MAF SA Newsletter Vol.6 No.3 2023

MISSION AVIATION FELLOWSHIP

WE FLY WHERE ROADS END

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 five 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.

FEATURED STORIES

16 YEARS WAITING FOR A PLANE ANGOLA

MAF SA’S ANNUAL REPORT 2022

We envision a future where MAF South Africa plays a vital role in empowering African candidates, nurturing their skills, and preparing them for impactful missionary work. By investing in training, mentoring, and providing opportunities, we can contribute to the global mission landscape in a profound way. Our goal is to see a diverse array of missionaries, including Africans, shaping the future of missions and spreading the love of Christ to the ends of the earth.

READ ONLINE

GIFT TO MAF

WAY OF TRUTH MOZAMBIQUE

HOUSE OF HOPE INDONESIA

GOD’S BOAT PAPUA

YOUR SUPPORT IS POWERFUL.

THANK YOU.

16 YEARS WAITING FOR A PLANE

It is a historic moment. The whole village turned out. They waited 16 years for this. And now the time has finally come. Today the very first plane arrives at the brand new Cavango runway in Angola.

AIRSTRIP WITH HISTORY

This is a course with history. The civil war, which started in 1975 and lasted intermittently until 2002, had destroyed everything in the region. Homes, schools, even hospitals. The Cavango Mission hospital was also completely destroyed on purpose. After the war, Cavango Mission founder Bob Foster returns to the scene of the disaster with Brent Mudde. That’s where the dream arose to breathe new life into the old, destroyed mission post.

Over mountains

First, a small medical clinic is built. An airstrip is then needed to supply the clinic with medicines and equipment and to fly patients and doctors in and out. As soon as the villagers hear about the plan for the airstrip, they pick up their pickaxes. There must be room for the track. Not so hard? Yes! Termites live where this will be located. Tiny creatures that build gigantic structures. A large group of residents, including the pastor and

hospital staff, have been working hard for weeks to remove thirteen termite mounds. Some are as big as an entire living room.

By descending MAF is also speeding up the construction of the runway by sending a bulldozer and operator. The work is progressing. But suddenly, a few months before the job is completed, everything shuts down. The correct permits have not been granted. A deep disappointment for everyone involved. Months pass. Months turn into years.

READY

Ultimately, it will take another seven years before all official documentation is completed. Volunteers, missionaries, MAF – everyone is doing their part to get the runway finished. And then it goes quickly. The job was completed within a few months. When the official document arrives, authorising MAF to use the runway, Brent and Marijn immediately plan their first flight to Cavango for the next day.

Special day

Today is the day. Dozens of Cavango residents wait anxiously and enthusiastically on the warm sand. There’s a rumbling sound. MAF pilots Brent and Marijn consider it a great honour to be able to make the very first flight to Cavango. They inspect the runway from the air. No more holes, no rocks, no more termite mounds. Check. The first landing ever at Cavango airstrip is initiated. A cheer goes up as the wheels hit the ground. It worked!

WINGS OF LOVE

Brent carries out a number of successful takeoff and landing tests. He is full of praise, “It is a beautiful runway; we are very happy with it!” He immediately sends a message to the MAF base inviting the first operational flight. He and Marijn came with an empty plane to test the runway with as little weight as possible. Now that everything is safe, it’s time to fly in urgent supplies. And that happens that same day. The MAF aircraft, registration number D2-WOL, has filled the cargo hold with a large supply of medicines. The aircraft does not simply bear the name D2-WOL,

or Wings of Love. This is the newest aircraft in the MAF fleet and has replaced the oldest aircraft in the fleet, named Wings of Hope. Wings of Hope has provided 37 years of loyal service, with more than 17,000 flights. Now, Wings of Love continues the work of its predecessor.

