News for Prayer 26 June 2014
Issue 503
Making life easier
Traditional matches, candles and torches are becoming history, thanks to a project recently funded by MAF Germany and MAF Norway. Town power is fairly unreliable, and living in Wewak, Papua New Guinea (PNG), means our staff have to cope with daytime temperatures between 30°C and 35°C. Even at night, the temperature never goes below 25°C. Facing power cuts of up to 18 hours meant that butter and ice cream melted, meat and fish defrosted and ceiling fans stopped working – making it hotter inside staff houses than out. Laptops couldn’t recharge to check emails or changes in operational procedures. Now, thanks to help from our team in Germany and Norway, when the power goes off – leaving staff suddenly plunged into darkness, our new 27kW Powermax generator starts automatically and powers the houses at the MAF compound. Praise God for the blessing our new generator provides. Give thanks for the practical support MAF staff in PNG have received through fellowship with those based in Europe and uphold personnel in this and other developing countries who struggle daily with heat, humidity, power cuts and strikes.
A new generator brings blessing to rural PNG
Fighting famine With the threat of famine looming in South Sudan, give thanks for our ability to transport vital supplies to remote areas facing malnutrition. MAF Pilots Andrew Parker and Ryan Unger recently landed at Motot, a remote village where Tearfund has an office. With the help of Tearfund staff, they unloaded 55 boxes of Plumpy’Sup, a nutritious peanut-based food supplement, then flew off for another 55 boxes. Each flight carried a 900kg load. Claudia Puschner, Tearfund’s South Sudan Programme Officer, says, ‘We are currently targeting 38,429 pregnant and lactating women, and children under 5 suffering from malnutrition. The feeding programmes are possible due to the generous support of MAF.’ Two months ago, Nyadieng Ruth first brought two-year-old Nyayuni to Tearfund’s feeding centre in Pulchoul. The child was malnourished and suffering from severe diarrhoea. Fortunately, Nyayuni responded well to the food supplements and is gradually getting better. Chul Malual’s child, Muot, has improved dramatically. When Muot first came to Pulchoul, he weighed only 6.7kg. Now, a month later, the 2-yearold weighs 9.3kg. Tragically, the January figures for children needing treatment for malnutrition at Tearfund’s six feeding centres in Uror are more than double those of January 2012. With many South Sudanese too weak to cultivate the land, or without seeds for planting, the situation is likely to deteriorate further. Please pray the famine predicted by the UN will
be averted, and that the one-third of South Sudan’s children who are malnourished will obtain the food necessary to survive and develop properly. Give thanks that our flights provide nutrition for children like Nyayuni and Muot, and uphold partners such as Tearfund who provide this war-torn and embattled country with water, sanitation, nutrition and everyday essentials.
Dark places
Tim and Helen Manson work for Tutapona, an organisation that enters war-affected zones to offer trauma counselling to displaced and traumatised victims of war. The organisation began in Gulu, Uganda, epicentre of the terror launched by the Lord’s Resistance Army from the late 1980s to 2006. Since then, Tutapona has counselled over 20,000 refugees, with 11,000 people becoming Christians. More recently, Tutapona has supported 55,000 people living in the refugee camp that opened in December 2013 when violence erupted in South Sudan. Pilot Greg Vine recently flew Tim, Helen and five psychologists to provide training for Tutapona counsellors in Gulu, and help hundreds of NGO personnel to recognise the effects of trauma. Since 2009, we have been flying Tutapona staff three times a year, and Tim says the partnership is essential. ‘By flying with MAF,’ he explains, ‘we maximise our time instead of roughing it from Kampala to Gulu along a gruelling ten-hour journey. Flying with MAF saves us time and helps our work to be more effective.’ Praise God for those who bring healing to some
of the world’s darkest places, and pray for the possible reopening of an airstrip in Adjumani, which would save a 2½-hour drive from Gulu to the camp.
Making friends When Sharon and Craig Reynolds agreed to serve in PNG, Sharon asked her children if they would like to have a pen pal. Shaun and Amy were excited about making friends and sharing the Gospel with pen pals around the world, so Sharon contacted our Auckland office and heard about Peia, who had written to say he wanted to be a pilot in PNG. So MAF responded by asking the seven-year-old would-be pilot if he wanted to be Shaun’s pen pal. Peia, whose grandfather had served as a missionary in PNG, was delighted. Eventually, Sharon and Communications Officer Glen Sim talked about creating a Kids Korner page on the MAF PNG website – inviting youngsters from around the world to write to children there. One of these children was Esmeraldah. Soon afterwards, Glen received an email from our UK office. A girl named Koteka, who had been born in PNG but now lived in England, had written a lovely letter thanking MAF for our work. Perhaps she could be the pen pal Esmeraldah was looking for. The two were put in touch, and eventually Esmeraldah received a letter and photo from Koteka. Esmeraldah was so excited, she took Koteka’s photo to school and showed her friends. Give thanks for the joy and encouragement pen pals bring, and let us know if any youngsters are interested in writing to children in PNG.
Prayer points • ARNHEM LAND Remember our staff as they work alongside Aboriginal believers and reach out to the various Yolŋu communities. • BANGLADESH Pray for the speedy recruitment of another pilot and aircraft maintenance engineer. • CHAD Uphold Director of Maintenance Albert Harrewyn as he assumes the role of Interim Programme Manager until the arrival of Sam Baguma in July. • KENYA Uphold our team of 15 international families and 48 national staff. Several team members are covering two or three roles, so pray for energy. Pray also that those who are unwell will be healed. • LIBERIA Continue to pray for the Letter of Support from the Minister of Commerce so our new programme can begin. • MEXICO MAF affiliate Alas de Socorro is serving indigenous mountain
communities that are resistant to the Gospel. Pray as our staff witness to these people. • PAPUA Uphold MAF pilot/mechanic Steve Richards, his wife Jodi and children Anna and Alex, whose house in Sentani was destroyed by fire. Praise God no one was injured and that the family was able to grab some of their possessions. • SOUTH AFRICA Give thanks that we enabled a volunteer GP to visit the Makuya clinic to see patients who, because the town is so remote, hadn’t received any medical care. • WORLDWIDE There has been recent violence in several of the countries we work, including Kenya and South Sudan. Please pray for these nations and for the protection MAF staff.
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