MAF Youth Magazine - Issue #35

2 Introduc in James G g ull – our fir ett st MAF Youth pi lot!

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anta Find S in w hats to ate ol a choc e! bundl

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Fighting to end period poverty

WHEN MAF YOUTH MET

JAMES GULLETT James + Danielle Gullett

We’re excited to introduce James and Danielle Gullett. James was the first pilot to join MAF’s new Future Pilot Programme!

MAF Youth first met James when he was 14 years old and dreaming of becoming an MAF pilot. He’s now 21, and married to Danielle, who is 21 and is studying to become a certified midwife, having already done some training as a nurse. She had a great experience during her gap year in South Sudan working in a clinic, helping to deliver babies!

We caught up with them to find out how they’re getting on, having married in 2022, with James now being in the final year of his flight training programme with MAF.

MAF YOUTH A nurse and a pilot – what a dream team! How did you guys meet, and was it love at first sight?!

DANIELLE We both grew up overseas on the mission field.

Our parents were both stationed in Kenya, so we attended the same missionary school.

James was one of the sweetest guys. He was the cute little British boy in class.

But we were just kids, so potentially there was a little bit of a childhood crush at times, but we were just friends. James went back to England, I went back to the USA, and we didn’t talk for about seven years.

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MAF training centre in the Netherlands

JAMES During the COVID-19 lockdown, we reconnected as we found each other on Instagram when looking up old classmates and people who shared the same international experiences. We started chatting and quickly realised that we loved the same things and shared the same passions.

If we didn’t end up together, we would probably have ended up as neighbours somewhere around the world because we both have a huge passion for overseas mission, and both consider our time in Kenya as an amazing foundation for more experiences like that.

DANIELLE We started talking and Facetiming a lot, chatted for hours, and eventually talked about dating and what that would look like in different countries! We would stream movies together and play games. James asked my roommate to go out and buy me flowers and chocolates!

Within seven months, we finally managed to be in the same country together, and we eventually got engaged and married in 2022.

MAF YOUTH

AGE 16

After beginning college, I talked further to MAF Youth and the organisation’s recruitment department (HR) about what I needed to do next to pursue a career in MAF. We chatted through my skills, experience and qualifications, which then led me to doing a couple of assessments with MAF and a trip to the MAF training centre in the Netherlands.

How did your journey with MAF start?

JAMES

My dad and my grandad have always been interested in planes, so from a young age I shared that passion too.

Growing up in Kenya, I met plenty of MAF pilots and Africa Inland Mission (AIM) pilots. Danielle’s father was an aviation mechanic for AIM and for Samaritan’s Purse.

AGE 19

AGE 11

I enrolled as the first pilot on the new Future Pilot Programme that MAF had been working on, to train a person from scratch to become an MAF bush pilot, and joined the scheme in 2022.

I read Hope Has Wings, the story of how MAF started, and was really inspired by the amazing adventures you could have as a bush pilot.

The story of MAF Pilot Nate Saint echoed that too!

AGE 14

I was invited to visit the MAF office with my local youth group which was learning about ‘Christian faith in action’. I was able to meet Stuart King, one of the founders of MAF, who at 95 still told some amazing stories about his time as a pilot.

This was really encouraging and played a big part in guiding me towards a career with MAF. The training programme for MAF pilots didn’t exist at this point, but I was encouraged to continue flying through the Air Cadets. I did some gliding which was awesome and really confirmed my love for flying.

I applied and won a scholarship to pay for the gliding which made it all possible to gain more flying hours and experience. It felt like further confirmation that this was the direction in which God wanted me to go. I joined the MAF Youth panel at this point and enjoyed being part of the team and being part of something that helped to make other teens aware of the great work MAF is doing.

s ring goggle James wea e clouds t that simula ’t any! aren when there

MAF YOUTH Why did you choose MAF and not a commercial piloting route?

JAMES

It’s so much more adventurous! The quality of training is better, and MAF has a reputation worldwide for high standards. They’ve got great quality instructors — all ex-MAF pilots — so they know exactly the type of flying, airstrips and sometimes intense conditions into which you can fly. For me, it came down to a love for God,

for missions, for Africa, and for flying — and MAF does it best!

DI KEEP REA

NG

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MAF YOUTH How have you found the MAF training programme?

