I hear 9
“There have been a couple of language projects proposed for Grover that would involve the Old Testament,” Angelina says. “There are about 25 languages in this region and most of them don’t have the Old Testament, so he has a few options to consider.
shares. “We were absolutely exhausted before this trip to N’Djamena and so were greatly encouraged by our family and supporters back home to take a flight rather than the long, gruelling bus ride of eight hours with only one break. We really appreciate MAF. We appreciate all that you do in Chad and around the world.”
“As for me, I’m on a committee that is planning a dedication event for the 1. (Andrew H.; YWAM Vancouver online Chadian Arabic Bible. I coordinate the article: https://ywamvancouver.org/ logistics and liaise between our different blog/2021/10/08/what-is-bible-poverty) partner organisations. We’re planning a big event just after Christmas and praying that 1000 people will attend. We’re praying that God will prepare hearts, seeds will be Photo: Phil taking off from N’Djamena (seen sown, people will engage with scripture. through the Covid screen). Flying out of Who knows what God’s going to do? N’Djamena. We’re very excited.” Although aware of MAF’s work through church and family connections, Angelina and Grover had never flown with us before. “It’s been great, it’s been a blessing,” she
Photo P.11: Flying out of N’Djamena.
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Families from South Africa are working in third-world countries across the globe, to bring the love of Christ to the isolated.
PRAY FOR OUR MISSIONARIES
BRAD & MICHELLE VENTER | PNG As they move about on home assignment, please pray for safety as they travel. Pray also for renewed connection with friends and family and success in presentations to donors and sponsors. SUPPORT THIS FAMILY
MARK & LORRAINE LIPRINI | DISASTER RESPONSE | UGANDA Please pray for guidance in planning and executing challenging requests for services, combined with ongoing training and assessment flights. SUPPORT THIS FAMILY
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TOBIAS AND MORIAH MEYER | SOUTH SUDAN Pray for strength and fortitude with regard to high demands for services and constant flying. As well as for success in ongoing activities in the Juba Christian Academy. SUPPORT THIS FAMILY
GRANT & EMILY STRUGNELL | LESOTHO Pray for peace and happiness on their return after home assignment. Also pray for safety in flying in challenging weather conditions, and for the ongoing success for the Pulani Children’s Centre. SUPPORT THIS FAMILY
KIRSTEIN & AMELIA COMBRINK | TANZANIA Give thanks for Kirstein’s appointment in the Christian Institute. Pray for a permanent solution to the situation regarding the placement of pilots in the Tanzania programme.
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MAF serves in several countries around the world with the vision of taking Christ’s love into the most remote places on earth.
PRAY FOR OUR PROGRAMMES TANZANIA
CHAD
SOUTH SUDAN
UGANDA
Give thanks MAF Tanzania has completed virtually all scheduled safari flights, despite various Covid waves and a shortage of pilots.
Pray for strength and endurance for the Chad team as they run this programme with staffing needs after the departure of their country director.
Praise God for a recent Medevac that took place for nineyear-old Monica after she had fractured her leg. Pray for her recovery.
As schools prepare to reopen in Uganda in the new year, having been closed since March 2020, pray for families.
LESOTHO
KENYA
MOZAMBIQUE
MADAGASCAR
Praise God for the partnerships and relationships we have been able to form within the country. Pray that these increased and grow.
They have been flying evangelists and pastors conducting prison ministry. Pray for this vital ministry, that it will bear much fruit.
Praise God that we are still able to assist with COVID in isolated communities. Pray for the communities’ safety and protection.
Pray for the missionary work especially with MAF partners. Pray for church plants and evangelism.
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“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” Psalm 24:1
GUINEA
WORLDWIDE
PNG
Give thanks to God for the year that has passed and pray for God’s blessing, provision and protection on all MAF.
Praise God PNG flight operations are approaching near pre-Covid levels! Pray for other programmes to experience this.
MISSIONARIES
BANGLADESH
MYANMAR
Pray for renewed peace for all our missionary families, knowing that our Lord has it all in His control. No fear.
Praise God MAF Bangladesh has resumed operations! Pray they will demonstrate a witness in all they do.
Pray for Myanmar and the Lailenpi community in your prayers as they face potential violence and political instability.
Give thanks that MAF Guinea has received authorisation from the government to operate as an international NGO.
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RECRUITMENT
Continue to lift our recruitment needs to the Lord as we seek to recruit pilots, engineers and managers.
SOUTH AFRICA
Praise God that our team has come back rested. Pray for the planning going into the year and for financial provision.
