CON-NECT-ING THE DOTS .

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2 MAF Youth E-zine 2015 www.maf-uk.org/youth

I M A G I N E L I V I N G I N T H E M I D D L E O F N O W H E R E , W I T H D E N S E J U N G L E A N D N O R O A D S T O H E L P Y O U R E A C H T H E O U T S I D E W O R L D .

Worse than that, you’ve broken your leg and are unable to get help. It’s a terrifying scenario, but one that faces many people living in remote communities. The people that MAF is here to help!

W H O ?MAF stands for Mission Aviation Fellowship and we’re a Christian charity fi lled with amazing individuals who team together to help some of the poorest and most isolated people in the world!

H O W ?We use over 130 light aircraft to transport people from around 1,500 organisations, along with food, essential supplies, doctors and patients, to remote and inaccessible areas.

W H E R E ? We’re all over the place! MAF works in around 25 developing countries – from Africa to South-East Asia to South America!

W H Y ? Good question!

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, recently visited MAF’s Folkestone o� ce and summed up our work pretty well:

‘To have the ability to fl y in and out of inaccessible places makes the di� erence between communities who know and believe that they are loved… and not knowing that.’

We serve those who are forgotten through natural disaster, war or geographical isolation and, through practical care and help, show them the love of Jesus.

We want to show you more of the hows, whys and wherefores of MAF, and have put this little number together to do just that.

We’ve got amazing stories to tell, challenging thoughts to share about world mission, and encouraging words to inspire you to take action and do something ginormous for God!

• M A F F L I E S A R O U N D 1 7, 4 0 0 N A U T I C A L M I L E S E V E R Y D A Y

• M A F C A R R I E S O U T 2 2 2 F L I G H T S E V E R Y D A Y , M O R E T H A N 9 E V E R Y H O U R

• A N M A F P L A N E T A K E S O F F O R L A N D S A T L E A S T E V E R Y 3 M I N U T E S

• M A F F L I E S M O R E T H A N 6 0 0 P A S S E N G E R S A N D O V E R 2 2 , 3 0 0 K G F R E I G H T D A I L Y ( N O T I N C L U D I N G P A S S E N G E R B A G G A G E A L L O W A N C E S )

• M A F D O E S A R O U N D 1 4 6 H O U R S O F F L Y I N G P E R D A Y

E A C H D A Y . . .

G E T Y O U R F A C T S S T R A I G H T

L E T ’ S B E G I N

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Above A security guard armed with an AK-47 ri� eLeft A Cessna 208 Caravan in Uganda

S T O R Y – S H O T F O R £ 6 0Man survives deadly attack from roadside bandits

It was a routine trip that turned into a nightmare. The two-hour drive from Matany to Soroti in Uganda is known for its terrible road conditions, not its terrible danger.

Driving slowly to avoid potholes, the man saw four fi gures ahead of him. As he edged towards them on his motorbike, he suddenly realised they all had AK-47 assault rifl es and

were about to shoot. A bullet ripped into his upper-right arm,

shattering the bone and rendering it useless. Crashing to the ground, he felt certain the

bandits would kill him as he lay in the dirt. Instead, they took the money from his wallet,

which was about £60, then disappeared. When they heard the gunshots, some local

villagers reported the incident to the nearest army post. The soldiers there later found the man and took him to hospital.

As the poor motorbike rider writhed in pain, the medical centre cleaned and disinfected his wound. To save his arm – and his life – the man needed extensive surgery. But specialist treatment was a six-hour drive away in Kampala, the country’s capital. There simply wasn’t enough time for him to get there alive.

So the hospital contacted MAF. Ready to respond in an emergency, MAF

Pilot Simon Wunderli answered the call and changed his planned route to make the life-saving stop. When road travel becomes too dangerous, too long or too tough, MAF provides a safe and reliable service that not only helps lives but saves them.

For this badly wounded man, help came in the nick of time. But rising reports of banditry and violence leave many remote communities living in constant fear.

MAF exists to support isolated people, providing safe connections to the basic necessities of life or, in this particular case, saving it.

THERE SIMPLY WASN’T ENOUGH TIME FOR HIM TO GET THERE ALIVE. SO THE HOSPITAL CONTACTED MAF.

