Flying for Life Spring 2014
The quarterly magazine of MAF
6 Uganda
Your paper chains arrive
12 South Sudan
Helping a country in crisis
WORLDWIDE: opening airstrips
Overseeing airstrips In Papua New Guinea (PNG), much of the country is covered by jungle, mountains or swamps, with more than 80% of its people living in remote, isolated settlements. With over half its airstrips having deteriorated to the point of closure, local and national government recently supported a strategy proposed by MAF, and formed the Rural Airstrip Agency of PNG to oversee airstrip maintenance across the country – something we could never do alone! MAF International Development Director Bill Harding says, ‘Steps are now being made to get services delivered to remote communities.’ It’s a great achievement for MAF and the people of PNG!
Main MAF Pilot Kirstein Combrink opening Lerumo airstrip with local leaders
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Building the backbone of our work Your support is providing new and reopened airstrips – the crucial gateway between MAF flights and isolated people Story John McWhinney Photos Ryan Unger and Friedemann Urschitz
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ven when dealing with matters of life and death, an MAF plane can’t reach people in need without a well-maintained airstrip. But how can our pilots be sure that a runway they’ve never used or inspected from the ground is free from unseen dangers? MAF pilot Ryan Unger knows well that landing on a new airstrip is a moment to
trust God and count on the careful work of concerned locals. He points out, ‘Because it can be challenging to inspect the runway surface fully while flying over at 95mph, the first landing at any new airstrip is done without passengers.’ But once it can be declared safe after a thorough ground inspection, it’s amazing what transformation an airstrip can bring.
Saving sick children in South Sudan
Hope and help in Tanzania
God’s power in Papua New Guinea
Ryan recently received an emergency call from Menime in the Sudd, a vast wetland in central South Sudan. One villager had walked for three hours to find a highfrequency radio that could be used to reach us with the distressing news, ‘Our children are sick!’ Our team suspected an outbreak of measles, but five years had passed since MAF had used the runway closest to the crisis. ‘Looking at the long grass and bushes during the first aerial inspection, no one else had been here in a long while,’ Ryan recalls. But the local people worked quickly to clear the runway. Moments after Ryan made his landing, a man burst through the palms asking urgently, ‘Fi Dawa?’ (‘Is there medicine?’) Within a week, and through Ryan’s expert help, God had cleared the way for mothers – smiling with hope and relief – to receive life-saving medicine for their children. Ryan remembers, ‘I don’t think I ever felt as appreciated as a pilot than when I came with those vaccines.’
Many people in the South Maasai region of Tanzania live several hours’ walk from the nearest telephone. In an emergency, the time it takes to receive treatment can mean the difference between life and death. But building a runway in the wilderness isn’t easy. Fighting malaria mosquitos, stifling humidity and searing heat, workers often only have hand tools to cut down tropical undergrowth and hardwood trees. Smoothing the runway presents a further challenge, so pilot Kirstein Combrink decided to drag a fallen tree behind a Land Rover! Today, with direct contact to MAF via radio and a 25-minute journey by plane, the South Maasai people not only have access to God’s Word, medicine, supplies and education, but they have a better chance of surviving snakebites or critical illness. Every day, we trust God and rely on the commitment of rural communities, the skill and dedication of our pilots and the support of people like you to make landings in remote places possible.
Sometimes it takes a generation for a community to re-establish a life-saving connection to the rest of the world – like the Niksek people of Papua New Guinea (PNG), who named their local airstrip ‘April River’ after the Sepik tributary it lies beside. But after the airstrip was built by Austrian missionary Fritz Urschitz in 1977, the river flooded less than ten years later, washing the village away and covering the runway with a thick layer of silt. This disaster dashed the hopes of many in need of spiritual and physical support. Fortunately, Fritz’s son Friedemann Urschitz felt led to take up his father’s work, and established a permanent airstrip to link the Niksek people to the help they had been praying for. Some had tragically died due to lack of medical care, but the survivors were determined to carry on. Friedemann provided the people with bush knives, machetes, spades, sandbags and a wheelbarrow to restore their crucial airstrip. They celebrated the reopening with a pig feast, inviting MAF Pilots Mathias Glass and Martin Koehler with their wives Mandy and Claudia to join them. Timothy, the pastor of Niksek’s little church says, ‘We are not here just to celebrate the opening of the airstrip. We are here to worship God, give thanks for MAF and celebrate the connection we now have with the outside world.’
