MAF UK’S QUARTERLY MAGAZINE
OCT–DEC 2026
Tanzania transformed
Sudan conflict spills into Chad
MAF begins a new chapter
Delivering medical supplies where they're needed most OCT–DEC 2026 Flying for Life 1
Working together to double our impact
VIVIENNE PATTISON
MAF-UK.ORG supporter.relations@maf-uk.org 01303 852819
MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) is a Christian organisation that is changing the world – one flight at a time. Our fleet of more than 100 light aircraft enables tens of thousands of passengers every year to fly safely and swiftly over derelict roads, violent conflict and natural disasters. We transport food and water, health professionals and medical supplies, emergency workers and Christian missionaries to isolated people in more than 1,000 remote communities. Practical help. Spiritual hope. Physical healing. MAF is flying for life.
MAF respects the indigenous people of Arnhem Land. We have tried to ensure that names and photographs of deceased indigenous people do not appear in our publications.
Front cover A refugee woman in South Sudan laughs as she carries a bucket on her head, a reminder of the resilience and hope that endure even in the most difficult of circumstances. Bob Ditty
Flying for Life Printer: Fretwell Print and Design Ltd Printed on sustainable paper produced from a managed forest © MAF UK OCT-DEC 2026 FFL 264mag MAF UK Castle House, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, Kent CT20 2TQ 29 Canal Street, Glasgow G4 0AD FREEPOST ADM4164, PORTRUSH BT56 8ZY Dept AA1818, PO Box 4214, FREEPOST Dublin 2 Registered charity in England and Wales (1064598) and in Scotland (SC039107) ® Registered trademark 3026860, 3026908, 3026915
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Closer collaboration across MAF is helping us work smarter, move faster and bring life-changing support to more people who need it most.
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ast year MAF flew to around 1,000 destinations across the word, delivering help, hope and healing to some of the world’s most cut-off people. Yet the need remains vast. Our ambition is clear: to double the number of communities we serve by our 100th anniversary in 2045. To achieve this, we are working more closely together than ever before as a global MAF family. By becoming more integrated internationally, we can combine our strengths, share expertise and reduce duplication. This enables us to operate more efficiently, respond more quickly, and deliver more life-changing support to the communities who depend on us. As part of this shift, some services are now being shared across the MAF family. This helps us to communicate more clearly, use resources more effectively and align our efforts around a single goal: reaching those who need us most. As part of this, you may start to receive emails from us using an @mafint.org address rather than @maf-uk.org. In some situations, this may mean your information may be shared more widely within the global MAF family than before. This reflects how we are working more closely together to serve you better and strengthen our overall impact. We know that trust is at the heart of your relationship with MAF. That’s why we want to reassure you that protecting your personal information remains a top priority. Your data will stay within the MAF family and will never be shared outside it without clear and lawful reasons. We will continue to handle your information with great care and in line with data protection laws, using it only for the purposes we’ve explained to you. Our updated Privacy Notice also provides clearer information about how your data is handled securely internationally and how you can contact us if you have any questions. If you would like to find out more, you can read the full Privacy Notice on our website or contact our team directly. We are always happy to help. Thank you for your continued support as, together, we work to bring life to the world’s most cut off communities.
