Winter, 2024
As I looked through this issue of Flying for Life – the first of 2024 – I was once again filled with an immense feeling of gratitude. I am grateful to God for allowing us to do this work. He has entrusted us with resources and people which allow us to reach the isolated. I am grateful to the men, women, and families who passionately carry out the mission of MAF around the globe, at home offices and in the field. And I am grateful to you, who uphold our work in prayer and through your generous support. Because of you, lives are changing, and hope is reaching the isolated.
As you turn the pages of the Winter 2024 issue of Flying for Life, you’ll read incredible stories of flights delivering hope through the Gospel in Congo (pg. 6), delivering staff to carry out Vacation Bible Schools across northern Canada (pg. 10), and providing 200 medical evacuations around the world, saving lives, and allowing people to hold their loved ones close once more (pg. 18).
Organizations like Mercy Ships (pg. 16) are just one of the over 1,400 organizations served by MAF. Every flight we do for them, and Jesus Film Ministries (pg. 4), and Sisters of the Holy Family in Liberia (pg. 5) is made possible through the generosity of our donors. Through donating to MAF, you are demonstrating God’s love by providing access to safe transport, medical services, education in 2024 and beyond.
I recently had the opportunity to visit our staff and operations in Indonesia. There, I saw first-hand the impact of your generosity. The Sentani base is the largest in the MAF world and is the hub of our work in that country. The Program Director at Sentani is Ben Eadie, a Canadian MAF engineer, and it is your support of the Eadie family, and other MAF staff that directly make this work possible.
As you read their stories, allow them to transport you to some of the remote places in the world where we work. I pray they help you catch a glimpse of the incredible work God is doing through you and through MAF.
In Him,
Brad Bell
Previous Posts
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2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
In 1988 Brad co-founded Campana Systems Inc., a Waterloo based software development company serving the healthcare and auto club industries. For 25 years prior to joining MAF, Brad served as the company’s Founder and Chief Technology Officer where he was responsible for software development of the company’s products and services. In his senior leadership role in Campana Brad was instrumental in growing the company organically and through acquisition to an innovative technology based firm. Campana was sold in 2014 and Brad is excited to follow God’s call in this next stage of his life.
Brad is deeply committed to the Christian community. He began his academic career with a one year study program at Emmanuel Bible College before studying Math Computer Science for five years at the University of Waterloo. Throughout his career he has participated in and supported a variety of missions with his time, talent, expertise and financial support.
Brad has served on the Board of many Christian organizations including six years on the Board at Crossroads International, the Christian media producer for programs like 100 Huntley Street, where he helped the organization through a period of transition from retiring founder, David Mainse, to a new CEO. Over the years, Brad has also held positions on the Board of his home church Waterloo Pentecostal Assembly.
Brad was pleased to be asked to join Mission Aviation Fellowship as the CEO. MAF is an incredible 75-year-old ministry providing help, hope, and heling to isolated people in over 30 countries.
Originally from Waterloo, Brad and his wife Darlene are parents to two adult daughters, Brieanna and Mallory, and grandparents to four children.
Since my first days at MAF, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside those who’ve devoted their lives to this mission. Their wisdom, insight,
resiliency, and faithfulness has been invaluable to the leading of this organization.
I want to honor the amazing men and women whose sacrifice and service has brought us where we are today. As the current caretaker of MAF Canada, I find myself in the middle of history. I recognize the amazing work of those who came before me, while being humbled by what will be accomplished by those who follow. I want to express my gratitude for our supporters, without whom the past 50 years would simply not have been possible.
But most of all, I am thankful to God, who has sustained this work, and laid a foundation for our future as well. As we take our first steps toward the next 50 years, I’m reminded of those who began this journey. They’ll tell you that the planes have changed, but the mission stays the same.
We will continue to seek out new and innovative ways to serve for the next 50 years and beyond. As long as there is need, our mission will stay the same – to reach the isolated with help, hope and healing.
Finally, like those who began this work, we too are in need of skilled men and women to service and operate our planes. In particular, we need
qualified aircraft engineers. They play a significant role in stewarding our resources by taking care of our planes, and without their hard work, attention to detail, and devotion to safety, our planes would simply not fly.
If you or anyone you know has the skills needed and a passion to use them for God’s kingdom, give us a call or visit us online to learn more.
Who knows? You might play a role in the next 50 years of MAF Canada’s history.
In Him,
Brad
leave looks like.
50 years ago, a small group of friends had a dream to see MAF in Canada, raising support and sending Canadian staff to serve overseas. At that time, this seemed like a huge undertaking! Our board approved the first MAF Canada missionary family in 1973.
What started as a dream half a century ago has now turned into 203 pilots, engineers, teachers, managers, and others (plus their families) serving
overseas, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in support raised to continually deliver help, hope, and healing to the isolated. We are living the legacy that was created by those who have gone before us, who bravely stepped out in faith.
Prairie Aviation Training Centre (PATC) in Three Hills, Alberta, plays a huge role in the continuance of MAF Canada’s legacy. The number of pilots and engineers who come through this facility impacts the work we do worldwide. In fact, 63% of Canadian MAF pilots are PATC graduates. We continue to partner closely with PATC, and are exploring ways in which we can become even more involved. Part of the DNA of MAF Canada is sending quality, willing, well-trained staff to the bases where we serve worldwide, and the work happening at PATC is extremely important to helping us find, create, and train these candidates.
As we continue to move forward, I hold onto the hopes and dreams of our first board of directors, and all who have come before me. I pray we continue to grow; in the number of staff we send to serve the Kingdom, and in our capacity to help others. I’m reminded daily of the privilege I have to serve as the current caretaker of this amazing organization beside so many others who have served, and given sacrificially.
Our missionaries, staff, and supporters are all part of the legacy MAF Canada has created over the last 50 years, and we will carry that into the next 50. We are working together for a united goal, creating impact that will extend long past our lifetimes, all for His glory.
Maybe the stories you read in this magazine will make you think about the influence your life has made?
Maybe this is the nudge you’ve been waiting for to get involved, volunteer, or pursue a career in missions? Or maybe the impact of generosity from others like you has inspired you to create a Kingdom legacy that will continue long after your time through planned giving – allowing aircraft engineers and pilots to head to the field without a burden of debt, or allowing equipment to be upgraded or facilities built? However this issue motivates you, please know that we at MAF Canada are ever thankful for your prayers, support and generosity. We are excited about the future!
In Him,
Brad
50 years ago, a group of friends met together with an amazing vision, prayed, and then took a step of faith. They knew God was doing something, and they used the skills they had been to given carry out His plan. Because of this faith, MAF Canada was founded. I’m so thankful for their obedience in planning, praying, and using their skills to create an organization that’s been built to serve others.
It can be hard to know what God’s plan for our lives looks like. It’s probably a good thing He doesn’t show us the entire plan all at once as it might terrify us. But God is revealing the next step in the path, and we need to prepare ourselves, be faithful, and embrace it. God expects us to be prepared and act using the gifts and talents He’s given us. How many of us have been learning and perfecting skills over the years, not knowing how someday we’ll be called to use them to serve?
MAF Canada started following the plan that was put in place by this group of friends 50 years ago, and we’ll continue to walk forward on this path, preparing a way for those who come after us. As the expression says, we’re playing the long game; building infrastructure and training people who allow us to continue to serve for years to come.
In this issue of of Flying for Life, you’ll read about the opening of the Cavango Airstrip in Angola. This airstrip was 16 years in the making and involved the generosity of hundreds of Canadians; the result is that we’ve built something that will last, and will benefit the community for many years to come.
