Flying for Life - Spring 2015 by MAF UK

Flying for Life Spring 2015

The quarterly magazine of MAF

4 Madagascar

Your bunting arrives

6 South Sudan Lost and found

UGANDA: counselling refugees

We will heal Communications Officer Jill Vine talks with Carl Gaede and Tim Manson about Tutapona, a unique healing ministry Photos Helen Manson and Jill Vine

n a world devastated by the upheaval of violence, terrorism and natural disasters, it’s always a pleasure to meet those who are, in one way or another, helping to bring beauty out of ashes. Tutapona (Swahili for ‘we will heal’) is a Christian organisation that offers trauma counselling to displaced victims of war. Partnering with MAF, they have reached war-affected areas in some of the darkest pockets of South Sudan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

to help counsel the Acholi people,’ explains Carl Gaede, Tutapona’s founder. In the beginning, this tiny organisation was counselling from village to village, helping 2,000-3,000 people a year. Many of the victims they helped had been caught up in ethnic conflict, brutalised at the hands of the LRA or abducted and forced to serve as child soldiers. ‘We quickly realised that there’s war all around us. We are surrounded by millions of people affected by conflict,’ says Carl.

Humble beginnings

Tutapona extended its ministry into South Sudan between 2011 and 2012 in response to the civil war. However, when strong tribalism began to make working in these areas difficult, the counselling teams shifted their focus to refugee camps inside the Ugandan border.

The ministry of these incredible healers began in 2008, growing out of a vision to reach refugees near Gulu, northern Uganda – the epicentre of Joseph Kony’s infamous Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). ‘We particularly wanted

2 Flying for Life Spring 2015 www.maf-uk.org

Reaching South Sudan

‘Individual reports show major transformation through these programmes,’ adds Tim. ‘The community leaders beg us to come back. They even name their babies after our staff!’ Elders from the villages give Tutapona permission to run their programmes, and the number of participants increases over the

MAF’s help Both Tim and Carl are clear about the benefits of flying with MAF. ‘I plan to fly once a month with MAF but, if my budget isn’t met,’ Carl points out, ‘the thing which is cut first is the flight. The local bus takes five to six hours but is, of course, extremely uncomfortable and the risk of accidents on the road is high. I’m glad MAF is here.’ same driving N T‘ItRactually A L Acosts F R Ithe CA N as RE P U Bbut, LIC more importantly, it saves us time,’ adds Tim. ‘Our visiting teams can see the work quicker and more conveniently. It helps our work to be more effective.’ It’s a joy to be in partnership with such a wonderful group of missionaries who don’t hesitate to bring healing into the darkness.

SOUTH SUDAN Juba Adjumani Gulu DRC U G A N D A

Transformation

Besides counselling, Tutapona provides programmes which train leaders in local communities to ensure that follow-up support can be provided. MAF Pilot Greg Vine flew a team of five leading psychologists to Gulu to train the national counsellors working for Tutapona. On the same trip, hundreds of other NGO workers were trained in how to recognise trauma. As locals see the positive effect counselling has had on war victims, more and more villages are approaching Tutapona for assistance – even offering to pitch in financially to receive help from the Christian ministry.

The organisation has counselled over 25,000 refugees since it began, and 12,000 people have made a commitment to Christ. The testimonies of lives impacted by Tutapona are remarkable. ‘We’ve heard of lots of people who were suicidal and almost took rat poison the day before our programme started. Then they came to know Christ and received healing from their trauma. People are able to sleep through the night without nightmares and can move on with their lives. They receive hope for a better future and are able to help rebuild their communities,’ Carl explains. When they run a programme, the TutaponaC E staff come into the village among the participants and work with them for two weeks. ‘The villagers value us and come to love the team who “do life” with them,’ smiles Tim. The Tutapona team plays games to illustrate key therapy topics and help build relationships.

Training

Healing in Christ

weeks. As they share with family and friends, more and more people join the group. Individual counselling leads to a further reduction in the symptoms of trauma for those taking part.

Above and main refugees at the Adjumani camp Right Tim Manson

Kajjansi

They now minister in four of Uganda’s sprawling refugee camps, using their skills as trained clinical social workers to serve some of the world’s most broken and vulnerable people. The Adjumani refugee settlement, a tiny community that’s been inundated with South Sudanese refugees since violence erupted in December 2013, is one of them. Although the camp is now home to 92,000 people, it is a 2½-hour drive from the nearest airstrip in Gulu. Tutapona staff member Tim Manson has been investigating the possibility of reopening an airstrip at Adjumani right by the refugee camp, which would allow MAF to fly teams straight there.