Love is our fuel
AND NOW THESE THREE REMAIN: FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE. BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE. 1 CORINTHIANS 13:13 (NIV)
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. The words of the apostle Paul put life into perspective. For in a world marked by fleeting trends and quick fixes, only what is driven by genuine love will endure and leave a lasting impact. This raises a fundamental question for MAF’s work: Is our effort, at its core, driven by a burning love for the people we help? Or do we risk allowing routine and the demands of daily operations to take over? I sense God’s love and deeper purpose when I see the pilot pray before every flight. I sense it when the mechanics I speak with in the hangar optimise aircraft components, and when, together with partner organisations, we land in the bush to deliver medicine, vaccines, schoolbooks and Bibles. When we reach out to spirit, soul and body alike, God’s boundless love becomes visible. Being anchored in God’s love is about understanding its dimensions. Again, using Paul’s terms: The width and the length: MAF flies to the remotest places and reach communities that would otherwise be cut off from medical care, education and the Gospel. The height and the depth: We let prayer, Bible reading and devotion be our constant anchor. Without this deepest motivation, MAF’s work does not take root. Lasting change is more than emergency relief alone, though that certainly has its place – especially at this time. It is about creating enduring hope, development and dignity. Our logistics and air bridges are vital lifelines, connecting isolated people with essential resources. When practical help and spiritual care go hand in hand, they create roots that grow deep within the local community. When we invest our resources and time in MAF, we invest in a future where some of the most overlooked people in the world are not forgotten. It is about giving them the tools to build their own future, sustained by change that lasts. We cannot carry this calling alone; it is a shared responsibility for all of us – individuals, churches, foundations and the business community alike. Thank you for joining us in making an extraordinary difference for the world’s isolated people! Because that is what we are passionate about: lasting change. Kind regards,
Mike Fagg Chief Executive, MAF UK OCT–DEC 2026 Flying for Life 3
TANZANIA
MAF has flight programmes in 24 countries.
Tanzania transformed: MAF begins a new chapter
STORY CLAIRE GILDERSON PHOTOS JEAN BIZIMANA, PONTUS DANFORTH + ANNET NABBANJA
MAF will exit Tanzania later this year in response to significant development across the country and shifting global priorities.
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s MAF begins to transition out of Tanzania in the coming months, the country today is in far better shape than when MAF first started serving there over 60 years ago. In 1963, life expectancy was a dismal 44 years – today it’s 701. In the last 25 years, maternal mortality has drastically reduced by 71%2, and primary school enrolment has boomed to 93% since the government introduced free basic education in 20153. The electrification rate has reached 69% across rural areas (source: Int’l Trade Administration) and in May, the Tanzanian Government unveiled plans to invest nearly US$965 million in roads, bridges and motorways, which will vastly improve connectivity across the country (source: Global Highways). Local aviation has also grown over the years, which has seen demand for MAF flights fall, leading to the programme downsizing in 2014. As Tanzania developed over the last six decades, MAF has played a significant part in serving isolated communities both physically and spiritually. 1 Source: countryeconomy.com 2 Source: World Bank 3 Source: The Global Economy
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TANZANIA
‘I’M HAPPY TO KNOW THAT MY CHILD’S HEALTH IS PROGRESSING WELL.’
MAIN: Kaliua Village welcome MAF BELOW: Elisha Moita – evangelist and founder of Malambo Bible College RIGHT: A baby is weighed during a Chidudu medical outreach
For over 40 years, MAF’s mobile medical clinics have treated thousands of women and children in remote areas, saving untold lives. Every month, MAF has joined forces with either Haydom Hospital, Kilimatinde Hospital or Same Hospital, flying a team of health professionals and medical supplies to communities who have little access to basic healthcare. Over several days, every outreach has provided a range of services including lifesaving vaccinations, antenatal and post-natal check-ups, eye tests, malaria prevention, free supplements, and advice about nutrition, hygiene, breast feeding and family planning. Miriam and her baby have benefited from the service. ‘I’m happy to know that my child’s health is progressing well. Her weight is 8.9 kg – a huge difference from last month when she was only 7.4 kg! Everyone needs medical services,’ says Miriam. From Haydom Hospital, it only takes the team approximately 15 minutes by air to reach the regional villages. For patients needing emergency care, MAF’s medevacs to hospital have been a life-saver. And who can forget Elisha Moita – Maasai evangelist and founder of Malambo Bible College in northern Tanzania? When Elisha