New airstrips bring: • Medicines • Doctors • Hospital airlifts • Critical care • Emergency relief • Building materials • School teachers • School books • Bibles • Study materials • Pastors • Missionaries • Long-term development • Transformed lives
Left MAF’s first landing in Menime, bringing vital medical supplies to quell a measles outbreak
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PAPUA NEW GUINEA: enabling medical care
A vital service Stephanie Gidney reflects on her visit to one of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) remotest hospitals Photos Russell Conwell and Michael Duncalfe
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hree birds of prey fly low over the tarmac at Mount Hagen as we taxi towards the runway. In the distance, a blanket of grey cloud covers the top of the mountain range. Once in the air, I’m struck by the greenery below us – the dense jungle stretching out in every direction. On our approach to Kompiam, the forested slopes give way to rugged hills and we spot the silver rooftops of the hospital building glinting in the sunshine. Our pilot Mike Davis circles the plane, turning gradually as he prepares to land. The airstrip is reasonably long, but the circuit area is confined and the final descent, a low approach over a ridgeline, can be tricky in windy conditions. Our flight has only taken 20 minutes, but the overland journey is something else altogether. Kompiam is located in Enga Province, deep in the mountainous highlands of PNG. It is connected to the rest of the country by a single stretch of road that is poorly maintained and often extremely hazardous. If you’re lucky, you can drive to Mount Hagen, the nearest big centre, in five hours – but it can take much longer. Today this is impossible, as the bridge recently collapsed and there’s a landslide further down the route.
No simple task We’re greeted by Medical Superintendent Dr Halmahera David Mills, an Australian doctor who has been responsible for the Enga Baptist Health Services work in this area since 2000. He lives at the
hospital with his wife Corina and their four children. He is energetic and smiling as he takes us on a tour, explaining as we walk, ‘When we first arrived, the facilities were very limited. It was a hospital by name only. We had some staff and operating facilities, but no X-ray equipment, communications or telephone. It was a very rudimentary service.’ Since his arrival, Dr Mills has overseen a huge development programme, culminating in the opening of a new paediatric wing in 2013. It was no simple task; all the building materials, medical equipment and supplies had to face the dangerous journey overland or be flown in by an MAF plane. But this isn’t the biggest challenge facing Dr Mills and his team. Hundreds of tribal groups live scattered among the outlying valleys – a journey to the hospital takes days or weeks of trekking through dense jungle or swamps. He explains, ‘The population in this area numbers roughly 60,000 and the vast majority have no contact with any basic healthcare. If they can’t get to us for help, many people who suffer serious medical conditions simply die or develop lifelong disabilities.’
Lifeline The hospital also provides backup resources for NEW GUINEA its eight health centres, which are scattered throughout the district. MAF aircraft are a lifeline, transporting medical supplies to these remote centres and bringing patients in a
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Above Mountainous PNG, the broken bridge en route to Kompiam and children celebrating the opening of the new hospital wing
EAST TIMOR
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Kompiam Mount Hagen UA NEW GU PAP IN EA
ARAFURA SEA
Port Moresby 200 miles
critical condition to the hospital at Kompiam for urgent treatment. Dr Mills introduces us to some of the patients. We initially come across eight-monthold baby Kingson, who is suffering from pneumonia. His mum Mesi brought him to Kompiam Hospital from their village of Kiokai, a six-hour walk over the mountains. As we are about to leave, a man with a dislocated shoulder arrives, grimacing in pain. It’s been like that for over two weeks. Dr Mills gives instructions to get it X-rayed. His parting comments stay with me on the flight back to Mount Hagen. ‘Without MAF, we wouldn’t be able to reach the outlying communities. Even at the hospital here in Kompiam, we would struggle to get by as the road is so uncertain and dangerous. We have nightmares when we think “what if MAF says they are packing up and going home tomorrow, what would we do?” We try and think of alternatives, but we don’t have too many, to be honest. I don’t want to even think about it, so please don’t go!’ We pray this vital partnership will continue for many years to come.