THE PEOPLE’S RUNWAY

“Obrigado, obrigado, obrigado (thank you)!” Words are not enough. Pastor Fermino sings passionately with a group of fifteen adult men and women around the plane. “We thank God! It hasn’t been easy. But He is with us.” Together with his fellow villagers, he lugged, shovelled and dug. Other villagers helped with maintenance on the bulldozer. Still others guarded the items. Each and every one of them worked on their runway. Pilot Marijn: “People are so encouraged that God has brought this all together after all these years. For them. This is not a project of MAF, of the pastor, the doctor or the government. People feel this is our runway, which will support our clinic and our people.”

Since that first landing, several ambulance flights have already departed from the Cavango runway. Doctor Tim Kubacki talks about one of these flights, “One of my patients probably had a perforated appendix. His life was in danger. But luckily, within five minutes he was on the runway, where the plane was waiting to rush him to the hospital. This runway is truly a gift from above for us, in our own backyard.”

“This runway is truly a gift from above, in our own backyard.”

By Jennifer Wolf

GOD’S BOAT

Your support is enabling the light of Christ to reach a dark place on the south coast of Papua

“CAN YOU PLEASE COME TO THE SOUTH COAST?”

This was the request of Pastor Simson, who had gone to great lengths to seek out missionaries interested in serving the swampy south coast of Papua, Indonesia.

Through a series of providential connections, God led him to Sam and Kari*, a missionary couple living in Sentani at the time.

“He just showed up on our doorstep one day and said, ‘Every single Sunday I preach the gospel from the pulpit and the people go home and worship demons. I want to help my people know who Jesus is. I want to help my people be free from fear of spirits. But I’m failing to do that because we don’t have a Bible that makes sense in the Asmat language,’” said Sam.

God had already placed it in Sam and Kari’s hearts to minister on the south coast. Now they had an official invitation from Simson.

Knowing that MAF flights would support living in such a remote place, Sam and Kari began serving the Asmat area seven years ago. The community warmly welcomed them and helped them build a house, by hand. Sam and Kare are raising their three children here—now twelve, ten, and four years old.

TWO BOATS

“The only airplane on the island that can bring us in and out to our location is the MAF floatplane. The ground here is so swampy and muddy that

Photographs by Lemuel Malabuyo

essentially an airstrip is not possible,” said Sam. Sam described the spiritual needs here as “enormous”.

“Church for them is like a shirt. It’s something you put on,” he added. “It’s not a heart change. It’s not a deep understanding of who God is.”

Since the Asmat travel by boat, Sam uses boat illustration to explain God’s redemption versus those who are separated from God and under wrath.

Unfortunately, Sam says the majority of Asmat people are in “Adam’s boat”. There is a young group of believers who are in “God’s boat,” which is how Sam describes those who’ve been redeemed and hidden with Christ Jesus (Col. 3:3). But it’s hard for them to grow spiritually since they don’t have God’s Word in their southern Asmat dialect.

Sam and Kari desire to see a mature Asmat church

Photo pg 7: An MAF floatplane has been serving the south coast of Papua for the past 50 years. The current one, PK-MAG, is a Cessna Caravan—the only floatplane in all of Papua, and the only one in all of MAF.

ONE AIRPLANE

that’s alive and growing, that has the Word of God, and that’s discipling its own people for the next generation.

TToday, Simson and other church leaders are working alongside Sam and Kari to translate portions of Genesis and Exodus. Then they’ll tackle Mark and Luke. They’re also leading literacy classes, which have just started.

The MAF floatplane is the only one in all of Papua, and it’s critical to Sam and Kari’s mission.

“The fact that the floatplane can land right on the river, pick us up in the case of an emergency, and take us directly to a hospital… That is really a key thing,” said Sam.

The other option is a four-hour boat ride on the ocean to the nearest airstrip. And that’s not even possible in certain seasons. When the wind kicks up, massive waves cause boats to capsize.

“When you think about a snakebite or a compound fracture… four hours is a lifetime. We couldn’t be here without the organisation flying us in,” added Sam. “It’s almost impossible for us to function and be here.”