began sharing the Gospel during the late 1970s amongst the Maasai, he counted only 63 Christians – today there are over 200,000 (source: Joshua Project). For over 40 years – to avoid dirt tracks and bad roads – Elisha and his team of evangelists would fly with MAF every month to reach isolated Maasai villages and spread the Good News. Elisha remembers their small beginnings. ‘Some villages were so remote, but with MAF, our evangelists reached people more easily without too much energy, and preached the Gospel. Before, walking so many hours was difficult. With MAF, we had the strength to sit and talk to people because we weren’t tired,’ recalls Elisha. As effective as MAF’s ministry has been in Tanzania, access to essential services has grown, and it’s time to pivot to support a greater need – Sudan’s refugee crisis. Since the Sudan War erupted in April 2023, more than 12 million people have been displaced. Over 1.3 million Sudanese have fled to Chad and another 600,000 have fled to South Sudan (source: UNHCR) – two countries where MAF operates. In response, Norman Baker, MAF International’s Chief Transformation and Operating Officer, says we must reallocate our resources to save even more lives. ‘We have established a strong case for focusing our operations in South Sudan and Chad to address the
Sudan crisis – the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis – as a strategic organisational priority,’ explains Norman. MAF is working closely with partners on certain aspects of the ministry, so that healthcare and other essentials continue to reach people, even when MAF will no longer be active in Tanzania. Thanks to our supporters, years of investment have helped make remote areas more accessible and have strengthened local communities. Your generosity continues to bear fruit.
Watch a video with highlights from our Tanzania programme. Visit maf-uk.org/ff-tanzania or scan the QR code:
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OCT–DEC 2026 Flying for Life 5
SOUTH SUDAN
Behind the lens: “My most challenging photoshoot by far” STORY JO LAMB PHOTOS BOB DITTY
As humanitarian photographer and film maker Bob Ditty landed in Renk with MAF, the scale of vulnerability and suffering caught him off guard.
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hen Bob Ditty agreed to take his camera on board with MAF and fly to Renk – the fragile northern tip of South Sudan – he began researching the isolated region.
Every US travel advisory warned against visiting the town under greatest pressure from deadly conflict raging across the border. With around 80% of refugees entering South Sudan through Renk – one million desperate people who have fled the Sudanese war – it is a place steeped in suffering, and a temporary home for over 12,000 people. ‘I’ve travelled across Africa, and witnessed refugee settlements,’ Bob said, ‘But this was a scale I’d never seen. It’s a tragedy the world just can’t imagine.’ On board his first MAF flight, Bob flew for three hours from Juba – appreciating afresh that aircraft are the only way to traverse South Sudan’s vast swamplands. ‘There was a tangible feeling of safety inside the aircraft,’ he said. ‘Speaking to pilot Ide Gooden, I was struck by the bravery, and love that flows through these guys.’ Transporting medical supplies on board, Bob witnessed the powerful resilliance of people inside the camps, who queued quietly for medical checks under a tarpaulin roof. ‘This image of a woman waiting for treatment (below) will remain with me forever. I will never know her name, but I felt her troubled story. Every time I look at her, I relive that suffering.’ Thousands will remain nameless and faceless in this vast settlement
– where people carry scars of the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. Bob had only three days on the ground, a drop in the ocean to capture the length and breadth of unimaginable need. Although he felt a tangible sense of loss, Bob was most impacted by human resilliance. ‘These people have lost their entire lives – fathers desperate to provide, mothers without homes or routines and children without schooling. Yet people were so willing to make the best of their circumstances and try to build a fresh start. It’s thanks to the brave work of MAF and the NGO community that this hope can remain. We need to do all we can to carry on in prayer and support.’ ABOVE: As a father and husband himself, Bob was moved by Ali and his family's situation – sensing heartbreak as Ali shared about losing everything but desperately trying to protect and provide for his family TOP LEFT: Bob Ditty LEFT: A woman waiting at a make-shift clinic, who left a lasting impression on Bob
Thousands of people displaced by conflict are still in urgent need of support. If you would like to help us reach those who need it most, please visit maf-uk.org/sudan-ffl or scan the QR code. 6 Flying for Life OCT–DEC 2026
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CHAD
MAF delivers medical supplies as Sudan conflict spills into Chad STORY ANNET NABBANJA
Following drone strikes that left many wounded and hospitals overwhelmed, Chad’s already fragile health system has been pushed to its limits. MAF has been able to assist by transporting medical cargo to eastern Chad, where large numbers of Sudanese refugees are living.