‘We have nightmares when we think “what if MAF says they are packing up and going home tomorrow, what would we do?” We try and think of alternatives, but we don’t have too many, to be honest. I don’t want to even think about it, so please don’t go!’
Badly wounded Malayam comes from the outlying village of Lapalama. She was badly stabbed in the leg during a fight with her husband’s other wife and the wound became severely infected. An MAF aircraft collected Malayam from her village and brought her to Kompiam Hospital, where she received treatment for the infection and surgery on the damaged nerves. Without MAF’s help, it would have taken eight men carrying her on a stretcher for two days to reach the hospital.
Main Locals gather to celebrate the opening of Kompiam’s new medical wing Above Dr Mills visiting a patient
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UGANDA: chains of encouragement
Links of prayer, beauty Jill Vine reports on the lasting impact your Christmas messages have made in Uganda Photos Jill Vine
For more photos of the paper chain delivery, visit
www.maf-uk.org /paperchains
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hen I first heard about the paper chain project, I was somewhat daunted by the ambition of the venture. Gathering our huge team and delivering messages to remote partners posed something of a challenge. But then MAF Communications Manager Lesley Miller arrived at our Uganda base from the UK, armed with a broad smile and a large sack of coloured paper. It wasn’t until I read a message from the first batch of chains that I finally realised the power of this endeavour. The shaky writing was evidence of a hand which had taken time and care over each word. It read, ‘Our Saviour is mindful of us. May God be with you always.’ As I continued to read, I was both amazed and deeply comforted. The messages were full of encouragement and Scriptures; many assuring us of their daily prayers for MAF. A friend mentioned that the messages made her feel like her arms had been lifted – similar to how Moses must have felt when his arms were held by Aaron and Hur as the Israelites waged war. MAF staff in Uganda really appreciated the
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messages; carefully reading each one before intertwining the chains to decorate the office. Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Mark Newnham decided to be buried in an enormous bundle – his big smile beaming from under the colourful pile. He was quite literally ‘covered in prayer’! Our MAF Fellowship Day at the hangar was an ideal opportunity for more chain-making. Coincidentally, our new Cessna Caravan aircraft arrived the same morning, so we were delighted to include it along with another aircraft as a backdrop for photographs. It was such a blessing to surround this new plane with prayers from our MAF family in the UK at the start of its service in Uganda.
IMA midwifery clinic, Soroti Shortly afterwards, MAF staff from seven nations took the chains to our partners. It seemed natural to hold hands with the IMA (International Midwives Assistance) staff and pray after decorating their office – an outward expression of how MAF stands together with our many partners worldwide. A midwife read the messages to patients
and joy! waiting outside with their babies, and they were received with joy. Emmanuel, a doctor from the IMA clinic, commented, ‘It has strengthened and blessed us to know that someone somewhere has appreciated the work we are doing. It has made us feel loved and comforted and given us hope for the future. We feel supported!’ Clinic manager Martin Orteger added, ‘I’d like to thank God for enabling all those who love us to send such encouraging messages for Christmas. May He continue preserving their lives so they can share love to those in need.’ Martin said that the decorations would stay up not just for Christmas but for the entire year!