4 MAF Youth E-zine 2015 www.maf-uk.org/youth

Above GA8 Airvan � ying in Arnhem LandLeft Danny Gill (Pilot) and Jonny Ward (MAF Youth)

W H E N M A F Y O U T H M E T … D A N N Y G I L LMEET DANNY GILL, ONE OF MAF’S LATEST AND YOUNGEST PILOTS! - 24 years old- Born in Nepal - Parents are Northern Irish missionaries- Parents moved to Nepal in 1986 - Dad’s a civil engineer- Mum’s a nurse - Moved to Brighton in July 2013

Q 1 W H Y M A F ? W H A T D O Y O U L O V E A B O U T M A F ?It married my passion for rural areas, helping people in remote areas, serving with your life, using aviation and just having a massive adventure. Growing up, I saw people in rural areas who didn’t have the opportunities I did. It fascinated me how planes fl y and then I met MAF Special Projects Manager Max Gove and he showed me pictures of aircraft landing on the side of hills. I just thought ‘that’s so crazy, I want to do it’.

Q 2 W H A T W I L L Y O U B E D O I N G ? I guess the main thing is fl ying aid and support to empower remote communities. Being salt and light and making relationships with local people to share Jesus with them. I’ll be in Arnhem Land, which is in Australia’s Northern Territory, and I’ll be serving in a community which is extremely isolated, and is inhabited by the Aboriginal Yolŋu .

Q 3 H O W D I D Y O U K N O W Y O U W E R E B E I N G C A L L E D T O M A F ?When I heard about MAF it just clicked that God had shaped me for a purpose and it made sense with MAF. It almost

A R N H E M L A N D

5MAF Youth E-zine 2015 www.maf-uk.org/youth

seemed that God had created me for this purpose. He’d shown me the need in rural areas. I could see the opportunity that aviation had to fi ll that role.

Q 4 H O W W O U L D Y O U D E S C R I B E T H E I D E A O F B E I N G “ C A L L E D ” T O S O M E O N E W H O E I T H E R D O E S N ’ T K N O W W H A T T H A T M E A N S O R D O E S N ’ T K N O W W H A T T H E I R C A L L I N G I S ?It might sound that it was all well and good that, from the age of 14, I knew what I was going to do. But I still had to struggle with it and really test it. I fi rmly believe that you need to follow your passions. If you say to God, ‘Put your desires in my heart’, then He will put those desires in your heart. When His desires become your desires, then what you’re chasing is what God wants for you. You really have to remember that you can be a missionary in whatever job you’re in.

Q 5 W H A T ’ S T H E S C A R I E S T T H I N G A B O U T M O V I N G A B R O A D A N D T O S U C H A R E M O T E P L A C E ? The thing I struggle most with is: ‘Am I going to be good enough?’, ‘Am I going to be able to make these decisions?’, ‘Am I going to be able to be responsible and professional?’ I guess I’m daunted about whether I’ll be good enough in terms of fl ying. But although there are those niggles of doubt and struggle, it has to come back to trusting God that in my weakness, He is strong.

• We are in the process of setting up a new base in Liberia. Please pray that all the paperwork we need to be able to fl y goes through quickly. (It can take ages!)

• The weather in Chad is challenging! The team is currently experiencing disruptions in their fl ight schedule due to the sandstorms and crazy winds. Pray for wisdom, patience and safety.

• Unrest in Bangladesh has been going on for over two months, with small explosions taking place daily among tra� c in high density areas. Praise God for protecting our sta� to date, and continue to pray for their safety.

• MAF simply cannot run without aircraft maintenance engineers to look after our planes. We urgently need experienced engineers in many of our programmes, so ask God for the right people to come forward and apply!

• Life can be tough for our missionaries and their children. Please pray they will feel encouraged, strengthened and energised – knowing they are right where God wants them to be!

P R A Y ! P R A Y ! P R A Y !

P R A Y F O R D A N N Y• Please pray that all the support

funding comes in

• Pray that Danny will keep up the same level of passion and enthusiasm when he arrives in Arnhem Land, and during the times he’s working.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE RESOURCES!www.maf-uk.org/youth/resources

6 MAF Youth E-zine 2015 www.maf-uk.org/youth

What images come to mind when you hear the word ‘mission’? For some, it’s Tom Cruise dangling from a carbon-fi bre wire, for others it’s a picture of helping the poor in a developing world country.

As Christians, the idea of being ‘on mission’ can so easily be seen as courageous individuals travelling the globe and winning millions to Jesus. There are a few people who actually do this and it’s incredibly inspiring to hear about, but it can be rather unhelpful – we start to assume that this is the only way mission works!