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he ongoing war in Sudan is causing a flood of refugees into neighbouring Chad. There have even been cases of attacks spreading across the border. In the regions near Tiné, close to Chad’s eastern border with Sudan, insecurity is escalating, with reports of drone strikes and armed violence, causing casualties that leave hospitals overwhelmed. MAF’s John Feil was in Chad when the team received an email requiring urgent attention. A hospital in Tiné had received over 100 wounded people in a single day, and medical teams were running critically short of supplies. They needed surgical kits and essential medicines urgently, “as early as tomorrow”. ‘For emergency supplies it’s a challenge as road transport takes five days,’ said John. ‘This required an immediate response due to the nature of the emergency.’ Following the plea, the MAF team performed three lifesaving cargo flights. Without these supplies it would have been impossible to treat the wounded. Road transportation over the 1,000 km from N’Djamena to Iriba is extremely time-consuming. MAF’s Country Director in Chad, Esmara, was humbled that MAF was able to be part of providing solutions to those escaping unimaginable suffering.
‘It was amazing to see how we could get all the seats out the Caravan and fill all the space with the muchneeded medical supplies,’ she said. ‘We are grateful that we could contribute – in a very small way – to the ongoing humanitarian crisis by flying these life-giving medical supplies.’ The final flight included equipment for a mobile operating theatre to treat patients with major trauma. ‘You guys being able to load everything in the plane is a big win for the team in Tiné,’ said a representative of the humanitarian organisation running the hospital. ‘I would also like to thank you for your collaboration. I’ve never had such a quick response and action on our urgent cargo.’
TOP: Medical supplies are loaded aboard the Cessna Caravan in N’Djamena LEFT: The medical supplies are unloaded in Iriba, near to Tiné BOTTOM: John Feil and Pilot Joost Gerritsen with the Cessna Caravan
OCT–DEC 2026 Flying for Life 7
PNG
‘The people laid down their arrows’: A story of lasting Change STORY MATT PAINTER PHOTOS MICHAEL CAPON + MANDY GLASS
The valley was once a place of tribal wars and killings, but today church-run health services work with former enemies. In this 75th year of Mission Aviation Fellowship operations in Papua New Guinea, we speak to a Telefomin mother and her son about the ‘mammoth’ transformation they’ve witnessed.
ABOVE: The DHC-6 Twin Otter that was in service at the time LEFT: The valley was once a place of tribal wars and killings BELOW: Nathan and Nunta RIGHT: Airstrip of Telefomin
Today Papua New Guinea is our largest programme with a fleet of 14 aircraft.