ALARM, Pader When we arrived at ALARM (African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries), we wrapped some ready-made chains around Pastor Nelson’s neck. He began dancing joyfully and clapping his hands! We then spent time making some more chains with ALARM’s staff and students who read each message gratefully. Pastor Nelson
Humbled
was delighted. ‘It’s like receiving fan mail!’ he exclaimed. Over lunch, he mentioned that ‘other carriers don’t treat us the way MAF does. We would be in a lot of trouble if MAF couldn’t bring us to Pader. It gives us great joy and encouragement to see these messages and know that people see the work we are doing. We are so blessed that of all the countries, MAF UK chose Uganda and of all the places in Uganda, they chose Pader!’ Later, he prayed, ‘Thank you God for MAF, who is standing with us. We thank you that there are people on their knees while we are on our feet.’ MAF Uganda personnel felt honoured to have been able to deliver the prayer chains, and enjoyed visiting our partners’ projects. I suddenly realised the symbolism of the chains. Separately we’re not that interesting, but united – linked to our partners overseas and each other – we are stronger, safer and more beautiful! Thank you to everyone who took time to write to us. We pray for God’s blessing to return to you a hundredfold!
MAF Housing Co-ordinator Sarah Newnham shares her thoughts about the flights to Pader and Soroti ‘It’s encouraging to see two organisations making a big difference to people living in their communities. I’m still amazed at the standards of IMA’s clinic. To hear how HIV and domestic violence have dramatically dropped because of the clinic’s work was astonishing. ‘At both projects, I felt a sense of the Lord’s presence, and there was genuine love and compassion flowing from the staff. As the students, patients and personnel read the messages, we saw their joy as they realised people remembered them. It was humbling to watch.’
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MONGOLIA: a unique operation
Reaching the landlocked island
MAF has been flying in Mongolia since 2001, serving with a local Christian partner as Blue Sky Aviation. This vast land presents extremes of temperature, climate and utter isolation. With only three million people sprawled across the endless landscape, Mongolia’s people inhabit one of the most remote regions on earth Photos LuAnne Cadd
500 miles
RUSSIA
KAZAKHSTAN MONGOLIA
CHINA
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SEA OF JAPAN
MONGOLIA
Mongolia statistics: Total land area: 603,909 sq miles (UK = 94,241 sq miles)
Our operation: Pilot/Acting Programme Manager: Ryan Van Geest Staff: 12 (2 international, 10 national) MAF flights last year: 240 Fleet: 1 Cessna Grand Caravan Destinations: 46 Passengers last year: 1,946 Left A tiny, isolated Nomad community in western Mongolia
Partners we serve: 71 Key organisations who fly with MAF: World Vision, Reaching the Light, World Evangelical Alliance
Sources: World Health Organisation Mongolia Health Profile 2013, National Statistical Office of Mongolia, CIA World Factbook 2013, Office for National Statistics, Trading Economics, Operation World
Borders: China (2,906 miles), Russia (2,201 miles) – a strategic and diplomatic challenge
Population: 3,226,516 (less than half of London’s population)
Weather extremes: temperatures below freezing roughly 8 months a year (lowest temperature -40°C)
Life expectancy: 69 (UK = 81) Paved roads: 30,602 miles (UK = 245,400 miles)
Airports with paved runways: 15 (UK = 271) Inflation rate: 10.8% in July 2013 (UK = 1.7%)
Unreached people: 86%
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KENYA: serving orphans
A home where the heart is Paul Beck describes his moving visit to one of Kenya’s poorest areas Photos Paul Beck and LuAnne Cadd
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Main Pastor Arero and MAF Pilot Adrian Rose
’m on the ground in Marsabit, Kenya, trying to ignore the obvious. I focus on the heat, the even warmer welcome from our local hosts, the lush display of God’s creation that abundantly surrounds us; all to no avail. From the dusty dirt roads to the tin shack buildings, there’s no escaping the fact that Marsabit is poor. The poverty would be complete, were it not for the hope that the MAF plane we’ve landed in is bringing. We disembark and I’m introduced to local pastor John Arero. Sporting a flat cap, he has a relaxed manner that quickly puts me at ease. But behind the informal appearance is a business-like professional, one whose services to Marsabit’s orphans have earned him a commendation from the country’s president, which I see framed on Pastor Arero’s living room wall as we stop by his house. Although basic by western standards, there’s
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a homely atmosphere and we enjoy the lovely chicken and noodle soup his wife has prepared. The stroll to Marsabit Children’s Home which follows is a welcome opportunity to learn more about the orphanage.