MAF medical evacuations have saved Asmat lives. The medevacs are vital, but they’re a last-ditch effort.

A new Siloam Clinic opened here last summer, which will help with day-to-day health and treat minor illnesses and injuries before they become a problem.

“The clinic here is going to allow the entire village to be healthy, to move towards wholeness, to move towards health,” said Sam. Malaria and

Photo pg 6: Sam and Kari with their children during a visit to Bali, Indonesia.

parasite prevention, vaccination—these are the things that keep people alive and functioning well.”

MAF brought in a generator, a chainsaw, nails, tools, medicines, and other supplies so the new clinic and school could be built and open in time for the school year. Finally, MAF brought in the team of teachers, nurses, and a doctor.

GOD’S BLESSINGS

When he reflects on the new school and clinic, Jack Gandy, the MAF floatplane pilot who did all those flights said, “No one in the U.S. knows that the Asmat people even exist. But the Lord knows about them, and He cares for them.”

Photo pg 7: The boardwalks in Asmat range from three- to eight-feet high. Living along a tidal river means that water flows in and then out, twice a day—and leaves behind deep mud in its wake.

Now, the Asmat children are receiving an education. The people will lead healthier lives. And, most importantly, hearts will change when they come aboard “God’s boat”’.

As more missionaries—including families with children—are called to take the light of Christ to the swampy areas of Papua, they too will depend on MAF.

“Without the MAF floatplane, it would just be so impractical that it wouldn’t work,” said Jack. “The floatplane opens up so many more doors that would be closed otherwise. It opens up the whole south coast of Papua to the gospel.”

Photo pg 8: “After five flights in two days, the Asmat crew is in and ready to do ministry work. In this picture you see people caring for the spiritual needs, medical needs, and educational needs.” Quote/photo

Photo pg 8: “From no school to educating the next generation in less than two months. Buckle up!” Jack said in a post to his teammates last June when he heard about the school and clinic coming to Asmat.

*Some of our partners request that identifying information be withheld for security reasons.

Photo pg 7: From left, Ernes, Simson, and Sam translate a portion of Exodus

Photo pg 8: Asmat villagers fill the waiting room of the Siloam clinic. Photo by Sam.

by Jack Gandy.

Photo by Grant Strugnell

Location: Lesotho

PRAY FOR OUR MISSIONARIES

BRAD & MICHELLE VENTER | PNG

Please prayer for pecific needs in the current MAMA CARE group: Baby Joel who has a hole in his heart is awaiting an operation (mother is Leah); Baby Joshua who is 6 months old, having fits and a heart that is very poor (mother is Elsie); One dear girl who has just given birth after being raped; Another tiny baby born too early after mum (Joima) was involved in a car accident.

SUPPORT THIS FAMILY

MARK & LORRAINE LIPRINI | TANZANIA

Please pray for safety in travel over the next month. Prayer needed for meetings and planning regarding the base’s aircraft and maintenance; and safety for the pilots in flying.

Please pray for wisdom for Mark as he deals with, and has to make decisions about many, varied issues as part of his work.

SUPPORT THIS FAMILY

TOBIAS AND MORIAH MEYER | SOUTH SUDAN

Three of Moriah’s South Sudanese coworkers have lost family members in August. Please pray for them as they grieve.

Praise God for a new teacher! please pray for her as she transitions and learns Juba Christian Academy routines.

Please pray for Moriah’s energy for teaching while pregnant.

SUPPORT THIS FAMILY

GRANT & EMILY STRUGNELL | LESOTHO

It’s been 15 years since the Strugnells moved to Lesotho and began their ministry with MAF, and their involvement with Pulane Children Centre. Please pray for the couple’s decision to hand over leadership of PCC, the current challenges and the Lord’s ultimate will to be done in this project.

SUPPORT THIS FAMILY

CANDIDATES FROM AFRICA WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN THE MAF SA RECRUITMENT PIPELINE, PREPARING AND TRAINING TO ENTER THE MISSION FIELD.

