2012 Winter FlightWatch

WatchFlightWatchM i s s i o n A v i a t i o n F e l l o w s h i p

Winter 2012

High Above the Jungle Floor,The Word Takes Root

a publication ofMission Aviation Fellowship

Our Mission Sharing the love of Jesus Christ through aviation and technology so that isolated people may be physically and spiritually transformed.

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 [email protected].

MAF PO Box 47 Nampa, ID 83653-0047 208-498-0800 1-800-FLYS-MAF (359-7623) www.maf.org

John BoydPresident & CEOMAF USA

Dear Friend in Christ,

No matter what we do in life, it’s easy to be swallowed by the tyranny of the urgent. By the very nature of what MAF does, the urgent must be taken very seriously. A medical evacuation must occur right this moment. If medicine or food is not delivered quickly, people may die.

Many of the stories we typically share in the pages of FlightWatch focus on what MAF is doing to serve those urgent needs. But underlying every single flight is the heartbeat of this organization—to share the Good News of the Gospel with remote and isolated people.

In this issue of FlightWatch, our cover story focuses on the Korowai people, who live in eastern Papua, Indonesia, and reside in treehouses. This story chronicles how MAF has worked hand in hand with other mission agencies to develop trust with the Korowai people and share the Gospel with them. You will also read about MAF missionaries who are helping to rebuild Haiti.

Our missionary spotlight for this edition shines on the Jacobssons, who are returning to Democratic Republic of the Congo where they once left in a dramatic evacuation after an ethnic battle. There is also an article I believe you will find of interest regarding how MAF prepares floats for floatplanes.

I trust that you will enjoy this edition of FlightWatch and be encouraged to share this newsletter with others.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership with this ministry. You help make it possible for MAF to reach the world for Christ.

In His grace,

John C. BoydPresident and CEO

Serving Urgent Needs

d»Get Connected»

Managing Editor: Rob Jorgensen

Writers: Jennifer Wolf Jason Chatraw

Art Director: Colby Dees

Resourcing: Jennifer Wolf Kelly Hewes

FromthePresident’sDesk

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.

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•CSC ChristianServiceCharities•ECFA Evangelical Council for FinancialAccountability•IAMA International Association ofMissionaryAviation•The Mission Exchange.

On the Cover: The Word takes root among Korowai people of eastern Papua, Indonesia. Photo courtesy of Tom Bolser.

Matthew 25:40

“...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

“Even when they did not understand the death of their pastor and others during the earthquake, they knew God was in control,” White said. “It is encouraging and humbling to help this small church with their new building, and watch them mature as believers.”

When the earthquake struck, MAF was positioned to help this troubled country begin recovering. While MAF excels in delivering relief aid to thousands through a focused disaster response, its true value is its long-term relationships with the people of Haiti. Long after disaster relief organizations are gone, MAF missionaries continue helping Haitians piece their lives back together.

HAITIHAITI

Winter 2012 | www.maf.org 3Photo courtesy of Will White

or Mission Aviation Fellowship, investing in a country goes far beyond building a hangar and utilizing a fleet

of airplanes to fly into isolated areas. At the heart of it, MAF’s mission is a deep compassion for people—no matter who they are or where they are.

The MAF program in Haiti embraces that heart for people. For 25 years, MAF has been serving this struggling nation, building relationships and sharing the Gospel throughout the country. When the devastating earthquake hit in 2010, it became a catalyst to deepen those relationships.

Upon arriving in Haiti in 1999, MAF missionaries Will and Julie White connected with a young man named Enoch who worked in the MAF office. Enoch went on to attend seminary and became the pastor of a church just four miles up the mountainside from the White’s home.

Enoch and his assistant pastor, Riguad, were cultivating a growing community of believers and sought the Whites’ help to construct a new church building. The Whites gave a down payment for the land and began working on plans for the church building. Then, tragically, Enoch was killed in the earthquake.

