Thank you Jonathan Lowe, Timor Leste
How do you celebrate nearly seven years of leadership and service to MAF and Timor-Leste? That was the question that faced the MAF Timor-Leste team as January 2018 approached. Jonathan Lowe and his family have led the team in Timor-Leste for the past six and a half years. During his time of leadership, the team has grown from one Australian family with two Timorese employees, to four international families and two Timorese staff members. There are now two planes being flown in Timor-Leste and two new airstrips are in use for medevacs and charter flights. Jonathan has overseen a lot of growth and change during his time as Programme Manager of MAF Timor-Leste. With young adult and teenage children now, the Lowe family feel that it is time for them to be based in Australia for awhile, which has brought their season in Timor to an end.
The Lowe family faced many farewells before they left, from church, their small group and meals with many friends who they have shared life with over many years. Their leadership of people was not only evident in the MAF team but also in the relationships they had with many people here in Timor. As a MAF family we celebrated with dinner and a small party at the airport that included staff from the Ambulance service.
But the best laid plans in Timor-Leste are always likely to change. As we blew up balloons and moved furniture and prepared food, the phone rang requesting a medevac flight from the east of the island. While the rest of the team set up, we sent Jonathan to carry out the medevac, thinking that he would arrive back just as the party began. Unfortunately, our party, which was scheduled for eleven o’clock in the morning, suddenly got moved to the afternoon when some of the important guests were unable to attend. Oh well! Jonathan returned in VH-MTX with his medevac patient. On board with him was a Timorese paramedic who was experiencing his first flight in a small plane, and was being trained in how to assist and care for patients while in flight to Dili. As Jonathan’s patient was being unloaded, a call for another medevac flight was received. So, pilot Timon Kundig, prepared VH-MQO for a flight to Los Palos, an airstrip in the far east of the country. The patient this time was a pregnant woman.
Time for lunch and some care packs that needed to be made, as we waited for the second party time to arrive. Just as the guests began to arrive for the party, another request for a medevac flight was received. Pilot, Timon Kundig, set off this time to carry out the flight, as the rest of the MAF Timor-Leste team gathered with guests to thank Jonathan for his many years of service.
Speeches spoke of Jonathan’s faithfulness in his work. Jon Moores, from the Ambulance service, told stories of flying with Jonathan through bad weather, while Dr Nuno, entertained the group retelling his story of his first flight in a MAF plane, with the new experience of sitting in the right hand seat and wearing a headset. New Programme Manager Jason Job, spoke of Jonathan’s patience and dedication, as he worked with him for the past two years. Jonathan was presented with a certificate of thanks and service from the Ministry of Health and celebratory tais (woven cloth) that is given to honour and thank people in Timorese culture. The group was also able to pray together for Jonathan and his family, thanking God for them and praying for their resettlement to Australia.
Just as the speeches and photos ended, Timon, the pilot who was carrying out the medevac flight arrived back at the airport with the patient to be transferred to the ambulance. With most of the ambulance service gathered in the hangar for Jonathan’s farewell, there were many hands willing and able to help Timon unload the patient from the aircraft. We were sure the patient was amazed at the treatment they received when they saw all the members of the ambulance service there to help!
As we serve in MAF we build partnerships with many individuals and organisations that we work with. This is a critical part of sharing Christ and serving the people of our host nation, Timor-Leste. We are thankful for the way Jonathan and Angela, and their family have embraced this in the time they were in Timor-Leste.