PRAY FOR OUR CANDIDATES

MOMPATI SHABANE | AIRCRAFT ENGINEER

Mompati has been accepted by MAFI as an aircraft engineer and is awaiting placement in a programme. SUPPORT

DANIEL CHILIPAMUSHI | AIRCRAFT ENGINEER

Daniel has been accepted by MAFI as an aircraft engineer and is awaiting placement in a programme.

EVERETT MONTAGU | PILOT

Everett is currently busy with flight assessment preparation and waiting for a slot for the actual fight assessment with a MAF training captain.

MUNYA MARINYAME | PILOT

Munya is currently busy with flight assessment preparation and waiting for a slot for the actual fight assessment with a MAF training captain.

GIFT & ABIGAIL MPOSI | AIRCRAFT ENGINEER READY FOR THE FIELD

Pray for Gift and Abigail, as they begin their journey with MAF. They are set to join the team in Liberia. May their support raising and their transition be blessed. They are currently in South Africa undergoing ministry partnership, the final step before stepping on to the mission field.

By Natalie Holsten

HOUSE OF HOPE

Novianty was wasting away, unable to eat and plagued by constant nausea and vomiting. Her condition was critical when she was flown by a MAF airplane from her remote village to the city of Tarakan in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Doctors at Tarakan’s regional hospital tried to treat her stomach and kidney issues. But after several weeks, she was told there was nothing more they could do for her, and they discharged her. Novianty and her husband, Ben, moved to Rumah Singgah, MAF’s hospital house in Tarakan, until she was strong enough to travel home. Through tears she recalled how hopeless she felt in the face of the doctor’s grim prognosis.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Rumah Singgah was established in 2013 after MAF staff saw the difficulties medevac patients faced when coming to an unfamiliar place for treatment. Patients often arrive with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. If they don’t know anyone locally, they face the daunting task of navigating the medical system alone.

Family members or caregivers typically accompany the patient, and they have nowhere to sleep other than the hospital floor.

Rumah Singgah offers help to patients and their families in tangible ways—from providing a clean and safe place to stay, to assisting with paperwork, to helping family members with logistics if a loved one passes away.

Mince, wife of longtime MAF employee Nelson, is a fixture at the Rumah Singgah. She’s from a remote village herself and understands how much the hospital house ministry means to the people who come here. She loves helping patients and keeping the house clean and organised.

Other MAF staff pitch in and help, including MAF kids, who sometimes play with children of patients, and decorate the house for Christmas. MAF staff

MAF serves medevac patients and families through hospitality ministry.

attend and help lead a monthly time of worship at Rumah Singgah.

“Every time we have a service like that, it’s such a blessing to the patients and families who are here. It encourages all of us,” shared Mince.

HEALING AND HOPE

“MAF helped us so much,” Novianty said. “For those of us who are from the interior of Kalimantan, it can be hard to find a place to stay while getting treatment at the hospital. But praise the Lord, there’s a house here, prepared by MAF, and we’re very thankful.

“But it’s not just the place to stay. There’s a chaplain who comes and serves and prays with us and gives us guidance. And that strengthens us.”

After returning to her home village, Novianty resumed her work as a midwife. She recently accompanied a young patient on a medevac flight, coming full circle from patient to helper.

Rumah Singgah chaplain Bob M. Lopulalang also ministers to the patients and caregivers.

Novainty was one of the first patients Bob met. He saw her regularly for counselling and prayer. Slowly, Novianty gained strength, which Bob attributes to God’s healing power.

“I know it was the Lord who was at work on her behalf,” he recalled.

For Kalimantan program director Jeremy Toews, flying someone like Novianty home to her family is one of the most satisfying aspects of his ministry. He adds, “While it thrills me to know that they have received care for their physical health, the deepest source of my joy in this ministry is in knowing that their lives have been touched by the love of Christ and they will never be the same.”

