A PRAYER FOR THE SAKE OF THE WORLD

Transcription

1 PRAYER DIARY

2 A PRAYER FOR THE SAKE OF THE WORLD If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIVUK) Abba Father, You are the Prince of Peace, maker of heaven and earth and the Lord of all. You know the end from the beginning. You are merciful and full of grace healing and restoring. How we love You! You are the reason we have hope, the reason we live. How blessed we are to know Your redeeming love for ourselves! Lord, we are sorry for the sin in this world. We choose to stand in the gap and repent for all the things that have hurt You and go against Your purposes. Will you forgive Your children for our rebellion, our selfishness and pride? Help us, Lord, to turn away from this blindness and to fix our eyes on the One who saves. Lord, the world is crying out for Your intervention. It is broken and hurting. Will You pour out Your Spirit on all nations, bringing healing that overflows? Let all humanity declare Your promises, encouraged by fresh vision and Godgiven dreams. We pray with confidence that we will see a move of Your abundant power and love bringing restoration, everlasting peace, forgiveness and salvation. We strike against the weapons of the enemy and declare that all the strongholds that bind us are broken. We proclaim Your renewal to the ends of the earth! Let not one ear fail to hear of Your Good News. Let not one heart remain like stone. Strengthen those You send to serve and shine Your light. Pour out the spiritual gifts of wisdom and discernment, so that the body of Christ will be effective for Your Kingdom at such a time as this. Hear our cry, Lord, as we pray for the sake of the world. Heal the lands and let Your Kingdom reign here as it is in heaven Your glory shining for all to see. Amen 2 Prayer Diary For the Sake of the World

3 SUNDAY ANSWERED PRAYER ARNHEM LAND We give thanks for the spiritual fruit witnessed in Arnhem Land as Christian organisations work together to encourage the indigenous Church. In August last year, Youth for Christ ran Jesus School, a discipleship programme tailored specifically for the Yolŋu people. Around 100 Yolŋu became Christians over a ten-day period. KENYA The opening of our Loglogo base in northern Kenya allows us to respond more quickly to the needs of poor and isolated communities. MAF s Steve Machell explains that being embedded within the local community provides an opportunity to do more and go further, more often, than we ve been able to in the past. Praise God for opening the door to more effective ministry! LIBERIA We are thankful that elections passed peacefully in Liberia and there was a smooth transition of power between outgoing President Ellen Sirleaf Johnson and incoming President and former international footballer George Weir. MAF was able to support the democratic process by flying election observers and trainers from LEGIT (Local Empowerment for Government Inclusion and Transparency), a local NGO that provides training to help communities understand the election process and how to vote. The MAF Global Week of Prayer Prayer Diary 3

4 MONDAY AFRICA OPERATING IN 12 COUNTRIES FLEET OF 40 AIRCRAFT 341 STAFF MEMBERS ANGOLA It is a privilege to serve our partners who are doing so much to bring the Good News, healing and freedom to women who for too long have suffered indignity, MAF s Jez Simpson explains. The work MAF does to assist with prevention and treatment of the fistula condition in Angola is literally life-changing! As you contemplate the story in Luke 8:43-48 of the woman with the issue of blood, lift up women across Africa who suffer this debilitating condition arising from childbirth. LESOTHO MAF carries out around 200 medical emergency flights every year in the mountains of Lesotho the only country in the world that entirely lies above sea level. Pilot Joey Martin asks us to pray for our pilots, that, as we daily help meet the physical needs of the Basotho people, we will shine the light of Christ the source of real, lasting peace! Pray that God will protect every patient. LIBERIA Uphold MAF s 168 partners in Liberia and pray God will send even more workers to the harvest. Pilot Arjan Paas says, Here in Liberia, people lack a lot of things we take for granted a good understanding of the Gospel, pastors and a translation of the Bible in their own language. But Jesus has compassion and shows this by sending missionaries, evangelists, Bible translators and health workers. He is using MAF in Liberia to send these people out. MOZAMBIQUE MAF s flying doctor project is creating access to healthcare for people living inside Niassa Wildlife Reserve. In this remote area in northern Mozambique, a serious illness or injury can be fatal, says Country Director Steve Simpson, because it can take days to reach a village that has a very basic health clinic with many simply going without medical care. Praise God that MAF can help meet this essential need by flying in doctors! TANZANIA Earlier this year, Pilot Kirstein Combrink travelled by road with Maasai evangelist Martha Katau to visit a new airstrip in Meserani. We rejoice that, when the airstrip opens, families in Meserani will have access to the Gospel and receive better healthcare. Pray that the last few hurdles will be overcome and ask for God s clear guidance as opportunities for airstrip development open up elsewhere. 4 Prayer Diary For the Sake of the World