Finding much, living with little Having been established 20 years ago, there are now many ‘graduate’ orphans who have benefitted from the staff’s warmth, love and Christian teaching. Every morning, the children wake themselves before dawn; the older boys leading the younger ones in beautiful praise songs to Jesus. God’s love is a precious part of daily life here, and has deeply impacted their outlook. It is humbling to think that in the midst of having so little, these children find so much through their faith in Jesus. The pastor then explains that today there are over 30 youngsters of various ages at the
The poverty would be complete, were it not for the hope that the MAF plane we’ve landed in is bringing orphanage, so when we arrive I’m surprised that there isn’t a single child around. Pastor Arero informs me that the orphans are all at school which, given that it’s early afternoon, makes complete sense. Several schoolgirls appear soon after, whispering and giggling to each other as they spot the international visitors. Their crisp uniforms reflect the seriousness that Pastor Arero places upon the youngsters completing their formal education. On occasion, he meets with the headmaster to discuss raising funds to pay for the children’s school fees.
A caring partnership MAF’s support of Marsabit Children’s Home is longstanding and includes the pastor’s office computer, which was donated and flown in by MAF Kenya. I’m also relieved to have dropped off a large bag of rice – another gift from the MAF team in Nairobi, which we’ve carried since bringing it off the plane. The most recent sign of the partnership is a shiny chicken coop, whose wooden door, metal frame and roof have again been donated and flown in by MAF. There’s also a sturdy concrete foundation ‘to prevent the mongooses getting in,’ Pastor Arero tells me. The eggs are intended to provide nutrition for the children and income from the local community. But there are no chickens to be seen and, unlike the orphans, they don’t put in an appearance. Instead, because chickens aren’t native to the northern region of Kenya surrounding Marsabit, MAF will soon fly in 100 feathered friends. With the time we are able to spend at the orphanage drawing to a close, we head back to the airstrip. I walk and talk with Gabriel Galgallo, a tall young man with a disarming smile. A graduate of the orphanage, today he helps with the administration and leads worship times for the children. Having finished his high school education, he is now completing a course in community development, which vastly subsidised MAF flights to Kenya’s capital Nairobi make possible. The MAF shuttle takes off and I begin processing all I’ve seen. Materially, Marsabit may appear poor but, thanks to MAF and Pastor Arero, the orphans at the children’s home are truly rich in the knowledge of God’s love and care.
Gabriel Galgallo ‘We greatly appreciate the noble work MAF is doing in this area,’ says Gabriel, who came to Marsabit Children’s Home when he was ten. Gabriel today is confident and well-spoken, devoting his time to serving the centre both practically and spiritually. ‘My desire is to serve people,’ he says. ‘I believe many people will be saved through this home.’