Photo pg 12: MAF’s hospital house, Rumah Singgah, is located near the regional hospital in Tarakan, Indonesia. Photo by Lemuel Malabuyo.

Photo pg 13: Once a month, MAF staff meet with patients and their family members at the Rumah Singgah for a worship service. Photo by Jeremy

Photo pg 13: Novianty, healed and ready to head home, with her husband Ben, at the MAF Rumah Singgah. “I’m so thankful for the ministry of MAF!” she shared. Photo by Bob M. Lopulalang.

After three months she was healthy and headed back to her home village, full of gratitude for God’s healing and for those who helped her.

Photo pg 13: Men in the village of Long Padi carry a medevac patient to the MAF airplane. The man was injured while caring for his water buffalo herd. Photo by Lemuel Malabuyo.

Toews.

CRITICAL VACANCIES

We are looking for an experienced IT Manager who is looking for the experience of a lifetime and is willing join our team in PNG. This role will suit a self-motivated individual who has strong knowledge in software, network, hardware, cloud-based solutions and implementation of technology solutions.

Not your ordinary desk job! In this role, we are looking for you to provide the financial management of the Arnhem Land programme through overseeing financial transactions on a day to day basis, overseeing the programme’s credit control, preparing annual budgets and overseeing the end of year activities.

As Safety Manager, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of our employees and passengers for our PNG Programme. With our Quaility, Safety and Secuirty team, you will be responsible for developing and executing safety procedures to protect everyone involved in our operations.

MAF South Africa is a resourcing office for MAF International, and our primary role is recruiting effectively for vacancies across the MAF world. The distinctiveness of MAF as an organisation; spreading the Gospel, isolated and forgotten communities, and challenging working conditions, raises the reality of having to find Spirit-filled, technically competent, and highly skilled candidates for those positions.

To do this we have structured but flexible recruiting pipelines aimed at efficiently expediting the process that identifies, processes, and places those ideal candidates.

2022 saw our recruiting strategy expand to include neighbouring countries to South Africa. These included the revising of selection schedules and an earlier initiation of ministry partnering training and coaching for candidates. A new partnership was begun with a South African organisation for the missionary preparedness training of pre-field candidates, thus obviating the need for candidates to travel to the UK. 2023 continues with these developments and as endeavour to fine-tune systems befitting an African landscape.

IT MANAGER PNG

FINANCE MANAGER ARNHAM LAND

SAFETY MANAGER PNG

GO INTO ALL THE WORLD & PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL CREATION.

MARK 16:15

The Blombergs and team

Location: Papua New-Guinea

MAF WIVES AROUND THE WORLD

Serving on the ground to transform the lives of the world’s most isolated communities.

Jill Holmes teaching taekwondo in Mozambique

Mari Eygabroad does physical therapy at an orphanage in Lesotho

Donna Jacobsson teaches medical English to nursing students in Nyankunde, D.R. Congo

Valerie Hochstetler teaches at a local Christian school in Kinshasa, D.R. Congo

Nancy Burton teaches at-risk women sewing skills in western D.R. Congo

Cindee Raney, shown here with two of her helpers, manages the MAF guest house in Jakarta, Indonesia, which houses over 800 people a year.

Marieke Rietveld (right) teaching a group of midwives in Kalimantan, Indonesia

Natalie Holsten filled in as a highschool English teacher for a year at Hillcrest School in Papua, Indonesia

Anna Van Dijk teaches English at the MAF Nabire base in Papua, Indonesia

Melissa Borror leads a women’s Bible study in her home in Lesotho

Heather Flythe (R), her husband, Trip (L), and their four children on a visit the Rumah Singgah hospital house in Kalimantan

MAF SERVES IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD WITH THE VISION OF TAKING CHRIST’S LOVE INTO THE MOST REMOTE PLACES ON EARTH.

PRAY FOR OUR PROGRAMMES

LAND CRUCIAL ROLES PAPUA MADAGASCAR

Pray for our work amongst Indigenous people in Arnhem Land, particularly as we partner with Pioneers to support Christians there.