REST A WHILE Devotion written by James Holmes – MAF SA Care and Recruitment Officer
Some years back and in the corporate world, I found myself in a particular harrowing time. Work was not going well. There was a looming business-related court case, systems were failing, serious and sometimes fatal accidents were plaguing the business, and I was increasingly being held responsible for these and other deficiencies in the organisation. I could see no way out. No way to relieve the pressure I was under. Then, knowing I was returning from a business conference one Friday, my son-in-law and daughter booked my wife and me for that weekend at a trout farm. We left the bustling city behind us after a day of corporate wranglings and turned into a quite country road leading to the farm. We reached an isolated cottage set in rolling hills of green grass as the sun was setting. Later, and setting up a barbeque on the patio, I was struck by the absolute silence that prevailed. There was only a soft soughing of the wind in the now-invisible tall grass. I felt the hammering of my heart, shortness of breath, and the pressure of my circumstances seemingly baying about me. I prayed for the Lord to free me from them. Then I became aware of something else. The cool air about me enveloped me in what felt to be an embrace, and I felt sudden comfort. I will not leave you or forsake you. The following morning revealed the undulating hills, dotted with browsing cattle, and stands of tall trees. The silence and the soughing of the wind prevailed. There was nothing else. We spent that day walking along cattle tracks, viewing the beauty of wildflowers that abounded and standing next to deep dams where ripples spread as trout rose, marvelling at the peace we found ourselves in. In those hours I found the sheer joy of God’s peace and love in a failing and broken world. Peace and joy that took me through those hard times and revealed that He will indeed never leave us or forsake us. It takes a moment in time to step back from our daily lives and come away to a quiet place to reflect, and experience His never-ending love for us, and give us a greater understanding of the message Jesus sends in Mark 6:31: “And he said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.”
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Your prayer is powerful.
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Story by Katie Machell and photos by Katie Machell and Mounbaye Ngodroi, Issa Ali and Abakar Hassab (Concern Worldwide)
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES IN CHAD “While faced with instability itself, Chad is also a host community for refugees from neighbouring countries including Nigeria, Sudan, and the Central African Republic. In addition to these refugees, Chad also hosts numerous returnees who fled to Sudan (Darfur), the Central African Republic, Cameroon
of eastern Chad. The fouryear programme aims to improve the living conditions and resilience of indigenous, refugee and returnee populations in host areas, through support for inclusive local development to minimise the factors contributing to intercommunity tensions, instability
and Nigeria during different periods and are now back in Chad. The provinces bordering these countries, already characterised by extreme vulnerability, are all affected by these population movements.” (Concern Worldwide)
and the risk of increased forced experience of life in the eastern displacement and conflict. region. As the project enters its final year, some consortium staff recently flew with MAF to Am Timan, provincial capital of the Salamat, for a four-day visit.
between the local and international partners is doing; and to focus on planning and strategy for the final year of the programme, particularly the exit strategy.” A humanitarian worker who has been in Chad for four years, Bella has significant personal
“I spent almost two years living in Goz Beida [provincial capital of the Sila]. I think it gave me an excellent grounding for the work I now do in starting to understand something about Responding to this is a “It was a support and evaluation this part of the country, the consortium comprising three mission,” explains Consortium way the culture works and the national and three international Coordinator Bella, “to see where way people live. Having spent NGOs, who work together with the teams are doing well and time there, seeing the needs communities in the Ouaddai, where we need to improve; and seeing what has worked Sila and Salamat provinces to see how the collaboration in response and what can 18
be improved on, I’ve had an excellent foundation for the coordinating I now do from N’Djamena.” The presence of refugees and returnees embedded with local communities for over a decade has contributed to a drain on resources in these areas, which impacts all who live there. It has also led to tension and conflict between the different groups. “One of the main programme objectives is to reinforce and develop social cohesion,” explains Bella. “We work in intercommunity dialogue with local associations around peace, conflict management, and living side-by-side.
generating activities,” she continues, “as well as initiatives such as cash transfers and cash for work. Identified vulnerable beneficiaries work on building sites that have come out of local development plans, for example expanding a reservoir for livestock to improve access to water, or repairing roads to provide access to health Photo P.18: Houses built right centres that might be blocked next to the airstrip at Am Timan. off during rainy season. So, the outcomes benefit both the individual workers and the wider community.
“There’s been a huge amount of progress in that area,” Bella reports. “Beneficiaries have been trained in identifying the income generating activity they want to do and have been receiving the “Another objective is to improve resources needed to implement livelihoods through income those activities. 19
Photo P.19: Zakouma National Park, where the flight made a short stop to pick up a staff member who needed a medical transfer to the capital.
