M i s s i o n
A v i a t i o n
F e l l o w s h i p
FlightWatch Fall 2013
Compassion Healing
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A publication of
FlightWatch a publication of
Mission Aviation Fellowship Our Mission Sharing the love of Jesus Christ through aviation and technology so that isolated people may be physically and spiritually transformed.
Managing Editor: Tracey Werre
Production Manager: Kelly Hewes
Art Director: Colby Dees
Writers/Resourcing: Jennifer Wolf Dianna Gibney
Dear Friend in Christ,
It was dinnertime when my wife, Tanya, received the phone call. Our 12-year-old daughter, Alana, had been in a skiing accident and appeared to be severely injured. Unfortunately, Alana was many miles away on the top of a mountain while Tanya was at home. Tanya immediately went into “crisis mode.” After making the necessary phone calls, she jumped in her car and headed to the mountains. Three hours later, Alana and Tanya arrived at an urgent care clinic where it was determined that Alana’s arm was broken between the shoulder and elbow.
As I recall this incident, I thank God for the transportation and modern medical services so easily accessible here in the United States. In the places where MAF ministers, it’s a different story entirely. Instead of a quick car trip down the mountain like Alana experienced, it might take many days travel by foot over rocky trails through thick jungle vegetation. Those who are injured or ill may not survive such a journey. That is why medical flights are such an important part of MAF’s ministry work. Every day, MAF shows compassion to the sick and injured by transporting them from remote, isolated locations to hospitals and clinics where they can receive treatment. Likewise, MAF flights carry medicines, doctors, nurses, vaccines, and equipment to combat outbreaks of disease and improve access to healthcare.
Alana’s story had a happy ending. After six weeks of treatment and the use of a special sling, her arm is as good as new. As I rejoice in her recovery, I also rejoice in the many friends of MAF who support our livesaving work. Please be assured that God is working through your prayers and gifts to bring comfort to the hurting. We are so grateful.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble …” ––2 Corinthians 1:3-4a In His grace,
EVERY GIFT YOU SEND, every prayer you offer for MAF, helps change lives through aviation and technology. We enjoy hearing from you! Please send comments and questions to MAF-US@maf.org.
MAF PO Box 47 Nampa, ID 83653-0047 208-498-0800 1-800-FLYS-MAF (359-7623) www.maf.org
MAF maintains the highest standards of financial accountability and public disclosure to donors, the government, and the world at large. MAF is a member of ... Accord™ (formerly AERDO) • CSC Christian Service Charities • ECFA Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability • IAMA International Association of Missionary Aviation • Missio Nexus. All Scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2010 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
On the Cover: Medical flights are an important part of MAF’s ministry work. Photo by Dave Forney.
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RIVERFRONT ENCOURAGEMENT
MAF plays a key role in support
Photo by Sean Cannon.
W
ith two bases in Kalimantan, Indonesia—on the island of Borneo—MAF has a key role in supporting Indonesian pastors. In east Kalimantan, the Church is well established. But in central Kalimantan there is still much work to be done, and the Church has been requesting that MAF open more regular routes deep in the jungle, with access by river. Here, floatplanes are an invaluable tool. When MAF opens a route to a particular spot, the Church can send a pastor to live there; MAF can fly in supplies on a regular basis. Without MAF and its encouraging visits, the pastors might not stay. These places are extremely remote, and often, Christian families face persecution. Someone who looks forward to MAF’s weekly stops is Pastor Nyunting. For several years MAF has partnered with Nyunting in Tumbang Naan, seeing him through some tough times, including the murder of his sister-in-law when she attempted to stop a group on its way to kill Nyunting. And for over a year, MAF delivered what he
needed to build a church and parsonage. “I couldn’t even count how many hundreds of kilos of supplies we hauled there: nails, pipe, cement, paint, chain saw parts, gas and oil, plus several MAF work teams––a great reminder of unity in the Body,” said MAF pilot Jason Pratt.
I couldn’t even count how many hundreds of kilos of supplies we hauled there.