Even as they mourned his death, the Whites remained committed to help Riguad and the thriving church see Enoch’s dream realized. The church currently meets in a makeshift structure built out of tarps and wood. More than 100 people jam into this dirt-floored church on Sundays to worship. But with relief funds given to MAF, that is changing. A new church building is now being constructed on the land that the church purchased.

Photo courtesy of Harry Berghuis

F

ook up and you’ll see them, perched five to 25 meters above

the jungle floor: the homes of the Korowai people of eastern Papua, Indonesia. About 4,000 Korowai live in the trees, descending to gather food and hunt, but spending much of their lives above the jungle floor. They’ve built their homes up high out of fear—fear of their enemies, evil spirits, and sickness.

The Korowai have a strong distrust of outsiders because of a deeply held cultural myth: Intrusion by non-Korowai into their clan areas will signal the destruction of the world. Since the late ‘70s, missionaries have tried to build relationships with the Korowai, but progress has been difficult. In the last decade, however, things have begun to change. Missionary couples are providing medical care as they work on translating the Bible, and trust is being established as the Korowai seek help. This is opening the door for opportunities to share the Gospel.

One such missionary couple is Trevor and Teresa Johnson, trained nurses serving with World Team in the remote village of Danowage. Because they offer the only medical help in the area, they constantly have a line of sick and hurting people at their door.

Recently, MAF pilot John Dalton made a delivery to the Johnsons: 1,000 pounds of satellite equipment for a VSAT Internet system, which will allow them access to the world outside of Danowage. MAF also flies in solar panels and batteries—since there is no electricity—along with food and other supplies.

“I can’t even begin to express to you just how remote this village is,” said John. There’s no town, no roads, nothing but walking paths and huts.”

And the only landing strip is on the water. The floatplane is the one MAF aircraft that can access Danowage, though villagers are currently working on clearing some land near the village. The need for a new strip was keenly

1-800-359-7623 4

L

The Word Takes RootPhotos courtesy of Tom Bolser

felt during a medical emergency this past summer when one of the village women, Ledipena, began having seizures and labored breathing. The Johnsons brought her into their home to treat her and discovered that she was suffering from cerebral malaria. Her health was declining rapidly, and she needed a medevac flight, but the MAF floatplane was being inspected and unavailable.

Working with limited supplies, the Johnsons soon exhausted all of their IV quinine and fluids. They made another emergency call to MAF, and within a few hours an MAF plane flew in low over the village, dropping a box of the necessary medical supplies.

“It was MAF’s med drop, I believe, that helped her make it through,” said Trevor. “They were right on target.”

MAF also supports the work of Wycliffe missionaries Peter Jan and Maaike de Vries, who have been working with the Korowai people since 2002. Early on, Maaike’s time was spent setting up a very practical

Winter 2012 | www.maf.org 5

“ Every time we are in the village and we hear the

sound of a small airplane, even if it is not coming for us, our hearts beat lighter

and our spirits lift, because we are

reminded that we are not alone in our mission to reach the unreached.”

medical system, while her husband focused on learning the language and the culture. In May 2005, he was able to introduce the Gospel to a few families with the help of an interpreter named Fina. After seven days of interpreting, Fina’s heart was changed forever, and he gave his life to Christ. His brother, Detena, followed shortly after.

Today there is a small but enthusiastic group of believers among the Korowai. “They lead the Sunday service, tell Bible stories, and sing songs they have composed in their own language,” explained Peter Jan.

With the help of MAF, faithful servants like these are providing healthcare and sharing the love of Jesus in this rugged, isolated area. With each medical flight, each delivery of medicine or supplies, the Gospel is taking root among the Korowai—from tree to tree and family to family...growing God’s Kingdom in the jungles of Papua.

f David and Donna Jacobsson wanted to

opt out of serving another term in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), nobody would blame them. Facing angry gunmen and fearing for the lives of one’s family is the kind of trauma that never really goes away.

But for these veteran MAF missionaries, faith continues to override fear. “We still sense a strong call to be in DRC. Until that changes, we don’t want to be anywhere else,” David said.