MAF International has several finance roles vacant, both in programmes and support offices. Pray for the right people to feel called to use their skills for mission.

Praise God for the delivery of 2,000 New Testaments and 2,000 Old Testaments in the Ketengban language to several villages in the Pegunungan Bintang province in Papua, Indonesia. The Old Testament translation in Ketengban was recently finished.

Praise God for a team from Global Health Ministries who visited Antanimore, Madagascar, to assess the results following the construction of three wells a few years ago. They have obtained further funding for an additional 15 wells.

UGANDAHEARTS TO SERVE

Give thanks for our programme staff who frequently move between programmes to bring help where it is needed. Whether in the hangar, with flights, or behind the scenes.

Give thanks for the pilots who will be joining the Kenya team later in the year. Pray for smooth transitions.

Praise God for the new southwestern shuttle in Uganda. Pray this will be a successful initiative and provide a valuable service.

Pray for more French-speaking candidates to apply and fulfil needs in our French-speaking programmes.

MAF STAFF KENYA

ARNHEM

As we look towards budget season, pray for wisdom and good stewardship as we trust God to provide all our needs.

Pray for the current annual meetings between MAFI’s leadership, resourcing groups, as well as HR professionals. Pray for wisdom and strategic thinking for our leaders.

Pray for our pilots in South Sudan as they navigate the wet season. Pray for the safety of all our staff and the challenges they face.

The Liberia programme are in the process of renewing their NGO accreditation. Pray that it will go smoothly and that they would receive a new NGO certificate.

Pray for the ministry of the Lesotho Flying Pastors, who are supported by MAF. A team is currently doing a two-week evangelistic mission.

PRAISE GOD!

The two South African missionary volunteers Eric and Willem from a ministry in northern Mozambique, and MAF pilot Ryan, have officially been released and are free to come home!

Pray for the team in PNG as they look towards some big transitions at the end of this year.

Pray for peace in the DRC (and South Sudan) as both nations approach elections in December.

Pray for MAF children as they embark on a new school year. May they trust in Jesus for all their needs and build good relationships with those around them.

Give thanks for the team in Timor-Leste who have transported more than 100 medevac patients in the first half of the year.

Give thanks for a recent flight in Tanzania that took the Bishop and a pastor to the small village of Lemugur. A baptismal service was held for 56 local people.

Pray for the new intakes in the Mareeba flight school as they begin lessons toward their first solo flight.

MAF CHILDRENTIMOR-LESTETANZANIAMAREEBA

LESOTHOMOZAMBIQUE PNG D.R. CONGO

PRAY FOR MAF SOUTH AFRICA

OUR PROGRAMME’S PRAYER REQUESTS & PRAISE POINTS

Praise for the MOU that was finally granted for our outreach flights to rural communities in South Africa, for the remainder of 2023.

Pray for wisdom and innovation as we seek new ways to fund our African candidates.

Please pray for guidance and insight as we seek the path to expanding our vision of African missionaries for Africa.

Pray for the provision of ideal candidates to satisfy the forthcoming needs for international staff as we seek to further God’s Kingdom in Africa.

Pray for wisdom and counsel as we start to work on our Strategic outlook for the next few years.

Pray for continued funding even as the economic climate in South Africa weighs heavy on those already giving to the work of MAF. Pray for new innovative ways to raise funds.

As we step into budget season, please pray for wisdom and good stewardship as we trust God to provide all our needs.

Please pray for good health and renewed strength in the MAF SA team and their families.

REJOICE IN HOPE, BE PATIENT IN TRIBULATION, BE CONSTANT IN PRAYER. ROM 12:12

FILL YOUR WITH MAF SURPRISES! CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS

COMING

ORDERS: Whatsapp your order to +27 (0)73 368 1421 or email coffee@mafsa.co.za, or visit our online shop mafsa.co.za/shop. Thank

WAY OF TRUTH

Fifteen years ago, Pastor V in coastal Mozambique held up a freshly printed book. The slim volume contained Genesis, Jonah, Luke, and 1 Timothy, translated into the EKoti language. “Our book has four books,” he exclaimed to a group of believers. “But the full Bible has 66 books. We want them all!”