According to Pastor Nyunting, without MAF, he couldn’t, and wouldn’t, serve where he is. The logistics of living and serving in the isolated village of Tumbang Naan are too complex without the reliable and safe air service MAF provides. He added that MAF pilots are an encouragement to him and he knows that the team is praying for him. The MAF teams in Kalimantan are very intentional about working with the Indonesian Church and encouraging mission work. At the Palangkaraya floatplane base, for instance, it means communicating to the Church how best to utilize MAF’s flight services––organizing meetings with pastors to introduce them to MAF and letting them know we’re there to help their church planting efforts. All in all, it’s MAF working in close partnership with churches, pastors, and missionaries to ensure that the Word continues to reach isolated villages along central Borneo’s rivers. end Fall 2013 | www.maf.org
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Dr. Hanneke quickly administers malaria tests to infants as dusk approaches. Her plastic “doctor’s bag” or “the pharmacy” rests on the ground. Photo by Jill Holmes.
House Calls in the Bush
A mobile doctor program expands its reach to bring more relief in Mozambique
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mother and her four-year-old daughter walk several hours through the bush to reach the small medical clinic. Each carries a tiny infant. The twin babies are sick, likely with malaria, and the clinic is their only hope of treatment. A man arrives at the clinic with a large, hideous growth that hangs over his right eye, blocking his vision. One father brings his nine-year-old daughter who has massive swelling in her neck. These have all come looking for help in rural Mozambique, and MAF and the MozMed doctors are answering that call. It was April of 2009 when MAF saw its vision for a mobile doctor program become a reality. The first MozMed doctors started treating patients in the countryside along the
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coast of the Nampula province: Dr. Pieter de Lijster—a Dutch doctor known as “Dr. Pim,”—and a Brazilian dentist, Dr. Ida de Carvalho. By the summer of 2010, MAF and the doctor team were already hoping and praying for more doctors to join them. Last year, the arrival of Dr. Hanneke Dekker allowed MozMed to expand its ministry to the mountainous region west of Nampula. Along with her specialization in tropical diseases, she brings a fresh perspective to the team. MAF transports the team to the Gurúè airstrip on Tuesday morning––about an hour-and15-minute flight––and from there they take a Land Rover to visit the local hospital and four remote clinics throughout the week. On Friday afternoon an MAF plane returns to pick them
up. The doctors rotate between the two areas every other week. Dr. Pim describes some of the challenges. “Often the clinics are overbooked, and we feel pressure to see the patients, some who walked up to six hours to see the doctor.” Then there are the cultural norms: people delaying too long before seeing a doctor, or not returning for further treatment when it’s desperately needed. “The job is not easy but certainly rewarding,” says Dr. Pim. He is hopeful, despite the fact that they are “working in quite a harsh environment, both physically and spiritually.” It’s a hope built on faith and a desire to share the love of Christ. “It is our intention to show God’s love to the people around us through our work,” says Dr. Pim. “From time to time we have
opportunities to witness to health staff, volunteers or patients (not always easy with such busy clinics).”
Training Health Volunteers While the doctors consult with the few medical staff at these remote clinics, they are also taking time to train health volunteers called Activistas de Saúde. The volunteers identify those patients in each village who are too sick to make it to the clinic. In such cases, the doctor makes a house call. Every two weeks the volunteers receive training on basics such as nutrition, hygiene, and diarrhea prevention. They then pass this information on by visiting families in their villages or by holding town-hall-type meetings.
MAF is important for our project.
People waiting their turn to see the doctor (tea plantation in the background). Photo by Jill Holmes.
