News for Prayer 29 May 2014
Issue 501
Island of activity
Our pilots praise God for their delivery of over 10,000 Bibles to Long Bawan village in Kalimantan, along with a team of people to faithfully distribute them. MAF staff say it was really encouraging to see how thrilled people in the region were to get their own copy. Pray that those living in this remote region of Indonesia will be blessed by God’s Word, heartened by what they read, and encouraged in their faith. We also flew 35 people to a youth conference in Long Wawan, carried many loads of pipe to Binuang village for a water project, transported evangelistic resources for an Evangelism Explosion project, and delivered several batches of floor tiles for a church in Long Layu. Give thanks that we are able to make a big difference to communities living on this isolated Indonesian island. Without MAF, transportation is difficult. Rivers are dangerous, mountains are treacherous and jungles are thick – leaving those who travel overland open fatal injury. Our partners are grateful that travelling by plane is safer, less strenuous and far more efficient.
MAF is flying God’s love across Kalimantan
Life-changing cargo
Cush4Christ radio employee James Kon Ker Ngor, in Malualkon, South Sudan, thanks God for a precious gift flown in by MAF. The young man is delighted that, thanks to MAF, he’s now able to get around again. ‘My heart and body are very happy and will be happy for a long time,’ he says. When he was seven, James was struck down with polio, and became paralysed in both legs. His disability meant he couldn’t start school until he was 15, when his mother bought a donkey to take him there. Unfortunately, the animal often threw him off, making travel almost impossible. Sometimes his mother carried him to school, but this was so tiring that his attendance became irregular. One day, James was given a lift to school by a missionary working with the Wëër Bei Dinka Christian radio station, run by MAF partners Cush4Christ. James offered to wash the missionary’s car as a way of thanking him, and was soon employed by the radio station. Through his new job, he began to learn more about the Word of God and eventually became a Christian. James now co-hosts a Saturday morning children’s radio programme and a Monday morning show, which takes live calls from listeners and conducts interviews. All was well, until James’ battered wheelchair
finally gave out after five years – so MAF flew in a replacement. ‘MAF,’ concludes Cush4Christ missionary Jan Buchanan, ‘has been indispensable for our team’s existence and has helped us so much during the past years.’ Uphold the work of our partner Cush4Christ and pray that James’ radio programme continues to bless listeners.
Double medevac
Pilot Josh Plett gives thanks for a double medevac, flying Mampionona, a mother-to-be with pregnancy complications and Dera, a 15-year-old, who needed abdominal surgery. They flew from the remote village Ankavandrato to Antananarivo Hospital, Madagascar. Tragically, the baby, Mampionona’s first child, had died two days earlier. Josh’s wife Jocelyn, who accompanied him on the flight, says, ‘Malagasy people seem to have a great capacity to manage pain. I suppose, without access to medical care, they just learn to deal with it. I now think back to my own experiences of excruciating labour with a new perspective! ‘The two-hour flight took the patients from an area devoid of medical care to the capital, where they could get the help they needed. I continue to marvel at the capacity of Malagasy living in remote areas to withstand crises.’ Pray for Mampionona’s complete recovery and
that God will comfort her as she mourns the tragic death of her unborn baby.
Unrest in Kenya Following two explosions in Nairobi, Kenya recently, hundreds of tourists were evacuated from the country amid fears of an increased terrorist threat from militant Islamists in neighbouring Somalia. The blasts in Gikomba market are believed to have killed at least 10 people and injured many others. Give thanks that MAF staff remain safe and haven’t been affected. Pray for the safety of our team, who are monitoring the situation and keeping vigilant. Pray that our partners and customers will be kept safe and that stability will return to Kenya soon.
2013: another fruitful year
Praise God that MAF carried out over 78,000 flights in 2013; flying nearly 200,000 passengers and 6.7 million kg of freight – excluding passenger baggage allowances. We served around 1,500 organisations, and flew more than 11 million km to over 1,700 destinations – more than 275 times around the equator. Pray for safety and God’s blessing on the many patients, pastors and partners we fly. Every day, we carry out 250 flights, fly around 20,000 nautical miles, transporting 637 passengers and nearly 22,000kg of freight.
Prayer points • ARNHEM LAND Our Learning Technologies team is preparing electronic
in Madagascar.
tablets to give Christian leaders material for discipleship and spiritual growth. Pray we will provide the right resources to the right leaders. • PrabhuKiran Pothula, a young Indian pilot, is preparing to serve with MAF in Arnhem Land. Give thanks that he recently passed his Australian Commercial Pilots Licence. • BANGLADESH Pray for our small team who are undergoing staff changes in the midst of a busy flying and administrative period. • CHAD Pray for continued opportunities to raise MAF’s profile and support the work of missions and NGOs. • MADAGASCAR Pray for God’s blessing as we identify local churches that we can partner in reaching out to the country’s remotest areas. • Uphold our team as they make plans to celebrate 25 years of MAF ministry
• MONGOLIA Uphold our staff and pray for safety and energy as the busy flying season begins. • SOUTH AFRICA We are building a crèche in Vhembe village. Pray for plans to proceed smoothly and that they will be completed by the end of July. • SOUTH SUDAN Pray for our pilots’ safety. Because of insecurity in the country, they often fly to dangerous areas to support our partners. Pray too for their families as social unrest and violence remains. • TANZANIA Uphold our team as they work through significant programme changes, remembering staff in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma who need to find work (NfP 499). • WORLDWIDE Pray for MAF staff who need to raise financial support, work in ‘restricted countries’, or places where Christians face special challenges.
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