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SOUTH SUDAN: a country in crisis
South Sudan crisis
Prayer has been vital to ensure the safety of our staff in South Sudan, who have been working hard to serve our partners amid the recent security crisis Story Jo Lamb Photos Smiley N Pool
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Pippa Wilkinson
uba woke abruptly on 16 December 2013 to the sound of gunfire and several loud explosions. Fighting had broken out overnight, and the dawn brought intensified unrest in the capital. Tens of thousands of people fled, taking refuge at UN compounds. A new humanitarian crisis had begun. As we watched the frantic updates on our screens, MAF families and friends around the world paused their Christmas preparations, and became united in prayer for those in need. As a precautionary measure, MAF’s Juba team was evacuated to neighbouring Kenya. Many dozen requests for assistance from our partners were then met by the MAF teams based in countries nearby, while our Crisis Management Team continued to monitor the situation daily. Some of our prayers reached Tearfund worker Pippa Wilkinson working in South Sudan’s remote Jonglei region. With MAF’s help, Pippa and her team have been treating ill and malnourished children, drilling and rehabilitating boreholes, and distributing mosquito nets. They had barely wrapped up their Christmas festivities, which had included heartfelt speeches and dancing under the African stars. It was an appropriate way to celebrate all they had achieved in 2013. The party atmosphere halted abruptly as news broke of the fighting in Juba. The airport was closed, and no one would be coming to fly them home for Christmas. They, along with
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countless others, faced fear and the threat of the unknown. ‘The days we were grounded became very long,’ reflects Pippa. ‘We sat in front of the news, playing Scrabble to pass time in between checking the dead phone lines and making half-jokes about whether we’d have enough food to last until Christmas.’ Local Tearfund staff were also, understandably, very concerned about their families. On Wednesday 18 December, help arrived. With the security situation stabilised and Juba Airport reopened, MAF Pilot Ryan Unger was able to fly in and collect the stranded team – gratefully returning them home to their families to celebrate the festive season. As they flew over the outskirts of Juba, flames rose from the broken city – the wounds of fighting still raw and exposed. UN bases were crowded with displaced people, many of whom would certainly not be home for Christmas. The situation in South Sudan remains tense – as one BBC reporter commented, ‘these are wildly unpredictable times.’ Even as we go to print, the outcome of this crisis is still unclear. All we do know is that God hears our prayers. We ask you to remember our team, many of whom lost loved ones in the fighting, and all those offering help and care to the displaced thousands at this fragile time. Read a first-hand account from Pilot Michael Dupuis on his blog at
www.mafdupuis.wordpress.com
UGANDA: serving overseas
A faith-adventure Our new Finance Manager recalls her journey from Perth to Kampala where she is now serving MAF and reaching isolated people in Uganda Story Jo Lamb Photos Jill Vine
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orn into a quiet farming family in south Perthshire, Margaret McLaren is now over 6,500 miles from home. She discovered MAF in 2008, but had no idea that, five years on, she would be managing our finance team in Kampala. Her journey has been far from smooth, but has been covered by God’s grace and gentle leading. An accountant by trade, Margaret gained experience in auditing, tax and training small and medium-sized businesses in financial management.
Encountering MAF While bringing up two children as a single mum in Yorkshire, Margaret developed a passion for bringing God’s Kingdom to the business world. Her MAF story began when she stumbled upon our stand at an event in Dundee. Soon after, Margaret volunteered to become an MAF Prayer Co-ordinator, where she introduced our work to her local church in Auchterarder. Her passion for mission deepened. In 2009, Margaret started pushing doors and joined a short-term ‘business as mission’ trip in Pakistan with another Christian charity – her heart now set on serving God overseas.
A step of faith A few years later, Margaret embarked on what she describes as ‘the biggest thing I have done in my life’ – she applied to MAF. The long and meaningful process of support-raising, training and preparing to move across the world deepened her passion for mission and faith in God’s provision. The Scripture she cherishes is from Psalm 23, ‘Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.’ Now serving in Uganda, Margaret wipes dust from her desk every morning, chats to locals while walking to work, and visits bustling markets. Despite intermittent power supplies and small earthquakes, she thoroughly enjoys applying her skills to God’s work with MAF, and is slowly learning new processes as well as embracing Ugandan culture. Margaret’s story may sound unusual, but it’s not unique. Many overseas positions are filled by women and non-pilots. There is scope for many people, of different ages, experiences and backgrounds to join us – the only thing we have in common is a desire to follow God, and bring His Good News to the most isolated corners of the globe.
Fuelled by prayer Margaret says, ‘MAF is quite literally “fuelled” by prayer. Praying for Uganda is on my heart, and is something we do every day. Being in Africa and doing a job that I know contributes to the important work of other organisations and reaches people in remote areas, really excites me. MAF’s partners can’t do their work without the service we provide, and I am delighted to be part of that ministry.’
