While in PNG I met with:

• PNG Bible Society
• Leaders from the Baptist Union of PNG
• Staff from the Christian Leaders Training Centre (CLTC)
• Staff from New Tribes Mission
• Staff and management committee of CRMF (Christian Radio Missionary Fellowship)
• MAF Papua New Guinea Board
• John Kupp, Senior Pastor PNG Christian Centres
• Staff from MAF Papua New Guinea

The MAF LT component of my visit was to share with various groups of people the ministry of MAF Learning Technologies.  It is important at this stage of the ministry in Asia Pacific for our staff and those connected closely to us, that it is clear what MAF Learning Technologies ministry looks like so they can communicate to others and potential partners the ministry services and vision.

The most common need described to me was for resources. Learning materials (printed or digital), Bible studies, courses. When I talked about audio resources such as sermons, books, Bibles there was a great amount of interest. The barrier here appears to be access. For example, many of the MAF national staff can afford an MP3 player, but cant access audio Bibles or teachings – and want to! Internet accessible resources are not an option to them – dial-up is slow and unreliable, broadband is new and very expensive, VSAT remains the best option for the near future although Telikom now provides a 3G/CDMA USB modem wireless service which is providing good speeds, but still an expensive option for people in PNG, internet cafes where the public can get online are as rare as a coconut in Antarctica. Christian bookshops have music CDs but not teaching. Digital audio players called the ‘Proclaimer’ are being distributed by the PNG Bible Society (on behalf of Faith Comes by Hearing), but no-one I talked to had heard of them or seen any such device around Goroka or Mt Hagen. Feeding resources for ministry is certainly a service being sought by the Church there.

Philip Bungo, CLTC TEE coordinator, was very interested in DEScribe/DEViewer to put some of his TEE material into a digital format. He gave me some of his learning material so that it could be put into DEViewer as a demonstration of concept – this may become a project for the CRMF Learning technologies position holder. CLTC have over 1000 students doing their TEE courses (each under K40 in cost) and believe they would have many more if others in remote, poor communities could afford the fees.

I gave Richard Wali from Papua New Guinea Bible Society a GoBible (audio NIV NT in English, with scripture, stories, key verses available from the menu) which I bought while in the USA. I was prompted by their desire to reach out to the youth of PNG with audio New Testaments, and to develop audio NT in Tok Ples (mother tongue languages) for people in remote areas.

Richard Wali with GoBible

The church leaders I met host conferences annually for their pastors and typically cannot have all pastors come into the conference – both groups of church leaders I met with showed interest in the concept of recording conference speakers and distributing via MP3 or CD. Again their need was for resources – audio or written. John Kupp is running a Bible College in Mt Hagen for a small number of students, but the college lacks formal structure, course curriculum planning and material, and is probably typical of many small Bible Colleges being run by churches in PNG.

Nikolai Ballin (wife of MAF pilot Brad) attended an STS Workshop in 2009 in the USA and has since run a brief introduction to orality teaching technique with her home group. She is very keen to co-ordinate an STS Workshop in Mt Hagen once suitable dates for the program are advised by program management. Other MAF staff were also interested in learning oral teaching strategies.

MAF learning technologies can certainly meet some of the needs in Papua New Guinea. Whether by equipping the isolated church or equipping our staff in order that they may provide spiritual leadership within their communities. CRMF have budgetted for a Learning Technologies position on their staff and I believe this person will assume responsibility for co-ordinating MAF Learning Technologies ministry projects within PNG.

Please give thanks and pray with me:

• For continued contact with people we can serve and minister to in Papua New Guinea
• For the future MAF LT country co-ordinator for Papua New Guinea
• For the enthusiasm and excitement showed by many who heard of the various MAF LT ministry services
• That we can connect people in PNG to other ministries willing to serve the people in PNG

MAF Pilot Clint Smith with the GA8 Turbo Airvan in Toowoomba

Toowoomba’s airfield received a special stopover from an aircraft on a mission yesterday.  A newly developed turbo charged airvan or GA8, designed and manufactured in Gippsland, Victoria, was on its way to Papua New Guinea to take on the world’s most difficult flying conditions.

The plane was built for Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) to carry out medical and missionary work in developing PNG.  MAF pilot chief Clint Smith said PNG was a country of difficult terrain with few sound roads.

“PNG is a struggling, developing nation hindered by isolating terrain and there are places where there are no roads or where the roads can only be used for a few months each year,” Mr Smith said.

“Some of the airstrips are shocking and weather patterns can be really, really unpredictable.”

The $775,000 plane will take pride of place in MAF’s PNG fleet alongside 15 other aircraft.  The big difference with this latest edition is the addition of a turbo-charger that will allow the plane to soar to greater heights faster.  Mr Smith said a United States military assessment of flying conditions worldwide found the standards required to fly safely in PNG are the highest in the world.