You’ll also read about children receiving life-changing treatments and surgeries in Kenya. Again, this is the long game. We’re not only allowing kids to be kids, but we’re also raising a generation full of hope who will become the next teachers and leaders in their communities. Finally, you’ll read how we’re laying the groundwork for our next 50 years by investing in the expansion of an aviation training facility that will help keep us flying well into the future. Serving long-term, and the many benefits of staying and investing in communities and people can be seen in our 50-year history, and in MAF’s global 75-year legacy.
Being faithful to see things through is not always how society works. We often want things now, we want to see quick results, and we can all too easily give up when they take too long. That’s not who MAF is. When we go into an area to provide help, hope, and healing, we know it can take years, or even decades, to develop the infrastructure and relationships with people and partners before we achieve real impact.
Is God preparing you to serve, support, or pray? Is He preparing a plan for you that will wildly exceed your expectations just as He did with the MAF founders? Ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they step out in faith.
In Him,
Brad Bell
They say it is better to give than to receive but in the case of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), it works both ways – both the giver and recipients are blessed.
A gift given through MAF helps to change so many lives in so many ways.
Maybe it’ll provide a seat on an MAF plane for a local pastor who is discipling new believers, or as you’ll read on page 10, a new mother like Flora in Angola, whose life was saved through a medevac flight. Or perhaps your gift will help fund a flight that brings food, water, medicine, and hope to people who have fled war, just like the ones you’ll read about on page 11.
Our enclosed gift catalogue offers invaluable ways in which you can transform a life and create a lasting impact on someone who otherwise may not have received that chance We at MAF are committed to continuously offering help, hope, and healing to the world’s most isolated.
Our pilots, engineers , and their families daily live out our vision of seeing isolated people changed by the love of Christ – to the ends of the earth.
You are an integral part of that. You make this vision possible. I encourage you, as you read the stories in this issue of Flying for Life, to think about all the various ways in which your donation is put to work, and to feel a connection with the people who are on the receiving end of your generosity. It truly is a blessing to us all.
In Him,
Brad Bell
President & CEO,
MAF Canada
Our capital campaign to fund the brand-new Cessna Caravan was an overwhelming success, thanks to the response and generosity of multiple individuals and organizations. We had scheduled the campaign to end in December 2022, and when we realized that we had received all the funding for it by the end of December 2021, I was overcome with gratitude! Buying this new aircraft was a step of faith, and so many took that step with us.
I want to thank everyone who has given so selflessly and participated in this project. Our hope is that this aircraft will arrive in Angola to start its service in February 2022. Please pray for all the necessary permissions to come through so this plane can begin its legacy in-country. And join us in giving thanks for all the doors God has opened for us on this journey!
As we start the new year, overwhelmed by your generosity, I’ve found myself asking, “How can MAF be more generous? How can we be more giving of our time and our resources?” We are a capable-sized organization with equipment and talented people. We’ve been entrusted with so much, and I want us to be able to bless others as well. In the field, our trained technical staff install solar panels, repair vehicles, set up satellite internet for remote missionaries and repair hospital equipment– all in their spare time. They reach out with the skills God has given them.
But our mission to reach the isolated can be achieved in ways for people right here in Canada, and when the horrific flooding hit British Columbia in late 2021, we found ourselves in a perfect position to donate to the response of Helicopters Without Borders. It was a way to mirror the generosity God has shown us, and a way to use aviation as a lifeline in the country we call home. I pray it blessed those in need with the love of Christ. Giving that gift achieved our mission in a new way, and blessed others the way we have been blessed.
In all we do, we feel the warmth and blessing of being surrounded by so many wonderful staff and supportive donors. We are incredibly grateful for you, and for all you do. Thank you for being such an integral part of our community.
In Him,
Brad
Now, we are hundreds, even thousands of people working towards that same dream and purpose – to bring help, hope and healing to isolated people. Not only do we do that in a physical sense, but we also deliver spiritual hope and healing as well.
The presence of Bible boxes on our flights in Papua New Guinea does just that. It’s an important part of every flight. On one visit to PNG, I had the chance to see the impact it has on communities there. I was in awe of the crowd these Bibles drew when we landed – I turned my back, just to walk away from the plane to take a photo – and when I turned around, the plane was surrounded with people waiting for the Bibles to be distributed! I’ve seen this reaction to food and supplies before, and to me it means there is a huge hunger for spiritual food as well.
The arrival of our new Cessna Caravan is another dream come true. We could never have imagined funding this aircraft so quickly or anticipated the many doors that God would open for us to be able to receive Wings of Love and fly it to Angola safely. The challenges we faced along the way only served to strengthen our resolve to continue the MAF legacy in Angola, and we knew that with prayer, we could overcome any obstacles we faced. Wings of Love will, God willing, have a long life of serving Him in Angola.
I’m inspired by the up-and-coming generation of youth who are following in the footsteps of their predecessors, using their imaginations and blazing their own trails to help spread the Gospel. We’ve encountered children across our country jumping in and doing things to create an impact in other parts of the world. We wanted to highlight them in this issue, to show you that there are good things still to come, and also to give them confidence to continue to follow their hearts!
As we move forward, I continue to hope and dream for the future of MAF. I pray that we continue to grow; in the number of missionaries who are called to the field, in our technology and innovation, and in our capacity to help others. As I meet and pray with the leaders of the various MAF groups around the world each month, our goal is to further the dream of Jack Hemmings, Stuart King, Nate Saint, Betty Greene, and all the other MAF pioneers who paved the way, so that someday, when we meet in heaven we can all say, “Wow! I didn’t think a little dream could go so far.” Thank you for always dreaming with us, and walking alongside of us as we deliver help, hope and healing to people living in isolation.
In Him,
Brad
I’ve always believed that education is the key to improving your life. It creates a spark inside us, and a hunger to want to do more, learn more, and create a brighter future for ourselves and our families. Reading and writing is fundamental to success- it helps us improve living standards, create sustainable agriculture practices, and open businesses.
But in isolated areas, access to school, materials, and teachers is not a given. How is hope through learning gained when access is so difficult?
I’ve had opportunity to witness hope arriving first-hand. In many of these communities, it comes in the form of an MAF plane. It carries teachers, supplies, medications, and building materials. It picks up critical medical patients, and takes them for urgent care. After seeing and experiencing that, and then returning to Canada, it made me want to work harder to ensure that all of this and more is possible through what we do.
On reading through this issue of Flying for Life, the hope that is brought through education really stood out to me. Not only are futures becoming brighter for these students, they’re able to improve their entire communities through what they’re learning. The school building that MAF has been flying materials in for will serve generations of children, and maybe some of these will go on to teach in the very same school that educated them. They’re gaining skills, lifelong friends and community, and work ethic – and all these attributes will help them on their journey.
I’m reminded daily of the privilege I have to serve with MAF alongside so many others who have sacrificed of themselves to show God’s love through what we do. I am continually humbled that I get to be a part of that. Even though I’m not an engineer keeping our aircraft safe, or a pilot delivering vital supplies, I am blessed to play a role in making what we do possible.
Your role is equally important.
For every dollar we are paid by partners and those who fly with us in various countries, we provide three additional dollars through fundraising to make these life-saving and life altering flights possible. You, our donors, are absolutely integral in keeping our planes in the air. YOU are bringing hope.
Thank-you for believing in brighter futures for people in all the locations where we serve. Thank-you to teachers everywhere, who are passionate about igniting a spark for learning. And to those who serve with MAF as teachers, you go above and beyond to minister, inspire, and love the children of our staff; training them in work-ethic, compassion, and a drive for their futures.
To our staff on the field who make this work possible every day – thank you, too! I feel as though my words are inadequate in conveying your worth, and what you are doing for His kingdom. Together, we are reaching the isolated, with a means for a future.