5 A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN MAF PILOT Sam Johnston is an MAF pilot based in South Sudan. Demand for our flights is high as aid agencies are avoiding dangerous overland travel because of conflict. Sam recounts a typical day s work. Today I am flying in West Equatoria. We fly a shuttle service out of Juba with several stops along the way before returning to the capital in the evening. In total, I will transport 21 passengers, representing 11 different humanitarian and Christian organisations, and make calls at 4 separate locations. The workers are involved in incredibly diverse activities that include medical training, agricultural improvement, local church ministry and more. The cargo pods beneath the aircraft carry resources, medical equipment and Bibles, along with the passengers own possessions. One of my passengers is a 29-year-old priest called Aphrodisius who is serving with the humanitarian organisation Don Bosco. He is in a hurry he has an infected foot and is flying on the shuttle for the flight back to Juba, where he will board a commercial service to Kenya to undergo urgent medical treatment. As well as flying the plane, I help with loading and unloading, liaise with airport officials to check and complete paperwork regarding MAF flights, and commit the journey to God in prayer. PRAY FOR MAF PILOTS ASKING FOR SAFETY, STRENGTH AND WISDOM AS THEY TRANSPORT PEOPLE AND ESSENTIAL RESOURCES. The MAF Global Week of Prayer Prayer Diary 5

6 TUESDAY ASIA MONGOLIA The Church has grown from an estimated 4 Christians in 1991 to over 35,000 believers and 450 churches. Pastor Dugeree, a former Buddhist with a powerful testimony, leads a church in the remote town of Baruun-Urt. As part of his ministry he organises flights for those who need to get to hospital. If someone has a family member who is really sick and needs transportation, Dugeree says, they really understand what love is if you help them. Spend time praying for his church as its members reach out with testimonies of God s grace and practical expressions of His love. BANGLADESH Praise God for His generous provision of a new amphibious Cessna Caravan which toured the UK earlier this year. The new floatplane will serve 75 organisations that are helping to lift millions of people out of poverty. Pray for protection for those who are at the mercy of the frequent cyclones. Pray too for a move of God s Holy Spirit in this largely Muslim nation, that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). MYANMAR We continue to rely on God to open doors for the development of an airstrip at Lailenpi. The strip will enable better healthcare to reach communities that are cut off when the monsoon rains arrive. Pray for the project's development and that His peace will reign between different faiths and ethnicities in a country with a complex and bitter past. OPERATING IN 9 COUNTRIES FLEET OF 33 AIRCRAFT 353 STAFF MEMBERS OPERATING IN 1 AUSTRALIAN REGION FLEET OF 19 AIRCRAFT 80 STAFF MEMBERS 6 Prayer Diary For the Sake of the World