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efore God’s Word came to Telefomin, the people here just thought about fighting. They were angry,’ says ‘Mama’ Nunta Markis. ‘They would just get an arrow and shoot each other.’ Tribal conflicts were part of daily life, and fear was a constant companion. Amongst the older women in the Telefomin community, Mama Nunta is one of a shrinking number of people who can remember when the Good News first came to this highland valley. ‘I would move around the mountains,’ she says, pointing. ‘I would cut across that mountain there and go up, planting sweet potato on the mountainsides. We would move around like that, coming and going. ‘Then a long time ago, the first MAF aeroplane came here. It came across rivers and mountains. It came down, down, and landed. ‘MAF came here at a time of war, a time of dispute. The Feranmin people were coming, the Eliptamin people were coming. Tribes were coming to fight.’ Nathan, the son of Mama Nunta and her husband Markis, recalls the story of how his father came with friends to meet with a missionary – by cover of night – during the tribal war. ‘They actually jumped over the fear fence and came,’ Nathan says. ‘They got awakened by the Holy Spirit to actually come and see the first missionary. It was because my father wanted that thing, you know, with his heart.’ Markis, Yanis and Wasani became the first believers from their tribe, and the power of God’s Word took immediate effect. ‘Papa Markis, Yanis and Wasani said “No, no, no. You should not fight”,’ says Mama Nunta. ‘They said, “That’s God’s Word that has come. You people be at peace.” And the people laid down their arrows.’ Telefomin, Tifalmin, Feranmin, Eliptamin and beyond – the whole Min area has been changed by the gospel. ‘MAF brings God’s Word, the Bible,’ adds Mama Nunta. ‘With MAF, I’ve been to women’s conferences to listen to the preaching. Last year we went down to worship at Tabubil. MAF took us there. ‘My children — I’m so happy — all of them have work, they’re educated. For me, Mama, I cannot read and write. But my God, He opens my eyes and my mind, and I can understand the Bible. ‘With MAF here, Telefomin has been able to develop.’ Nathan adds: ‘Every Min kid who grew up with MAF will say “MAF is part of me”. Our life was with MAF, flying food, bringing all store goods, all our teachers from outside coming in. MAF was everything to us. It’s a mammoth change.’
‘IF IT WASN'T FOR MAF HERE, I DON'T THINK I WOULD GET TO WHERE I AM TODAY.’
Nathan now works with Min Baptist Health Services as the Director of Nursing Services and Administration. In his parents’ early days, the people here would cross mountains to fight. Now, Nathan’s staff fly over the same mountains to bring help, hope and healing. ‘I look after all the nurses, their welfare, administration – all the medicines that are coming, all the sick patients that need to fly in from the remote places so we can take care of them. We still need MAF to play this part here,’ Nathan explains. ‘Without MAF, the health services right now wouldn’t be the same. MAF was the only one that was our link from the bush. ‘MAF is providing for us: For our nurses to get out there to do immunisations, to get out there and get a very sick mother or a sick patient to come in – it’s always MAF. ‘If it wasn't for MAF here, I don't think I would get to where I am today. ‘We can't live if MAF would go.’
Love our work in Papua New Guinea?
Then you'll love episode 15 of our Flying For Life Podcast – 75 years of help, hope and healing in PNG. Visit maf-uk.org/podcast or scan the QR code.
OCT–DEC 2026 Flying for Life 9
UGANDA
Education protected Mary from human trafficking and child marriage STORY AND PHOTOS DAMALIE HIRWA + PILOT DAVE
‘THE PRESENCE OF AKIGYENO SCHOOL HAS HELPED SO MUCH, BUT THERE’S STILL A LOT TO BE DONE.’
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Last year our Uganda programme flew 380 organisations.
UGANDA When MAF’s partner, Ezekiel 37 Ministry, established a school in Uganda’s Karamoja region, they knew they wanted to provide education. What they did not fully realise was how much protection the school would offer local girls. Mary’s success story stands in contrast to the reality faced by many of her peers.
‘I
’m happy that I am going to secondary school,’ says Mary with a smile. Soon, she will take the next step in a journey she has dreamed about for years.
Mary Nangiro is a dedicated student. She joined Akigyeno School in 2021, a school run by MAF’s partner organisation, Ezekiel 37 Ministry. MAF flies the Ezekiel 37 Ministry team to Moroto, from where they travel to Akigyeno Primary School in Napak District. The region is remote and difficult to access. Travelling by road can take one or two days due to poor infrastructure and challenging conditions. The school serves around 300 students in Uganda’s Karamoja region, where literacy rates are among the lowest in the country. ‘I used to read my books in the night to excel. The school gave us torches which helped for our night reading,’ she says. Mary’s village has no electricity, making the solarpowered flashlight an important tool in helping her pursue her goals. At age 17, Mary became one of the few students to achieve top results on Uganda’s Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), the national exam taken at the end of primary school. The results play an important role in determining a student’s opportunities for further education. Unfortunately, not all of Mary’s friends have had the same opportunities.