200 miles

RWANDA TANZAN Spring BURU N D2015 I Flying for Life 3

MADAGASCAR: your bunting arrives

We are filled with A

s rockets fling explosive colour above Britons wrapped in woollen scarfs, 5,648 miles away in sunny Madagascar, thousands of vibrant pieces of bunting flutter above a crowd of missionaries in the warm African breeze. It is a privilege to be among them, sitting shoulder to shoulder with great men and women of God’s Kingdom who spend their lives serving the poor. We are gathered to honour God for His work in Madagascar, and remember MAF’s vital role within it. For the last quarter of a century, our planes have

4 Flying for Life Spring 2015 www.maf-uk.org

been flying help, hope and healing across Madagascar – one of the largest and least developed islands in the world. ‘The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy,’ affirms MAF Programme Manager Bert van den Bosch from Psalm 126. Twenty-five years is an impressive achievement, and Madagascar is grateful. Roughly 150 guests have joined to hear speeches of gratitude, honour and praise for the many days of treacherous land travel saved by MAF’s little planes.

Friendships Among them is Madagascar’s Minister of Economy and Planning, Général de Division Herilanto Raveloharison. He opens with a smile. ‘I am here as your friend. A minister is a nomination which passes sooner or

later, but friendship – that lasts forever,’ he says to the many partners, old and new, who have gathered to celebrate all that God has achieved in Madagascar. I’m reminded that we are all connected through His Body – the many messages of prayer and encouragement that hang on the bunting are a warm reminder of this. What a testimony of MAF’s mission – bringing physical healing, practical help and relationship with people. God is working across the world to further His Kingdom, and we are all part of His plan, joined together through friendship with Christ.

Testimonies Over a tasty buffet, many tell of their long-standing relationship with MAF, and how our flights have made a real

joy

MAF UK representative Jo Lamb reflects on a November to remember Photos Jo Lamb

difference to their work and vision. ‘Through MAF, the impossible has become possible,’ says French missionary Eric Lagache, who was able to set up a remote bush clinic in Bekodoka because MAF flew in all the building materials. ‘MAF is bringing hope to us who are working here, right where He has called us to be,’ affirms another frequent flier, Pastor Serge Razafitsambaina – a remarkable man of faith who has been serving Madagascar’s poor since before MAF’s arrival. ‘New spiritual life is being born through the Gospel and people are hearing of a life that endures through Christ,’ he says.

Blessings Back at the hangar, celebrations continue. Hundreds more pieces of

bunting are strung in long lengths across offices and stairways. The team breaks into infectious laughter as a challenging logistical operation unfolds. ‘Don’t worry, we will reach the rafters!’ promises MAF Logistics Manager Andry Rajaobelison. ‘Well, I certainly hope so – given your qualifications!’ I laugh. British MAF toddler Bethan Dillingham has been brought along for the occasion, and gladly joins in the fun. Holding up the bright triangles for my camera, she recognises the phrase ‘Messages – from England!’ by bursting into joyful laughter. ‘England!’ she shouts, and runs away dragging a stream of bunting behind her. Bert is equally blessed. ‘It’s amazing to think that so many people in the UK took the time to write all these messages,’ he says. ‘We are very grateful.’ As I sift through the messages myself, I

am struck by the impact our mission has had on God’s family in Madagascar. It stretches so wide; I can feel it all these miles from home.

Reflections God’s Kingdom is extending across the globe, and so many have played a vital part. Some have shared the joy of honouring one another through these anniversary celebrations. But those who haven’t must also be celebrated for being obedient to God’s call. Thousands of missionaries, pastors, medics, volunteers and churchgoers scattered across the globe, serving the poor and downtrodden in their various communities. Twenty-five years serving one island is a magnificent achievement – but I am sure there will be many more.