7 WEDNESDAY AUSTRALIA + ASIA PACIFIC ARNHEM LAND Pray for the indigenous Church in Arnhem Land and the ministry of Rev Dangatanga and his wife Bandil. The couple flew with MAF earlier this year to attend the dedication of a new church worker at Galiwin'ku and a thanksgiving rally. Dangatanga is passionate about both Yolŋu and Balanda (non-indigenous) following Jesus, and he is regularly called on to speak at evangelistic rallies. Bandil, a Bible translator, works tirelessly to translate the Scriptures into her clan s Gumatj language. MAREEBA As part of their training programme, students at MAF s Flight Training Centre in Mareeba get the opportunity to go on a remote area safari and visit one of our programmes. The students gain experience of flying to remote and isolated areas in boiling hot conditions, navigating featureless terrain. Praise God for the trainee pilots He continues to call and equip to fly for His Kingdom. Ask Him to raise up more! TIMOR-LESTE Our team of 3 pilots and 2 GA8 Airvans flew 264 medevac flights last year so people could reach hospital in an emergency. One of these flights was on Christmas Day when MAF flew two medevacs for four patients from Suai a woman, two sick babies, and a child with a skull fracture sustained after falling from a tree. We give thanks for the dedication of our team who carried out these life-saving flights while most of us were eating our Christmas dinner! PAPUA NEW GUINEA A 6.7 magnitude earthquake and many aftershocks turned life upsidedown for remote communities in Papua New Guinea this year. MAF responded by flying food, water and other essential supplies to the affected areas. Several people injured by landslides and collapsed buildings were flown to hospital and later returned home. Pray for the affected communities as they rebuild their lives and restore their homes and gardens. We are thankful that we are able to continue providing assistance long after the international response came to an end. The MAF Global Week of Prayer Prayer Diary 7

8 THE HOUR OF GREATEST NEED In March this year, Papua New Guinea experienced a 6.7 magnitude earthquake followed by a number of aftershocks. MAF played a vital role by transporting essential aid and medical supplies to those in need, and helped injured people to reach hospital. MAF Ground Operations Training Co-ordinator Nawi Mabo shares how we responded to the devastation. We flew to Huya and Bosavi to pick up people who were injured. Among them was a lady who was the sole survivor of a group of 11 people who were buried in a landslide while trying to get to the market. We also picked up a little boy whose eye was injured as a result of being hit by debris falling from the hillside. The health worker at Bosavi said there were no medicines to treat people, and expressed sadness at not being able to do much. The appreciation for MAF being there at this critical time of need was overwhelming especially at Huya, where we delivered 240kg of food. Some people shed tears, and I joined them! I have worked with MAF for 12 years but haven t seen this level of gratitude by people who expressed thankfulness when help came at their hour of greatest need. PRAY FOR ONGOING EFFORTS TO RESTORE INFRASTRUCTURE AND REBUILD LIVES DEVASTATED BY THIS NATURAL DISASTER. 8 Prayer Diary For the Sake of the World

9 THURSDAY CENTRAL + SOUTH AMERICA SURINAME We rejoice that the Trio people of southern Suriname have a Bible in their own language. The translation, the fruit of 25 years of hard work by missionaries Fred and Trudy, was received with joy by the Trio. Pilot Rick Emenaker says, I had the pleasure and joy to fly 400kg of Bibles to one village, and transport Fred and Trudy to another village with another consignment of Bibles. OPERATING IN 6 COUNTRIES FLEET OF 23 AIRCRAFT 90 STAFF MEMBERS HAITI + CARIBBEAN On 4 October 2016, Hurricane Matthew battered Haiti, with 145mph winds devastating communities on Haiti s southern peninsula. Less than a year later, in September last year, hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria swept the Caribbean. Pray for the communities in the paths of the storms remembering particularly those who lost homes and loved ones. Many gave generously, so communities could receive help. Ask for God s continued provision and for His peace to reign through the trials of life. MEXICO We thank God for the pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers and support staff that serve MAF affiliate Alas de Socorro. The team uses small Cessna aircraft to fly medevac patients from isolated areas in Oaxaca, south-western Mexico, to receive emergency healthcare. Many patients are indigenous Zapotecs, Mixtecs and Afro-Mexicans living in remote communities where medical services are limited. The MAF Global Week of Prayer Prayer Diary 9