EDUCATION PROTECTS AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING Last year, one of Mary’s friends was abducted by a man who later forced her into marriage. Mary knows many other girls who have experienced the same situations – some her age, others even younger. A 2021 report by ENACT (an initiative combating crime in Africa) found that girls from the Karamoja region have been sold for as little as five dollars and trafficked to Nairobi. Keeping children in school is vital, as education helps protect them from human trafficking and child marriage by giving them a safe haven, better opportunities and teaching them to say no to exploitation. Florence Talamoi, a senior education official in Napak District, has seen the impact of these challenges firsthand. ‘Poverty and insecurity are major contributing factors to child trafficking here,’ she says. ‘But also, some children are trafficked to Kenya where they are married off by relatives.’ Ezekiel 37 Ministry provides more than free education.
For girls like Mary, the school offers safety, and a hope for the future. ‘The presence of Akigyeno school has helped so much, but there’s still a lot to be done.’ In addition to free education, Akigyeno school provides two meals for its pupils during school days. Most of the time this is the only meal the children will have, because eating at home is not guaranteed.
A PARTNERSHIP THAT CHANGES LIVES MAF flies the Ezekiel 37 Ministry team to Moroto, from where they travel to Akigyeno Primary School in Napak District. The region is remote and difficult to access. Travelling by road can take one or two days due to poor infrastructure and challenging conditions. Rebecca Sekamanya, the school’s founder and director, is deeply grateful for MAF’s regular flights to Moroto. ‘We appreciate MAF so much. I don’t think we could make these trips without you,’ she says. Because the flight takes only 90 minutes, Rebecca and her team can continue their work even on travel days. ‘Using two days on the road is not a good use of our money, and it doesn’t make sense to spend days on the road,’ she says. For Rebecca, the students are the reason behind everything. ‘I’m so proud of these kids, because being the first class to do PLE at Akigyeno, I didn’t have high expectations,’ Rebecca says. All of the 19 pupils that sat for their PLE at Akigyeno school, qualified to join secondary school, with three of them achieving the highest grade. Before joining the school, many of these children spent their days herding livestock or staying at home. Without access to education, many would face a very different future – one marked by vulnerability, poverty, and risk of exploitation. Mary is now preparing to begin secondary school. She dreams of becoming a nurse so that one day she can serve and support her community. MAIN: MAF Uganda’s Cessna Grand Caravan is refuelled at Moroto, Eastern Uganda FAR LEFT: Girls from the Karamoja region have been sold for as little as five dollars and trafficked to Nairobi MIDDLE: At just 17, Mary was among the few students who achieved top results LEFT: Keeping children in school helps protect them from human trafficking and child marriage
OCT–DEC 2026 Flying for Life 11
BOUGAINVILLE
Cyclone Maila:
EDITED ELEANOR RIVERS STORY + PHOTOS AQUILA MATIT
Rapid response in Bougainville In the wake of Tropical Cyclone Maila, the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville faced flooding, washed-out bridges, damaged food gardens and dangerously high seas.