Praises The results of the first phase of the expansion are encouraging. Within an 11week period 1,311 patients were treated, the most common cases consisting of malaria, respiratory problems (TB/pneumonia), viral infections, skin problems, abdominal pain, injuries, epilepsy, and HIV. “MAF is important for our project,” says Dr. Hanneke. “They are the main reason we can work in these remote areas. Besides that, they are a great help in transporting the more complicated patients.” Over one six-month period MAF flew 17 critical medical patients to the larger hospital in Nampula. These included the man with the tumor growing over his eye and the young girl with the enlarged neck. The man became a “frequent flyer” and has been receiving monthly chemo treatments for what was determined to be a slow-growing cancer, and his tumor has been steadily shrinking. And the young girl? She was successfully operated on by two specialized surgeons and returned home by MAF plane. Praise God for these people who are being helped, and the many others who have seen God’s love in action through the doctors of the MozMed program. And thank you for your prayers and support that have made these “house calls” possible. end Fall 2013 | www.maf.org
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Missionary Spotlight: The Carwell Family
Watching and Praying A
theme that seems to resonate with MAF Haiti program manager David Carwell is one of prayer. And along with that comes the need to recognize and remember God’s provisions. David should know—he’s seen the power of prayer over and over again.
One thing that means a lot to David is the prayer time that happens once a week at MAF’s hangar. The employees at the Port-auPrince airport know: 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday is prayer time at MAF. “Haitians really do believe in the power of prayer,” explains David’s wife, Patricia. “During the week, there’s a lot of prayer and fasting going on at the churches.” So, it’s fitting that MAF offers this time to gather and pray. Police, firemen, security workers, and other air operators have all stopped by. Personally, David has been amazed by some of the ways God has answered. In a 2008 interview he remarked, “We’re really hoping and dreaming that a bigger airplane can come someday.” He was referring to the fact that the MAF Haiti program flies so many work teams— sometimes groups of 20 or 30 people, which require many trips in a small Cessna 206 or C207. Last year a 10-seat Cessna Caravan finally arrived at the program. However, David says, “We faced major roadblocks in registering the Caravan in Haiti and adding it to our operating permit. For three months our new Caravan sat on the ground waiting for paperwork, and I truly believe the door was opened because of the power of prayer.” Each morning that the Caravan takes off with another work team, David is reminded of God’s goodness in his own life. You see, he first met Patricia in 2001 when she came through with a church group on a short-term mission trip. (David had been serving there as a pilotmechanic since 1995.) They were married in 2003 and now are raising three beautiful children. “It was completely God’s doing,” claims Patricia, who says she never would have imagined she’d be living in Haiti. They’ve been there long enough that life on the field has become “normal” to them. But as if to ensure that things don’t become too commonplace, they get to experience Haiti through the eyes of their children—watching with “fresh eyes” to see God’s compassions … new every morning. The Carwells are looking for additional ministry partners to join their team. To support their ministry with MAF in Haiti, visit http://www.maf.org/Carwell.
Photo courtesy of the Carwell family.
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October 6, 2013
MAF Sunday
To Ends of the Earth in Bits and Bytes
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n countries where infrastructure is lacking and churches, mission agencies, and nongovernmental agencies need dependable Internet connections in order to carry out their work, MAF is using its technical expertise to meet a critical need. Take Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), for instance, where MAF has installed and maintains more than 20 VSAT satellite Internet systems. MAF facilitates connectivity for churches, hospitals, schools, medical and relief organizations, and expatriate missionaries based in the country. In addition, MAF relies on this connectivity for its own business functions such as billing, flight scheduling, ordering parts, communicating with ministry partners, and providing broadband for MAF families throughout Africa. “Think about how many times you pick up the phone or write an email or get on the web. Then imagine you’re in a place like the Congo … Having a reliable connection is critical,” explains Owen Fuller, an MAF IT staff member in eastern DRC. Schools rely on MAF’s Internet connection to look up curriculum or to stay in touch with supporters. Bible translators need it to submit changes to team members in other parts of country. Doctors use the Internet to scan and send blood work slides or other tests and get results back from colleagues in more developed areas. Missionaries and other expatriate use it to stay in touch with teammates, headquarters, and their families back home, which is important in allowing them to “de-stress and let people know what’s going on.” MAF’s Bunia VSAT is one of the few reliable sources of Internet access available in that city of close to 400,000 people. By providing the VSAT equipment, installation and maintenance, and a wireless system for sharing broadband with multiple clients, MAF has created an affordable solution for many. Clients pay a set-up fee for an antenna, plus a monthly service fee. The cost is about onetenth of what it would cost each client to set up their own system.