We also do vocational training where we work with the state so that the beneficiaries will have a certified qualification once they finish.”
not putting beneficiaries and communities at risk, so it’s taken a lot more time, but it’s worked out.”
potentially not possible to do that if we had to go by road. It’s been great, and it’s also meant that we can do a joint mission with one of our partners, so Apart from this trip, Bella’s role we can go in and look at things Although the project was, has necessitated similar visits to together and discuss things ‘in of course, impacted by the the other provinces where the the moment’, rather than having pandemic, Bella is proud of the consortium works, all of which to catch up later back at HQ. So commitment and adaptability are far from N’Djamena. that’s been really beneficial.” shown by the consortium staff to keep everything going. “Travelling by road can take more than a day and can make Photo: TT-BER at Zakouma “Although it was very tough for it very challenging to do our National Park, where the flight our teams, throughout Covid missions and offer the support made a short stop to pick up we never had a day when needed to our teams and to the a staff member who needed a we weren’t working. All my programmes,” she says, “and medical transfer to the capital. colleagues continued to work however fit you are, it’s tiring however they could; obviously and consumes a lot of energy as we couldn’t assemble big our schedules are quite packed. groups of people to do mass trainings or anything like that, “So it’s been such a relief to be Photo P.21: In-flight coffee break. but we learnt to adapt and able to fly this time. The flights have smaller groups, to do have given us the opportunity things more frequently. There’s to contribute to the teams and been a huge concentration have the time we need with on managing activities and them, and it would have been 20
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Story by Amber Thomson, photos by Lorraine Liprini
LIPRINIS ON AN ADVENTURE Mark and Lorraine Liprini have been an integral part of MAF for over 20 years now. And what a blessing they have been. For many of those years, Mark flew as a missionary pilot and then in disaster relief flying. For much of that time, Mark had been taken out of South Africa for shortterm periods, while Lorraine remained home.
The adventure expanded when Lorraine was invited to join Mark for a flight in partnership with NGOs in Uganda. In a social media post, Lorraine tracked her adventure and shared it with friends and family to join her in excitement and experience the wonderful new journey they are Photo: Lake Victoria is 69, 484 on. square km in size, and is the second largest fresh water lake But now, they get to start their Upon arrival at MAF Kajjansi in the world. exciting new adventure of being airfield, Mark and Lorraine went in the field together! And after a through a baggage and COVID very difficult few months with check, as a first step towards COVID-related restrictions, safety. The Cessna 206 – a then health challenges and six-seater – was now ready to difficulties, they have finally receive the four passengers begun this wonderful new chapter.
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Photo: Lorraine and Mark share in an amazing adventure together.
(including Lorraine) that this journey would require. But not before dedicating the flight to the Lord. Lorraine shares, “[Mark] also always prays for a blessing on his passengers and the work they will be doing – it is mostly missionaries or NGOs.” And they were off! Sitting upfront with her captain, Lorraine shares some of the work that Mark does. “Mark’s favourite office,” Lorraine shares. “He loves the C206 - which always has to be hand flown (no autopilot) and cannot be flown in bad weather (IFR). This programme also has three Caravan’s (12-seaters), which he also flies.” On their journey, they crossed over the very beautiful, vast 23
Lake Victoria on the way to their destination: Katido. Lorraine shares as they also cross the Nile River, which has its source at Jinja, a town about 81 km east of Kampala. With ever-changing landscapes as they fly, Lorraine tracked the jungles, lakes, clouds, mountains and beautiful landscapes that she is so thrilled to see. The welcome at Katido airstrip proved to be warm. Upon arrival for what would have been a nine-hour drive in potentially rough weather conditions, but rather took only an hour and a half, two of their passengers embarked and got straight to work.
Lorraine experienced more of Mark’s workday as he checked fuel (a required activity at each stop), filled out paperwork and looked after everything he needed to. She shares, “MAF is exceptionally careful when it comes to anything related to safety, so they always have to carry a certain amount of excess fuel.” She also observes that, “there is a huge amount of paperwork/calculations/flight info that has to be done enroute and at every stop.”
checked fuel again – and began their journey home. After flying over completely different terrain this time, they returned safely to the Kanjjasi airfield, which has been owned by MAF for about 40 years.
To end her journey, Lorraine expresses how she felt about the day as a whole, “What can I say – it was such a privilege and pleasure to join Mark on this flight, to see what it entails, and to see a little more of the beautiful country we are living They stopped once more at in. Thank you for a wonderful, the small town of Moroto to safe flight.” drop off their last passenger – 24
Photo top: The welcome at Katido airfield. This small town is about 344km’s, slighty north east of Kampala.
Photo bottom: Mark flying the Cessna 206.
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Front Cover, Page 3, 17, 25, Back cover: Courtesy Lorraine Liprini 26