The Koti believers are moving closer to their goal of having the full Bible in their language, EKoti. It’s a language spoken by 100,000 that borrows heavily from Swahili and Arabic. “Through and through it’s an African language,” said translation consultant Sebastian Floor. “It’s very difficult to learn but sounds very beautiful. It has poetry.”

Sebastian recalled how a linguist couple began studying this poetic language in the mid-1990s and wrote a grammar to begin teaching literacy classes, which continue to this day.

“The language is very much alive. The children speak it, so it’s not a dying language,” Sebastian said.

While linguists labored to master the language and reduce it to written form, short-term evangelistic teams from Japan began visiting the Koti people, and a new group of believers was baptized in 2001.

What happened was nothing short of miraculous. Since that first group of believers, thousands more have put their faith in Jesus and been baptized. Believers, who called themselves ‘Tarikhi ya Haakhi’ (Way of Truth), were transformed by the truth of the gospel, with fewer marital problems and less violence.

“No one could ever imagine what God has done among our people,” one Koti believer said.

As the Koti church grew, the linguistic team translated some parables of Jesus from Luke, then focused on the book of Jonah, which seemed appropriate for a seafaring people like the Koti.

After that, portions of scripture were translated for specific needs of the growing church. To

Story by Natalie Holsten

How your partnership helps Bible translation in coastal Mozambique.

understand who Jesus is, the gospel of Luke was completed. Genesis was translated to help correct a faulty belief about separation from God. The book of 1 Timothy was translated when church leaders needed guidance. A selection of Psalms was translated to help give structure for worship.

Eventually, linguists—including many local Koti translators—focused on the New Testament, which was completed and dedicated in 2021, a huge step towards Pastor V’s desire for the entire Bible.

In 2022, two translation coordinators flew into Koti Land on MAF (known in Mozambique as Ambassador Aviation) to kickstart the Old Testament translation project.

MAF pilot Ryan Koher described their arrival. “The coordinators were joyfully welcomed by members of the local church, which reflects their love for God’s Word and the eagerness and excitement for the Old Testament.”

Later in the fall, Ryan flew Sebastian in to help with the translation for Psalm 117, the shortest psalm.

Sebastian and other consultants make frequent trips into Koti Land, where they are currently working on Psalms in a workshop setting. The consultants help the local translators fully understand and internalize a psalm through oral translation and creative songs, with the work concluding in a written transcription before moving on to the next psalm.

The consultant teams prefer to use MAF to travel into the area. It’s a 45-minute flight to reach the Koti from Nampula, where MAF’s base of operations is located. Last September, a cyclone washed out a major bridge on the one road from Nampula to Koti Land, and torrential rains continue to wreak havoc on road conditions.

“Doing a trip on MAF saves days. It’s an efficient way to travel. When I was in regional administration, I didn’t have time to spend weeks in one country. I have a trip of four or five days to visit three or four projects,” Sebastian said. “So MAF took me from one project to another. It saved me a lot of travel headache.”

Today there are 20,000 believers in the Koti church. “The New Testament is used passionately,” says church planter Graeme, “and they have sent church planting teams to take the gospel to an unreached people group further to the north.”

Safely transporting Bible translators is just one of the ways MAF is helping isolated people in Mozambique be changed by the love of Christ.

“It is a privilege for me to play a small role in making the Word of God accessible to thousands of people,” Ryan says. “I see partnering with translators as one of the most important ways we can minister to the people of Mozambique.

BANKING DETAILS

Mission Aviation Fellowship

Standard Bank Greenstone

Branch code: 016342

Swift code: SBZAZAJJ

Account No: 020044615

Reference: V6N3 + your name and surname