http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.maf.org.nz en-us Sun, 20 Sep 2026 23:30:49 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/170118/walking-in-his-fathers-footsteps-how-maf-supports-alfred-from-ok-isai/ Alfred is also a proud son and an entrepreneur who runs a local ‘trade store’ near the Ok Isai airstrip to help sustain his small family. Along with his wife Luminar and daughter, Zitah, Alfred uses MAF for his travel to and from work and also to fly in stock for his small business.“I sell second-hand clothes, freezer meats like lamb, turkey, chicken—and ice-cream,”Alfred said. “I get my cargo in Mount Hagen and fly them with MAF to Ok Isai.“MAF exists as one of the main service pr... Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:08:20 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post170118 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/170116/bringing-judith-home-one-less-burden-for-a-grieving-family/ In eastern Uganda’s Kapchorwa district, pupils from King David Primary School of Ndejje-Wakiso were enjoying a study tour away from their home in the nation’s capital, Kampala. Tragically, their bus went out of control and fell into a ditch, leading to the deaths of over 20 children, the bus driver and the school director.Among the young lives lost was Judith Namanda, a vibrant 12-year-old girl from Yambio in South Sudan. Due to lack of good education facilities, it is not uncommon for South... Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:00:35 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post170116 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/169445/nyalam-gets-a-second-chance-at-life-amidst-humanitarian-crisis/ When violent conflict broke out in Akobo County, Jonglei State, it severed the vital lifelines connecting thousands of vulnerable families to the rest of the country. For over two months, severe access restrictions meant no aid could get through, leaving over 200,000 displaced people trapped in an escalating humanitarian crisis. Homes were looted, water systems were destroyed, and healthcare facilities collapsed.For 20-year-old Nyatong, a mother of three, the conflict forced her into a distressi... Tue, 01 Sep 2026 11:18:49 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post169445 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/169442/part-of-the-chain-osams-multi-stage-medevac-transcends-borders/ When Osam Osman Idriss Sulieman developed serious heart problems, he urgently needed specialised medical care.But there was a major problem: He was working in a troubled part of Sudan, and the nearest suitable care was in Nairobi, Kenya.In seeking medical care, Osam had already travelled by car for ten hours into Chad.Travelling another 13 hours by road from Adré to N’Djamena was deemed too risky for his condition. Instead, MAF was able to fly him to the Chadian capital in just three hours, h... Tue, 01 Sep 2026 11:06:39 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post169442 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/169439/out-of-my-comfort-zone-ashleys-journey-of-faith-and-service/ As a 20-year-old university student from Canada, Ashley Leyenhorst has a world of opportunities ahead of her. But she chose to put it all on hold for six months to test herself in the beautiful but challenging environment of Papua New Guinea.The business and marketing student joined Mission Aviation Fellowship’s communications team on a Mission Experience Placement which has allowed her to experience a different way of life, engage in mission work, and undergo personal growth.Ashley admits tha... Tue, 01 Sep 2026 10:51:42 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post169439 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/169437/life-is-hard---i-dont-have-clothes-or-food/ “My desire is that people will know God for themselves not just to go to church but have a personal relationship with Him,” said Bishop Lucy Bulgar, of Peace Praise Full Gospel denomination.Bishop Lucy has been in ministry for about 30 years and she is based in the Liberian capital Monrovia – but she would struggle to reach communities across the country without MAF flights.In a recent flight, MAF brought Bishop Lucy back from Harper to the capital after a week of intensive training - teac... Tue, 01 Sep 2026 10:26:55 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post169437 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/168556/bringing-care-to-forgotten-corners-of-arnhem-land/ Ely is married to MAF aircraft maintenance engineer Josh, and mother of four active children, but she’s also an occupational therapist working part-time in a private practice based in Nhulunbuy, Arnhem Land.Her clinic gets referrals from the Northern Territory Government for a wide variety of clients, so Ely’s job takes her to the homelands and communities of East Arnhem Land, in addition to work in Nhulunbuy town.“Coming here is really lovely,” says Ely. “I really didn't think that I ... Mon, 10 Aug 2026 14:10:47 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post168556 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/167948/when-cyclones-strike-maf-responds/ Cyclone Narelle: Evacuations and food relief in Arnhem LandWhen Tropical Cyclone Narelle made landfall in Arnhem Land in Australia’s Northern Territory earlier this year, MAF planes were kept busy making evacuation flights for more than 70 residents from the Laynhapuy homelands to the safety of cyclone shelters in Nhulunbuy.After the cyclone passed, residents were safely returned home. However, damaged tracks and depleted fuel supplies soon created another crisis, with several homelands runnin... Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:53:16 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post167948 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/167947/tanzania-transformed-maf-begins-a-new-chapter/ As 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 70. In the last 25 years, maternal mortality has drastically reduced by 71%, and primary school enrolment has boomed to 93% since the government introduced free basic education in 2015.The electrification rate has reached 69% across rural areas (source: Int’l Trade A... Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:45:10 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post167947 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/167945/light-in-paradise/ For him and his wife Caitlin, a good weekend means getting in the four-wheel drive and going far beyond mobile phone coverage, sleeping in a tent, sitting by the campfire and looking at the stars. He is also no stranger to epic sea journeys, having accompanied Caitlin to the Coral Sea, Australia, where she worked as a dive instructor and marine researcher. But Karlos had never been anywhere quite as remote as the Carteret Islands. He had never felt so cut off from the outside world.Paradise in d... Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:25:41 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post167945