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FUELLED BY PRAYER
MISSION AVIATION FELLOWSHIP
VOL.3 NO.2 2020
VOL.3 NO.2 2020
COVID-19
MISSION AVIATION FELLOWSHIP
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Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 NIV
REACHING THE ISOLATED, DESPITE CIRCUMSTANCE
STORY BY AMBER THOMSON AND PHOTOS FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES
While many countries across the world declare a “state of emergency”, programme managers across MAF declare a “state of readiness” to serve in this time and to continue with the mission at hand.
ensure safety measures and hygiene practices. MAF has implemented precautions like screening passengers we transport, wearing masks throughout the entire day and, most importantly, sanitising every single part of the plane once a flight is complete. Mark Blomberg, MAF’s programme These measures extend to also include manager in Bangladesh, shares, plastic shields between the pilot and “Right now, we just want to maintain the cargo or passengers. a readiness and an ability to respond as needed.” And this is the attitude of In South Sudan, Liberia, Indonesia and Madagascar, pilots and teams have MAF programmes across the globe. used the MAF aircraft to transport As the state of the world remains front-line responders into areas that uncertain and as levels of lockdown would be close to impossible to test and self-isolation fluctuate with time, otherwise. These tests have also the need for consistency and help been flown back to hospitals and grows stronger, especially within testing centres to receive results and Africa. This is where the mission of act accordingly. The most important MAF is so important to reach the partnership in these cases has been isolated for the sake of the Gospel. with the governments and response teams in these countries and the Under the COVID-19 restrictions and partnership continues to grow regulations within different countries, stronger. MAF has served in several ways, each dependant on the laws and regulations The MAF programmes in Arnhem within those countries. Here, we share Land have transported 450 kg of with you a few of the ways this aviation food donated by local supermarket organisation has been able to bring Woolworths into Aboriginal this much needed help. communities on Howard Island. This has been of great significance Before any flights could successfully as it helped the Yolngu stay in their take place, the greatest need was to community, further preventing risk
of COVID-19 exposure. Beyond this, MAF supporters united in donating a few hundred face masks to the programme, which were sent to the Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation to be used by local doctors, nurses, and clinicians. MAF has transported medical supplies, personal protective equipment, testing kits and equipment and essential personnel. They have even taken the time to educate communities, who have little communication otherwise, on the dangers of COVID19 and safety measures, such as social distancing and hygiene practices. With much of the circumstance surrounding COVID-19 seeming hopeless and overwhelming, these stories of hope and help have brought great encouragement and joy to the MAF team and they look forward to being able to continue the mission set out before them. •
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Page 8: The MAF Madagascar team works with the country’s national epidemiological response team to plan pick-up and delivery of COVID-19 testing kits. Page 9: MAF Liberia fly a medical team to Zwedru to test a suspected case of Covid19. Update, the case was negative.
