Day 5, Friday – moving day!

We were given the engineers' Toyota Land Cruiser. As we had a lot of expensive servers and large racks to transport, we had this as our dedicated vehicle. I was also assigned designated driver! Cool!

Steve Forsyth, the Programme Manager, took me out for a brief driving assessment to check I was safe driving and advised me of the driving laws out here in Uganda. He also gave me helpful tips such as indicating left can mean many things out here other than turning left. It could mean, I want you to pass me, it could mean don’t pass there is oncoming traffic or I am stopping on the road. It’s crazy!

I passed my test and was allowed to drive. Woohoo.

We loaded up the vehicle with all the servers and rack and cleverly packed it with mattresses. Of course, we were transporting them via the roads of Uganda, very bumpy! 'Bumpy' and 'servers' do not go hand in hand and so the mattresses were great at absorbing all the shock to protect the servers.



Meanwhile, the rest of the office were loading up their departments' office furniture and computers into cars and trucks. There were lots of people helping, so many, an entire office was loaded into cars and trucks in 3 hours. We were the first ready to leave the office, and so we went to report in to Steve, only to find he had in his office a bubble bath… no not really, it’s just a bad joke! He had a load of bubble wrap stored in the bath tub.

Driving... Kampala style

So off we set in the Land Cruiser. This was a big vehicle. So big it had 2 fuel tanks. It was quite exciting but at the same time quite nerve-racking. Firstly I had ‘precious cargo’ - all the data for MAF Uganda is on those servers - and secondly driving in what is quite dangerous conditions. There are all sorts of obstacles in the road: people who just run out in front of you, cows in herds or strays, dogs and chickens, cars who pull out from all directions, drive on the wrong side of the road, Boda-bodas swerving in and out from all directions... your attention has to be everywhere. It is quite an experience.

 

Oh and by the way, I learnt why they get the name 'boda-boda'. So boda-bodas are motorcycles that take 1 passenger, well, 1 passenger legally but it can be up to 3 or with the strangest of loads like a window frame or 6-foot lengths of wood width ways. Their original purpose was carrying people forwards and backwards across a country border. It became very popular as opposed to walking and the journey was called 'border to border'. Over time, it was shortened to boda-boda.

Server racks and switches

When we arrived at Kajjansi, we were lucky to see that our Cessna 208 'BIL' was firing up for a flight so we were able to watch it take off. It’s such a great privilege and exciting to watch our planes flying in action, knowing they are bring help, hope and healing to people in hard-to-reach places.

 

We unpacked the Land Cruiser into the IT office and first on the agenda was to build the rack and fit the servers in. I set up a camera to capture us building the server rack in time lapse so I am looking forward to looking at the final result. I also set up a camera to do a time lapse of the main office. This should be really fun to watch!

This took us most of the day, including rearranging some of the switches in the hangar to make room for the new internet modems and phone servers.

The rest of the office did really well to completely move in and most people had set up their desks and computers by around 3.30-4pm.

We finished around 4.30pm after configuring the firewall for the new network and headed home. At that time of the day, rush hour traffic is heavy and so Kalumba showed us some back roads. I can’t say it was quicker but at least we were moving the whole time. These were dirt tracks the whole way and the amount of dust was incredible. It has obviously been that way for so long that all the trees have actually turned orange from being covered in thick layers of dust. It was testing but pretty cool taking a 4x4 off-road! We were able to pass some of the slower vehicles that weren’t quite cut out for the off-road which made the journey more interesting, some would say I left them for dust.

A fun family

We had dinner with the Rogers that evening. Dave and Amy with their 6 children. The eldest 2 were actually at a youth group, but it was great to get to know the others. They are a fun family, originally from America and have served with MAF in Uganda for over 9 years!

I was introduced to Mountain Dew and love it! Amy apparently thinks it is better in Uganda than it is back in the States. Most things here are quite the opposite.

It was a great end to a very busy day!

Day 4: The big pack-up

Thursday was all about packing up! Today was the day servers were being turned off and everything packed away ready for the big moving day on Friday.

We made it to the office by 7.30am and started packing things into boxes. Most mornings the office will have 10 minutes' prayer and worship as a team at 8.20am, so it was great to be apart of that time together.