In Him,
Brad
Last year, when we were approached with an opportunity to buy a new aircraft, I initially thought it was completely out of our reach. In fact, it was rather easy to come up with a long list of reasons why this could not work. But as we prayed and explored what was presented to us, God opened our eyes to an immense opportunity that He had created. There were many factors and intricate pieces that came into place perfectly to make that purchase happen – and God had clearly been working in those details. All that was required was that we trusted Him in taking those steps, and because of that faithfulness, we were led through His plan.
Proverbs 3:5 tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your hearts, and lean not on your own understanding.” For all of us, it is so important to be able to discern when an opportunity that He has put in front of us has arrived. This isn’t always easy. We need to move forward with a constant, conscious mindset of listening for God while at the same time using the natural gifts and skills He has given us. This publication is full of people doing just that – finding His path and taking it. I hope these stories of faithfulness inspire you as much as they did me. I want to thank you for always praying for us, and with us, as we follow the direction in which He takes MAF.
I want to thank you for blessing our staff, and the people we serve through enabling us to provide physical and spiritual life-changing services. And I want to encourage you to take a moment to listen. Is God telling you something? Is he working in your life, too? Let him guide you, just like He has to all the people in the stories within this Flying for Life. Because when we follow his plan, amazing things will happen.
In Him,
Brad Bell
CEO, MAF Canada
We saw His provision for MAF Canada throughout the past year and as we now look at ‘starting fresh’, it is important that we carefully evaluate what it is we want to return to. It’s a good time to reflect on what we want our new normal to be, and I would hope that the closeness in our walk with God is not lost. I pray that because of the trials we’ve been through, we would see people and needs through new eyes, and with compassion and empathy.
In reading through the stories we’ve shared in this issue, the theme of family really stands out to me. Within MAF around the globe, family is an important part of how we operate. Our missionaries, staff and supporters are grafted into one global family, all working together towards a united goal. Our field staff leave family behind, sacrificing the closeness of some bonds only to form relationships within teams and communities far from their comfort zones. These bonds create lasting impacts and legacies not only in the locations and communities where we serve, but in generations that will come after us. Our MAF family is impacting others for the Kingdom, and those impacts last a lifetime or more.
The children growing up within MAF inspire me when looking towards the future. The level of resilience and compassion that missionary kids carry with them consistently amazes me. We’re raising a generation who want to shine God’s light everywhere they go. They may go on to be aircraft mechanics or pilots, or serve in other capacities towards furthering God’s Kingdom. The qualities and skills they have will accompany them as they are salt and light wherever they go, both in Christian circles and to the secular world. Undoubtedly, they are our future leaders, teachers, and loving parents because they are thriving, bringing His hope and peace to everyone they meet because they have fostered it within themselves.
– Brad
The variety of ways in which MAF serves continues to inspire me. We show God’s love to so many, in a variety of ways, and that makes us unique. We deliver physical assistance and life-saving support by providing medical evacuations, food delivery, clinic supplies and staff and vaccine transport. But what we do surpasses more than just physical need. By transporting spiritual life-saving services, such as pastors, Bible translators, missionaries and serving some of the least of these – by reuniting families or building schools – it allows us to enable those who are acting as Jesus’ hands and feet in this world.
The vast scope of ways in which MAF serves sets us apart. We have technical staff working in aviation, operations and management. And we have teachers, community workers and mothers, creating legacies of impact in those they reach with education, sustainable skills and care. Working together, we are reaching His children, wherever we are.
Our partners on the ground and across the globe, give purpose to what we do and we are so blessed to be joined in work and ministry with them. We really do work together as part of the body of Christ, and you, here in Canada, are a part of that as well. With every flight we provide, with every medical evacuation or Bible delivered, the impact that it creates is possible because of you, and your kindness and generosity.
Throughout the pandemic, needs around the world didn’t change, and in many instances they grew. But we remained. You supported. We all persevered. And because of that lives were saved. Not only are we able to deliver vaccinations as an antidote for disease, we deliver hope, passion, and God’s love as an antidote for isolation.
– Brad
Serving together to bring help, hope, and healing through aviation.
Our Vision:
To see isolated people changed by the love of Christ.
When you look at the history of Mission Aviation Fellowship, there are so many notable achievements and examples of God’s provision. With multiple accomplishments to celebrate, it could be easy to overlook the unity that exists throughout the MAF world – despite different country offices, operating locations, cultures and languages, we’ve remained unified, standing and working together, and God has blessed us. We’ve been blessed with the provision of resources; of starting with one aircraft, and growing to the largest fleet of small aircraft worldwide. God has provided a variety of leaders, each with the unique skills that were needed for that season. These leaders have been passionate people, all committed to ensuring that our mission is fulfilled.
The new MAF global mission and vision statements speak to the fact that we are serving together; pilots, engineers, support staff. Wives, husbands, national and international staff, and partners on the ground. We’re all working towards a common goal and serving together to bring help, hope and healing through aviation.
Healing can be delivered in a physical sense; taking the form of a medevac, clinic supplies, vaccines, or health staff. Healing can also be emotional and spiritual. When an MAF airplane arrives, people are given renewed hope for their futures. Their lives can be made better, and fuller, because of the life-changing services our aircraft enable.
We know that to teach someone well, you need to provide for physical needs first. You can’t teach a hungry child. That’s why we meet physical and spiritual needs side by side. We’ve seen this model work time after time, and I’m thrilled at the role MAF plays in seeing this happen. I continue to be proud of all of the capacities in which MAF staff serve worldwide.
As I think about MAF’s past and present, I’m excited for our future. We’ve taken a simple tool; an aircraft, and used it for God’s glory. The promise of electric flight is just one more tool we will have to reach the isolated.
I’m certain that regardless of the tools we use or the locations where we operate, MAF has always been, and always will be, people serving people. We always have, and always will serve together to bring help, hope and healing.
In Him,
Brad
We knew Wings of Hope (WOH) was reaching the end of its life on the field, after 30 years of faithful service in Angola. As we began planning for its replacement, and just after we began our Capital Campaign to fund the new aircraft, God opened doors. A new Caravan, equipped with everything that was needed to operate in Africa, was available at an incredible price. Our senior leadership team began to pray- maybe, just maybe, this was meant to be our airplane.
The Caravan we were interested in had been purchased new for a mining operation in South America, but COVID-19 prevented them from taking possession of it, and they were motivated to sell it at a discounted price. God’s providence and provision enabled us to buy a perfectly equipped aircraft, while helping the previous owner sell a plane that was no longer of use to them – and all at a time when sales for this type of aircraft were hard to come by! It could only have been divine intervention.
We were not looking to purchase something before our funds were raised, and we were definitely not looking for a brand-new aircraft. We realized that purchasing earlier allowed us to sell our old Caravan earlier, and this would maximize the sale price we received. It also meant that we would not have to spend some of the money we hold in reserve for repairs. We believe God orchestrated this amazing opportunity, and it has come together into something beyond what any of us had hoped for. As we prayed and trusted through multiple roadblocks, including a bird strike which caused some damage, we came to trust that this was the aircraft for us, and the enemy couldn’t scare us off.
With this new aircraft, MAF will have a continued history of using a Caravan as a ministry tool in Angola. The partners we fly, and our mission of carrying these large teams and heavy loads of equipment, cannot be accomplished by a smaller aircraft. We are able to maximize our impact and our mission, all while operating safely because of the new advanced avionics and navigation system.
WOH provided faithful service in Angola for over 30 years, and is leaving a legacy of Hope. Imagine the legacy that this new aircraft is going to have. Its work will continue to make an impact for generations to come. It’s humbling to me, that the decisions and gifts that we make today will still be working for the Kingdom decades from now.