Spring 2015 Flying for Life 5

SOUTH SUDAN: a lost boy found

Lost and found MAF’s Head Bookings Officer in South Sudan tells LuAnne Cadd his moving story of loss, separation and a determination to survive Photos LuAnne Cadd

Main Kiir is reunited with his mother Top right Kiir, his mother, sister and her child (right)

6 Flying for Life Spring 2015 www.maf-uk.org

iir Dau Mathiang’s mother was living in Bil near Malakal, in northern South Sudan, when conflict erupted in December 2013. The opposition army advanced towards her small village, brutally killing civilians and stealing what they could. ‘My last communication with her was on 27 December,’ Kiir shares. ‘Villagers were running into the bush to hide among thorny trees, mosquitos, wild animals and the sound of guns.’ For the second time in his life, Kiir didn’t know whether his mother was dead or alive. By June, the government army had retaken Malakal. Kiir managed to track his mother down and secured her a place on a cargo transport plane to Juba. She was very ill, suffering from malaria, typhoid and ulcers.

But their relief after 6 months of separation was nothing compared to the 18 years they endured apart when Kiir was just 8 years old; the years that he became a ‘Lost Boy’. Now working as Head Bookings Officer with MAF in Juba, it’s hard to comprehend the suffering that has dominated Kiir’s life.

Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp. Suffering from TB, Kiir narrowly escaped with his life. Once the peace process began, Kiir returned to South Sudan, completing secondary school in 2009. He then trained in aviation dispatch in Nairobi, Kenya.

Struggling to survive

‘After all this, my dream, my prayer, was to work with a Christian NGO and live a Christian life,’ Kiir reflects. After a short internship with MAF Kenya, he accepted a post with MAF South Sudan. ‘When I look at it, it seems like an answered prayer. The best part for me is working as a Christian. What we are doing here in MAF is transforming lives through aviation and technology. We C E reach N T R A L Athe F R I Cpoor.’ AN REPUBLIC

Kiir’s father was killed in the civil war. In October 1989, Kiir fled with his mother and sister to Ethiopia. For a year, they struggled to survive at Itang refugee camp as tensions built within the local community. Then, when Kiir was away fishing, fighting broke out in the camp. People fled. ‘When I came back, I found no one,’ Kiir remembers sadly. ‘There was mess everywhere. My mother came back to find me, but we lost each other.’

A lost boy Kiir moved to another camp, but people were soon forced out. He joined a group of 12,000 boys who camped near the Gilo River. With no food, the boys took turns collecting what they could from nearby the refugee camp. Tragically, soldiers violently attacked the boys’ camp. Over 500 boys lost their lives while attempting to escape across the river – shot, drowned or eaten by crocodiles. With floating corpses surrounding them, the living pushed on to the other side. Forming groups of roughly 500, with an 11-year-old leader, the survivors continued on, moving, moving, moving. Seven- and eightyear-olds like Kiir took care of each other, sharing small cups of rice and muddy water, tending wounds and carrying the smallest ones when they became too weak to continue. ‘Walking at night you felt sleepy, so you put your head down,’ Kiir shares. ‘But hyenas come and grab you, or lions. Those who didn’t persevere collapsed and died. There was no one to care. No one to bury you. We were always on the move.’ After walking through swamps and deserts for over a year, Kiir crossed the border to

Serving with MAF

SUDAN Malakal Gilo River

S O U T H

S U D A N

Lost and found Kiir’s second prayer was to find his mother and, in November 2010, he did. ‘It was happiness and joy,’ recalls Kiir. ‘It was strange. We cried. It was hard.’ Kiir was also reunited with his sister, who lost her leg to a landmine. Her husband was killed in the violence in December 2013. Kiir is now helping to support his sister and her three children. He hopes to start a home and school for orphans one day – having spent his days in the bush believing he was an orphan himself.

ETHIOPIA

Juba DRC

Kakuma

UGANDA

KENYA

200 miles Nairobi RWANDA BURUNDI

TANZANIA

Spring 2015 Flying for Life 7

Bangladesh: a world of water

Touching a water world MAF has been flying in Bangladesh since 1997, and annually conducts over 800 flights to transport relief, development and medical workers into areas that are completely out of reach by land. With around 5,000 miles of rivers, one third of the country is covered in water. Our amphibious plane has proved critical in responding to natural disasters, and was one of the first civilian aircraft to respond to the needs following cyclones Sidr, Aila and Mahasen

8 Flying for Life Spring 2015 www.maf-uk.org

BANGLADESH Country statistics Total land area: 57,000 square miles (UK = 94,000) Population: 158,513,000 (roughly

2.5 times more people than the UK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world)