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UK news
On the road in 2014
Changing futures
Youth Co-ordinator Alison Morrison watches God weaving His plan for two people’s lives I find Laura and Paul in a room scattered with tambourines and screens, dials and drums. Laura is rehearsing while Paul listens intently, jotting notes. We met Laura Goldthorp at Soul Survivor last summer, at which point she knew very little about MAF. We soon filled her in and, with a head full of stories and a heart brimming with creativity, Laura composed her winning song ‘Be the Lights’. As layers of sound are added to the track, Laura can’t hide her excitement or newfound passion for MAF’s work. ‘I’m over the moon!’ she beams as her vocals are played for the first time. ‘The song is about stepping out and showing people the love of God, be that through sharing food or spreading the Gospel. What inspires me is to meet people who just give their lives to fly and serve – it’s really exciting!’ That’s where Paul comes in. Paul Burton encountered MAF five years earlier – in almost the exact spot we met Laura. For the past 20 years, he has built a successful career in the music industry, but the next 20 have the potential to be radically different. God was talking to him about working in the developing world professionally, but his question was: ‘Which profession?’ While working at New Wine, Paul bumped into MAF Pilot Bryan Pill.
‘We got talking and he gave me Jungle Pilot to read. I was amazed by the book, but it sounded like my worst nightmare!’
All change
After further talks, Paul realised that learning to fly could work alongside his current job. However, it took a few attempts before he got into a plane. ‘I was terrified. I drove to the flight school, had a look around and then drove home again. It’s not that I didn’t believe God, it’s just that I didn’t want to pursue it and then realise it was just my own crazy idea.’ When Paul finally stepped onto the airstrip, he received the confirmation he was looking for. ‘I felt God say, “This is your future.” The plane lifted off and I was hooked!’ After two packed days in the studio, Laura’s tracks are finished and I ask them what’s next. For Laura, study, exams and launching her first CD. For Paul, study, exams and launching into an exciting new career with MAF. It’s clear to see God’s hand at work and, with a little help from MAF, two futures are taking unexpected turns.
To watch a short film of Laura and Paul recording ‘Be the Lights’, visit www. maf-youth.org/video-gallery
We’re thrilled to be attending Spring Harvest in Minehead, where we will be launching our newly refurbished trailer. Complete with screens and a fresh new look, it’s a fantastic way to communicate MAF’s message to everyone who comes on board. So if you’re going to Spring Harvest (5-18 April), the Christian Resources Exhibition in Sandown (13-16 May), or Big Church Day Out (24-25 May), do come and say hello. We would love to see you.
Crossing the line We want to say a massive ‘thank you’ to Judith Allen, who ran the Great West Run on behalf of MAF. This was her first half-marathon, and Judith trained for months. Early in the race, she suffered an unexpected asthma attack, but continued slowly mile after mile. Judith says, ‘There were definitely times when I kept putting one foot in front of the other because I hoped that somewhere there was someone who would benefit from a flight funded by the money I was raising.’ Judith, the last runner to cross the line, raised a fantastic £267.49! If she has inspired you to raise money for MAF, please email us at events@maf-uk.org as we would love to help you. In Judith’s words, ‘Go for it! Be creative and brave and try something different and new. Don’t think you can’t just because you haven’t before now.’
Request a speaker pack Would you like an MAF speaker to come to your church, but don’t know how to ask your minister? Our new 90-second DVD provides a glimpse of our work, mentions our MAF speaker service, and shows the viewer how to find out more. For more details, please phone Supporter Relations on 0845 850 9505 or email supporter.relations@maf-uk.org to order your free DVD.
This is MAF is an international Christian aviation organisation serving around 25 developing countries to reach people living in some of the world’s most isolated communities. Operating more than 130 light aircraft, MAF flies into 1,800 remote destinations, transporting essential medical care, food and water supplies, relief teams and church workers enabling physical and spiritual care to reach countless thousands of people cut off due to formidable geographical barriers, natural disasters and political unrest. Each flight carries help and hope to men, women and children for whom flying is not a luxury but a lifeline. Transforming lives through enabling access, MAF is flying for life.
