Before Yifki was connected to outside services with an airstrip, babies often died at birth. But today, local women are helping mothers deliver more safely, and the population is growing.
“You’ll be quite surprised when you land. You will see hundreds of babies and children!”
These are the proud words of Susan Kopf. She and her husband Jonathan have served in the roadless mountainside community of Yifki, working to translate the Bible into the Hewa language. But having seen the high number of childbirth deaths in the area, they took action and helped to introduce safer delivery practices.
“We started the midwife programme in 2012,” Susan says. “MAF flew in a team from Samaritan’s Purse, and that’s when we began.”
Through the programme, Susan taught and empowered local women to help mothers deliver.
“Everything we’ve done has been so we can put it back in their hands,” Susan says.
Emiyas Kepson is a local mother who has become one of Yifki’s first midwives.
“Susan has taught me a lot about midwifery,” says Emiyas. “With prayer and God’s guidance I have helped mothers give birth here.”
Health worker Yanis Was remembers when women often had difficulties during childbirth.
“We made this airstrip between 2010 and 2011, and in 2012 the first MAF plane landed,” Yanis says. “It is about 15 years since then, and now the village of Yifki has growing population.”
Jonathan recalls the time when the Yifki team helped a local mother.
“In the case of a woman called Memori, it was Yanis who came to me,
“I called for Emiyas and asked, ‘Have you seen her?’
“She said, ‘She’s bleeding heavily, and she’s a month too early. I think we need to send her somewhere she can get more medical care.’”
“I’m glad she made that recommendation,” Jonathan says.
“We were able to contact MAF and fly her out to safety.”
STORY / AQUILA MATIT PHOTO / TAJS JESPERSON
This story was originally published in "Flying for Life - Spring 2026." To view the full issue, click here.