Thank you to all of those whose generosity has helped to continue this legacy, and please consider helping us keep our Wings of Hope in the skies of Angola.
In Him,
Brad
When disasters strike, it can be hard to personally grasp the devastation that the people directly affected experience.
With homes gone, loved ones lost or missing, their lives are disrupted and often changed forever. As we read the news and hear the numbers from a distance, it can be hard to fully relate to what they are going through.
When Hurricane Dorian devastated islands in the Bahamas this September, I heard the news about this horrible storm and the destruction it had left in its wake. I was thankful that our Disaster Response Team had been deployed to help the relief efforts with logistics support and supply distribution.
A few days later, when a woman contacted us through our Facebook page, the impact of the hurricane suddenly became very tangible as I corresponded with her.
She lives in Canada, but her family in the Bahamas had been stranded by the storm. The last note she had received from her niece, who also has a baby to care for, told her that they were running out of food and water and, with a dying cell phone battery and unreliable signal, they needed to find a way to evacuate the area.
She shared screenshots of the texts from her niece with me. She shared photos of her relatives. Suddenly, the impact of this natural disaster had a very real human face. It became very personal.
I knew I needed to connect her with tangible help on the ground, so I got in touch with our team in the area. Minutes later Vaughan Woodward, MAF’s Hurricane Dorian Disaster Response Manager, responded. When I asked who I should put this woman in contact with, Vaughan’s reply was “Me.”
It really hit home that this is what our Disaster Response Team is there for. They deploy at a moment’s notice and rush into areas that most are trying to leave. They work to ensure that help reaches those that need it most, when the conditions are the most difficult.
This is why I love working at MAF – every day our staff are reaching out to those in desperate need around the world. Oftentimes we are the link that connects them to the necessities they need for life and hope that would otherwise be out of reach.
I can understand why the sound of the airplane means hope and life to the many isolated communities around the world that MAF serves. As you read this edition of Flying for Life, I hope that you will look at the faces of the people in the stories and photographs, and know that you are also a part of their story. Your generous support makes our work to bring them hope and help possible. Thank you!
PS: In her last update, this woman shared that her niece and baby were able to take a boat to Nassau, but her siblings were still missing and hadn’t been heard from in days. Please join me in praying for them, and all the other people still searching for their loved ones and trying to recover from this terrible disaster.
— Brad
We know that this is a scary time for many – we are facing something that few of us in our lifetimes have ever experienced. It can be daunting to understand what is happening, but thankfully we serve a God that is not surprised by any of it. We know that although it can be hard to see from our earthly perspective, He is in control. In times of hardship, it is all the more important that we maintain our hope and lean into God’s love for us. As Psalm 46:1 reminds us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Sadly, circumstances like these impact the most vulnerable among us, putting them at a further disadvantage. Around the world there are people without access to clean water and soap, or a place to call home where they can find refuge. As MAF staff and flights continue to be a lifeline for those in need, thanks to your generosity, we are being very careful to take the necessary measures to keep our staff, partners, and passengers safe.
Here in Canada, many are struggling with sudden job loss and isolation. As we take the steps we need to for our own families, we can also keep others in mind and find ways to help. Whether it’s donating to a local food bank, dropping off a note to a neighbour, or connecting with a loved one by phone, it’s important that we are mindful of the ways that we can help others in our community.
We often talk about the MAF family, and I want to remind you that you are a part of that family! As you pray for our staff and programs around the world, we would love to pray for you as well. You can reach out to us with your requests by email at prayer@mafc.org, or if you need someone to talk to, you can call us at 1-877-351-9344. We’re in this together, and by God’s mighty grace and power, He will bring us through this.
– Brad
We know with confidence that God is in control. He is our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer (Ps 18:2). We have been blown away by His faithfulness and provision for us during this time. That’s not to say we haven’t seen a financial or operational impact – we have – and yet God keeps opening doors and hearts where needed.
The calling of MAF remains the same and very needed during this time; you will see that in the following pages. While our operations have been reduced due to governmental restrictions, our fleet is still flying and saving lives. In cases where it is safe and/or necessary to do so, we are working with local partners to affect change, reaching out to provide tangible, life-saving support.
Our commitment to those we serve remains unwavering. The vast majority of our missionaries chose to stay within their countries of service to help the people and places that they love, even while many of their friends and colleagues from partner organizations left. Risk is not new to those God calls, and while our missionaries often encounter dangers more serious than the threat COVID places on them personally, we celebrate their courage and commitment. One such MAF missionary, Joyce Lin, was killed in a tragic accident on May 12 while in the service of MAF in Indonesia. Joyce was the embodiment of Kingdom values, and while we mourn her loss deeply, we know that Joyce died passionately pursuing her dream of supporting isolated communities.
Of course, dedication to our mission doesn’t mean that we don’t have to adjust and pivot. Many of our overseas missionaries are contributing to the battle against COVID in non-flight capacities; envisioning and creating mission technology that will assist our and others’ operations. Technological innovation is part of MAF’s DNA, and while COVID may temporarily shift our focus, our calling remains the same. To learn more about what they’re doing, visit mafc.org/covid-19-updates.
We don’t know what is coming next. This may be just the beginning of a difficult journey in countries that do not have the infrastructure to fight a pandemic. Whatever the future holds, we remain committed to going where most needed to offer help to those who need it most.
Please keep our operations and our staff in your prayers, as we keep you in ours.
– Brad
In MAF programs worldwide, our staff has been quick to adapt to current situations, finding ways to work and carry out our lifesaving flights safely, where able. Their dedication to MAF’s mission and vision – to see people becoming physically and spiritually transformed, is a real inspiration.
When people think of MAF, the image of a pilot often comes to mind, so it’s easy to overlook the contributions made by the hundreds of men and women who serve with MAF behind the scenes. The current Covid lock-down has brought their contributions to the forefront, especially those involved in the area of aircraft maintenance.
It’s not glamorous work, but by providing excellence in routine line maintenance tasks and repairing our planes as needed, our aircraft mechanics help ensure the safety and efficiency of our planes. We’re grateful for them and so many others who contribute to this global effort.
From pilots and mechanics, to logistics coordinators, accountants, and teachers, so many play a vital role in keeping us Flying for Life.
I also want to take a moment to celebrate the life and legacy of another inspiration; Start King, MAF co-founder and pilot/mechanic, whose passion for sharing the Gospel in impactful ways 75 years ago would become the foundation for what MAF is today.
Stuart remained an intricate part of MAF until his death last month at age 98, leaving a legacy of humble devotion, sincere encouragement to those serving, and a vision to lead others to Christ. We take comfort in knowing he is now with his Savior.
Stuart was an advocate for all the ways in which people could use their gifts and abilities in the service of others through MAF, and would celebrate the lives of each and every person who contributed to this global effort. It was truly an honour to have known him as my friend.
Perhaps some of the stories featured in this issue of Flying for Life will inspire you or someone you know to pick up where Stuart left off.
Who knows, one day we might be celebrating you in these very same pages.
When I look at the ministry of MAF, it may seem like our planes have the most profound impact, however it is the lives that our missionary families live overseas that often leave the most significant and lasting impression on the communities they are a part of.
When I was visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), I had a conversation with a former Missionary Kid. He had grown up in the DRC, and he was now serving as a missionary doing IT work, writing software for use in remote hospitals. On this particular trip with MAF, he was flying out to do installation and training work in an isolated village.
