The Work Goes on - Here and There

MAF pilots, mechanics and logistics managers continue their vital work in Haiti.

This week in chapel, MAF pilots Brian Shepson and Scott Channon talked about their work in Haiti over the first weeks the Kodiak was there. One of their first flights carried patients suffering with untreated closed fractures to an outlying hospital/clinic. These patients had not yet been treated because their injuries were less critical than those with open fractures. One of the men had a fractured femur which had not even been splinted. He was in severe pain as he was lifted into the airplane - imagine if he had had to endure a ten hour ride over a rough road - IF he had been able to find a ride.
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Ron Hilbrands - our able manager in recruiting - leaves tomorrow to assist with logistics at our hangar in Port au Prince. So far, over 550,000 pounds of supplies have been moved by MAF, along with over 2,000 passengers. That is a lot of coordinating, scheduling, assisting with paperwork, unloading and reloading and just plain hard work. Ron will be keeping that going.

At the same time, the normal functions of MAF continue here in Nampa.

• The instructor pilot seminar is in progress with pilots from programs around the world here to refresh their skills and learn from each other.
• Our newly accepted candidate class is preparing to begin gathering their ministry partners.
• We are planning for summer vision trips for aviation students.
• Last but not least: Teachers Needed! MAF specifically needs two elementary teachers for Kalimantan, Indonesia (perfect for two friends, or a married couple who are both teachers!) and one teacher for Nabire, Papua, Indonesia.

Crissie Rask

MAF at work in Haiti

MAF is hard at work in Haiti. For information on MAF’s involvement check out this link http://www.maf.org/news/earthquake-haiti-2010 to our MAF website.

Today, Wednesday 1-20, MAF dedicated one of the new Kodiak’s and it left Nampa, Idaho enroute to Haiti. With Avgas supplies running low the turbine powered Kodiak and increased load capability will be a big boost to relief efforts.

Although our piston fleet has been doing a number of flights to outlying areas, the supply of AvGas is a concern. This morning there was a three-day supply on hand.

The Kodiak’s progress can be followed at: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0D1PXJl3qUEr3JnlFt9jYrAhIK3fcdFYC

Email is flooded so we ask that, except for family, you not email staff in Haiti for now. The ability of headquarters to communicate with staff there is critical.

Please pray for:
A safe trip for the Kodiak.
Rest for our guys in Haiti. Enough breeze to get rid of the mosquitoes for a few hours so they can sleep.
A solution to the AvGas problem.
Wisdom for leadership as decisions are made on how to proceed.

Thanks. Never stop praying.

For Recruiting John Hook is in San Diego this weekend at the Misson Conference at San Diego Christian College. He will be traveling Monday to Letourneau for the Mission Conference there. As always you can find links to connect with us at http://www.mafrecruiting.org/.
JL

Biggest January Candidate class in a long time

The apartments are full and children are everywhere. As I write this, the candidates are on a field trip to visit a Buddhist temple and an Islamic center. We have pilots, mechanics, several teachers, an administrator, a finance manager, a speech therapist, plus many others all here for our January Candidacy. This week and next are big weeks for all these folks as they meet with the Candidate Committee of MAF and final decisions are made about where they should be assigned for service. For many, this is the culmination of many years of preparation for service. It is exciting for them and for MAF as we anticipate how they will be such a blessing to the programs they go to.

Some may even be assigned to Haiti because of the devastation we recently witnessed. Haiti will be in recovery and rebuilding for years to come and MAF will play a big part of that. Candidacy is fun time as we see the new MAFers take their place in our organization. Pray for a long and fruitful ministry for them.

Urbana update

Thanks to those of you who were praying for the 5 of us at Urbana 09 (Ron, Brad, Crissie, Pam & me). There is a reason Urbana is geared to the college age crowd (the first Bible study started each morning at 8:30 and the last one ended around 11 pm each night!)

It was a wonderful time of spiritual feeding and we had a lot of folks stop by the booth asking for information about MAF. Because of our new display we had more Teachers and Business/Finance folks stop than I ever remember. It was a good thing Crissie was with us to answer all the questions!

We also had quite a few IT/LT folks stop and again, I'm thankful that Brad was part of the team so he could fill them in on that side of the operation.

One neat experience is that a fellow stopped by the booth just to tell us thanks for a couple of flights we had done for his family. A little background is needed to fill in the details as to why this was significant.

In one central Asian country where we serve our only single engine airplane had been out of service for a while. Thankfully a Kodiak (our first one ever in Mission service) had arrived just a short time ago and was able to fly his siblings into the area where his folks were serving a few days before Christmas. Without the plane it would have been a long trek taking quite a while.