G E T D E E P – G E T T I N G T O G R I P S W I T H M I S S I O N

The idea of ‘overseas’ mission comes primarily from the New Testament command to ‘go into all the world and preach the Gospel’. But all too often we can focus on going into any other part of the world but our own, missing out on the adventures that God has for us beyond our front door. It’s not a new idea! Take a look…

‘But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will fi nd your welfare’ (Jeremiah 29:7).

At this particular time the Israelites were forced to live in Babylon, a pagan and blood-thirsty city where they were the outsiders. Look closely though, the fact that God said, ‘I have sent you into exile’ means God had a purpose for His people in Babylon even though they were far from home.

What was true for the Israelites remains true for us today! God has placed us where he wants us, from rural village to bustling city.

Mission begins just beyond your garden fence, and God wants you to embrace that ‘mission fi eld’ whether you feel at home or are itching to be elsewhere.

But what can you do? In Jeremiah 29 it speaks of seeking ‘the welfare of the city’ – this is about doing things in your community, school or neighbourhood that helps to make it a better place.

In Babylon, it was God’s plan for the Israelites to integrate themselves into the culture – not so they would become like the Babylonians, but so they would understand the culture, love the people and earn their trust and respect. The Old Testament is fi lled with stories like this!

God’s method remains the same today. He has given us gifts and talents to be used for His glory. Many of these are shared by those who don’t know God.

God has equipped you for mission by giving you unique skills. Whether it’s in music, business or cleaning – your skills can be used to reach those whom God is calling to Himself!

At MAF, our pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers and accountants use their specifi c skills in remote places throughout the world to enrich communities and provide a vital, life-saving service. But their serving God didn’t begin there! They didn’t discover their skills when they landed in a foreign land. Mission starts now!

So what are you good at? Go and do it! Go and make friends with those with mutual talents and passions. If you’re unsure, then ask God. Ask Him for clarity in what He wants you to do and how to use the talents He’s given you to infl uence your world for His glory.

It may seem a small thing, but if we are faithful with little, God will give us more. Who knows what adventures will unfold?

MISSION BEGINS JUST BEYOND YOUR GARDEN FENCE, AND GOD WANTS YOU TO EMBRACE THAT ‘MISSION FIELD’ WHETHER YOU FEEL AT HOME OR ARE ITCHING TO BE ELSEWHERE.

YOU ARE HERE

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE RESOURCES!www.maf-uk.org/youth/resources

R E S O U R C E S

HELP YOURSELF! OUR WEBSITE IS JAM PACKED FULL OF GREAT RESOURCES FROM FUNDRAISING PACKS TO BLOG POSTS FOR YOUR GROUP!

www.maf-uk.org/connectwww.maf-uk.org/connect

www.maf-uk.org/youth

T H A N K S F O R R E A D I N G T H I S Z I N E - C O N N E C T W I T H U S A G A I N S O O N - V I S I T

T H I S S U M M E RWE NEED ENTHUSIASTIC, ENERGY FILLED, MUD FRIENDLY FOLK FOR OUR EVENTS TEAM.

MAF Youth is returning to Soul Survivor to spread the word about our incredible work to reach the isolated.

Its high impact, engaging and tonnes of fun.

If you would like to meet likeminded people, help Represent! MAF Youth and go to this top Christian festival for free with food thrown in too, then what are you waiting for? APPLY!

We have limited spaces so make sure you get your application in by the Friday May 15th and let us know your preferred week (B or C). All applicants will be considered but must be over the age of 16. We look forward to hearing from you!

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? YOU CAN APPLY HERE:

www.maf-uk.org/volunteer-youth

youth@maf-uk.orgE

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FREEZE FRAME

REFLECTION AND

PRAYER

THE BIBLE

BIT

READ TOGETHER MARK 2 V 1-12: JESUS HEALS AND FORGIVES A

PARALYSED MAN.

Get the group to create a ‘freeze frame’ of the scene that we hear depicted in

this story. Characters to include are: Jesus, the paralysed man, friends of the

paralysed man (you could even use one of the blankets from the previous

game to help set the scene), the Pharisees and the house owner.