He shared that he is not able to reach many of the hospitals that he services without MAF flights. He also remembers flying back and forth to school with MAF when he was a child. When I asked him what impacted him the most about his experience with MAF, I found his answer very interesting. Although he clearly relied on MAF to fly him, the legacy impact for him was the personal relationship he had with an MAF Pilot that invested in him when he attended the youth group at the local church. This MAF Pilot’s faithful leadership in the church spoke into this young man’s life and helped to cement his Christian walk. The impact had nothing to do with a plane or the Pilot’s flying skill, it was instead this Pilot sharing his life and leadership with this young person.
Our missionaries change the ending for countless people around the world; impacting the course of the lives of the people they live among in big and small ways, even when the plane is not flying. From leading Bible studies, to helping in schools, orphanages, churches, outreach programs, and beyond, there are so many ways that they serve the people around them beyond the flights that MAF provides.
As our staff families invest in meaningful ways in their communities, they are having a real and enduring impact on the people around them. It’s not just service that they deliver with MAF, but the love, caring and Christian witness to those around them that creates strong relationships and deep roots in the places they call home as they serve with MAF.
Thank you for helping our staff serve through your prayer and financial support. You enable them to bring hope in some of the most difficult areas of the world in such real and tangible ways.
– Brad
MAF is privileged to enable the work of many other organizations. By flying over 2,000 partner organizations each year, we help our partners reach the people in remote places that are in need of their lifesaving services and support.
These partners change the ending for people around the world every day and, by working together, we multiply each other’s effectiveness.
These partners work tirelessly to minister to the physical and spiritual needs of people in need around the world. From bringing the Word of God, to medical supplies and sanitation projects, MAF flights enable the expertise and resources of our partners to reach those who would otherwise be unreachable simply because of where they live.
Recently, MAF flights made it possible for Medair to transport a ton of equipment into a refugee camp in South Sudan to bring supplies and build latrines to help stem the spread of disease for the people fleeing conflict. Bringing in that amount of equipment by dirt road to such an isolated location simply would not have been possible.
Just as we make the work of these partners possible, our partners help us fulfill our mission and vision of seeing isolated people physically and spiritually transformed in Christ’s name. Without their work, we could not reach the number of people with the variety of services and resources that are made possible when we work together. You are also our partners in fulfilling our mission and vision – without your financial support, the flights we provide for other organizations would not be possible. Thank you for partnering with us in accomplishing God’s work!
PS: We’ve moved! This may come as a surprise to you since we’ve been keeping it under wraps, but for us this need has been a long-time coming.
We’ve been working at max capacity for some time now, and have made the move to a facility which will allow us to not only better meet our current needs, but provide for future growth.
Our new office still has some kinks that need to be ironed out, so we’re not quite ready for the big reveal, but look for updates in future columns.
In the meanwhile, if you’re in the south-end of Guelph, please drop by. We’d love to show you our new digs.
– Brad
We are blessed to be celebrating 30 years in Angola this year, and this milestone highlights one of the unique aspects of MAF’s work: when we go into a country to serve, we commit for the long haul.
MAF does a careful assessment when launching a program to ensure plans are made for the long-term, in order achieve a lasting impact in the country.
MAF’s services are able to help such a wide variety of partners that over the years, even as needs change, we remain an integral enabler of generations of ministries working to see profound results in the people and communities they serve.
As I reflect on the legacy of the last 30 years, I am impressed by the many people that God has called to work in the ministry in Angola, both for MAF, and with the partners that we work alongside. Person after person has committed many years of their life to serving the people there. The calibre of people God has called is remarkable and together, we are having a lasting impact on the country.
Some of our partnerships in Angola go back 30 years, such as CEML hospital and Dr. Steve Foster, and the local church. We have remained committed to this country through challenges such as war, famine and drought. As we look to the future of our work in Angola, I am excited by the opportunity that exists to continue to increase our work. I believe that there is another new and fruitful season of ministry ahead of us as God continues to lead and bless our work.
MAF Canada Board Member Laura Selig attended the celebrations in Lubango, Angola last month and I’d like to share her impressions with you: “Being able to attend the 30th Anniversary celebration for the work of MAF in Angola was a true privilege and blessing. To hear the people speak about the history, the ministry today, and the future dreams and plans for the next 30 years was so encouraging.
“It was even more special for me as I was working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when MAF made the decision to open the work in Angola so I watched and heard about the work from the very beginning. I have followed it since its inception. It was amazing to be there and witness what is happening today and the value MAF is to the country as a whole.
“It was wonderful to see the excitement of our staff who work there tirelessly day in and day out. They give so much of themselves and have such deep commitment and compassion for the people they serve. There was so much support and appreciation for them in the room that day. It would have been difficult to not be excited for the ministry.”
Your prayers and financial support have enabled this ministry, and I look forward to your continued participation in the work God has called us to!
– Brad
When disasters strike, it can be hard to personally grasp the devastation that the people directly affected experience. With homes gone, loved ones lost or missing, their lives are disrupted and often changed forever. As we read the news and hear the numbers from a distance, it can be hard to fully relate to what they are going through.
When Hurricane Dorian devastated islands in the Bahamas this September, I heard the news about this horrible storm and the destruction it had left in its wake. I was thankful that our Disaster Response Team had been deployed to help the relief efforts with logistics support and supply distribution.
A few days later, when a woman contacted us through our Facebook page, the impact of the hurricane suddenly became very tangible as I corresponded with her.
She lives in Canada, but her family in the Bahamas had been stranded by the storm. The last note she had received from her niece, who also has a baby to care for, told her that they were running out of food and water and, with a dying cell phone battery and unreliable signal, they needed to find a way to evacuate the area.
She shared screenshots of the texts from her niece with me. She shared photos of her relatives. Suddenly, the impact of this natural disaster had a very real human face. It became very personal.
I knew I needed to connect her with tangible help on the ground, so I got in touch with our team in the area. Minutes later Vaughan Woodward, MAF’s Hurricane Dorian Disaster Response Manager, responded. When I asked who I should put this woman in contact with, Vaughan’s reply was “Me.”
It really hit home that this is what our Disaster Response Team is there for. They deploy at a moment’s notice and rush into areas that most are trying to leave. They work to ensure that help reaches those that need it most, when the conditions are the most difficult.
This is why I love working at MAF – every day our staff are reaching out to those in desperate need around the world. Oftentimes we are the link that connects them to the necessities they need for life and hope that would otherwise be out of reach.
I can understand why the sound of the airplane means hope and life to the many isolated communities around the world that MAF serves. As you read this edition of Flying for Life, I hope that you will look at the faces of the people in the stories and photographs, and know that you are also a part of their story. Your generous support makes our work to bring them hope and help possible. Thank you!
– Brad
PS: In her last update, this woman shared that her niece and baby were able to take a boat to Nassau, but her siblings were still missing and hadn’t been heard from in days. Please join me in praying for them, and all the other people still searching for their loved ones and trying to recover from this terrible disaster.
For some, personal ministry may mean neighbourhood children playing in their yard, or sharing a meal, while for others it’s leading a ladies quilting club with Bible study to help share God’s love and word. Still others teach at local schools or run a weekly kids’ club in the slums. In so many ways, our families have a deep and lasting impact on the people that they live amongst beyond the flights that they help to provide.
In Kinshasa, DR Congo, I visited a local market with several of our staff members and I was struck by one interaction in particular. A Congolese woman in the market began following alongside us, wanting to help us shop. Although they had just met, one of our female staff members gave this woman a big hug when she approached and, even though I was only able to understand a little of what they said as they conversed in French, at one moment I heard this staff member say to the woman, “We are different on the outside, but we are the same on the inside.” This simple interaction gave me a new appreciation for how deeply our families embrace the people around them and share the love of God with them.
