FlightWatch - 2022, Volume 2

FAITHFULLY PRESSING FORWARD VOL. 2 2022 | MAF.ORG

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

—Philippians 3:13b-14 (NIV)

The apostle Paul was no stranger to hardship. His pursuit of taking the gospel to the ends of the earth exposed him to danger and difficulties. That example resonates with me, as I consider what MAF has faced over the past couple of years, a time which has been marked by great challenges.

In this edition of FlightWatch, you will read about families who are faithfully pressing forward in pursuit of the call God has placed on their lives.

Jacob and Tara O’Brien are on a journey of pursuing their dream of serving with MAF, and God has revealed His faithfulness to them as they have navigated unexpected detours.

You will also read about MAF’s team in Haiti and how they are pressing forward to serve our brothers and sisters who are living and ministering in one of the most unstable parts of the world right now. MAF staff member Lynette Fagerland said, “One thing I love about MAF is that we go to the hardest, darkest places.” We have staff members around the world doing just that, in a prayerful manner guided by wisdom.

Why do we do it?

Because we serve a Shepherd who goes after the one sheep and says there is “rejoicing in the presence of God over one sinner who repents.” Serving in difficult places is how we live out our obedience to what God has called us to do as disciple makers.

We’re so grateful for your partnership with us as we press forward.

Serving Together,

David Holsten President and CEO FLI G H T WATC H None of the stories you are about to read would be possible without the support of people like you. It is our pleasure to show how you are making it possible for the gospel to transform the lives of isolated people around the world.

Cover photo and photo on the right are by Grant Strugnell in Lesotho.

Every gift you send, every prayer you offer for MAF, helps change lives through aviation. We enjoy hearing from you! Please send comments and questions to maf-us@maf.org.

Tracey Werre, Director of Marketing Brad Hoaglun, Managing Editor Micki Blair, Production Manager

Your prayers, your gifts, and your time are key to MAF’s ministry.

Thank you for sharing the love of Jesus at the ends of the earth!

MAF.ORG

Stephanie Greenlee, Designer Brad Hoaglun, Natalie Holsten, and Jennifer Wolf, Writers/Resourcing

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MAF maintains the highest standards of financial accountability and public disclosure to donors and the U.S. government. MAF is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) as well as other organizations. A list of all organizations can be found at maf.org/accountability.

Mission Aviation Fellowship PO Box 47, Nampa, ID 83653-0047 1-208-498-0800 1-800-FLYS-MAF (359-7623)

Seeing God Move We asked. You prayed. The following pages show how God answered. Thank you, prayer warriors.

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Because you prayed...

Spring 2021 FlightWatch Pray for visas to become available in Indonesia, so that four staff families will be allowed to return.

Answered Prayer

By November, several visas had been approved, allowing staff families to return to the MAF Papua program in Indonesia. We also praised God for two new teachers who joined this team.

Spring 2021 FlightWatch Pray for the new Cessna Caravan for east DRC, that it would be released from customs in Kinshasa and be able to be registered and operational soon.

Answered Prayer

In October, Cessna Caravan 9S-EMA, the newest airplane in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) fleet, had its first cross-country flight to its new home. It had been about one year since its arrival in the capital city of Kinshasa. Now it is finally being used to bring critical help and the love of Christ to Congolese people.

Spring 2021 FlightWatch Pray for a remote people group that is hearing God’s Word for the first time thanks to a partner MAF serves in Papua, Indonesia. Hundreds have been attending teaching sessions, eager to learn about God.

Answered Prayer

You prayed for the Dem people in Bina. Of the 300-400 people that continue to attend the teaching of God’s Word, many have made professions of faith.

God’s family is growing!

April 2021 Plane Maintenance letter Will you pray for the thousands of missionaries, pastors, villagers, medical personnel, aid workers, and medevac patients who will fly on MAF airplanes this year? Some may be doing the Lord’s work, others providing physical aid, or being flown to a hospital. But all are depending on MAF to take them to their destinations safely.