JAMES

It’s an incredible course which enables a trainee to obtain all the necessary skills needed to be an MAF pilot. The 2½-year programme really pushes you to your limits, but you will come out of it with excellent, high quality, MAF specific training which will benefit you immensely on the mission field.

Not only do trainees complete the programme with a Commercial Pilots Licence, they have the opportunity to develop cross-cultural skills and spend time at a Bible college before going overseas. Although trainees have to raise money through individuals and churches, the

programme is of no financial cost to the trainee, something that’s unheard of in aviation. MAF has really invested in the training, and our personal journeys with them.

It’s a very tough programme. The skills and competencies are not necessarily easy to master, and the intensity of the training is comparable to the intense life of a pilot on the MAF field. But, through this intensity, you will see God work in your life and experience His grace and His faithfulness.

g in the James flyin Alps us mountaino

This programme not only makes a brilliant MAF pilot, but one that understands the importance of mission and the importance of the work MAF does.

MAF YOUTH Any advice you would give to teens who are interested in flying or fixing planes?

JAMES

For me, God was definitely calling me in this direction, so trust Him, pray and ask Him for guidance. Ask people to pray for you, to come alongside you and help you. They can come before the Lord on your behalf, too. I am very thankful for the prayers of my parents, grandparents, and others in my church throughout this process.

One of my weaknesses is exams. I don’t take them well. I get very nervous, and it’s something I really struggle with. But time and time again God has carried me through each challenge I’ve faced on this journey so far. He has also provided so much for us in terms of prayer and financial support.

How can YOU help support their journey?

Pray for them! They need your support in prayer, especially with upcoming assessments before they hit the mission field by the end of 2024!

Follow their journey and ask them questions. They would love to hear from you guys! @missionaviationbushpilot_jg www.maf-uk.org/gullett Email youth@maf-uk.org if you’d like more information on either our Future Pilot Programme or the MAF Engineer Training Scheme.

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FUTURE PILOT PROGRAMME

MAF UK is excited to be rolling out a sponsored pilot training programme to assist people with a passion for mission aviation to join MAF and serve overseas.

If you’re successful, we will help you achieve the theoretical knowledge and practical experience necessary to obtain a Commercial Pilots Licence and a Command Instrument Rating. You will then go on to serve in an MAF programme in either the Africa or Asia-Pacific region.

There are five steps through the training programme, each of which must be completed to an acceptable standard within the allotted time frame as determined by our training staff.

Educational and other requirements The completion of A-level mathematics and physics at grade B and above or demonstrated aptitude at an equivalent level A vibrant Christian faith and the support of a local church community Aged 18+ at the time of application Mature, disciplined and motivated, with a high degree of technical aptitude and a strong indication of resilience A keen interest in aviation and Christian mission The ability to pass and hold a Class 1 CAA medical certificate Unrestricted right to live and work in the UK.

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How many Santa hats are hidden across the magazine?

Snap or email us to answer! g r o . k u f uth@ma

mafyo 6

t c e r r o c 0 1 t s r i F a n i w s r a n sw e ! e l d n u b e t a l o c cho

Chad Madden (Unsplash)

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country PAPUA

MAF PROGRAMME BEGAN 1952

known for

rugged mountains, dense jungles, active volcanos and deadly snakes!

Pray for

the amazing work of the teachers and nurses we regularly fly to isolated communities

Brian Marx

PERIOD POVERTY

the bloody reality Mandy Glass

For most women in the West, periods are just a monthly inconvenience which is mainly managed by using an easily accessible range of hygiene products. In other words, it’s a normal part of life.

In many low-income countries, however, countless women experience period poverty due to their inability to access menstrual hygiene products such as tampons and pads, along with water, soap and private, hygienic safe places to manage their menstrual cycle.

The World Bank estimates that 500 million

women and girls worldwide don’t have access to sanitary protection. The Huffington Post

FACT FILE

Airstrip at Eliptamin village, PNG

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age, a On aver 56 ill have 4 w le a m fe , monthly periods, years. over 38 l man wil Each wo e than use mor eriod 10,000 p s in their product lifetime.

described it as, ‘A bloody injustice’ because so many countries still lack education on menstrual hygiene, and do not have affordable products.

