Bush knives and MAF planes
On a recent trip to Mt Hagen, Regional Director Stephen Charlesworth witnessed the difference that MAF made in one woman’s life after she was violently attacked with a bush knife.
story Stephen Charlesworth
Personal witness of a life saved
In my role with MAF based at the Cairns support office, I am privileged to have a broad awareness of MAF’s ministry around the world and the impact that our staff have on the lives of thousands of isolated communities.
However, on a recent trip to Mt Hagen, I experienced more intimately the lifesaving difference that a small aircraft under the captaincy of a missionary pilot can make to someone’s life.
A flight request came for MAF to pick up a critically injured person from Pyarulama to a Baptist Mission Hospital at nearby Kompiam – just eight minutes flight away. The only alternative is a horrendous walk along a narrow and unstable track, over multiple ridge lines and across multiple rivers. It is likely the patient would not have survived that journey.
I joined the pilot and we departed the Hagen valley through the Baiyer gap in fine weather and 20 minutes later arrived at Pyarulama.
Horrendous injuries
Whilst we waited for the health workers to get the patient, we heard the sad story of how the patient, a young woman, in her mid-teens, Janeka, was so badly injured: a violent bush knife attack carried out by a young man in response to her refusal of his marriage proposal. Both her arms were broken in the attack and severed tendons between elbow and wrist slashed by the bush knife.
Learning that the HF radio normally at Pyarulama was away getting fixed by CRMF, I wondered how the call for help had got out. The local paster and MAF agent pointed up behind the airstrip to the mountain range at the back of Pyarulama.
“See that mountain peak in the distance, the top is almost in cloud?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“From that mountain top we are able to receive mobile phone reception.”
“How long did it take you to get there?” I asked.
“Two hours,” was his reply.
Long surgery
Martin and her Uncle Jacky helped Janeka into the aircraft and assisted her to lie down on a mattress on the floor of the GA8 cabin. Martin secured her with seat belts for the short flight to Kompiam with Jacky accompanying her.
We were met there by Baptist missionary Doctor David Mills who drove her in the ambulance to the hospital close to the airstrip and commenced operating that afternoon, using his surgical skills late into the evening.
Two days later MAF flew back to Kompiam. Doctor David said that he operated until 11:30 that night. She had lost some feeling in her hands (nerve damage could not be repaired). However, he was able to restore movement of her fingers and wrist.
Forgiveness
Overall I was thankful. Thankful that MAF had a pilot and aircraft nearby that could respond to this need and that Dr Mills was available to do surgery. Thankful to God for his forgiveness of sin and redemptive power through Christ, power that can transform lives – including that of the young offender in Pyarulama.