The Jacobssons left MAF’s East DRC base in Nyankunde during a harrowing evacuation in 2002, and returned in November 2007 for an 18-month stint. Now after serving at MAF headquarters for the past two years, the couple is returning to eastern DRC to minister in MAF’s program in Bunia with their 11-year-old son, Andrew.

Missionary Spotlight: Back to Africa

Winter 2012 | www.maf.org 7

I

I

Backgrounds of MAF Advocates as Diverse as the People MAF Serves

t would be easy to assume that everyone serving with

MAF’s Advocate Wing is a pilot or aviation professional. In reality, that assumption simply isn’t true; the group of volunteers who give of their time to acquaint churches and individuals with the ministry of MAF is as diverse as the people MAF serves.

For 22-year-old Arielle Eicher, becoming an MAF Advocate was a slow process. But when she began serving last year, she realized it was worth the wait.

“I first got involved with MAF because my mother supported it,” said Eicher, who serves in the eastern Oregon and western Idaho region. “I began supporting MAF financially in 2008 and adopted two missionary families in 2010, committing to give and pray

for their work in Indonesia. But God wanted more.”

Jack Erdmann, a 57-year-old quality technician at Kohler in Wisconsin, read Jungle Pilot and connected with retired MAF pilot Bill Clapp through his pastor and Bill’s brother, Roger. After learning more about the ministry, Erdmann contacted MAF and later was invited to serve as an advocate.

“One of the biggest surprises about MAF for me was that I hadn’t known about MAF previously,” said Erdmann, who has his private pilots license. “I had not realized just how big and purposeful an organization it was in doing God’s work.”

MAF requires a vast network to fill its unique role in missions. It also requires a diverse group of advocates.

MAF Advocates are comprised of educators, medical professionals, musicians, aviators, engineers, business owners, landscapers, welders, and farmers, among others. They also vary in age from 22 to 83. Yet they all share a passion for the Gospel and telling others about MAF.

“I feel extremely honored and blessed in being able to represent MAF, even in a small way,” said Greg Pyles, a 52-year-old landscape designer and former missionary who lives in central Ohio. “The time and energy I spend on MAF tasks and activities are so much more rewarding than my regular job.”

“There are some painful memories,” Donna said in reference to the family’s evacuation during a time when thousands of people were slaughtered in ethnic clashes. “But that’s not the end of the story. God has been doing an amazing work of healing among the people, and it has been inspiring to hear about.”

In 2008, Donna was privileged to walk alongside some 200 ex-militia, now believers, in a repentance march in downtown Bunia. “The expressions of freedom and joy on their faces were fantastic—a powerful witness to the transforming power of the Gospel,” Donna recalled.

This time, the Jacobssons are looking forward to rekindling longtime relationships and working closer with local churches. While ethnic tensions have lessened, rebel groups continue the violence in regions around Bunia. The partnership between the Congolese Church and MAF is all the more strategic in reaching into hurting areas.

To learn more about the Jacobssons and to support their ministry in DRC, visit www.maf.org/jacobsson.

If you love missions and the work of MAF in spreading the Gospel to the most difficult areas in the world, why not join the effort? Contact us at 1-800-359-7623 or [email protected].

It was a deal made feasible by MAF’s skilled mechanics serving in the Nampa headquarters hangar, saving MAF tens of thousands of dollars.

“There’s a lot of cleaning and craftsmanship that goes into fixing up floats like these,” Parker said. “Fortunately, we have mechanics here who have repaired floatplanes, as well as some guys with excellent sheet metal experience.”

Working on amphibious floats—meaning the floats contain a wheeled landing gear so the plane can also land on the ground—requires precision and a detailed eye. The floats from California, which MAF purchased at a fraction of the cost of a new pair, needed to be meticulously cleaned and inspected. It wasn’t an easy task.

Individual compartments inside the float and thousands of rivets required inspection for leaks. Due to the floats’ previous home in salt water, extensive corrosion needed to be removed before they could be treated and properly resealed. Other skin panels and parts needed to be replaced as a result of regular wear and tear.