Capital: Dhaka

Our operation Programme Manager: Chad Tilley Distance flown during 2014: 49,545 miles INDIA

Staff: 16 (2 international, 14 national)

Itna

B A N G L A D E S H Dhaka Ri S

s Bay of Bengal

ge E

an rG

50 miles

ve A E G MOUTHS OF TH

Passengers during 2014: 1,704 Partners we serve: 83 Destinations: 48 Fleet: 1 Amphibious Cessna Caravan 208 Key organisations that fly with MAF:

Action against Hunger, Friendship, Save the Children, The Red Cross, United Nations Development Programme

Weather extremes:

Bangladesh has been hit by 159 cyclones in the last 130 years, and receives roughly 40% of the impact of total storm surges in the world

Religions: Muslim (89%) Hindu (9.2%) Christian (0.3%) Other (1.5%)

Children dying from diarrhoea: 7,000 a year Life expectancy: 70 (UK = 81) People without access to adequate sanitation: 66,500,000 Unreached peoples: 88% Annual number of TB cases: 190,891 recorded (2013) Borders: India (2,518 miles) Myanmar (Burma) (120 miles)

Sources: United Nations Population Division 2012, WHO TB Country Profile 2014, Operation World, CIA World Factbook 2013, The World Bank policy research paper 5280 Vulnerability of Bangladesh to Cyclones in a Changing Climate Photos LuAnne Cadd

Spring 2015 Flying for Life 9

MONGOLIA: love in a cold climate

Climate changers Though few would choose to serve in Mongolia, Pilot Ryan Van Geest responded to the call and asks who’s next to help bring God’s warmth to a bitterly cold climate Story Gary Clayton Photos LuAnne Cadd

Mongolia • Mongolia is known as ‘The land of eternal blue sky’, as it experiences an average of 250 days of sunshine a year. MAF set up a joint venture with a local Christian partner in 1997 and now operates under the name Blue Sky Aviation • Mongolia has the longest flight legs of any MAF programme. An average flight lasts between two and five hours • The 2010 census indicates 1.7% (54,400) of Mongolia’s 3.2 million people are Christian. In 1990, there were fewer than 10 believers • The Mongolian Evangelical Alliance seeks to increase the figure to 10% by 2020.

yan and Amanda were certain that Mongolia was the country God had for them, so when MAF found a role for them there in 2008, they jumped at the chance. For this intrepid Canadian couple, serving in the coldest capital in the world was the ‘perfect fit’. Home has been a 12th-floor apartment in Ulaanbaatar. With young children and no car, life was difficult at times – particularly when the lift broke down and Amanda had to struggle with groceries, a buggy and toddlers up 12 flights of stairs. Blessed with an optimistic outlook and a love of people that expressed itself in helping friends write grant proposals, taking men’s Bible studies and sharing the Gospel, Ryan says that their adaptability has been a godsend. So when two heavily bandaged men turned up for an emergency airlift, Ryan, with a little seat manoeuvring, eventually accommodated them. The thought of any of his passengers making a 20-hour trip to hospital across terrible roads, he says, ‘just broke my heart.’ Adaptability and a heart for people are essential qualities, Ryan affirms, for whoever takes over from him as Chief Pilot in 2015. ‘The most exciting thing,’ he continues, ‘is that the Church is growing at an exponential rate, led by Mongolians passionate about mission.’ But although churches have been sending evangelistic teams out for years, road travel is difficult, dangerous and time-consuming. So during his time in Mongolia, Ryan has been delighted to enable missionaries from Shalom Church to carry out outreach projects and mission trips.

For more information please visit

www.maf-uk.org/jobs

10 Flying for Life Spring 2015 www.maf-uk.org

Like everything else he did in Mongolia, Ryan used his involvement coaching a children’s hockey team – who went from losing every match to winning – and connected people to the local church as well! ‘Serving as a pilot,’ he says, ‘means living a lifestyle that furthers God’s Kingdom and proclaims Good News to the poor.’ He’s good at other connections, too. When a missionary with Good Neighbor Society told him about a sick child in Ulaanbaatar, Ryan contacted staff from Nurses Heart to Heart – later arranging for Samaritan’s Purse to fly the boy to Korea for life-saving surgery. ‘We only have nine seats on the aircraft, so how much can a little plane do?’ he concludes. ‘But it can save a life or fly more Christians on mission trips. That’s huge. ‘As MAF’s programme in Mongolia is so short of qualified staff, we pray that others will be part of God’s story in Mongolia – using our little plane to share Jesus with those who’ve waited years to hear of His love for them. As Jesus said, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.’ With an urgent need for a Programme Manager and experienced pilot, please pray that vacancies in Mongolia will be filled.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: supporting MAF’s work