Answered Prayer “We’re so thankful for the insight, wisdom, and dedication our staff have demonstrated in their daily service. With a heart desiring to be led by the Spirit and honor our Lord in their activities, they have served well with professionalism and safety. It’s a full team effort, from our ground staff, office staff, maintenance staff, and pilots, to effectively complete the necessary work each day to allow MAF to continue to reach isolated people and see them changed by the love of Christ. Thank you dearly for upholding us and our safety in prayer! Let us all give Him thanksgiving and praise for His daily protection and blessing.” —Jonathan Raney, director, Aviation Safety/Quality MAF.ORG

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Spring 2021 FlightWatch Lift up the Kuebunyane church plant in the mountains of Lesotho and the selection of a pastoral couple to reside and serve there. Pray for the people’s hearts to be receptive to God’s Word.

Answered Prayer

A couple, the Masheanes, were selected and moved to Kuebunyane in June, where they are discipling new believers and reaching others through sports ministry and literacy classes. In addition, the church building project is nearing completion.

Prayer Connection - May 16, 2021 Pray for the aircraft maintenance team in Nampa, Idaho, that is preparing a Caravan airplane for the DRC. They are installing a new engine, a pod, and doing avionics work.

Answered Prayer The aircraft arrived in Kinshasa in December 2021.

It was operational in March 2022.

Prayer Connection - May 28, 2021 Pray for a continued smooth import process for Kodiak aircraft N190KQ (now PK-MVK) for MAF service in Papua, Indonesia.

Answered Prayer

PK-MVK’s first operational flight was July 7, to deliver a load of New Testaments and food supplies to Emdoman Village in Papua, Indonesia.

Prayer Connection - November 8, 2021.

Please continue to pray for the protection of MAF families living and serving in Haiti. Pray that law and order will be restored on the streets and in the supply chains that are blocked by gangs.

Answered Prayer

In early March, the gangs relaxed their stranglehold on fuel and supplies. An influential gang leader announced a truce of sorts, saying he wanted children to go back to school, kidnapping to stop, and police allowed to patrol the main streets. We pray it holds.

November 2021 FlightWatch Remember the MAF foreign staff who are receiving training in the U.S.? Pray that they will adjust well to life in the U.S., including understanding of the culture and the education system, dealing with the homesickness they may experience, and getting used to winter weather.

Answered Prayer Mantlibi Mafa

Juan Antonio Rivera “For me and my wife Amy, we constantly talk about how much God exceeded our expectations of living here. From the perfect place He provided for us to live, to the community that surrounds us at Missionary Aviation Technology (SMAT), we never could have imagined it would be as immense and beautiful a blessing! Yes, we may miss the food and the people of our country, but He has provided and exceeded EVERY need and all we can do in return is be full of joy and gratitude!

“I am thankful for the instructors doing a great job and the availability of study material, equipment, tools, and aircraft to work on. I am also thankful to be surrounded by kind and loving colleagues who help me out sometimes when I struggle. I am thankful for the WhatsApp technology because I can receive pictures of my daughter [in Lesotho]— she sends me audios, and we do video calls every week.

“I cannot stop sharing the things God has done for me. When I am weak, He makes me strong and when I am in doubt, He gives me courage to soldier on. In Him I am strong and content that I will give it my best to pass.”

“We are thankful for every one of you who has prayed for us. Words could not adequately express how grateful we are unto God for opening this door.”

Zacharie François “I strongly believe that prayers keep us going. Regarding how God answered, I would say the way that God placed so many individuals on my path that demonstrated their love and care for the nation of Haiti really kept me motivated, thus enabling me to push through some of the hardship of being away from home.”

Waren Lelewa “My family and I are so grateful that we are surrounded by amazing people who help us and bless us after six months in Virginia. I want to say thank you to all the donors who are supporting me and praying for me so that I can focus on my studies and get good achievements. My family and I have adjusted to the winter here, but we love to live in Indonesia and serve with MAF to help the isolated people in my country. To God be the glory!”

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FOR HIS PURPOSE How God provided for and confirmed a young boy’s calling so he could serve the Congolese people

By Jennifer Wolf “From that point on, I was confident that's what the Lord created me to do,” said Jacob.