It has all added up to a lengthy project that has required as many as five mechanics and volunteers laboring at once. But Parker knows this labor of love will be worth it, as it enables planes to serve isolated people who live near river systems.

“This isn’t the kind of project we do very often,” Parker said. “But it will be helpful in keeping our amphibious Caravan up and running should something happen to the floats.”

1-800-359-76236

Become an MAF Prayer Partner! Sign up to receive weekly Prayer Connection emails featuring prayer items for each day of the week.

Subscribe at www.maf.org/account/new

The MAF Website Is Here!

MAF is proud to announce the launch of its NEW website.Site features: • Updated Design and Navigation• Quick Donation Process• Updated Account Management• And More!

o you need a pair of floats for a Caravan?” The call from an MAF supporter alerted MAF’s

Aviation Resources division to a potentially great deal on a pair of used amphibious floats for a Caravan floatplane. After exchanging a few emails, it wasn’t long before MAF aircraft project supervisor Keith Parker and Aviation Services manager Paul Dukes were towing a trailer back from California with the floats onboard.

“We wanted to have a pair of spare floats for our Caravan in Papua, so it won’t be inoperable for long if it requires repairs,” said Parker, who noted that MAF also has two Cessna 185 floatplanes in Indonesia. “This was just too good of a deal to pass up.”

“D Photo by Chad Tilley “ We wanted to have a pair of spare

floats for our Caravan in Papua, so it won’t be inoperable for long if it

requires repairs.”

Visit www.maf.org

New Planes Have Been Gracing the Tarmac at HeadquartersIn late October, MAF pilots Dave Rask and Dave Fyock flew an amphibious 1984 Cessna TU206G from Michigan to Nampa, Idaho. The plane was donated to MAF by Garr Tool of Alma, Michigan. The aircraft has been gently used over

the years, with only 1,800 total hours flown. Additionally, two more donor-funded KodiaK planes, arrived in November. After spending time in Minnesota for single-point fueling installations, the KodiaKs will head to Indonesia, one to the MAF Kalimantan program and the other to Papua. Praise God for these generous gifts!

Realizing a DreamOne of MAF’s first programs in Shell, Ecuador, has become a nationalized program and operates as Alas de Socorro del Ecuador (ADSE). Richard Morales, who grew up in Shell, has wanted to be an MAF pilot since he was seven years old and has finally realized his dream. As an employee of ADSE (considered an MAF affiliate), Richard has worked in a number of positions over the last several years, most recently as a flight scheduler. Earlier this year he obtained his commercial pilots license and was at headquarters in Nampa this fall for flight standardization training and check-out. When he returned to Ecuador, he did his field check-out and passed with flying colors. It’s official. Richard is the first Ecuadorian pilot to fly and serve with MAF.

Continued Famine ReliefMAF is continuing to provide charter flights for groups bringing famine relief aid to the Horn of Africa. Between August and October, MAF delivered 591 passengers and 9,629 pounds of cargo. The demand for flights continues to be high, though security remains a concern; MAF constantly checks with partners on the ground before flying into the Dadaab area. Please continue to pray for the famine situation in Somalia and northern Kenya, for the people who are suffering, and for those working to bring them relief.

1-800-359-76238

Pray that ...•TheMAFteaminwestern

DRC will be safe as they drive around the city–often a dangerous undertaking.

•TheKalimantanteamwillhave direction and wisdom in the many details involved in building a new hangar.

•MAFMozambiquecanobtainan annual air operating certificate, and overcome difficulties of obtaining avgas.

•Godwillgrantgoodrelationships between MAF staff and Haiti’s two new aviation officials.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

—Colossians 4:2

I want to help MAF share the hope and healing found in Christ.

Use where most needed Other $Please apply my gift to the support of MAF missionaries

$35 $50 $100 $500 $1,000 $2,500 $5,000

(print name/s)