For women and girls living in remote areas of Papua New Guinea (PNG), affordable sanitary protection is rare, with periods often leading to exclusion and a risk of infection.

‘If sanitary products are in the store, they are extremely expensive. Many bush women make do with rags, moss or leaves when it’s their time of the month, which, if not cleaned properly, can lead to infection.

Most bush homes have a pit-toilet, but no access to running water. To wash effectively involves a walk to the river’ Siobhain Cole, MAF Programme Manager and menstruation workshop facilitator

The horrific impact of period poverty means that women and girls: Are forced to drop out of school or work every month due to inadequate toilet facilities and jeering from male peers Are excluded by their family and prevented from cooking because of being ‘dirty’ or bringing bad luck Are forced to live alone in huts until their monthly period is over Suffer from infections caused by unhygienic conditions Experience physical and mental ill health due to the stigma of being a woman.

MAF delivers dignity and freedom in a bag

MAF has flown hundreds of reusable pads to remote communities across PNG and delivered educational workshops about menstrual health — some led by Siobhain Cole.

This summer, MAF flew 100 kits to the remote village of Eliptamin in PNG’s Sandaun Province. The area is surrounded by mountains, with the only way to reach the inhabitants being on foot or by plane.

The kits were distributed to women and girls attending a women’s conference which takes place once every three years.

Cheryl Williams, Team Co-ordinator and founder of the Days for Girls centre in Cairns, Australia, says MAF is an integral part of the process:

‘We rely on MAF to get kits out to the villages and to educate people when they hand them out. Each kit allows a girl to continue schooling. Before that, girls had to stay at home or live in a hut excluded by their family because periods aren’t something that’s talked about or accepted readily in a lot of the communities we go to.’

MAF flew 20 flights of 170 women to the conference in PNG

livering Siobhain de PNG in workshops

Breaking through the taboo

In Australia, the Days for Girls centre sees volunteers meeting monthly to make and pack reusable pads that are part of a kit containing

knickers, flannels, soap, waterproof pouches for used pads, and a guide to menstruation and how to use the kit.

The items are stored in colourful drawstring bags made from locally sourced fabrics. The

sustainable pads last for about three years.

The kits are destined for remote communities in PNG, Timor-Leste and Bali, where periods are still a taboo subject.

G N I D A E R KEEP 11

FACT FILE

Althou gh perio d povert y exists in t he UK, the re is m ore charity suppor t.

Wome n in the UK will spe nd £4,8 00 on per iod pro d u cts in their lifetime .

MAF Communications Officer Mandy Glass assembles the period kits

Changing the cycle – removing period stigma and tackling gender equality

MAF also flew 170 women from 12 remote communities to attend the week-long, approximately 500-strong women’s conference, which aimed to empower women spiritually and provide practical tools so they could live healthier, more prosperous lives.

20 MAF flights saved some of these women several days of hiking across mountainous and rugged terrain.

Each participant received a kit and saw a demonstration on how to assemble the reusable pads, care for them, and make them last. For every woman who received a kit at the conference, another ten from their village, who didn’t attend, also needed period products.

Reusable pads being sewn in Australia, for delivery to PNG

Two local women, Joyce and Vero — who use the kits themselves — facilitated the workshops. They provided a local context which helped bridge the gap between western and Papua New Guinean perceptions.

MAF facilitator Bernie Axon explains:

‘It was great to have Joyce and Vero’s perspective. I saw one of Vero’s sessions and I changed the way I explained things after that because she could think of things that I couldn’t — like someone might use the reusable pad to wipe plates or telling people to let the pad dry out completely before you use it again.’

Armed with new knowledge about periods, the attendees go on to become advocates in their own communities, fighting stigma and shame.

What difference can YOU make to ending period poverty?

Pray for the women leading the fight to end period poverty and stigma across PNG Share the article and #youth.maf to raise awareness of how period poverty affects millions of women around the world!

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CONG R

ATULA T

Treasure for wi

IONS

Samuel

nning our la st comp etitio n!

Voted worst Christmas joke, 2023: ‘Why was the Snowman looking through the carrots?

He was picking his nose!’

Got younger siblings? Join the MAF Advent Adventure as a family, as we fly around the world together this Christmas!