Once everyone is position, tell the group that you are going to tap them on the

shoulder. When you do so, they need to speak out loud as the character they

are representing, saying how they might be thinking and feeling at that

moment. Initially just let them speak and then ask questions about what

they’ve said. Possible prompt questions you could ask are:

• Paralysed man – How far were you carried? Are you embarrassed to have

been brought to Jesus in this way? How do you feel towards your friends?

• Friends – Whose idea was it to bring him? Is he heavy? Why did you

decide to help? Why did you think the idea would work?

• Pharisees – Have you seen anything like this before?

• Jesus – How do you feel about being interrupted in this extreme way?

YOUTH RESOURCES [CARRIERS OF HOPE]

Reflection: Look at the images and quotes on the page [see below].

After the film, give each young person a photo page.

How can we grow in supporting one another?

Who do we know that needs support? How can we help them?

What factors prevent us from helping people? How can we eliminate them?

‘By (MAF) organising hundreds of relief flights and delivering thousands of pounds of supplies, you’ve had a critical impact on Haiti’s recovery’ – Bill Clinton, former US President.

HAITI

MADAGASCAR‘Everything had to come in by MAF, Everybody. Everything.’ – MAF partner Dr Mann.

‘I realised what trust she has in us, as she gave me her most treasured possession to fly on this earth; her child.’ – MAF Pilot Chad Tilley.

TANZANIA‘I thank God for the work of MAF. Without them, we wouldn’t have any help.’ – Mother of a sick child.

MAF’S VISION IS TO SEE ISOLATED PEOPLE PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY TRANSFORMED. WE ARE FRIENDS OF THE POOR. WE CARRY THE NEEDY. WE OVERCOME EVERY BARRIER TO REST THEM AT JESUS’ FEET.

Prayer:As a group or as individuals, join in prayer for MAF’s work across the developing world and the work that God is doing in your community.

Lord keep each MAF flight safe, keep each pilot alert and give each passenger peace as they fly.Lord, thank You for the way You are using MAF to bring hope to those in need. Bless each country that we see on this page and let Your love come to these areas.Jesus, reveal to me when You want to use me to carry others and when I need to be carried myself. Thank You that we can all find healing in You.

BANGLADESH

Sometimes it’s not obvious to us what our gifts, talents and abilities might be, but

ask your friends what they think – you might be surprised at what you hear!

Give a piece of paper and pen to each member of the group and get them to

write their name at the bottom. Now get everyone to pass their paper once to

the left, asking each person to write something encouraging about that person’s

skills, talents or character at the top. Then fold it over and pass it on. When

everyone has received theirs back, get the group to open up their piece of paper

and read it to themselves or out loud (if they feel comfortable).

Would you agree with what was written? Had you seen these gifts before? How

can you use them to help others?

Take a few minutes in silence to reflect and pray about what’s been written,

asking God to tell you what He thinks your ‘special works’ are.

There are plenty of ways you can continue exploring the work of MAF as a youth

group. We need the support, prayers and enthusiasm of young people, and

together we can make a life changing di�erence.

• Why not invite an MAF Youth Representative to your next meeting and get up

close and personal with our work? We bring action, activities and over 60

years’ experience of working with some of the world’s poorest people – and

you get a night o�!

• We’d love to see more youth groups commit to regularly praying for us.

Appoint one of your young people as a Youth Group Rep and we’ll sent

updates from the field, prayer requests and breaking news to keep you close

to the action.

• Want to go deeper into God’s Word? We recommend MAF Stories – a free

download for youth leaders. We take four stories from our pilots and link them

to issues facing young people today. Use it as a devotional tool or

conversation starter. It’s a five-minute window into MAF’s world and God’s

Word. For more information, visit www.maf-youth.org/resources.php

YOUTH RESOURCES

[TOGETHER]

WHAT IS

MY OWN

SPECIAL

WORK?

REFLECTION AND

PRAYER

WHAT CAN

WE DO

NEXT?

THE BIBLE

BIT

READ THE FOLLOWING BIBLE VERSE TO THE GROUP:

‘We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more

and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the

Church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As

each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts

grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full

of love’ (Ephesians 4:15-16, NLT).

youth@maf-uk.org

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maf-uk.org/youthSearch ‘MAF Youth’

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T H E E A R T H I S T H E L O R D ’ S , A N D

E V E R Y T H I N G I N I T . T H E W O R L D A N D A L L I T S P E O P L E B E L O N G

T O H I M . P S A L M 2 4 : 1