Twelve-year-old Jacob O’Brien walked through the double doors at MAF headquarters in Nampa, Idaho, with his junior high class. There in the lobby was the steel frame from Nate Saint’s airplane, recovered years after Saint and four other missionaries were martyred on “Palm Beach” in Ecuador.

Abundant Provision Jacob started praying for an airplane when he was 14 years old. Since his dad was an airline pilot and a flight instructor, it was Jacob’s dream to have his dad teach him how to fly. But you can’t just rent an airplane and bring along your own flight instructor, explained Jacob.

Jacob knew the story of Nate Saint as part of MAF’s past, but until that tour in 2009, he hadn’t realized there was still a tangible need for pilots to serve overseas.

The family spent over a year making offers on aircraft in their price range, and they all fell through.

He already wanted to be a pilot, so when he found out he could serve God and love people by flying airplanes, he was thrilled.

MAF.ORG

Tara and Jacob O'Brien with their daughters, Susan (left) and Emma, on the rooftop of their apartment building in Dakar.

All photos by MAF 6

Then one day, Jacob’s dad had finished his flights and was riding home on a return trip, still wearing his uniform. The woman seated next to him asked how long he had been with the airline, and were any of his kids interested in flying?

After high school, Jacob headed to Moody Aviation, where he met Tara, who also had a heart for missions. They were married, and, after graduating, they started the process to join MAF.

When he told her his oldest was, she immediately whipped out a business card and wrote a name and phone number on the back.

“You need to call Bob,” she said. “He’s going to want you to use his airplane to teach your kids how to fly.

“Bob’s my husband,” she explained when he gave her a quizzical look.

Jacob learning to fly.

Calibrations and Confirmations In July of 2019, Jacob and Tara were at MAF’s U.S. headquarters, preparing for a maintenance internship.

Jacob’s dad did call Bob and was told: “We’ve got you on the insurance. We have keys being made.

I’m so excited for you to use our airplane to teach your son how to fly!”

Jacob completed his technical evaluation at that time, and they both went through candidacy classes.

They renewed a friendship with another couple from Moody, Ben and Anna Samuelson, who were also preparing to serve with MAF.

“I-I don’t know what to say,” Jacob’s dad responded.

“You mentioned to my wife, Linda, that you love the Lord,” said Bob. “Did you know that the Lord is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or desire? This is God's abundant provision for your son to learn how to fly.”

In October, Jacob and Tara headed to Africa for their one-month internship with the MAF team in Kinshasa, in western Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Jacob went on to get his private pilot’s license in that airplane.

“I had lots of expectations going into it from what people told us … how the traffic was crazy and … I was just amazed to see how larger than life everything was there,” Jacob said. “As far as confirming the calling, it was everything I expected.”

“That’s one of my favorite stories to tell people because it just stands as a pillar of God’s faithfulness in my life,” Jacob said.

Even the problems the couple encountered served to affirm their calling.

Tara, who spent many of her days at home with their nine-month-old daughter, says it was often dark and rainy. They lost power and their food spoiled in the fridge.

“I had no food, no water, no electricity, and I wasn’t sure what to do,” said Tara. Is this what being a missionary is really like? she wondered.

Jacob and his dad in front of Bob's airplane.

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Main Photo: Anna (left) and Tara in Dakar. Top Left: Both families enjoy doughnuts, hand-carried from New York by their boss. Photo by Jacob O'Brien. Middle: The Samuelson family. Bottom: Friends wear matching Christmas PJs.

The plan was for both families to go to school in France. But a month before they were supposed to leave, COVID-19 restrictions shut down that option.

Even though she didn’t love the situation, Tara says she couldn’t imagine herself anyplace else.

“I think that will be one of those moments that I look back on for my full time as a missionary, knowing, Where else would I be, Lord, besides exactly where You've told me to be?”

“We were all kind of shocked when the regional director recommended we relocate to Dakar, Senegal,” Jacob said.

Shared Courage

But at least they knew they’d be going together.

The O’Briens returned to the U.S. and were officially accepted as MAF missionaries. They were assigned to the West DRC program. The Samuelsons had been assigned to the East DRC program. Once each couple had found enough prayer and financial partners to join their team, they were ready for the next step: language school.