From Dave’s blog:

“You might be intersted to know that even now, a month after initially leaving on the trip, I’m still dealing with weird infections breaking out here and there on my body, as well as a continually painful and swollen knee. The shin no longer seems to be infected, but is lumpy and still quite painful. This all underscores the difficulty of travel the “old-fashioned” way out here in the wilds of Borneo, and the reason why MAF serves the national church at the ends of the earth. It is indeed a very valid ministry, and one that I’m honored and humbled to be a part of!”

read more on Dave’s blog

During World War Two there were plenty of amazing stories from this part of the world.  I read “The Airmen and the Headhunters” which tells the events following a US bomber crew escaping Japanese troops with the help of the local Dayak people, an awesome story which would make a great movie one day. 

There is a TV documentary on PBS which can be viewed here:

http://to.pbs.org/2ToXFi

The new MAF Hangar - Gove Airport, Arnhem Land, NT Australia

The fly-past of a helicopter for some overhead photography heralded the start of proceedings which took place before a gathering of about 200 people under the new hangar roof.

And what a roof!  Around 37 metres long, 26 metres wide and three times higher than the old hangar still standing a few minutes walk away at the edge of the runway.

The new dimensions are more than mere statistics for the engineers and pilots who will begin to occupy the new hangar this week. In essence it’s about space: the room to store aircraft and equipment and the ability to maneuver planes in and out speedily and comfortably for maintenance and repairs.

In the old hangar that simply wasn’t possible. In addition, engineering staff had to cope with excessive heat under a low roof, flooding during the wet season, antiquated facilities and cramped offices.

Funding for the new hangar was provided by numerous donors, the largest of those from the Collier Charitable Fund, MAF United Kingdom and MAF Netherlands.

MAF International Asia Pacific Director and Vice President, Bill Harding, expressed deep gratitude to the large donors but also acknowledged many who had given smaller amounts of money, professional skills, materials and time. These included businesses, churches, local people and volunteer workers from Mobile Mission Maintenance and churches from all parts of Australia and New Zealand who had “personally paid a big price.”

“It’s been quite a journey,” he said. “We had long delays during fundraising, massive cost increases due to the price of steel and fuel and all sorts of other setbacks from transport to termites.

“But finally it is finished, it is fantastic and we really can rejoice and give thanks. God provided all the funding one way or another and a number of people put in monumental efforts.

“Many sacrifices have been made. It has been an incredible and personally costly effort but something great has been achieved.”

Both Mr Harding and MAF Arnhem Land Program Manager Ian McBride paid special tribute to young MAF airman Hadleigh Smith who died on October 16 2008 when the GA8 Airvan he was piloting went down in nearby Buckingham Bay enroute to the mainland. To this day, the aircraft has not been located.

A framed series of photographs of Hadleigh, a brass plaque and Bible passage will hang in the staff room of the new hangar as a memorial to the young pilot.

Mr McBride said Hadleigh’s story would forever remain a part of MAF’s story in Arnhem Land.

Regarding the new hangar, he said that, to really appreciate it, visitors needed to go down and take a look at the old hangar which was prone to flooding, had a leaky roof and was a victim of termite damage.

“But the biggest problem,” he emphasised, “was the shortage of space.”

“With this new hangar we can look forward to the future and begin to achieve the level of professionalism that we want.”

Mr Banambi Wunungmurra representing the local indigenous (Yolngu) community, acknowledged the long journey that MAF had been on in Arnhem Land, standing alongside aboriginal people, learning the Yolngu Matha language and being sensitive towards cultural issues.

Mr Wunungmurra, Chairman of the Uniting Church Yirrkala Parish and President of the East Arnhem Shire Council, said he wished to thank his “MAF brothers” many of whom were his good friends, for maintaining good relationships with the Yolngu people and providing services to Yolngu (Laynhapuy) Homeland communities.

“They have become adopted (into Yolngu families),” he said. “A unity has developed between us. MAF has helped our people to move back out to their homelands, they work with us in a spirit of unity and I thank God for that. I really do.”

The new MAF hangar in Gove, a wonderful testimony to the provision of God, the hard work and dedication of a vast army of people and the generosity of donors large and small, is nearing operational status. It will enhance and increase the ability of MAF to serve the indigenous people of East Arnhem Land.

The old hangar will be retained as a storage facility and workshop.

via www.maf.org.au

Supporting PNG communities

Coffee grown in the highlands of Papua New Guinea is some of the best around. However, for many growers, getting the coffee processed is nearly impossible due to an accessibility and lack of roading infrastructure.