In a time where we hear so many stories about the lack of peace in the world, it is refreshing to see examples of people from different cultures and backgrounds coming together to achieve amazing things. Whether it is building a school, constructing a new runway or doing dental care in an area with no regular dentist, at MAF we see every day the difference people can make when they seek out ways to demonstrate the love of God to others.
Romans 12:18 instructs us, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Peace is not always possible, there are times where it may escape us, but we are always working towards it. The impact of our actions, both big and small, on the world around us is so important. We are capable of bringing the outworking of God’s peace to a world that is in such need of it.
Your support enables not just our planes, but our staff, to go the distance to spread God’s message of peace, in tangible and deeply impactful ways! Thank you!
– Brad
In Angola, we primarily provide medical flights. In Kenya, there is a mix of flying partner NGOs, the local church, and medical flights. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), we encounter some of the most unique landscapes, and difficult flying, in the MAF world.
When I visited PNG, I was struck by how challenging it is to live there; with its thick jungle and mountainous terrain not only are there few drivable roads in existence, in most areas there is not even the possibility of building them. Flying is sometimes the only way to link a village to the rest of the country, outside of walking for days on foot or by canoe on the jungle river. The approaches and takeoffs from the mountain airstrips MAF flies into take an incredible amount of attention, experience, and skill – even a seasoned pilot will take at minimum 3-4 months being trained in-country before going solo.
In PNG, MAF is very invested in the remote villages; flying in food, building supplies, school materials, and supporting Bible translation work, as we do in many other countries. We also export the crops that these villages grow, bringing them to markets and then returning with the revenue or goods that the village has requested MAF to buy with the funds generated. In PNG, we are an integral part of the social infrastructure of the country – without MAF flights, many of the remote villages would have no way of selling the produce that they grow.
On one flight in the Twin Otter, I watched as the villagers loaded dozens of 50kg bags of coffee beans they had grown, trusting MAF to take it to market and return with the revenue from their pain-staking labour. The Twin Otter can carry upwards of 1,800kgs of coffee in one trip – depending on the current commodity price of coffee, one load can be worth a staggering $2,700 to the village.
As we took off, the two pilots up front and myself in the back jump seat, I considered the incredible level of trust that load of coffee represented. The villagers trusted our pilots to bring back the money from the sale of this cargo, their main source of income. They have been working with MAF so long, seeing that our pilots care, come to help and are trustworthy. Some of these pilots have served the people for decades, and their witness is a key part of MAF’s spiritual impact in PNG.
We appreciate the incredible level of trust you demonstrate each time you donate to the work of MAF! Your generosity keeps MAF staff and planes ready to respond in any circumstance. You’ll read in this issue of Flying for Life how the support of people like you allowed us to immediately respond with emergency flights to support the people of PNG in the aftermath of devastating earthquakes.
Your contributions to MAF make an incredible difference around the world. Thank you!
– Brad
Currently we have staff in the Democratic Republic of the Congo who are flying medical response teams into the heart of the Ebola outbreak. When they depart, the plane tires are disinfected to prevent the transmission of this deadly disease beyond the current outbreak zone. The pilots’ temperatures are also taken upon arrival at the base before disembarking to ensure they are not showing any signs of illness. Our dedicated families continue to willingly serve in circumstances like these, despite the personal risk, to reach people in desperate need of hope and tangible help.
They are not unaware of the risks. In fact, many of our Pilots will tell you that it was the story of Nate Saint, MAF pilot in Ecuador who, along with 4 others, lost his life while following God’s calling. It is their confidence in the calling that God has placed on their lives that allows them to go despite the hazards. They have chosen to serve God in ways that risk their lives.
MAF takes risk seriously, and we have robust risk management systems in place to estimate, monitor, and manage the very real risks that come along with our ministry. Ultimately, we thank God for His remarkable provision of safety for our staff. We recently celebrated some amazing milestones, with Pilot Jason Marsh completing his 5,000th flight hour while serving in Papua New Guinea, and Pilot Michael Dupuis achieving 2,500 safe landings. Those are noteworthy achievements for any Pilot, add to that the complexity of the airstrips that they fly into each day, and it is truly remarkable!
When I think about the choice our missionaries make to serve God in the face of such risks, I am personally challenged: what would my reaction be if I was asked to serve in a way that held similar risks? I hope that I would respond in the same way our staff do each day.
I am privileged to support them in their work. If you are not already supporting an MAF missionary financially and with prayer, consider changing that today. Your donations help them to continue to reach these dangerous areas of deepest human need through their work with MAF!
– Brad
When I travel overseas with MAF, I always carry a camera with me. The people that I meet, especially the children, crowd around to have their photos taken and look with amazement at their likeness on the digital screen. After one of these trips, I decided to purchase a pocket-sized, portable photo printer so that I could give them a photo of themselves that they could keep. It would be a small, but deeply meaningful gift to someone who would otherwise never own a photo of themselves.
When I visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo last year, I carried this printer with me. I took a photo of a young boy and gave it to him and he excitedly ran off. A few minutes later he returned with his father, his only living parent. His father asked me if I would take another photo, this time with him and his son together. I did, and handed him the photo. This was the first time they held their very own family photo.
This might seem like a small example of impact, but it helps illustrate the stark difference between the life we live here in Canada and the one lived by millions in the developing world. The people living in these extreme, remote areas face struggles and challenges that threaten the course of their lives in very real and devastating ways. In many cases they lack access to the Gospel, medical care, education, clean water, reliable food supplies, and income sources. The ending of their story may not hold much promise of a better life. The good news is that we are able to change the ending of that story. It can look very different as hope arrives with the MAF plane.
Every day, MAF flights are changing the ending for so many people around the world. We fly people to medical help, bring medical teams into remote areas, respond to natural disasters, fly in newly translated Bibles, support rural schools and teachers, and contribute to the viability of entire communities by flying crops to market and returning with the funds earned through their sale. Any one of these much needed services profoundly changes the future of isolated people for the better.
When you partner with MAF through your financial and prayer support, you are helping to change the ending for so many people around the world. Thank you!
– Brad
One of the things that became very evident on my most recent trip is that as they serve in these programs around the world, our missionaries are on the front lines. Challenging situations are part of their lives every day. Some of them serve God in difficult political climates, geographically extraordinary areas and places of extreme poverty. In each case, MAF missionaries go to “the end of the road” and beyond to share God’s love through aviation and technology.
Over the holidays I had the pleasure of speaking with an MAF donor who expressed his gratefulness for these families that are willing to go to these places to serve God. The reality is that without supporters like him, and like you, we could not reach these areas. We are thankful for you, as you partner with us to see the tangible love of God reach people in some of the world’s most remote places. Thank you!
As we look ahead, the need for workers in the field is astonishing. In 2017 we will continue to invest resources in recruiting new staff who are called to serve overseas. From pilots and AMEs to managers, teachers and IT specialists, it takes a variety of skilled and passionate people to carry out MAF’s ministry.
We are also looking forward to using technology in new and exciting ways to enhance MAF’s ministry around the world. An e-learning classroom solution for remote schools utilizing the Raspberry Pi, a leading edge miniature computer, is being developed and deployed.
We are focused on growing to meet the incredible needs in the countries that we serve in as God leads and directs us. Thank you for being our partners in mission! Your interest and support enables us to meet our mission and vision, for God’s glory.
Thank you!
– Brad
We work alongside dedicated partner organizations to impact the lives of people in need all over the world for the better. From HALO Trust and their demining operations in Angola, to TearFund and their stabilization center in South Sudan where they feed malnourished children, to the rural healthcare workers in PNG, to delivering shoeboxes for Samaritian’s Purse in Mongolia, MAF aircraft enable a wide range of services in areas they would otherwise struggle to reach.