At 10.30 we headed back to Kajjansi to finish off a bit more networking, wiring up switches and putting cables into trunking. Short of tools again, I suddenly had a brainwave (amongst the many improvisation brainwaves). Across the airfield is the biggest man shed any guy could dream of in his garden! It is of course the hangar. Aviation spec SnapOn tools and equipment, masses of open space enough to fit a few planes, there is not a tool, screw or nut you could want that they don’t have! So I borrowed a saw…… Hmm, maybe I’ll find something more interesting to borrow and use next week.

We managed to finish at 1.30pm and travelled back to Makindye ready for all the servers to be turned off at 4pm.

 We ended up working until 7.30pm shutting down servers, taking them out the rack, using a high powered blower to blow all the sand and dust out of them, dismantling the rack and pulling all the cameras and Wi-Fi points out ready to me taken to the new office on Friday.

We were so knackered by this time we came straight back to our house and cooked some pasta with tomato sauce! Mmm, reminded us of home, even though it’s an Italian dish, but hey.

Moving day tomorrow! Wish us luck!

Luke

Day 3: a long day at Kajjansi Airfield

So Wednesday was our first full day at the new office on the airfield in Kajjansi. Because all the international staff housing is located near the current MAF office in Makindye, a lot of staff travel to Kajjansi every day. After the office move, almost everyone will have to do this journey.

We had planned to go with the engineers on the first run down but after finding out one of the pilots were travelling down slightly later, we thought we would go with him.

Unfortunately, the message didn’t get to Mark who’s guest house we are staying in, that we had changed plans and so at 7.15am he was banging on the door! Ooops! Yes, after a late night working I had forgot to set my alarm and so this very quickly woke me up!

The engineers all travel down in 1 vehicle very early to beat the morning rush on the roads. A 45 minute journey and they are working by 8am most mornings. But don’t worry, they do have some good coffee before tweaking bolts on the planes.

Greg Vine, MAF Uganda’s chief pilot, drove us down to the airfield. It was great to meet one of our British pilots and try to understand more what it is like living and working outside of the UK. He shared his experiences with schooling his children, adjusting to the culture, being away from friends and family and also the role of being a pilot. All of which was very interesting, and very positive, as he knew that this is where he was meant to be and was being led in faith by God.

By the time we reached Kajjansi, we caught the tail end of the coffee around 8.45 in the hangar with the engineers and pilots. I must admit, they have some really nice coffee here. A lovely dark roast ground coffee starts the day well!

It's our Cessna 182!

I walked out into the hangar and was interested in what Geoff Linkleter (an engineer) was working on. He showed me how he was mounting lots of little fins to the wings and tail of a Cessna 182. He goes on to describe that they improve stability at low speed so it can have a safer landing on a short runway where airspeed needs to be very low.

Fascinating. And then it clicked!!

*gasps*

'This is the 182 that MAF UK toured in the UK last year and I was lucky enough to see it and take a short flight!'

I was right. At first I didn’t recognise it, until I noticed the new fuel-efficient engine. The registration has now changed to a Ugandan registration 5X-MON. Since being in the UK, it has had an updated RF radio, a new heavy-duty nose wheel to give the propeller more ground clearance, new folding seats in the back to allow for more cargo and a new wooden floor. And now, the wing and tail fins. It was so great to see it again, and to actually see it out in a programme having work done on it.

Network cabling and broken ladders

Our main job today was to complete the installation of the network cabling in the office by connecting them all up into a switch cabinet in the server room. We also had other switches to install in 2 other locations in the building. It was a great challenge to work on a building site, without the tools you would expect to have in the UK. Improvisation was on overload!

I asked someone for a ladder and they came back with a few tree branches cleverly nailed together. The only problem is, I am slightly heavier than most and so I think I broke one of them. Apparently that happens all the time. And they make scaffolding out of these?!

I do have to hand it to them though, their craftsmanship is amazing. We saw them making concrete tops to the walls all by mixing cement and moulding it all by hand. In the UK, we would buy concrete tops and stick them on top of a wall with a quick set cement mix.

Loving my matooke and posho

Lunch break was such a great experience. MAF very kindly provide all the staff and site workers with a free lunch cooked fresh by a cook on site.

She cooks all types of local food in a hut on the airfield.

Steve and I sat amongst site workers, also accompanied by Jay, the project manager for the office building, originally from Vancouver, Canada.