MAF.ORG

From the time the families boarded the same overseas flight to Dakar to the time they left the country for their assigned programs, they were practically inseparable.

“They've been our sanity partners in a lot of interactions,” Jacob said.

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The families lived in the same apartment building and saw each other daily. They learned how to get around a new city, how to grocery shop, what they could cook, and where to take the kids to play.

They learned a new culture and a new language, with the challenge of parenting two young children each.

“Our two-year-olds went to school together for the first time, so they're really close,” Tara said. “It's going to be kind of new for them to be apart.”

Tara was looking ahead to when they would say goodbye and leave for their MAF bases in January 2022.

Even with all the hard goodbyes—first with their families in the U.S., and now this one—each of them knows in their heart it’s not without purpose.

When Tara peeled off their family verse, Ephesians 3:20, from the wall of their Dakar apartment as they were packing, she knew this promise would continue to hold true in their new home.

Top: Prepping vegetables from the market.

Bottom: Walking the kids to school.

Serving with Purpose Earlier this year, Jacob drove through heavy traffic until he reached his destination: the MAF West DRC hangar in Kinshasa. He was finally going to carry out the dream that God had planted in his heart nearly 12 years ago. Soon he would be flying the sick and injured, medical personnel, evangelistic teams, Bible translators, Sunday school trainers, and many more.

Your compassionate support enables MAF teams in the DRC and around the world to bring help, hope, and healing to isolated people.

The O'Briens in their new backyard in Kinshasa.

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Persevering in Hard Places MAF continues to serve in Haiti amidst prolonged upheaval

By Natalie Holsten

Eric looked at the patients, some wearing rudimentary bandages and makeshift splints.

He hadn’t prepared to do a medical evacuation flight that day, but after making a call to another partner organization in Port-au-Prince that agreed to accept the patients, Eric made the necessary adjustments to transport the patients to the hospital.

Just over a week after a devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked southwestern Haiti, MAF pilot Eric Fagerland landed in the town of Jérémie with a load of relief supplies.

As Eric prepared to unload the plane, Mark Stockeland of Haiti Bible Mission grabbed him by the shoulder and pointed to a group of injured people waiting nearby. Mark, a frequent user and close friend of MAF, was coordinating relief efforts in the area.

“It stands out as a neat example of being there and available to get these people out,” Eric shared later.

"They've been lying there for hours," said Mark.

"They just don't have a way to get out. Can you do something about that?"Eric recalled.

In the midst of challenging times in the Caribbean nation, MAF continues to make a difference in Haiti with flights like these.

Photo above: MAF pilot Eric Fagerland, left, assists with the loading of injured patients for a medevac flight after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake. Photo by Haiti Bible Mission MAF.ORG

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Mounting Challenges

providing flights for them now that land travel in many parts of the country is not possible due to gang activity.

The August 14 earthquake, which caused the death of over 2,200 people, came on the heels of the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, political instability, and widespread criminal gang activity.

“It was like a pressure cooker,” Eric said.

This “air bridge” service is vital, and it’s not just missionaries that are using MAF, but also Haitians seeking to find a safe way over gang territory.

Historically, Haiti has been a go-to destination for short-term mission groups. Its proximity to the U.S. and abundant need has made Haiti an ideal location for those looking to be involved in overseas ministry.

“We have made connections with more Haitian diaspora that are visiting Haiti to visit family, and many appreciate our service to help make their visit possible,” David said.

MAF Haiti country director David Carwell said MAF has traditionally flown numerous short-term mission groups, but with the current instability, many of those workers aren’t coming.

Even with the increased demand for flights, MAF leadership faced the ever-constant need to evaluate the security situation, which limited mobility within the capital where MAF staff live, and was compounded by a fuel crisis.

“For those who do come, flying is essential for their safety. The main road connecting the capital to the southern peninsula has been very treacherous or essentially cut off at times because of kidnappings taking place in gang territory. Because of that, we have begun to fly for some ministries that in the past always went by road.”