Running the race Russell Conwell explains why his friends and family went the extra miles and ran 30 marathons for MAF Photos Mandy Glass

ur 20-minute flight home took us over lush green river valleys, dense rainforests and isolated villages. As we looked out of the window, we realised how difficult it must be for the thousands of villagers below, with no roads and no easy way out. During our time in Kompiam, I looked after the administration at Kompiam Hospital in Enga Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and my wife Wendy taught at Kompiam International School. Last year, we spent a week at Megau – one of the hospital’s 10 remote aid posts and health centres that meets the needs of roughly 60,000 people. It was an eye-opening experience to see how isolated this part of PNG is and how people live without roads, phones, electricity, proper schools or healthcare.

A critical service Over the last few years, we’ve seen MAF make several flights to and from Kompiam each week from our remote aid posts. Patients include pregnant mothers, sick children, people with TB, HIV and malaria, and those injured through tribal or domestic violence. But it wasn’t until we flew with MAF that we realised how critical this service is to those

living in inaccessible areas without access to proper health services. MAF is their only option, and is the only way the hospital can function and support isolated health clinics. MAF, like many mission agencies, needs the help of others to enable what they do, and they struggle to get enough pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers and other ground staff to maintain their services in PNG. So we decided to help by raising people’s awareness of MAF’s work, and get people praying.

Giving back In 2014 our family, along with children from Kompiam International School, dedicated the whole of November to running an MAF Prayer Marathon – one of our final events in PNG. Kompiam airstrip is about half a mile long, so we got people from the school, Baptist Church and local community to run up and down the strip once every day in November – just over 30 full marathons! Twelve children completed a marathon (a full 26 miles), a record 136 runners took part in the final run, and Kompiam International School raised £612 for MAF at its annual jumble sale. Although we’ve stopped running, MAF pilots continue their race to save lives and livelihoods in PNG – a place with no other access to the outside world.

If this story has inspired you to fundraise for MAF, we’ve got lots of free resources to help you, including sponsorship forms and T-shirts. Phone 01303 851955 for more information.

LIBERIA: Ebola update

God will make a way

Special Projects Manager Max Gove shares MAF’s faith-journey in Liberia over the past few months Story Max Gove Photos LuAnne Cadd

n July last year, just when we thought that the final permissions for MAF to operate in Liberia were almost complete, the country was caught up in the terrible Ebola outbreak. Our plans were brought to a grinding halt, and it was tragic to watch the suffering that unfolded. Because government business was later suspended, Rev John Sackie, a local pastor who has been helping MAF finalise our permissions, has been unable to complete the process. Sadly, Ebola even affected our housing project. Nancy Writebol (below), Serving in Mission (SIM) worker and wife of David, who supervised the building of our two staff houses, caught the virus in July. She was rushed to the USA for treatment and David followed, leaving his work with SIM and MAF’s housing project behind. Fortunately, his Liberian colleague was able see our houses through to completion in early August. We thank God that Nancy has now made a full recovery. After more than 3,600 deaths in Liberia, the country is now thought to be almost completely

free of the disease, and can begin to look towards the future with optimism.

MAF’s position So what should MAF do next? This is a question we have been mulling over with equal amounts of prayer and faith throughout the Ebola crisis. Just as firefighters don’t run from burning buildings and doctors don’t stand by while people suffer, MAF is no different. For almost 70 years, we have followed Jesus’ example of serving the poor and needy in some of the most difficult places in the world. Liberia is no exception, because we are certain God is calling us to serve there. Our Programme Manager Emil Kündig and his wife Margrit are now in Liberia and working hard to get the programme up and running. MAF is preparing to respond to the needs and help with a full recovery by: • Continuing to work on permissions now that government offices are reopening • Preparing the aircraft that will serve until funds are secured for a new one • Our first pilot family, currently on standby, will enter the country as soon as is feasible.