We had some true local food and absolutely loved it!

Matooke - a starchy savoury banana mashed up, kinda like mashed potato; posho - a white starchy mash made from maze or corn, and accompanied by 3 small pieces of beef and lots of rice and cabbage.

Towards the end of the meal, we were joined by a guy called Uriah from New Zealand. He is a Civil Engineer working for EMI. They are the company moving in upstairs in our new office. It was great meeting him as I have never really understood what a Civil Engineer does. He explained how they have a lot to do with bridges, canals, roads, railways, all in an engineering perspective. It was very interesting.

A different world

After a long day's work, getting home around 7pm, we headed for the Makindye Country Club not far from the MAF office for some dinner.

It was strange to walk into a place and get totally confused as to where you actually were?! It was like stepping into a different part of the world. Everything had suddenly changed from dust and dirty, noise and busyness, into peace and quiet, a posh clean restaurant looking onto tennis courts and a swimming pool.

Nevertheless, it was great to unwind and enjoy a lovely beef wellington pie with fresh veg and potatoes.

 

We soon made it home to get some well-earned sleep!

Luke

Entry log 5942, stargate… no only joking.

Day 1 and 2…

Travel was pretty good. We left home around 8.45am got to Heathrow at 10am. Flight was departing at 12.35 so we had time for a Pret sandwich and a coffee. Of course, being the IT crew, I just had to pay at the Kiosk with Apple Pay on my iPhone, no scrambling for the wallet at the bottom of my hand luggage. We both also had our boarding passes on our phones for quick and easy boarding! #Geeks

The flight was on time and we had a nice 8 hours on-board British Airways flight BA0063. A Boeing 767. I won the bid over the window seat and got some great views of the Sahara desert mid-flight. Flying into the night, darkness came upon us so quickly but gave a beautiful deep orange glow through the plane during the 5-minute sunset! I managed to catch 3 movies and enjoy a little snooze, as did Steve. During dinner service, Steve even managed to persuade the crew for an extra sandwich! Brilliant. She then came back to wind him up that he had taken her lunch and made him feel guilty!

A very distinct African smell

Once we had landed at 11pm, the first things that hit you when walking off the plane were, ‘Oh, its not as hot as I thought’, and a very distinct African smell. Something that is hard to describe but not unpleasant. Its like a burning hay smell mixed with a presence of earthiness and abundance of vegetation.

We had a very reasonable experience at customs, paying $100 US for an entrance visa and getting our fingerprints scanned! Slightly scary, I don’t think anyone has my fingerprint other than my iPhone!

We were greeted by Lawrence at arrivals who took us back to our accommodation, Mark and Sarah Newnham's guest house. Roughly 1 hour's drive.

The house was located on the bumpiest dirty track ever known but very well gated and guarded.

The house is HUGE! And we have the granny annex. We have all the facilities we need, a working toilet, hot water and a bed with your standard mosquito net! It reminds me of being a kid again and hanging a sheet over the bed to create your own fort! We both very quickly just crashed out in bed at what was 2am local time by then, ready for our first full day in Makindye.

We were very grateful to find some cornflakes and coffee in the morning (it’s the little things) that set us up for the day.

We walked to the MAF office, roughly 5-6 minutes enjoying the wonderful scenery.

MAF's 'oldest letter ever'

The MAF Uganda office is a converted house. There are lots of rooms, I think I counted 14? A Lovely house, very African, magnolia and brick walls, white metal floral bars in the windows and a lovely orangey-red sandstone tiled roof. We met a lot of the staff working there, all very lovely people.

First greeted by Kalumba, the local IT technician for MAF Uganda. They were in the middle of clearing out the building by going through old documents no longer needed. This is where I met a guy called Dave. Dave Rogers, the Operations Manager is hilarious. A great personality and sense of humour. So he comes in and says, 'I have just found the oldest letter anyone has ever written to MAF'. 'Oh really?' a few of us replied. 'Yes, it starts by saying, "I am delighted to write this letter to you after the resurrection of Christ from the dead."'

Brilliant.

After a tour of the office and meeting the staff, we got our heads together and looked over documentation regarding the big office move. We made sure we understood what was moving and where/when, what was staying, what changes to be made and any gotchas! We then took a trip to the new office at the airfield in Kajjansi.