Eventually, as conditions in Haiti continued to deteriorate last fall, MAF leadership made the decision to move spouses and children back to the U.S. while a rotation of pilots, mechanics, and other staff allowed MAF to keep providing its flight services.

Many of the mission organizations that have stayed in Haiti are able to do so only because MAF is 11

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“The idea of risk is not new to us. We go into this ministry prayerfully, with open hands..."

-Eric Fagerland

Serving in hard places

“The idea of risk is not new to us,” Eric shared.

“We go into this ministry prayerfully, with open hands, and also with the situation with Erika and how she's going to get established in the U.S. You walk forward, you pray, you keep your hands open.

And we say, if we're being stupid, God, show us, close doors.

But according to MAF's global disaster and security response director, (name withheld for security reasons), a love for Jesus and desire to see others come to know Him compels the ministry to serve in difficult places. “The question, ‘Is it safe for our staff ?’ is balanced with the organizational call and mission to bringing help, hope, and healing in hard places,” he said.

“But for now, in our personal lives with Erika and in the program with Haiti, it doesn't appear that God's moving in a different direction. The need is still there and it's something that we can still meet.”

Like many MAF missionaries around the world, Eric and his wife, Lynette, have had to grapple with serving in a volatile place. To an outsider, it may seem like foolishness to send families to countries where there are external threats.

Eric is currently in Haiti, with the hopes that this spring, Erika will be well enough established that Lynette can join him on a more permanent basis.

They are hopeful about the coming months and look forward to settling into their home in Haiti again, along with the rest of their team that has been uprooted.

Eric and Lynette believe MAF equipped them well for these uncertain times, with classes on security and helping them develop a theology of risk. “MAF does an amazing job of prepping us for what we're going into,” Lynette said. “We are well-trained, well-prepared.”

For Eric and Lynette, as they move forward into the uncertainty of 2022, they are excited to see how God will work.

Eric and Lynette face an additional challenge of having a young adult daughter, Erika, who has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism spectrum disorder, which has made her transition to life apart from her parents difficult.

“I come up with these themes each year,” Lynette said. “Our latest theme is ‘setbacks are set-ups for God to do the miraculous.’ And that's what I keep coming back to because in our lives, every time I say, it's impossible, God has made a way.”

Above Photo: Lynette, Eric, and Erika Fagerland on their arrival day in Haiti in 2019. Photo by Eric Fagerland Right Top: A Haitian relief team carries an injured earthquake victim to be loaded onto an MAF plane in Jérémie.

Photo by Haiti Bible Mission Bottom Right: MAF pilot Eric Fagerland prepares to fly a group from Danita's Children, a ministry that runs a hospital and focuses on children's education. Photo by Eric Fagerland MAF.ORG

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An Opportunity for Growth

David Carwell also sees that while the instability in Haiti and exit of some mission and aid groups have left numerous Haitian ministries without international support, it presents the national church with the opportunity to grow in leadership capacity.

“While many programs are suffering or not the same as before, it has given nationals the opportunity to step up and take more leadership and ownership,” David said. “I feel like we have a ton of potential, in terms of MAF specifically, but also the church in Haiti. I think that we need an increased call to prayer, committing our program to Him, and as we delight in Him, we can fully trust Him with the results.”

Would you join us in prayer for Haiti? Pray for the protection of our staff, the ministry of MAF, and the growth of the Haitian church.

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NEWS

PRAYER REQUESTS •

Please pray for an easing of restrictions on the importation process in the DRC. This affects everything from aircraft parts to aviation gasoline and airplanes.

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Pray for MAF families who have recently moved to their overseas assignments and are adjusting to a new culture.

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Lift up the people of Haiti and the eastern DRC who struggle to live in volatile environments. Pray for wisdom and safety for our staff in both areas while they strive to bring critical help and the love of Christ to these people.

Pray for the Lord’s healing touch on patients who have been flown by MAF recently, and that He will touch their hearts as well.