Mission Aviation Fellowship UK Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone CT20 2TN 29 Canal Street, Glasgow G4 0AD FREEPOST ADM4164, PORTRUSH BT56 8ZY Dept AA1818, PO Box 4214, FREEPOST Dublin 2 Telephone: 0845 850 9505 Email: supporter.relations@maf-uk.org Website: www.maf-uk.org Registered charity in England and Wales (1064598) and in Scotland (SC039107)
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Flying for Life Editor: Richard Hubbard Email: editor@maf-uk.org Printer: Headley Brothers Ltd Ashford, Kent Printed on sustainable paper produced from a managed forest © MAF UK Spring 2014 fflv It cost us no more than 65p to send you this magazine and prayer diary
Why should you make a Will? Solicitor Damien Jones of Wellers Law Group shares the importance of writing a Will
Hands anointed for His work MAF could be described as a technical mission – using aviation and technology to share God’s love, and to reach isolated and remote people with the physical help and spiritual care they desperately need. Partnering with over 1,000 organisations, our light aircraft land on rugged and basic landing strips in conditions far removed from our experience of UK airports. MAF needs people with a wide variety of skills. You can read on page 13 about Margaret McLaren’s journey to join the team in Uganda, applying her finance qualifications and professional expertise to MAF’s vital work. It’s not easy to live in many of the developing countries we serve. Most places do not have constant electricity or reliable clean water, and our teams live far from family and friends. But our staff step out in faith, move to a new country and make a commitment to MAF and the people of that nation – often staying for several years. Many take their families, set up home and learn new languages. They are an inspiration, and their skills and commitment are truly vital. But there are still many roles to fill. As we look forward to the rest of this year, I’d like to thank you for your support. You enable help and hope to reach so many people, and your prayers and partnership help our staff to serve in difficult places. We pray that this year, the Lord will provide many more hands to serve with MAF. As Psalm 90:17 says: ‘May the favour of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands.’
Ruth Whitaker Chief Executive, MAF UK
It may surprise you that around 2/3 of adults haven’t made a Will, and 1 in 3 will die before getting round to it. Some people put off making one because it seems daunting. However, a Will means you are making sure your assets go where you want them to – providing for loved ones and charities you feel passionate about. Once completed, you’ll have the peace of mind that, when the time comes, your affairs will be in order and your wishes known. The rules that apply when a person dies without making a Will are strict and complicated. But once properly drafted, a Will means you can decide who benefits from your estate. Another benefit to Will-making is that it can be tax-efficient, ensuring that your family doesn’t pay more tax than necessary. Any legacy to charity will be exempt from Inheritance Tax. Making a Will doesn’t need to be expensive. But all too often families will spend thousands undoing the damage caused by the absence of a
Will or by an incorrectly written ‘do it yourself’ document. People may feel daunted by the prospect of having to see a solicitor. Yet nowadays, solicitors offer a less formal, more friendly and relaxed service, and may even be willing to visit you at home.
Maybe you haven’t got round to making your Will, or need to update it. We are grateful to all our supporters who choose to remember MAF in their Wills – helping transform lives for years to come, and giving people in need a real future. To find out more, please phone me on 0845 850 9505 or email miriam.wheeler@maf-uk.org
Miriam Wheeler Legacy Co-ordinator
Visit our website www.maf-uk.org For our latest news and to give a gift, please visit our website: www.maf-uk.org/flyingforlife or call our Supporter Relations team on 0845 850 9505
My response I want to help MAF bring God’s care and compassion to people in need I enclose my gift of £ Title
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MAF, Castle Hill Avenue FOLKESTONE CT20 2TN 15 FSF fflv2
Where do you fit? MAF is reliant on our fantastic network of volunteers and we have lots of different roles available.
Do any of the below sound like you? - Excited to present the work of MAF to groups and churches? - Prompted to attend or lead an MAF prayer group in your area? - Keen to promote the work of MAF in your church? - Inspired to raise money and MAF’s profile in your community? - Encouraged to be part of the MAF events team? - Passionate about young people?
If you would like to get involved, please phone us on 0845 850 9505 or email events@maf-uk.org