10 FRIDAY REFUGEES SOUTH SUDAN Since the beginning of the civil war in December 2013, nearly one in three people have fled their homes in South Sudan. Around 85% of refugees and displaced people are women and children, and many have seen and experienced horrific violence. Pilot Sam Johnston, who serves in the war-torn country, asks you to pray for peace in South Sudan. Pray for a spirit of forgiveness. It is that spirit of forgiveness from a grass roots level that will make all the difference. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO Diseases spread quickly in refugee camps due to the combination of poor nutrition and sanitation, which makes refugees susceptible to illnesses. This is exacerbated by people being forced to live in close proximity. MAF flights bring refrigerated containers of vaccines that can be used to halt the spread of infectious diseases such as measles. Lift up those fleeing violence and the humanitarian partners such as UN agencies and Medair, as they meet the urgent need for food, shelter and healthcare. UGANDA Uganda has opened its doors to refugees fleeing violence in neighbouring South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Pray for the people that have sought sanctuary in camps along the country s border and continue to come. Ask God to stem the tide of human suffering caused by conflict and to release His provision for those in need. 10 Prayer Diary For the Sake of the World

11 REFUGEE CRISIS Violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has caused thousands of displaced people to flood into the city of Bunia, where two makeshift refugee camps have sprung up. According to Jon Cadd, MAF Country Director in eastern DRC, the camps don t have enough food and shelter for all the refugees. There are more than 100,000 displaced people in Bunia now. Although a small group of local Christians is attempting to feed the hungry, and MAF has provided rice, beans, maize meal and cooking oil, it s just a drop in the bucket. Shelter for the displaced Congolese people is also in short supply. Refugees are constructing tent frames by tying together stalks of thick grass, but the camps have run out of tarpaulin for the makeshift shelters leaving thousands of people exposed to the rainy season weather. We brought ten tarps, five local cooking stoves called babulas, some pots, plates and cups, as well as food, and were able to give this to the refugees personally so they didn t have to wait in a long queue. It s discouraging when you can t help everyone but, because it rained in the evening, we knew that at least ten more families weren t out in the rain and had food to eat. The crisis is expected to grow as people in eastern DRC continue to flee from their homes and villages. PRAY FOR A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT SO PEOPLE CAN RETURN TO THEIR HOMES AND LAND. The MAF Global Week of Prayer Prayer Diary 11

12 SATURDAY MAF FAMILY TEAMS It takes a team of pilots, engineers, logistics personnel, bookings and administration staff and cleaners to keep MAF's fleet in the air! Praise God for each of the 1,400 staff in 27 countries worldwide who plays a vital role in MAF s ministry. The MAF family is a melting pot of different nationalities, languages and cultures, all seeking unity in Him. SPOUSES + CAREGIVERS MAF couldn t fly without the support network of spouses and caregivers who have joined MAF s overseas adventure. Every family is different and unique! Lift up spouses who run the home and care for children, as well as those with ministries outside MAF. We praise God for those who use their gifts to offer hospitality and ensure that everyday life runs smoothly in challenging places. CHILDREN Pray for children at school as they learn, grow and experience other cultures. Ask God to draw especially close when families move to serve in different MAF programmes and have to say goodbye to family and friends. Pray that home assignment will be a time of blessing. Most of all, pray that every child will grow in their future calling and relationship with the Lord Jesus. EXTENDED FAMILY Every flight is enabled by a support network of volunteers, supporters, family and friends all part of MAF's extended family! Ask God to draw more people to MAF to help extend God s Kingdom even further. Pray for more workers for the harvest, including future staff, volunteers and supporters. 12 Prayer Diary For the Sake of the World

13 SUNDAY TECHNOLOGY JESUS FILM Praise the Lord that seeds are sown every time the Jesus film is shown in countries such as Papua New Guinea (PNG), Uganda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo! The film portrays the story of Jesus as it is told in Luke s Gospel, and has been translated into more than 1,500 languages. Evangelists, projectors, screens and PA equipment are all flown to remote locations by MAF aircraft. WIFI BIBLE The WiFi Bible project is run by MAF s Technology Services team in PNG. It helps people to access Bible resources for free on their phone, tablet or laptop computer through open WiFi signals installed on buses, planes and other locations. Pray that those who receive Christian resources will encounter Jesus. The contents are free and are easy to access in many of the countries where MAF operates. SUPPORTING PASTORS MAF s EDUTEC ministry trains and mentors Christian leaders and develops resources to help pastors in isolated communities. In PNG, MAF runs basic computer training courses so pastors can better navigate the digital world and access the resources they need online. Ask God to multiply the work of leaders and pastors as they grow in wisdom and knowledge challenging false doctrine and bringing many into God's Kingdom. SHORTWAVE RADIO Mobile phones are now common in remote areas, but cellular signals are often poor, so communities tend to rely on shortwave radio in an emergency. Pray for MAF s Technology Services team as its technicians travel to remote locations to install and repair shortwave radios. The team also monitors incoming calls from our base in Goroka, PNG so there s always a friendly voice at the end of the radio when the call for a medical emergency flight comes in. The MAF Global Week of Prayer Prayer Diary 13