Beautiful Kajjansi Airfield

This is a truly beautiful airfield, like none I have ever seen. The new office is looking absolutely amazing. Still unfinished, but we have a couple of days to go so we are hopeful. You can see right over Lake Victoria and the beautiful hills behind it. We toured around the new office to get our bearings and clarify we knew where things were going on moving day. We also had a look at the hangar and a few of the planes and met more of the staff there such as engineers and logistics staff.

Unfortunately we had to put on our IT caps straight away as there were power fluctuations, we had to shut everything down until the electricians sorted the issue. It wasn’t long before we were up and running again.

The whole airfield is great. The hangar is HUGE! And the new office will really pull the whole MAF team together working more efficiently.

After finishing our working day around 6pm, we were very kindly invited to dinner with Steve Forsyth, MAF's Programme Manager in Uganda. We had a very nice chicken curry with rice, fried courgette and fresh avocado.

A great way to end the day, especially being able to enjoy the amazing views of Makindye and Lake Victoria from his balcony/porch area.

Now back at the guest house and ready to sleep! Tomorrow we start on installing switches and cabling in the new office.

More soon.

Luke

IT Officer Luke arrives in Uganda!

Luke's blog starts here!

Not by Words

It’s early. 4:45am in Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital. The sun is slowly beginning to transform the world with light. But life has already begun here in the MAF hangar.

Passengers begin to arrive and the Cessna Caravan is prepared for departure. Coffee is poured and I sit to hear one passenger’s story. Her name is Hilde, and she looks very alive – even at this unearthly hour. I already sense God’s love within her.

Hilde Vlaminckx is a nurse. Origionally from Belgium, she first came to Madagascar in 1997, with a deep sense of God’s calling and a yearning to follow His plan for her life. Having worked for many years in a government hospital with pleasing benefits, a comfortable salary and a convenient proximity to her family, she began to feel God stirring her heart. Change was on the horizon, and Hilde didn’t feel comfortable any more.

Her first visit brought her to the Good News Hospital in Mandritsara, approximately an hour and a half's flight north of Antananarivo, the route we are flying today. This trip would take two long days by road. Her journey in Madagascar had only just begun, but it ended abruptly when she reached the hospital; Hilde knew this was where she would stay.

Since then, Hilde has never looked back. After initial stays between one and two years, she now lives permanently in Madagascar. Sponsored as a missionary by the international Christian NGO Tearfund, Hilde feels completely settled in this remote town. She shares a house with a Malagasy doctor who now feels like her sister. ‘And Mandritsara feels like my home.’

Although she began as a practicing nurse at the Good News Hospital, Hilde now trains Malagasy to become nurses. 'They come to Mandritsara for three years, then leave fully qualified,' Hilde told me, once we were in settled in the aircraft.

'It's a very practical way of sharing Jesus. We may not speak about Christ with every word, but in our actions we do. Many have come to the hospital and have been trained, helped and healed. It's our way of doing the Gospel work.'

Hilde says that it is the Malagasy people coupled with God's call on her life that keeps her going. 'Yes there are challenges, but I know I am meant to be here,' she says.

'I'm not trained as a teacher but I am teaching - so this job can be challenging sometimes. But so many come from far away to be treated, I know it’s worthwhile. Women can give birth safely and babies are saved. Major wounds are treated. That's what keeps me going.'

Hilde says that a lot of the patients they treat come with injuries suffered on the road, because travelling overland can be extremely dangerous.

'Taxi-bus accidents happen a lot where vehicles turn upside down. Also people get injuries from cow horns, or they can lose an arm during tree-felling. Sometimes people walk for three days carrying others on a stretcher. The next hospital is 250km away.'

When I ask her about her experience with MAF, she doesn’t hesitate. ‘There is a lot of coming and going with MAF! People have become so used to seeing the aircraft that at the hospital people say, “Look! There’s our plane coming!” I hope no one thinks it’s really ours – we don’t have that kind of money!

‘But the MAF pilots – they are so flexible, helpful and always kind. Today I almost didn’t have a seat, but now I’m here! They work hard to find a solution and fit everyone in. I’m very thankful.’

Hilde and the rest of the team at the Good News Hospital are certainly humble. They have followed God’s call to work in a very challenging and deprived part of the world.