A clear calling This message recently came through from an organisation that plans to use MAF: ‘I would like to enquire about the status of MAF with regards to operating in Liberia anytime soon, especially in the aftermath of this Ebola crisis. We are wondering when MAF will be available to fly?’ The need is clear, and I am passionate about seeing this project through. I am convinced that God will make a way for us to serve in Liberia – there are so many people who need our help. 12 Flying for Life Spring 2015 www.maf-uk.org

Create your tribute

Wings of Hope Remember someone special

When you remember someone you love, it can help to find a unique, special way to celebrate their life A Wings of Hope tribute fund is a wonderful way to honour the memory of a loved one Get involved in helping

most isolatthe world’s ed people

amed directly after the person you have lost, a Wings of Hope tribute fund offers family and friends the opportunity to remember someone special – acknowledging, in a very personal way, their life and the impact they made on you and others. Mary Brittain was a faithful and prayerful MAF supporter. She was inspired by the story of missionary martyrs Nate Saint and Jim Elliot, and was passionate about MAF from its early days. Her husband David shares her passion and says, ‘Maybe she felt as I do, that MAF serves so many other missions, that giving to MAF is like giving to all those other missions, too.’

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UK news

New website

Hope for the future We hear the Lord say in Jeremiah 31:17, ‘There is hope for your future. Your children will come again to their own land’. It is so wonderful to know that, in all we face as an organisation this year, we have our hope fixed firmly on our heavenly Father. In this, the 70th year since MAF came into being, we are more hopeful than ever that God will use our aircraft to bring restoration after conflict, healing to the broken and food for the hungry. Just as God promises to lead His people safely home, our hope and prayer is that God’s peace and safety will be gifted to those still displaced in South Sudan. How touching to read about the work our staff and partners are offering to victims of conflict in and around this troubled nation. We are hopeful too that God will provide all the final permissions for us to fly in Liberia, so MAF can begin to deliver healing for many lives that have been broken, not only by the Ebola outbreak, but by years of violence and unrest. Finally, it is always our prayerful hope that the world’s remotest people would be fed not only with physical food, but with the bread of life that comes from the living Gospel of Jesus. I’d like to thank you for being part of our hope. Without the support of people like you, we couldn’t have achieved nearly 70 amazing years of MAF’s mission. With warm blessings

Ruth Whitaker Chief Executive, MAF UK

Fresh for 2015, MAF UK is proud to present our exciting new website With a fresh look, engaging stories and interactive content, our new site has something for everyone

Come and check it out today!

www.maf-uk.org Music for Mission Enjoy great music and sow the Gospel in Madagascar

Music for Mission is a new download platform like iTunes which allows artists and music fans to buy Christian songs and support their favourite charity – all at the click of a button! IGWT, a Christian music group passionate about mission and worship, recently released their debut album In God We Trust. They are donating £3.50 from every download to support MAF’s evangelistic work in Madagascar, where Bibles are reaching the remotest places. Why not help sow the Gospel across one of the world’s poorest islands and enjoy this fantastic new worship album? Visit www.music4mission.com/charities/MAF to buy yours today. Visit www.maf-uk.org/sow to find out more about our work in Madagascar.

This is MAF is a Christian mission aviation organisation serving 25 developing countries to reach the world’s forgotten people – those living out of sight, out of mind and out of hope. With land access denied by inaccessible terrain – due to natural disaster, war or economic crisis – thousands of communities are completely isolated. Operating 140 light aircraft, MAF’s pastor-pilots fly into roughly 1,800 remote destinations. Whether landing in deserts or jungles, on lakes, rivers, tracks or roads, MAF planes transport essential medical care, food, water, relief teams and church workers to those in desperate need. Each flight carries practical help, spiritual hope and physical healing to thousands of men, women and children for whom flying is not a luxury but a lifeline. MAF is flying for life.

14 Flying for Life Spring 2015 www.maf-uk.org

MAF UK Castle Hill Avenue FOLKESTONE CT20 2TQ 29 Canal Street, Glasgow G4 0AD FREEPOST ADM4164, PORTRUSH BT56 8ZY Dept AA1818, PO Box 4214, FREEPOST Dublin 2 T 01303 852819 E supporter.relations@maf-uk.org W www.maf-uk.org

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

Registered charity in England and Wales (1064598) and in Scotland (SC039107) ® Registered trademark 3026860, 3026908, 3026915

It costs us no more than 65p to produce and send you this magazine and prayer diary