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) is often the only outside contact for these isolated communities. They provide aerial transport of people and produce, thus helping Papua New Guinea’s developing economy.

LatitudeSix – coffeeforcommunities returns 10% of sales of it’s coffee, back to the growers in Papua New Guinea. This is over and above the price the growers initially get for selling their beans. The projects that LatitudeSix help fund, aid further development of the communities that grow coffee crops.

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) were flying in urgent medical supplies and assisting survey efforts to assess the damage.MAF’s Sumatra-based Cessna Caravan carried a relief team from

Operation Blessing International (OBI) to the scene of devastation.

Stan Unruh, MAF’s Programme Manager in Sumatra, reports that presently ‘We are working primarily with OBI, but the phone is ringing off the hook with requests from the Red Cross and others.’ The situation is being evaluated and additional staff are ready to come if needed.

MAF is currently providing critical flights from Pekan Baru to Padang, close to the epicentre of the earthquake. Easily accessible from Jakarta and other places, the present plan is to stage MAF’s emergency response operations from Pekan Baru.

The 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck at 5:16pm local time off the west coast of Sumatra, 29 miles north-west of Padang. Dozens of aftershocks followed, two of a 6.0 magnitude.

The death toll is predicted to be in the thousands.

To give to the MAF rescue work in Padang,  click here.

MAF in Sumatra

MAF began flying in Sumatra in response to the 2004 tsunami that devastated the Aceh area of northern Sumatra. MAF was one of the first to respond to the disaster, initially sending aircraft and personnel from their programme in Kalimantan. MAF also provided communications services to support the relief efforts.

MAF have served in Indonesia since 1954. Government officials have invited MAF to extend its operations indefinitely in the province of Aceh, Sumatra.

The programme operates a Cessna 206 and a Cessna Caravan from their base in Medan.

(via maf-uk.org)

Nearly complete - kalimantan floating hangar

MAF Program Manager in Kalimantan, Indonesia David Holsten says, “An engineer from Holland helped us design a floating hangar. It is comprised of Styrofoam encased in cement — about 350 tons of cement.” And it floats!

MAF had been using small docks to aid in their work. However, Holsten says it’s not easy to maintain an airplane on a dock. “If we drop a tool, it goes right to the bottom of the river. We’re out in the sun, and in a tropical area, that’s fatiguing. With this full-size hangar, we’ll be able to lift our planes out of the water and maneuver them inside the hangar, allowing us to do inspections on the plane and make needed repairs.”

Holsten says this isn’t any old project. “To my knowledge, this is the first time we’ve had a system like this. So it’s created a lot of interest from other programs, as well as local Indonesians. They really couldn’t believe a building made of cement could really float.”

This new facility will also help medical patients. Instead of having to carry them on a stretcher for 200 yards upon arrival, ambulances will be able to pull right up to the aircraft.

The new project also gives MAF a unique opportunity in the community. Holsten says, “This new hangar has created interest from the community. Residents ask, ‘What are you doing?’ And our guys are able to tell them. So it has opened doors for witness and ministry.”

Even before the hangar was operational, it was having an impact. “While working on this project, one of the workers became a believer,” Holsten says.

Once the nearly $300,000 project is completed by the first part of the summer, it will enable MAF to be even more effective in its ministry and better stewards of the resources God has given them.

Pray that God will provide even more opportunities to share the Gospel.

Mission Network News

The Oshkosh air show, which was founded in 1953, has long been a “must attend” event in the world of aviation. It is where general aviation companies introduce new products, and where exciting and experimental innovations – such as exotic flying cars, jet packs and the newest satellite navigation screens – are often unveiled to the public. The event, attended by hundreds of thousands of people, includes acres of displays and a steady stream of flyovers by both the latest home-built aircraft and lovingly restored vintage planes. Each day includes aerobatic air shows featuring top aerobatic acts.

This year AirVenture will be spotlighting missionary aviation as part of the “public-benefit” aviation activities. A weeklong “Fly4Life” program (www.fly4life.org) features MAF and other members of the International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA) (www.iamanet.org), as well as non-faith-based groups that are part of the Air Care Alliance (www.aircareall.org).

Front and center, right on AeroShell square, the focal point of the air show, will be the new MAF KODIAK aircraft. The Piper PA-14, a replica of the plane flown by martyred MAF aviation pioneer Nate Saint and used in the filming of the movie “End of the Spear,” will be nestled under the wing of the KODIAK – one representing MAF’s past and the other an exciting future for the ministry.