Our work is important, but more important is what motivates us to do it. Simply, it is to show the love of God and share the message of Jesus.
From the beginning, our mission and vision is to share God’s love through aviation and technology, so that isolated people may be physically and spiritually transformed in Christ’s name. We use aircraft to spread the Word of God and bring the helping hands of Jesus to areas of the world that are especially difficult to reach. Areas where a flight can mean the difference between life and death.
It’s a message that we can be confident and bold about sharing, so that people around the world not only know what we are doing, but why we are doing it. We’re performing humanitarian roles to share God’s love in very real and tangible ways, and to share the gospel of Christ.
It’s because we want more people to know about Jesus. There’s power in that message. People can and are being changed. The world needs more Jesus.
Thank you for helping us spread the Good News!
– Brad
One thing that stood out to me on this trip is the number of Ministry Advocates and volunteers we have. We would arrive in a city and find our venue set up, busy with dedicated people prepping and preparing ahead of our arrival. They helped immensely throughout the event to organize and support us so that everything ran smoothly.
I also had the chance to reflect on the quality of our MAF pilots. Flying with them in the Kodiak, I was reminded again that MAF has some of the world’s very best pilots. They could have worked anywhere but they have chosen to commit their lives to missions. They serve in difficult and demanding areas to fly much needed supplies that would otherwise be out of reach, or very difficult to get, in these isolated areas.
At each stop we enjoyed hearing from a current MAF missionary. A common theme that came up again and again with our speakers was that we are supposed to be loving those who find themselves in the most desperate circumstances. People who have been forgotten, the poor, the lost, the helpless – we can’t forget about them. In fact, MAF’s ministry is built around helping to reach these people with the love and care of Jesus through the use of our planes.
MAF planes carry the sick, the wounded, aid workers, doctors, food, water, supplies, building materials, livestock, medicine, Bibles…and so many more ‘things’ that I couldn’t possibly list all of them here. The value of the things that we carry is not found in their financial worth, but rather in the hope they bring, and the visible sharing of God’s love they demonstrate. I’ve said before that the world needs more Jesus. While He was on earth, Jesus tangibly cared for those around Him and we help bring His love to the world by the way we care for those in need.
A familiar quote says, “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” MAF missionaries preach the gospel every day, by how they love and serve those around them. Through your support of MAF’s ministry, you help us share the love of Jesus in places that are probably some of the hardest to reach in the world!
None of this would be possible without your dedication and support. Thank you!
– Brad
MAf also supports the work of young people who, through the example of their parents, are using their time and skills to minister to those in need around them. Their perspective is forever changed by what they’ve experienced and the dedication of the people around them. If MAF were a private company, we’d have an enviable distribution network. We have staff who can go the last mile to some of the most remote areas of the world. But unlike a private company, we don’t do this to sell products or raise brand awareness, but rather to impact lives – many of them young lives like the ones mentioned above – with the physical and spiritual transformation of Jesus.
Your support, your prayers, and your donations are impacting the next generation. Whether it’s a medical flight that saves a young person’s life, building materials to help a community recover after a natural disaster, or the Bible translated into their heart language, the flights that you fuel are bringing a better future to young people in some of the world’s most remote areas.
Thank you for joining us in our mission to share the love of Christ, and impact generations of people in His name!
– Brad
People like our dedicated MAF Advocates give of their time and energy to represent MAF. Just recently, when an opportunity arose to host an MAF booth at a local Christmas Concert a phone call was made and an MAF advocate was ready and willing to show up at a moment’s notice.
This fall I learned of a lady in the Kingston area who, after reading about the story of Nate Saint and the other missionaries who gave their lives in Ecuador reaching out to the Waorani people, began supporting MAF. She faithfully gave a monthly gift for over 28 years! It was my privilege to thank her in a small way by giving her a small wooden cross that I had carried back from my trip to Ecuador, made from the wood of Nate & Marj Saint’s original house.
Without the faithful prayer support we receive from our Prayer Partners, the work of MAF simply could not go on.
We appreciate each of you, our donors and partners in this ministry, greatly. Publications, such as this Flying for Life magazine, our 2016 Calendar and our Prayer Diary, are our way of saying thank you, and keeping you up to date on how your donations are fueling God’s work through MAF.
Another way we would like to show you our thanks is by offering a Planned Giving seminar, through ADVISORS with Purpose, to all of our MAF donors. When I took this seminar a few years ago, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I learned, even though I thought I already had a pretty good knowledge base on tax laws. These seminars are full of good, solid information about estate planning and no matter which charities you choose to include in your will, by doing this type of estate planning you will most likely reduce the taxes that your estate pays. We invite you to take advantage of this opportunity; I think you will find it is really worth your time!
The Bible tells us that it is not the size of the gift, but the motivation behind it that gives that gift its eternal value: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Thank you for all that you have entrusted to us, to help us accomplish God’s work together.
– Brad
Our Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs), are constantly at work in the hangar and beyond, ensuring that our planes are in top working order, that inspections are carried out and that problems are found on the ground and not in the air. Teachers are another vital part of our staff as they impact Missionary Kids and local children in the classroom, (and outside as well!), on a daily basis. Their service allows families to serve in areas in desperate need without worrying about their children receiving a proper education. There is also our IT staff who work diligently to maintain and develop internet and communication infrastructure that is so vital to MAF’s work in remote areas where such infrastructure does not always already exist.
You will see evidence from our Annual Report that there is another significant part of our team enabling MAF to carry out lifesaving flights each day. Each one of you, our supporters, who have joined MAF through the giving of your finances and prayers, plays a significant role in seeing our mission accomplished with every flight!
Since starting with MAF I have been amazed at the number of people I have met who have an MAF story. Not because they have worked for MAF, but because they have been involved with an agency that MAF has supported. Whether it was a flight to get them to and from the field, or a life-saving medevac or supply drop, MAF was there to help in the work God had sent them to accomplish. You find MAF in the weirdest places – which is a good thing! It allows us to serve alongside more than 1,500 partner organizations, enabling them to reach these isolated places with greater speed and safety, multiplying the effectiveness of their resources and work.
The work done by organizations such as World Vision, UK Aid, HALO Trust and Samaritan’s Purse is supported and facilitated by MAF flights and infrastructure. The pages of this website are full of these connections: from working with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force to deliver food to areas where their aircraft are simply too large to land, to flying children with special needs in rural Mongolia to Reaching the Light ministries where they will receive life-changing physiotherapy, and delivering eye surgeons to remote areas of war-torn South Sudan. MAF is there, working to see these people receive the love and care of God in tangible ways.
You may remember the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus shared in Luke 10:25-37. Finding a man beaten and robbed by the side of the road, the Good Samaritan didn’t hesitate to help. At the end of this parable Jesus says to those listening to “Go and do likewise”. Sometimes our calling will bring us to the front lines where recognition is abundant, and sometimes we will be actively working where others may not as readily see us.
The important thing is that we are following God’s direction, working together to accomplish the work He has set out for us to do. Thank you for joining with us to accomplish His work!
– Brad
The focus of the MAF Home Office staff is to serve and support our overseas staff to the best of our ability so that they can, in turn, help and serve those around them. By caring for and supporting our overseas staff with details like insurance, donation processing, correspondence, and member care, they are better able to focus on the needs of their program, and the people they are there to serve.
We also support our staff in prayer. Prayer is one of the ways we are privileged to join with you, our supporters, in God’s work through MAF. We really understand our supporters don’t only give of their finances to support MAF’s mission, but also support our staff by praying for them, and for MAF. We know how important that is! We have seen God answer prayers for our staff and organization in amazing ways.
