Hundreds of subsidised Bibles supplied by MAF
Technologies are helping people in the remotest regions in Papua New Guinea to be changed by God’s Word.
“I am a man who carried a gun and held up boats on the river.”
These were the words of a man attending a Scripture Application and Leadership Training (SALT) course who admitted he once carried a pistol and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and had been involved in many crimes.
“Some people gave me a SALT book and shared a little bit of the teaching with me,” he said. “It wasn’t long before the Holy Spirit gripped my heart. I told my brother, ‘I am going to hike all the way up to Dundrom to attend the next SALT course!’ Here I am. Satan has been holding me in bondage, but now the Holy Spirit has set me free!”
Pastor Fred Igami, course team leader, recalled: “The well-known criminal gave his life to Christ. During graduation, he stood up and shared how the SALT course transformed his life.
”The SALT program is a ministry under SIL Papua New Guinea (Summer Institute of Linguistics)”, explained Luke Aubrey, a scripture engagement worker serving with local churches and translators.
“When we bring these Bibles to a place, people are just rushing to buy them. They’re so hungry to get God’s Word.
“It’s been a huge blessing for us to partner with MAF because, up until then, we would go to these remote places and they might have the Gospel of Luke in their mother tongue, or they might have just the New Testament – they might not have anything.
“But MAF have been providing us with subsidised Bibles, which has been huge.”
Luke spoke of how quickly the Bibles are snapped up. In one place the team taught, all 93 Bibles they carried were sold in only two days.
“Being able to buy a copy of God’s Word for five, six, or seven dollars is just game-changing,” Luke said. In PNG’s context, MAF and other missions have found that selling Bibles at heavily subsidised prices has more impact, compared to giving them away. When something has a cost, it has value.
“It’s just a joy to see God changing and transforming lives through His Word.”
STORY / MATT PAINTER PHOTOS SUPPLIED
CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA
This year we are celebrating 75 years of MAF service in Papua New Guinea. For decades, we’ve brought help, hope, healing and God’s Word to the most remote communities of this nation. Lives have been transformed, hearts renewed and communities strengthened. We give heartfelt thanks to everyone who has prayed for and supported our programmes in PNG over the past 75 years - your partnership keeps planes flying and Bibles reaching hungry hearts across this beautiful nation.
This story was originally published in "Flying for Life - Autumn 2026." To view the full issue, click here.