Home  MAF News News Archive Spreading the Good News on MAF Wings
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Spreading the Good News on MAF Wings |
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The Gospel message is being taken to the world's most remote corners by MAF. From tiny islands in Lake Victoria to the most isolated pockets of jungle in Papua, people are hearing about salvation through Jesus Christ for the first time.
For Those with the Least Access
In 2007, two missionaries, Jeff and Gina*, along with an MAF pilot, were praying over a map of Bangladesh, "God, how would you have us serve this remote area of Anpur* Island that has 100,000 people who have never heard of your love for them?" they asked. "What do you want us to do?"
With the MAF floatplane, it was possible to fly over all the rivers to reach this remote island for an initial survey flight. On their second survey flight they landed for five hours, allowing a national pastor and Jeff to start forming relationships.
Last year, Jeff wrote to our MAF pilot, "It was almost two years since you and I first began talking and praying about the small island of Anpur. My wife and I have always felt called to share about Christ with those who have the least access to the Gospel. For that reason, when we came to Bangladesh we gravitated toward the remote south which is laden with rivers that bring isolation.
My heart wanted to go and share with the people of Anpur Island because there was not a single believer in the entire place but my head was saying it was unrealistic.
Then we talked about how MAF could help in transporting my team to and from the island. I made an initial survey flight and then took six men with me on a flight to do some simple evangelistic work, and look at specific ways we could physically help the inhabitants of Anpur. In early November of 2008, we conducted a three-day medical clinic, providing medical care and free prescription drugs to over 1,300 patients."
 Reaching out in Bangladesh
During that time, we showed the JESUS Film to over 200 people. We had one young man on the island accept Christ as Lord and Savior and since that time we have secured two JESUS Film teams to live in Anpur and show the movie for one entire year!"
*names of all people and locations changed for security purposes.
Islands of the Son
Fishing for the lives of men and women where most people catch fish for a living - the 84-island archipelago of the Ssese Islands in north-western Lake Victoria - excites Sam Tsapwe
Those Sam tries to reach are fishermen families who battle the stormy waters daily in colourful wooden boats, catching tilapia and huge Nile perch.
Witchcraft has a long-standing hold on island culture. And hard-earned wages disappear on drink and gambling. But the islands are a largely-ignored mission area because people are so afraid of crossing the turbulent water to reach them.
Based in Kampala, former full-time MAF worker Sam now devotes himself to Jesus Film Ministries and reaching out to the people on these islands. Sam and his team of keen evangelists make the journey to the islands in MAF's Cessna 206, flying from Kajjansi airfield outside Kampala.
The alternative is driving to a ferry for a crossing of up to five hours. Not only are ferries cancelled if the water is too rough, but often they are overloaded - and some have capsized. Projector, sound equipment, tents and sleeping bags - all travel in the Cessna with Sam and his mission team.
"It is a beautiful thing to witness someone coming to Jesus, moving from one world to another," enthuses Sam.
While Sam and his team continue to expand their mission, MAF is looking to establish further airstrips. Please pray for their completion.
Into the light
Frequently ravaged by tropical storms and hurricanes that flood entire communities and tear villages to shreds, Haiti also hosts chronic malnutrition, poor health, untreated medical conditions and the lowest standard of living in the western hemisphere.
Yet amid all the physical hardships, Haiti is also gripped by serious spiritual darkness. In 1791, slaves plotting revolt against the French dedicated the country to voodoo, an edict renewed in 1991 by President Aristide.
But Christ's light is shining in the darkness. And since 1986, MAF has been flying in Haiti, sharing the joy of people discovering God's love and forgiveness.
People like Poppa Dori, a former witchdoctor on the rocky, isolated plateau of Gran Djab.
Poppa Dori, influenced by the Christian witness of his grandson Manis and the work of Lemuel Mission (regularly supported by MAF), clung to his voodoo beliefs - until one Easter Sunday. On that day, Poppa Dori and his wife prayed with elders from a nearby church and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord.
Christian Worship in the Jungle
Kreg Mallow and his wife Jennifer have worked in Cambodia for the last 18 years. Recently, they joined OMF International in Banlung, the provincial capital of Ratanakiri Province.
As one of OMF's leaders in Cambodia, Kreg flies to Phnom Penh aboard the MAF plane, which serves Banlung twice a week.
Kreg works with Krueng churches, running a small Bible school. Training eight people, he disciples new believers and runs Bible classes, often attending Sunday morning church services in jungle villages.
In this remote corner of Cambodia, people are rejecting traditional animist beliefs of sacrifices to the spirits and, instead, embracing the healing power of God.
In 1993 there were no known Christians in the 130,000 population of Ratanakiri Province. Today, there are 2,000 Jorai Christians and around 200 Krueng and Brao believers.
A watershed moment
Daboto is about as remote as it gets, tucked into the hostile terrain of the wild Papuan jungle. Just ten years ago, the name of Jesus had never been heard in Daboto.
Now, New Tribes Mission (NTM), semi-nomadic Moi people and MAF have been working together to change people's lives in this community for ever.
The turning point came with Abohapiya who was dying from severe stomach cramps. Moi carers diagnosed ‘too much bad blood' and cut long gashes into his torso to ‘bleed him out'.
As he drifted in and out of consciousness, an urgent call for help went out.
Through a partnership with MAF, the Moi people had just finished building an airstrip, enabling our planes to land. Had Abohapiya become ill a few weeks earlier, he would have bled to death.
But within 35 minutes, we were able to fly Abohapiya and his brother to a clinic where a transfusion saved his life.
Later, an NTM worker used the incident to explain how Jesus gave His blood so that they could live. MAF pilot Steve Richards described this as a watershed moment in the Moi people's understanding of the Gospel.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 24 August 2009 )
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