Stuart King, one of MAF’s British founders, recently wrote this prayer for MAF’s ministry:
Lord, thank you for your peace, protection, and provision. We pray that MAF will always have:
One purpose – the glory of God
One pathway – the will of God
One passion – the love of God.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
I hope that you will join with us in praying this prayer for MAF and our staff around the world.
Thank you for your ongoing support of MAF’s work!
– Brad
Whether gifts are big or small, God is the source of them all. In my previous career as a high-tech entrepreneur, we frequently linked increased marketing or product improvements with increases in sales. We linked doing more with getting more. God’s economy is different. At MAF, I am reminded time and again that God wants us to be faithful to do the work, but He is the one who brings the harvest. Each and every one of your donations helps us to extend God’s love into some of the most remote and isolated areas of the world.
Your donations are enabling us to reach new places, like Myanmar, with hope and healing in the name of Christ.
Your donations also allow us to be ready for situations we cannot predict; like Hurricane Matthew that recently tore through the island nation of Haiti. MAF aircraft were there and ready to evacuate people to safety both before and after the hurricane struck. Your gifts allowed us to be able to immediately fly survey flights to assess the damage, helping our partner organizations to plan their response and get aid to those in the hardest hit areas as quickly as possible.
No matter how remote an area or how unexpected the situation, your donations help to fuel MAF’s work, sharing God’s love through aviation and technology.
Thank you!
– Brad
In February of this year, MAF Canada welcomed a new President and CEO, Brad Bell. Flying for Life Editor Beth Round had the chance to sit down with Brad to find out a little bit more about him and his thoughts on his new role with MAF.
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Beth Round: What are you looking forward to most about being part of MAF as President and CEO?
Brad Bell: First off, I am enjoying all the learning I am doing about this incredible organization and I am looking forward to continuing on this fascinating learning curve as I continue to settle in. It is inspiring to meet the many families who are serving in countries all over the world. It is humbling to meet some missionary families that have been serving in challenging parts of the world for 30+ years. It is also really refreshing to see an organization with such a kingdom-minded focus.
MAF understands that the kingdom of God is made up of many people, in many nations, in many different denominations, and many different organizations – and yet it is all part of the same kingdom.
So I am most looking forward to being a part of this team that provides meaningful help and shares God’s love in a practical way to people in need all over the world.
BR: What lead you to apply for this position at MAF?
BB: After 26 years I sold my high-tech company in 2014 so I now had free time.
I loved being involved in designing and creating software, but for many years I had wanted to be involved in work that was having more global impact for God’s kingdom. A recruiter working for the Board of MAF contacted me and asked me if I would consider this role. It sounded interesting and as I met with the recruiter and various Board members I became more and more impressed and more and more interested in joining MAF.
I was honoured when, in December, the Board invited me to join the team as CEO.
BR: What do you feel has helped prepare you for this role?
BB: Well without sounding too corny, I guess much of my life experience has helped prepare me. I have been actively involved in church my entire life so I understand the mission and have friends and family members who have had experience with MAF. Starting and growing my own company has taught me so much about design, finance, leadership, and most of all has taught me the importance of mentoring people.
Many secular companies talk about their greatest asset being their people, and in MAF’s case the people are definitely such an incredible asset. My family of course has been a key part of this career journey and they have been flexible and supportive of me in various seasons of extra demands and stress.
BR: What kind of welcome have you received so far?
BB: I was definitely made to feel welcome from day one. Actually even before day one because the Board has been very supportive and welcoming. The staff have been excellent and very patient as I ask many “newbie” questions. I was also surprised at the welcome I received from other ministries and NGOs that are affiliated with MAF.
BR: What is the most random fact you’ve learned so far?
BB: That is an easy question. Ant hills in Angola can be two stories high. What I don’t want to learn is how big the ants are!
Of the many things that I learned over these last few months, and in my experience with MAF so far – is the geographically dispersed, interconnected, and devoted team that makes MAF what it is. Most often we hear stories from our pilots who do the bulk of the frontline work, but there is a large, dedicated team standing behind them to make those flights possible.
Our mechanics and hangar staff keep our aircraft in top working order, and ground staff and managers around the world handle bookings, flight-following and paperwork to ensure the operations run smoothly. Some of our MAF families serve as teachers to the children of other missionary families and those of the wider community in which they serve, making it possible for families to commit to serving in remote areas, knowing that their children will receive an education that will be well regarded when they apply to colleges and universities in Canada and the USA. Others here at home provide vital teaching to the newest generation of pilots and mechanics, while the home office staff strive to support those on the field.
Then there are the spouses who tirelessly maintain their households in conditions much different than those we enjoy here in Canada. They face daily challenges and yet continue to minister, not only to their own families, but also by reaching out with Christ’s love to those in the communities where they serve.
Recently I learned about MAF’s Disaster Response Team. In the wake of the Nepal Earthquakes they immediately jumped into action, heading into a country that many civilians were avoiding or even trying to get out of, to find out how MAF could help. It quickly became apparent that fixed-wing aircraft would be of no use due to the level of destruction and steep sloping mountains where the villages are located. Not to be deterred, they obtained helicopters and began providing all the logistical support and coordination required to put these helicopters into action. In just a matter of days, the helicopters were taking off or landing every 15 minutes, delivering aid through over 40 partner organizations to these people in desperate need.
None of MAF’s work would be possible without another part of our MAF team; You, our supporters and advocates who faithfully pray for and financially support the work of MAF. Every week I am humbled by hearing new stories of how supporters are helping out with specific needs – just incredible. Without your support our flights would only be a dream to those in need – your generous contribution to MAF’s ministry makes them a reality.
In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul reminds us that “ …the body is not one member, but many.” (v.14) and that in Christ all the members are made one. I see this in action every day at MAF. It is amazing to me that every hour of every day, people all over the world are working together to accomplish the work God has given to us.
Thank you for being an important part of our MAF team.
– Brad
I was joined on this trip by a couple of amazing and humble MAF donors who provided the majority of the funding for the new Quest Kodiak aircraft being celebrated in Ecuador. We were there to attend the special dedication ceremony being held to mark its arrival and commissioning into service. This mission-centric aircraft has an enormous capability and will be serving the people of Ecuador for a very long time.
We were also able to ride along on a flight that took us to Palm Beach. It was a sobering experience to stand there, the site where Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, and Peter Fleming were killed by members of the Waorani tribe. Their prayer was to see these people reached with the Gospel and through His provision, God answered that prayer, though not as anyone had expected and not without great cost. It amazes me to think that the families of these men did not respond with anger, but rather with love and forgiveness. As they sought to do more for the Waorani, they saw many of them accept Christ.
I was struck when we visited the Waorani village that there was no technology to be seen. Little electrically powered conveniences and no water purification system, and yet they were completely at ease with the high tech Kodiak in their midst. Through experience, they had come to realize that the plane was a useful tool that could help them in many ways.
We met Dyuwi Tani who was a member of the raiding party that killed the missionaries on Palm Beach. He shared with me that their village had been praying for more than ten years that God would provide them with a larger aircraft. He fully understood the capabilities that such a plane would bring and the urgent needs it would fill. It was remarkable to see the joy in Dyuwi’s face – he simply believed and always knew that God would provide such a plane. It was incredible to be there to witness God answer that prayer.
As you surf this website, I hope that you will be encouraged by the stories of hope and reconciliation, and the unique ways our partners use MAF in their efforts to reach those in physical and spiritual need.
Psalm 133:1 reminds us “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
We are blessed to work alongside our partners in ministry who, no matter which organizational name they serve under, are working toward the same Kingdom goals.
Thank you for your faithful support of MAF.
– Brad