An inspirational servant Pat Drinkwater was born in September 1933 into a Christian family, and was baptised 20 years later. Feeling God’s call to nursing and midwifery, Pat completed her training and joined the Baptist Missionary Society. Following in her father’s footsteps, she went to Zaire – now the Democratic Republic of Congo – a country MAF has flown in since 1961. Life in Africa was both challenging and valuable, but was also a time she said was ‘great fun’. Teaching obstetrics mainly to teenage boys, Pat and her fellow nurses provided treatment for babies who otherwise had no access to professional nursing care. At times, due to a lack of cots, Pat even recalled nursing babies in vegetable boxes. Throughout her life, Pat counted it a privilege to share her faith and the joy of the Gospel. Her passion for mission and connections with Africa deepened her interest in MAF, and she became a faithful supporter in the early 1990s. During retirement, she raised funds and awareness of MAF’s work both individually and through her church in Poole, where she met her husband Derrick. The family recalls a story of how Derrick, aged 77, proposed to Pat as she was driving round a roundabout! The donations that were given to MAF in Pat’s memory at her funeral, and the legacy she generously left behind, are both greatly appreciated. Servants like Pat are an inspiration to us all, and the impact of her life will stretch well beyond her time on earth.

If you leave a gift to MAF in your Will, you will also help transform lives for years to come. To find out more, please phone our Legacy Co-ordinator Miriam Wheeler on 01303 851958, or you can email miriam.wheeler@maf-uk.org

Frying for Life

2015 events Watch out for an event near you!

We’ve been having lots of fun in the office developing our new fundraising pack! Inspired by the good old bacon sarnie, we wanted to combine Britain’s love of breakfast with the life-saving work of MAF. We’re so grateful to all our supporters who organise fundraising events for MAF, and we hope this new pack will help you in your great work to enable MAF’s story to spread even further.

Make breakfast the most important meal of the day

Frying for Life is full of helpful resources, including top breakfast tips, invites, a competition and some snazzy posters. Perhaps you could use these to organise a men’s or ladies’ breakfast at your church? Or maybe you could host an event for your colleagues at work or friends at home? However you want to enjoy your breakfast, why not take part and make breakfast the most important meal of the day? To request your free pack, please phone 01303 852819.

With spring well underway, preparations have begun for this year’s events and festival season. We’re particularly excited to be travelling to Skegness for Spring Harvest, 6-10 April, where our newly repainted MAF plane will be on display. Please come along to hear more of MAF’s story and meet some of our amazing volunteers. We are also returning to the Big Church Day Out, 23-24 May, where our trailer and plane will be part of our exhibit there. We’d love to say hello as well as a huge thank-you to all our supporters – so please drop by! Finally, MAF will be appearing at The Gathering, a men’s event held in a field near Swindon, 26-28 June. If you’re attending any of these events, we’d love to meet you, so do stop by to catch up on our latest news and have a go at landing an aircraft on our flight simulator. For more information, visit www.maf-uk.org/events

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 01303 852819 15

CONNECT

CONNECT MISSION – ADVENTURE – GOD – YOU CONNECT IS AN OUTDOOR ACTIVITY DAY ON A MISSION OUR AIM IS TO ENCOURAGE OUR YOUNG SUPPORTERS IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND ONE ANOTHER BY INSPIRING THEM FOR GLOBAL MISSION MAF was built on friendship and family, so we’re providing you with an opportunity to inspire the next generation. What better way of passing on your passion for MAF than inviting them to Connect for themselves?

Q WHAT’S THE VISION TO CONNECT WITH YOUNG PEOPLE? To Connect them with you as their youth leader, family member or friend. To Connect with us as missionaries, pilots and adventurers overseas. To Connect with God in prayer, worship and action Q WHO CAN COME TO CONNECT? You can book as an individual or a group, but spaces are limited. Adults must be accompanied by a young person aged 11-18 and under 16s must have adult supervision

Q WHERE CAN YOU CONNECT? Rock UK Frontier Centre, Addington Road, Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire NN9 5UH Q WHEN CAN YOU CONNECT? 10 October 2015 from 10am-6pm Q WHAT’S THE COST TO CONNECT? £25 per person to include 3 activities and lunch.

www.maf-uk.org/connect

FOR MORE INFO OR TO BOOK YOUR PLACE, EMAIL YOUTH@MAF-UK.ORG OR CALL 01303 851955