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he effect of the cyclone is very bad and has caused damage to nearly all of Bougainville,’ said Rev Abraham Toroi, Bishop Emeritus of the United Church in Bougainville. ‘Bridges have been washed out, causing no travel at this time and many people became stranded.’ MAF had only recently returned to Bougainville to launch aviation and technology initiatives when the cyclone struck in April 2026. The team had to respond rapidly, carrying out a three-week operation that included 77 flights, 59 flight hours, nearly 300 passengers
transported and approximately 17 tonnes of humanitarian cargo delivered. John Woodberry, who leads MAF’s work in Bougainville, said the team flew food, medical supplies and essential aid to communities including Nissan Island, Buin and Arawa, while also conducting medical evacuations. MAF also supported government and emergency responders by conducting aerial surveys to assess damage to roads, rivers and bridges. ‘Basically, we were there to serve and help in any way we could,’ John said. The Australian and New Zealand governments provided aid supplies and supported MAF with funding to transport relief from Buka to affected communities with small airstrips. It has been a busy year for MAF’s Disaster Response Team. Tropical Cyclone Narelle caused havoc in Arnhem Land in Australia’s Northern Territory in March, which resulted in MAF planes needing to evacuate more than 70 residents from the Laynhapuy homelands. Thousands of kilometres away, Cyclone Gezani devastated Toamasina on Madagascar’s east coast in February, flattening homes and severely damaging infrastructure. To support the response, MAF flew in emergency teams from Medair, a Christian humanitarian organisation that assists vulnerable communities affected by conflict, disease and disasters. Throughout the response, MAF enabled Medair teams to travel quickly into and out of the disaster zone, helping vulnerable families begin the long process of rebuilding. ABOVE: MAF delivers food and hygiene supplies to Buin in Bougainville LEFT: Ramazon Bridge in Bougainville, damaged from heavy floods due to Cyclone Maila
When crisis strikes, every moment matters. Could you help ensure MAF planes are ready to respond? Visit maf-uk.org/donate-ffl to help people facing their toughest moments. Scan the QR code to watch a short video about how MAF responded to Cyclone Maila.
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The difference you make Whilst the global fuel crisis is ongoing, generous supporters like you have helped to keep our planes in the air. Without fuel, there is no way for our pilots to deliver vital supplies, transport teachers, or save lives through our medevac flights.
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s part of our Fuel for Father’s Day campaign, MAF supporters donated an incredible £32,479.23! Thanks to you, MAF was able to continue flying in Madagascar, which resulted in the lives of a mother and unborn baby being saved during a medical outreach. This Father's Day, your generosity helped write a life-changing story for this precious young family.
For the latest on the fuel crisis in Madagascar and how it’s affecting MAF's work, tune in to episode 16 of our Flying for Life Podcast, where Josh Carter chats to our partners and the MAF team about the challenges that they're facing. Visit maf-uk.org/podcast or scan the QR code.
From a library prayer to a lifelong legacy When Ted Fawcett whispered a simple prayer in his local library, he never imagined it would begin a journey of more than 30 years of generous, faithful support.
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aised in Bath, Ted grew up in the church as a choir boy and bell ringer. Though he drifted away in his teens, his love of bell ringing endured – eventually leading him back to the bells and to meeting his wife, Rebecca. As their relationship deepened, Ted felt a renewed openness in his faith and a heart ready to hear God’s voice. In the early 1990s, a church talk on giving stirred him. Wanting to increase his charitable support, Ted went to the library for guidance. Moved by his lifelong love of aviation, he whispered a prayer and soon spotted an MAF leaflet. ‘I didn’t need to look any further – it ticked all the boxes. I was astonished!’ he recalls.
A member of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers, Ted treasures Flying for Life and his daily rhythm of tea, the Prayer Diary, and intercession for MAF. After 34 years as a paramedic, Ted’s desire to bless others will live on, thanks to his kind decision to remember MAF in his Will. ‘Charitable giving is very important to me. Including MAF in my Will is part of that. Wanting to support the wonderful work MAF does is doing God’s will.’ Special gifts like Ted’s will help MAF to keep bringing help, hope and healing to future generations – flying God’s love to the ends of the earth.
If you’re interested in leaving a gift to MAF in your Will, email miriam.wheeler@maf uk.org or call 01303 852819. To request our FREE Will guide, visit maf-uk.org/ffl-legacy
OCT–DEC 2026 Flying for Life 13
CARTERET ISLANDS
Light in Paradise The Carteret Islands look like paradise. White beaches. Palm trees. A lagoon so blue it almost seems unreal. But behind that beauty lies a hard truth. This tiny coral atoll, about 100 kilometres from Bougainville, is cut off from almost everything. There’s no coastguard. No mobile phone signal. No ambulance. The only way to reach the islands is by small open boat, across four hours of open sea. But when something happens… Help is far away.
