http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.maf.org.nz en-us Fri, 12 Jun 2026 08:30:15 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/165845/new-life-for-lillian/ As Lillian, from Western Equatoria, flew to South Sudan’s capital Juba with MAF for surgery to treat fistula, she was smiling and hopeful, despite living with debilitating condition for decades.‘I got this fistula in 2003 giving birth to my first child when I was 16 years old. I stayed for almost a year and a half in the hospital. The doctors helped me with soap and clothes. I didn’t have anywhere to go because they could not fix the problem,’ she said.When she was finally able to leave ... Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:32:37 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post165845 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/165844/after-years-of-pain-they-finally-found-hope/ Hadra is the mother of four healthy children, but she has given birth to nine. There are no hospitals in the area where she lives. It is not uncommon for women to labour at home for 2-4 days, rather than set off for hospital, (a journey of hours or days) and risk delivering on the way.As they board a MAF flight together, Hadra Yousef and Tensa James are like sisters, although their hometowns in South Sudan’s Nuba Mountains, are far apart. This is the second time they have both flown with MAF t... Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:26:04 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post165844 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/165841/fighting-polio-in-remote-papua-new-guinea/ Much of the world is no longer concerned about polio: a deadly disease that affects mainly children. Though many people in today’s generation barely know what it is, this highly contagious infection can cause long-term disability, paralysis and even death.While it was eradicated in Europe in 2003 – and stamped out in Australia in the year 2000 – it’s still out there in other parts of the world, including Papua New Guinea.With low vaccination coverage, the risk of transmission for many Pa... Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:14:20 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post165841 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/165504/isolated-bougainville-gets-radio-communication-link/ Having served four years as the officer in charge of Han health clinic in the Carteret islands, Sister Bernice Kumis knows well the challenges of reliable communication and transportation when referring patients to the main island of Bougainville.“The Carteret Islands are isolated and are very far from the mainland,” she said. “We can only travel by boat, and we manage to stay here and care for the patients.”Situated 113 km east of Buka island in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, th... Wed, 27 May 2026 13:22:22 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post165504 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/165502/when-one-man-can-see-two-men-are-set-free/ As Ernest Nicolaus Skalwanda enters the hospital, his hand is held by Abeli Pita Kamanija.As one seeing, younger man leads a blind, older man to life-changing surgery, it’s evident that the weight of five years of blindness has been weighing heavily.“My life has become difficult to understand,” says Ernest, who comes from Urambo. “I have ended up living by begging and I lack the freedom to go anywhere or do anything I want, especially economic activities.“My main activity is farming. N... Wed, 27 May 2026 13:08:31 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post165502 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/164678/god-still-loves-me-rozalia-regains-full-independence-after-surgery/ “The pleasure of the world is to see. If you do not see, you have no pleasure,” says 75-year-old Rozalia Masanja Mayunga.For two and a half years, Rozalia lived with blindness that robbed her of all independence and joy. But last year, MAF flew Tanzanian eye surgeon, Dr Erick Msigomba and his team from Njombe to Rozalia’s home region of Tabora. There the team performed surgery that not only restored Rozalia’s eyesight, but also blessed 60 others with their sight and independence once mor... Mon, 18 May 2026 15:09:15 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post164678 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/164348/an-absolute-delight-45-years-of-giving-caring-and-serving/ “We wouldn’t have missed it,” said Grant. “There’s nothing else we would rather have done with our lives than what the Lord’s been doing over these 45 years.”From engineering and quality assurance to recruitment and pastoral care, their journey has been a unique call to serve and equip others to do the same.Originally from New Zealand, the couple spent their first 17 years with MAF in PNG. Grant maintained the aircraft that offered a lifeline to isolated communities, whilst Sharon ... Thu, 07 May 2026 14:45:49 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post164348 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/163910/with-maf-what-would-normally-be-difficult-becomes-possible/ An aircraft from Mission Aviation Fellowship flies over the dry landscape of northern Kenya. On the ground, Maasai huts known as manyatta dot the earth. Their rudimentary construction shows just how far these communities are from basic services.Normally, the journey here would have taken something like 20 long hours by road, much of it far from tarmac.Today, by air, the journey is reduced to just two hours.Here in Loyangalani, CURE International is conducting a ‘medical safari’, an initiativ... Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:52:42 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post163910 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/163909/the-flight-that-could-change-everything/ “Yaya was born with a cleft palate and a problem with his lower jaw, which needs to be readjusted,” says Diallo Mariama Bobo, a telecommunications engineer.Chaikou Yaya Diallo has had this issue for two and a half years. But today, he is boarding an MAF flight with his mother.“We are here today for the trip to the N’Zao hospital, for the surgery of my child,” says Mariama. “We were recommended by the Sacré Coeur team who have been monitoring the health of my child since birth.“Whe... Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:21:42 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post163909 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/post/163717/forty-years-of-waiting/ The recovery after surgery is slow and painful, and I am aware of this as I walk over to Ayor’s bed in the hospital in Juba. My translator, Garang, asks if she is willing to share her story. Ayor replies with a quiet yes.Her white hair tells me she is long past the age when women bear children, but her eyes tell a story few other people have heard.“The fistula followed the birth of my fourth child, over forty years ago,” Ayor says.“I have been suffering from this condition ever since. My... Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:40:27 +1200 http://www.maf.org.nz/blog/#post163717