eNews – April 2025

‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.’ – 1 Peter 1:3

Throughout the month of April, we celebrate God’s love for us in sending His son Jesus to take our place on the cross, to be our saviour, to bring hope of eternal salvation into our world.

Here at MAF, we’re also celebrating answered prayer in Papua New Guinea, where relief has finally come after more than 12 months of crippling fuel shortages. I’m especially grateful for the generosity of our donors, whose faithful support helped keep our aircraft flying and our mission alive during this challenging season.

Other news this month comes from Myanmar, where, following the devastating earthquake in late March, MAF has begun disaster relief operations—bringing practical help, hope and emergency supplies to our partners in Naypyitaw and surrounding areas.

And in South Sudan, our teams continue to serve faithfully despite a complex and unstable security environment. Pilot Matt Marples recently shared, “It is a fantastic testimony of how God is still in control, even in these challenging days. This work is really at the heart of why we are serving here despite the challenges.”

As I reflect on and share these different crises situations from around the globe, my prayer this Easter time is that we might all remember who our ultimate Saviour is. Our God is sovereign, in control and aware of every situation, every person, every joy and heartache.

‘So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.’ – 2 Corinthians 4:18

I pray you have a joyful and meaningful Easter as you celebrate the hope we have in Christ.

In His Service,

Chris Barnes
CEO, MAF in Australia

Fuel Crisis in PNG – Update

Join with us in giving thanks that the fuel surcharge in Papua New Guinea can now be removed. Over the past year, the fuel crisis in PNG has put considerable stress on the MAF flight program. With rising costs of fuel and an inconsistent fuel supply, we are so grateful for the generous support of donors in keeping the surcharge to a minimum and enabling flights to continue for those in most need. Because of your help MAF PNG has come out the other side of the fuel crisis.

Please continue to pray for ongoing reliable fuel supplies.

Read the full story here.

Myanmar Earthquake – disaster response update

A devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake – Myanmar’s largest in over a century – has killed an estimated 3,000 people and left thousands more injured or homeless.

In response, MAF’s Disaster Response team has delivered emergency supplies, installed water filtration systems, and is preparing further aid to support families in crisis.

Many are now living in makeshift shelters with limited access to clean water. Please continue to pray for those affected and for MAF’s ongoing efforts..

To read more about MAF’s disaster response in Myanmar and how you can assist, click here.

South Sudan Program Update

Despite the challenging security situation, MAF in South Sudan recently flew nine carers and nine babies from the capital Juba to Uganda, where the children are to receive treatment for neurological conditions including hydrocephalus and spina bifida at the CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda. The flight, piloted by Matt Marples, got as far as Arua, where the group overnighted due to weather, then continued to Tororo in Uganda on Saturday, with the group reaching the hospital before lunchtime. 

Pilot Matt said: “The health needs of these children are critical which is why we prioritised this flight. It was challenging for a number of reasons, not least the weather. It was clear through the whole two days that God really wanted those children in Uganda. He was working ahead of us, solving problems before we had to. It was a fantastic testimony of how God is still in control, even in these challenging days. This work is really at the heart of why we are serving here despite the challenges.”

Please continue to pray for the team in South Sudan.