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Think about how many times you pick up the phone or write an email or get on the web.
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The University Shalom Bunia (USB) utilizes MAF’s across-town wireless network to access the Internet. MaryAnne Augustin, head of USB’s Language Research and Development Department, says, “MAF IT is necessary for every phase of our work, from administration and planning to teaching and translating.” All across Africa and in other places where MAF is found, the IT team is working hard to multiply connections by leaps and bounds … or bits and bytes.
“… I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” –Matthew 25:40 NIV
Get the Word Out! You have the opportunity to speak on behalf of millions of isolated people around the world. You can be their voice so others will realize the need and respond. MAF Sunday is October 6, 2013. (Feel free to participate on any Sunday.) This is your chance to share with your church or group about the exciting ministry of MAF and the impact we are having on God’s Kingdom.
» Learn more – visit MAFSunday.org Fall 2013 | www.maf.org
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NEWS Briefs Unique gifting Are you looking for a way to give to MAF but find yourself short on cash? Did you know that there’s another unique way you can bless MAF, through noncash gifts like cars, boats, and jewelry? MAF works with iDonate, which serves as a liquidation service provider for charitable organizations. iDonate arranges everything from the pickup or shipping of the donation, to turning the donation into cash and then sending the proceeds minus their fees back to MAF. It’s like a garage sale, without all the work! For more information, visit www. maf.org/donate/giving-guide and click on Non-Cash Donations.
MAF is a finalist For the fourth year in a row Mission Aviation Fellowship has been nominated for a Pilot’s Choice Award from the Lightspeed Aviation Foundation. We are one of 15 finalists who are collecting votes to qualify for grants ranging from $2,000 to $10,000. Since 2010, the votes of MAF supporters have resulted in awards totaling $30,000 to MAF from Lightspeed. If you haven’t yet cast your vote, please visit www. maf.org/lightspeed and vote for MAF. One vote per person is allowed.
MAF and Aerocet put new KODIAK floats to the test Aerocet, Inc. has been a supporter of MAF for many years. So when they asked to use MAF’s new KODIAK to test their floats—designed specifically for the KODIAK—we were happy to say yes. Aerocet is the world’s only FAA-approved composite float manufacturer. Once testing has been completed, the FAA can sign off on the test pair and the design will be finalized for production. The floats will be used on MAF’s first KODIAK floatplane, which will be serving the Palangkaraya program in Kalimantan.
MAF returns to Nyankunde—11 years after the base was destroyed MAF missionaries have returned to the base in Nyankunde, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), some 11 years after it was destroyed by tribal militias. David, Donna, and son Andrew Jacobsson moved from Bunia to Nyankunde earlier this year, taking with them a Cessna 206 aircraft to serve the many villages in that isolated area. They are also using the two aircraft hangars at the Nyankunde base for airplane maintenance operations. The Jacobssons served in Nyankunde before evacuating during the violence of 2002. MAF then served the area from a facility in Kampala, Uganda, for five years before moving operations to Bunia, DRC, in 2007. According to MAF East DRC program manager Jon Cadd, “Dave and Donna are just the people to start this work back up, with all their experience. Dave and his father have rebuilt one of the houses with help from the Ustick Church outside of Nampa, Idaho, and there is still much to do.” Militia groups are an ongoing threat in that part of DRC, so please pray for the safety of those living and serving there.
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Thank you for praying! The Lord answered by providing a generous donor to complete the funding for the Lesotho hangar project. Remember the people of Lesotho, where the HIV crisis affects one in three, many of whom have never made a decision for Christ. Give thanks for the hospitality house, a new ministry of the Kalimantan program that will provide lodging for families of MAF passengers receiving treatment at the Tarakan hospital. Pray for wisdom and discernment as MAF assesses the feasibility of establishing flight service in a country in Asia. Ask God to be in the details of the different MAF hangar issues around the world: relocations, building projects, permissions, and rent negotiations.