Blessings Beyond Belief
In September this year, the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) headquarters in Mt. Hagen, Papua New Guinea received an interesting request.
The Yamka community, greater tribal clan(s) living around the area of the airport (Kagamuga), wanted to have a celebration honoring MAF for its more than 65 years of service and commitment to rural communities of PNG. This would also be an excellent opportunity to share the mission and vision of MAF with those of the community who were new or were unaware of the nature of the ministry.
Work began on organising the first-ever Crusade of its type. It was planned to be a gathering of more than 30 different churches from across all different denominations. From Baptist and Lutherans to Nazarenes and Adventists, the plan was to celebrate our commonality in Christ, and to share the mission and vision of MAF.
The crusade started on Monday, November 6th, meeting nightly at 6:30pm and continued through Saturday morning, November 11th, when it culminated with a 9:30am-4pm final celebration.
“I was truly amazed at the enthusiasm, engagement, and passion demonstrated by the community!” shared Todd Aebischer, MAF Papua New Guinea Country Director. “Night after night, regardless of the weather, the community came out by the hundreds and worshipped the Lord, listened to the word of God, and honored the ministry of MAF. It was truly a humbling experience.”
The thanksgiving offering that was given by the community to MAF was unimaginable! In a rural area of the country where many are subsistence farmers, the people of the Yamka community truly caught the vision of blessing those in isolated communities. At the finish of the celebration on Saturday, the community presented MAF with a cash offering of 48,419 Kina (19,735 $AUD).
This did not include other in-kind donations such as fruits, vegetables, several chickens and two pigs! The intention is that the cash offering will be the “kick start” money to open a new flying medical / dental work to 9 remote villages in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. The in-kind offerings are being distributed among various community charities as well as MAF national and expat staff.
Beyond the offerings, perhaps the greatest outcome of this 6-day crusade was a new spirit of unity that was developed within the community! To see some 30 different churches come together for the common purpose of worshipping the Lord, well…this truly was a blessing beyond belief!
Mission Aviation Fellowship has the vision of sharing the love of Christ through aviation and technology, such that isolated people are physically and spiritually transformed in Christ’s name. Each day in pursuit of this vision, MAF-PNG planes make an average of 41 flights, serving 212 airstrips/villages per month, and transporting nearly 500 medical evacuation patients per year.
Thank you to the Yamka Community and to all of our faithful friends, partners, prayer warriors and supporters! Without you – the fulfilment of this Kingdom vision in the highlands of Papua New Guinea would not be possible!