The MAF tent display, located at spaces 151 and 152, will include a Cessna 185 that was used by MAF in Indonesia and is now being used as a training aircraft by Moody Aviation. The plane will be set in a village scene with murals and a “movie screen” consisting of a white sheet on which MAF will show “All Over the World,” a 30-minute film featuring the ministry’s work in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

In addition, the MAF staff manning the tent will conduct daily drawings, distribute literature and engage in other activities that will help tell the story of MAF and of mission aviation to this large and responsive audience.

“People attend AirVenture because they are passionate about aviation,” said John Boyd, president and chief executive officer of MAF. “But some of them are also passionate about Christ and the Gospel. When we tell the story of mission aviation to them, we often find that’s all it takes to turn them into passionate friends and supporters of MAF. So being at Oshkosh is a wonderful opportunity for us.”

Boyd said that while in Oshkosh, MAF staff will be conducting seminars, speaking in local churches and meeting with friends and supporters in the area.

via www.maf.org

GA8 Turbo with pilot Nick Swalm in PNG

The brand new 8-seat aircraft left Mareeba bound for PNG on April 21 following a ferry flight up from Victoria. MAF took delivery of the plane in February but the actual handover was delayed by certification approvals and modifications.

By all outward appearances, the turbo-charged (TC) Airvan is identical to its normally aspirated cousins, 11 of which are currently operating with MAF in the PNG lowlands, Arnhem Land, Cambodia and East Timor.

The big – or little – difference only becomes apparent when the engine cowling is removed to reveal the addition of a TC converter about the size of a 2-litre soft drink bottle tucked away neatly and almost out of sight. But big things can often be achieved by small objects. That small device will allow PNG pilots to soar with ease over mountain ranges and greatly reduce flight times between highlands airstrips. It will give them additional power for rapid climbing through breaks in the cloud.

Aviation Resources Manager, Stephen Charlesworth, explains that it is all about the ability of the TC Airvan to convert or compress – via the turbo-charger – the thinner air taken into the engine at altitude.  ”To date, (non-TC) Airvans have been particularly useful in the lowlands of PNG, Indonesia, Cambodia and East Timor where MAF has a number of Airvans operating,” he said.

GA8 Turbo Airvan in flight, PNG Highlands

“But they have been less successful in the PNG highlands. As you go higher, air pressure reduces and the air is less dense. Therefore, the higher the altitude, the less power becomes available to a normally aspirated aircraft. There is less energy for the engine to burn. ”The turbo-charger or compressor overcomes that problem by compressing the air prior to it entering the engine enabling more power for greater rates of climb. As a result, the aircraft is better able to move from valley to valley in the PNG highlands.”

Mr Charlesworth said the new Airvan would readily climb to heights of 10,000 feet and above, had a greater load-carrying capacity than the Cessna 206 and required less maintenance. The Airvan GA8-TC 320 is powered by a Lycoming turbo-charged fuel injection engine turning a Hartzell three-blade propeller.

Worldwide, 135 of the Victorian-manufactured Airvans are flying in 32 countries. MAF has the second largest fleet of Airvans after the USAF Civil Air Patrol.

MAF Australia – www.maf.org.au

Most East Timorese farmers grow subsistence food crops and rely almost entirely on them to meet daily food needs. The main staple of corn is grown on small, single-hectare farm plots and eaten twice a day. Weeding is carried out using manual labour.

With low yields from such small plots, farmers struggle to provide enough food for their families from one harvest to the next.
And making matters far worse is the likelihood of a 30 percent reduction in the harvest due to loss and damage caused by rats and weevils. With one crop and one harvest per year, the challenge is there for farmers to protect harvested grain for up to 12 months.

Hanging bunches of corn cobs in trees may protect them from rats but not weevils and so the losses continue and the hunger persists.

Research has shown that the solution – storage in sealed containers – though simple, has been largely unavailable to farmers in East Timor because they could not afford to buy adequate containers.

So, MAF to the rescue! On hearing of the need, MAF has embarked on a program with Drums on Farm Timor (DOFT) to provide 100 used fuel drums per year. After a thorough cleaning by DOFT, each drum is sold and delivered at an affordable price to farmers. It costs about $40 to collect, clean and deliver each drum. A family that can obtain five drums will have more than enough to meet their needs and provide a surplus.

Good quality drums with bungs are rodent-proof and airtight. Rats cannot access grain in sealed containers and weevils cannot live or reproduce without oxygen.”To operate our aircraft in East Timor, MAF needs to import fuel from Australia in good quality 200-litre steel drums,” notes Program Manager Brad Sinclair.

“By donating our empty fuel drums to Drums on Farm Timor to support the improvement of food security for farmers and their families, MAF has found another way of using resources entrusted to us to help the people of East Timor.

“The farmers work hard for their grain, and I’ve enjoyed visiting them and seeing the drums given such a simple but beneficial second life.”

MAF Australia – www.maf.org.au