A few days later (Christmas day to be exact) his dad experienced a massive heart attack and the plane was able to fly him out to medical care. Without the Kodiak being able to extract him quickly the doctors said this fellow would have certainly died which would have affected the ministry efforts quite significantly.

If I'm not mistaken that's the first life saved by a Kodiak in mission service! I'm so thankful to be part of an organization (MAF) that is dedicated to serving those on the mission field.

Another neat "coincidence" is that the group this fellow worked with was in the booth next to ours at Urbana so we got to hear some of the other details about the situation as well!

Please continue to check back frequently because from now until May is a busy time for various mission conferences. I know Perry will be at Mission ConneXion NW this week so if you're in the Pacific NW be sure to stop by and say hi to him.

I'm scheduled to be at Liberty U for their MC from Feb 14-18 and then MissionFest Lancaster (PA) from Feb 19-21. Of course you can always check the calendar on our webpage (www.mafrecruiting.org) for the latest travels. If you see me somewhere along the way mention this blog and I'll give you a special gift!

Brian (SE Recruiter)

Year End reflection and URBANA

This has been an awesome year for recruiting for several reasons. First of all we have seen a real increase in those headed to MAF with both of our candidate classes for this next year with more candidates than usual. MAF has experienced very little decrease in giving throughout 2009. This past year was also highlighted with the US's largest air show highlighting Mission Aviation and Humanitarian service by general aviation. That gave us a lot of great exposure and opportunities to share why we do what we do. We want to thank all of you for your prayers, support both financially and in personal contribution of time and talents, and for your trust in what God is doing through MAF. You have helped make this past year a great year in MAF. We also Praise the Lord of the Harvest for bringing us more workers for the harvest fields. It truly is a privledge to serve HIM. May God continue to challenge you, grow you, and show you HIS majesty, grace, and love through the New Year. Blessings, Perry Pust

Pray for the recruiting gang and others that have gone to represent MAF at the Urbana conference. Pray that God would work in the hearts of the students attending this year, that they would hear the voice of God, seek His direction for their lives, and come away knowing more of what God has created for them to do for HIM.

Christmas at MAF

Today in recruiting I am watching a few snowflakes add to the dusting we got overnight, and remembering celebrating Christmas, as most of our MAF families do, in another country and a tropical climate

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I love the Christmas emails from other parts of the world. Reports of ministries – discipling new believers, a New Testament ready to print in another language, plans for a TB facility to help tribal people get the nutrition and consistent medication they need to heal. MAF is part of all these ministries – carrying people and stuff, but also sharing the Good News for all People – that Jesus came to be a Light to those (all of us) who were walking in darkness.

MAF's first Kodiak aircraft made its first operational (real work!) flight in Central Asia - the pilots who made the flight were pretty excited to have that privilege, but they were quick to point out that many, many people poured their efforts into getting it on the field. Another Kodiak is nearly at its destination of Kalimantan, Indonesia, and one more sits in the hangar across the street waiting for better weather to start the cross-Pacific flight.

Right after Christmas, a team from recruiting will fly to St. Louis to participate in Urbana 2009-'a place for college students to see, hear, and respond to God?s global mission'.

There are about 16,000 students registered for this missions conference, held once every three years. Brian and Pam Behal, Ron Hilbrands, Crissie Rask and Brad Rhoads will represent MAF with a display in the exhibition hall - talking with students about opportunities to use their skills and talents through ministry with MAF. PRAY for the conference – for many to clearly hear God’s call to serve Him in some of the needy places of the world. If you aren’t going, the URBANA website is still a great way to learn about Missions. www.urbana.org

It will be an exciting and appropriate way to follow Christmas and to welcome the New Year.

Christmas Blessings!

Kodiak arrives in Central Asia

This is a festive time of the year. Christmas is always a reminder of why we do what we do in MAF. Jesus is focus for all that we do and at this time we reflect on all that he is. Christmas is also a time of giving and receiving gifts and that also reminds of of God's gift to the world. One of our Central Asia programs received a blessing of a new Kodiak and a second Kodiak is due to arrive in Indonesia in 4 or 5 days. The third Kodiak will leave as soon as it gets good weather for the trip. Pray for good weather flying weather and for endurance and safety for the pilots for these long ferry flights. A trip in a small aircraft half way around the world is not to be taken lightly. These aircraft will be a huge blessing to the people that get to use them. We have a 4th Kodiak in the hanger getting ready for its ferry flight and a 5th one to be delivered to us right after the 1st of the year. We have much to give thanks for and pray with us these aircraft bless many people.