STORY MATT PAINTER PHOTOS KOWARA BELL, FRASER NORBURY + KARLOS SARUNIC
NO WAY TO CALL
‘I’VE BEEN USING THE TORCH FOR THE MOTHERS WHEN THEY ARE IN LABOUR AND GIVE BIRTH.’ MAIN: The Carteret Islands look like paradise, with white beaches, palm trees, and a blue lagoon. But behind that beauty lies a hard truth ABOVE: Nason Lukio, Lead Technician, installs a solar panel RIGHT: Solar-powered audio Bibles FAR RIGHT TOP: The MAF Technologies team installs the HF radio at Han Clinic FAR RIGHT BELOW: The successful installation of solar lighting at the clinic is revealed as the lights shine brightly at night
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At the small health centre, Head Nurse Bernice Kumis, knows that reality all too well. For years, she and her team cared for more than 2,000 people without reliable communication. If a patient became seriously ill, Bernice could not simply call a doctor or ask for advice. If a patient needed to be evacuated to the hospital on the main island, she could not call a boat for an emergency evacuation. In moments like these, the Carteret Islands do not feel like paradise. They feel like a dark, lonely place, completely cut off from any help.
BIG CHANGE ‘This is a big change!’ says nurse Ann Sari. That change came when MAF Technologies installed a high-frequency radio system at the clinic. For the first time, the team can now contact medical staff in Buka, on the main island. They can ask questions, get a second opinion, order supplies and call for help. After years of silence, their voices can finally travel across the sea.
CARTERET ISLANDS BRIGHT LIGHTING MAF brought more than a radio. The team also installed solar power and bright electric lighting throughout the clinic in February 2026. For the villagers, the first evening was unforgettable. As the lights came on, people gathered outside in amazement. ‘Now we can see the city lights around the hospital,’ Louisa Kumis, one of the Carteret islanders said. ‘What we normally see in town, we now have on the island!’ For Bernice, these lights mean more than comfort. They mean safer care. ‘For two years, I’ve been using the torch for the mothers when they are in labour and give birth,’ she says. ‘For me, it’s something that I really feel embarrassed about, because when you use only the torch, you can pick a wrong thing in the dark.’ Now the maternity ward has proper lighting. The clinic can use basic medical equipment. A steriliser can be plugged in. One day, even an oxygen concentrator may be possible. A dark room became a place of safe, life-giving work.
‘THERE WAS ONLY ONE BIBLE ON THE ENTIRE ISLAND.’
SPIRITUAL LIGHT Alongside the solar panels and radio equipment, spiritual light was brought too: 100 bilingual New Testaments and 100 solar-powered audio Bibles. ‘Until then’, Bernice said, ‘there was only one Bible on the entire island.’ The people received the Bibles with joy. Many can read Tok Pisin more easily than English. And for those who cannot read, the audio Bibles are a precious gift. ‘Plenty of people don’t know how to read and write,’ she says. ‘So, the audio Bible is really useful to them. Thank you! You’re building the spiritual side of our people.’ That same evening, children were already listening and singing along. And the next day, people used the Bibles during worship.
NO LONGER FORGOTTEN The Carteret Islands are still remote. The sea is still wide. The journey is still difficult. But something has changed. A nurse can call for help. A mother can give birth in the light. A community can hear God’s Word in its own language. On an island that once felt like a forgotten paradise cut off from help, light now shines.
Go behind the scenes of this story to see what it takes to bring light to this cut-off community. Visit maf-uk.org/ffl-light or scan the QR code.
OCT–DEC 2026 Flying for Life 15
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16 Flying for Life OCT–DEC 2026
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