TRAINING FOR IDP CAMP COUNSELORS MAF’s Sheryl Strietzel recently taught a class for the 12 mental health counselors and sewing teachers hired by MAF to work at three internally displaced people (IDP) camps in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). MAF staff have been assisting the IDP camps in Bunia since 2018. Sheryl Photo from Sheryl Strietzel (lower right). Pastor Bisoke, on shared insights she had learned the far right with the participants of the counseling class. from the Living Wisdom Life & Counselling Skills course (livingwisdom.co.nz), a Christ/Truth-based psychology.

Topics included “Making your mind your friend,” and “Speaking the truth in love.” Pastor Bisoke, the MAF chaplain and organizer of the class, reported that the teaching was well received.

A SPECIAL VIEWING A very special showing of MAF’s documentary ENDS OF THE EARTH took place at the ends of the earth—in the village of Mokndoma in Papua, Indonesia, with the Wano people featured in the film.

MAF pilot Nathan Fagerlie was there and earlier in the day had joined missionaries Tim and Rebecca Ingles, evangelists The Wano people watch ENDS OF THE EARTH in Liku and Anut, and the Wano in Mokndoma, Papua, Indonesia. Photo by Nathan Fagerlie. a feast to rejoice over how God is moving in the villages of Papua. “It was a wonderful time of encouragement as we celebrated again what God is doing amongst the Wano,” said Nathan. To see the movie now, visit maf.org/endsoftheearth.

SPECIAL DELIVERY On Jan 24, MAF pilot Mike Brown delivered two boxes to Daboto, in Papua, Indonesia, containing the newly translated books 1 and 2 Corinthians. The Moi people of Daboto were excited to have more of God’s word in their own language.

Missionary Stephen Crockett with the Moi people in Daboto. Photo by Mike Brown.

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MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT

But neither Matt nor Beth were ready for that.

God still had work to do.

Several years later, after returning to the U.S., a friend happened to mention MAF, because he had flown on MAF airplanes as a missionary kid in New Guinea.

Beth encouraged Matt to look into MAF, which he eventually did. “I looked at their website and thought they were really cool, flying airplanes.

But when I looked at their requirements for a pilot, I thought to myself that this is a whole different career.”

MATT AND ELIZABETH WISCH

Thriving in careers they enjoyed,

Matt and Beth Wisch thought they would always be senders, supporting their church and missions.

They never imagined working for a mission organization, let alone an aviation one. But now they are preparing to do just that.

Matt said God kept putting it into his heart to look at the website again. Reluctantly, he did, and this time he saw a banner on the page: ‘Seeking IT Specialists.’

Matt will lead MAF’s IT efforts in Africa, overseeing IT infrastructure, VSAT terminals, servers, cyber security, solar systems, laptops, and more.

The next day, they called MAF, and in 2021 they officially joined the ministry.

During candidacy classes at MAF, the Wisches learned that IT staff had been praying for six years for the right person to manage the IT work in Africa.

“We had good careers, making good money,” said Matt. “I would have laughed if someone told me I would become a missionary.”

Beth noted that it was six years earlier that God began to stir their hearts to serve people in Africa!

Right out of high school, Matt started working for a tech company and eventually worked his way into the U.S. Department of Defense as a private cloud administrator.

Today, the Wischs are thrilled to be on a new career path as MAF missionaries. They are now raising support to head to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they will be based.

Beth joined the Navy after high school and served as a linguist, transitioning into the Department of Defense as an instructor. They met at Fort Meade in Maryland and married two years later.

Matt and Beth are looking for financial and prayer partners to join their team. Learn more about them at maf.org/wisch.

With two daughters, the youngest only a year old, Beth accepted a position at the U.S. Embassy in Vienna, Austria. While stationed there, the family had the opportunity to travel and it was on a trip to Africa that Beth first felt God’s call to mission work.

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MAXIMIZE YOUR GIVING THROUGH NON-CASH ASSETS Yes, there’s more than one way to support mission work. When you think about giving to MAF, it’s wise to consider some of these non-cash options too: • Your will or trust • Individual Retirement Account (IRA) • Real estate • Business interests • Life insurance • Appreciated assets like stocks and bonds • Personal property • Airplanes When you explore other ways to give the assets entrusted to you, you may be able to increase your impact and experience personal tax savings.

Learn more at maf.org/ways-to-give or call 1-800-261 7280.