14 MAINTAINING THE FLEET Andy Swanson works as an aircraft maintenance engineer with MAF Uganda. This year, he was asked to join a team from Mareeba to assist with maintenance and upgrades on our aircraft in Mongolia. MAF has some of the highest standards in aviation. To uphold these, we are constantly updating and standardising our planes. During my two weeks in Ulaanbaatar, I assisted with a Garmin upgrade, fabricated and finished new instrument panels, and installed some of the equipment mounts for various sensors and units. In many cases, these units have to be installed very accurately parallel to the centre line of the plane. Working in a much smaller hangar with limited resources and missing my own toolbox brought its share of challenges, but we were able to complete the work successfully. Andy completed the work in two weeks and has now returned to his family and toolbox in Kampala. The exacting maintenance work carried out by our professional engineers is essential to comply with safety standards in the industry, and to ensure that our planes not only keep flying but meet the growing demands for MAF s services. GIVE THANKS FOR THE TALENTED TEAM OF ENGINEERS WHO KEEP OUR PLANES FLYING. 14 Prayer Diary For the Sake of the World

15 'All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer' Acts 1:14 To hear more about how MAF uses planes to transform the lives of the world s most isolated people, fill in the form and return it to the Freepost address below. TITLE ADDRESS FULL NAME PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS POSTCODE PHONE CHURCH Please send me (tick as required) Monthly News for Prayer Quarterly Prayer Diary and Flying for Life magazine Monthly Prayer Devotion Updates on how you can help support our programmes Monthly Partner in Prayer videos via Our weekly e-news bulletin, bringing the world of MAF to your inbox Week of prayer pack 2019 I would like to hear from you by Post Phone Text You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for other news, stories and fundraising updates. Just search for MAF UK. To: FREEPOST RTKH HJEY BTJL, MAF UK, Castle House, Castle Hill Avenue FOLKESTONE CT20 2TQ The MAF Global Week of Prayer Prayer Diary WoP2018a 15

16 WHY AIRCRAFT? Every four minutes, somewhere in the world, an MAF aircraft either takes off or lands. MAF planes reach some of the most remote people on earth. People who are cut off from the outside world by mountains, deserts or jungles. Individuals without basic essentials because of disaster or war. Communities with no access to medical care, food, education or the Gospel. For many people to receive what we in the UK regard as everyday necessities, they would need to walk for hours, days even weeks. But our aircraft reduce the journey time to remote and inaccessible people to a matter of minutes saving time and lives. For more than 70 years, MAF has been reaching some of the world s most isolated areas. Today, we serve 27 developing countries with around 128 light aircraft. Our planes have changed over the decades, but our purpose remains the same to see hard-to-reach people physically and spiritually transformed in Jesus name. MAF is an ongoing story full of adventure, of lives being saved, and of God s amazing provision and protection. We need your help to reach more isolated people. Make MAF a part of your story today! For more information about our pilots, partners and planes, please visit our website at We would love you to partner with us in prayer for the sake of those we serve. Why not fill in the form on the inside of this diary and become part of what God is doing through MAF? YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT TO US Thank you so much for supporting MAF with your prayers for the sake of the world. We d really appreciate your feedback about our global week of prayer and the resources we provided. To take part in a short questionnaire, please visit MAF UK Castle House, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, Kent CT20 2TQ Scotland Office 29 Canal Street, Glasgow G4 0AD T E supporter.relations@maf-uk.org MAFUKFILM Registered charity in England and Wales ( ) and in Scotland (SC039107) Registered trademark , ,