Visit www.mafadvent.org Maximilian Muller (Unsplash.com)

THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF

CLIMATE CHANGE Jacqueline Mwende

Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, hosted the first ever African Climate Summit where delegates looked at tackling the devastation caused by extreme weather conditions across the continent of Africa.

At MAF, we often explain how months of torrential rainfall in the wet season, followed by a blisteringly hot dry season, can affect access to remote and isolated communities.

Imagine you’re a farmer. You have no control over the weather, and no access to medicine for your animals or veterinary skills. How do you keep your livestock alive?

Kenya alone has lost millions of sheep, goats, pigs, cows, chickens and camels due to the intense climate. These animals are essential to isolated farmers earning a wage and attempting to feed their families, send their children to school and – quite simply – survive.

This year, Kenya has experienced its worst drought in decades, causing grasslands for animals and crops for human consumption to shrivel up in the scorching heat.

Natural watering holes have evaporated, causing millions of livestock to perish from hunger and thirst.

When the rain finally came, the ground was too hard to absorb it, causing floods to wash away fields, farms and homes. Bridges were destroyed by storms, cutting off entire communities.

This double disaster has devastated farmers, leaving 5.44 million Kenyans across the country now facing serious food insecurity.

Now that the floodwaters have decreased, farmers fortunate enough to still own any livestock are doing all they can to protect their remaining precious animals.

Saving crucial hours and thousands of livestock

MAF has been flying volunteer vets to support the farmers and their livestock in remote areas.

Places which the vets couldn’t reach without our aircraft, and where people are too poor to be able to afford treatment.

This year, MAF partnered with Veterinarians with a Mission (VMP) and Christ is The Answer Ministries (CITAM), providing flights for numerous vets, enabling them to save more than

74,000 animals in Kenya!

FACT FILE

is only f Africa o le o h lobal The w 4% of g r o f le sib ut 1.45 respon ns (abo io s is m the e ared to carbon p m o c ) onnes such billion t olluters p t s e g . big tonnes) n o world’s li il b bon a (11.47 wer car as Chin lo h c u the the m bearing Despite is a ic r f ns, A nge. emissio ate cha m li c f brunt o

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Vets tending to a goat

‘VMP’s partnership with MAF ensures that livestock are taken care of, veterinarian services are provided and communities don’t slide into hopeless poverty due to the widespread death of animals, lack of knowledge, or misuse of veterinary drugs’ Dr Josiah Mandieka, MAF passenger and founder of Veterinarians with a Mission

VMP offers a range of free veterinary treatments to isolated farming communities. This includes deworming, vaccinations, operations, and eye and dental care.

MAF has been flying VMP every month this year, saving their staff up to 17 hours of road travel each flight, so VMP staff could treat up to 19,000 animals during their 1-week veterinary missions. An amazing result!

Vaccinations ready to be administered

Waqo, a farmer from Loglogo, nothern Kenya, who lost two-thirds of his livestock during the drought, was relieved:

‘Before the drought, I had 1,000 goats and 150 camels, but now I am left with only 320 goats and 54 camels. I am happy that the vets are here to treat what’s left, to save them from dying’

Facing an unpredictable future

Due to the problems caused by erratic climate change, Kenya’s isolated farming communities face an unpredictable future.

Only time will tell, but one thing is certain, more MAF flights with VMP are planned (and needed) throughout 2024.

Here are just some of the things the vets were able to accomplish: Assisting animals that were facing complications during labour Treating livestock that had been bitten by other animals and had contracted myiasis as a result. (Myiasis is a condition where maggots infest the wound and feed on the damaged tissue) Administering antibiotics and antiinflammatory medication to ill and injured animals Providing advice about maintaining clean environments to aid the animals’ recovery.

What can YOU do to help?

Please pray that God blesses VMP’s staff and the huge impact they’re having on farming across Kenya, praying also for the work of MAF and CITAM Please raise awareness of the support that’s needed to combat climate change in Kenya by sharing this story online

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Introduc in James G g ull – our fir ett st MAF Youth pi lot!

6 10

anta Find S in w hats to ate ol a choc e! bundl

Fighting to end period poverty

Mark + Kelly Hewes

Search ‘MAF Youth’ W maf-uk.org/youth E youth@maf-uk.org