‘Sometimes I feel like such a small part of God’s big plan,’ Hilde says. ‘I even think, “Oh, other people are actually doing much more for the Gospel than me!” But then I realise that we can all believe that. Perhaps you do it in your office, or in the plane, or in the hospital – but we are all part of God’s big plan. We must each do our small part, be part of a project but also know our own personal vision and faith within ourselves. As long as we are giving to the poor, feeding the hungry and visiting the prisoners - together we can all make a big difference for Christ. It’s not our words. It’s what we do with our lives.’

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

It was all incredibly formal, yet extremely pleasant. The room of roughly 150 guests stir softly, waiting. Great men and women of God’s Kingdom, and those whose lives are spent serving the poor sit shoulder to shoulder, crisp suits and delicate dresses, a joyful offering to honour the work of the King. That’s why we we’re here. It’s for God’s Glory.

Twenty-five years is almost my lifetime. For the last quarter-century, Mission Aviation Fellowship has been flying help, hope and healing across one of the largest, least developed islands of the world. And Madagascar is grateful. The imminent arrival of our most distinguished guest is a warm affirmation of this.

A few more minutes and cameramen arrive. Low murmurings begin to hush. Then enters the Minister of Economy and Planning; General de Division Herilanto Raveloharison. All stand.

But today’s formalities are not stifling, they are honouring. It’s a privilege to be here. The Minister opens with a smile. ‘I am here as your friend, your colleague – as someone who has known you not as a Minister, because being a minister is a nomination which passes through sooner or later. But friendship – that lasts forever.’ What a testimony of MAF’s mission; physical healing, practical help and relationship with people.

This room is a living, breathing testimony – many partners old and new, gathering to celebrate God’s achievement through the joining of our hands.

Then a reflection from Proverbs three: By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place. ‘Our God is great, He only does great things,’ the Minister reminds us. ‘And an organisation blessed with the Wisdom of God can only do great works. That is the blessing of MAF, and many other missions of which we are a part.’

Pastor Serge Razafitsambaina, a remarkable man of faith, has been serving Madagascar’s poor since before MAF’s arrival. He prayerfully proclaims that our God always keeps His promises. And MAF is part of that promise on this island. ‘New spiritual life is being born through the Gospel, and MAF is bringing hope to us who are working here, right where He has called us to be. People are hearing of a life that endures through Christ. And one day we will all enter His promised land.’

More reminders from grateful friends follow – days of driving and walking saved by MAF’s little plane;, gracious service of MAF staff; pioneering achievements through technology and aviation; the milestone achievement of 25 years.

Before vibrant buffet and cocktails, a short overview of MAF’s history in Madagascar from Programme Manager Bert Van den Bosch. Families that have come and go. Airstrips that have opened up life in remote areas. Aircraft that have flown hours of vital service. Thousands that have been reached with God’s love.

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy (Psalm 126:3)

In this joy, the colourful throng of guests spill onto the patio and enjoy fellowship together. Colourful triangles of ‘bunting’ are strung around – each one carrying a personal message from MAF supporters in the UK. These festive decorations offer a reminder that today is a result of many prayerful hearts, open hands and generous gifts from around the world; joining together to make MAF’s work possible.

God’s Kingdom is extending across the globe, and so many have played a vital part. Those who are present share the joy of honouring one another today. But those who are not must also be celebrated for being obedient to God’s call. Thousands of missionaries, pastors, medics, volunteers and families, scattered across the globe serving the poor and downtrodden.

Twenty-five years on one island is a magnificent achievement – but today we are all sure there will be many more.

My introduction to Mongolia - LuAnne Cadd

Arrived in Mongolia almost two hours late. Ryan, the Canadian MAF pilot, picked me up from the airport. I then had an hour to shower and change before we were off to a place outside Ulaanbaatar – about a 40+ km, but the traffic and bad roads made the journey so, so long and I was having a hard time staying awake.

That night Ryan had a call for a medical evacuation (medevac) at 2 am, and left for the airport at 5 am. I was crushed I missed the two text messages he sent me at 5 and 6 am. Instead, I went to church with Amanda (Ryan’s wife) and the kids. On the walk there, Ryan called and said there might be a second medevac. By the time church was over, Ryan was coming to get me for the second one – a stroke victim. It would be an overnight stay, because it was a 2.5 hour flight there and we didn't have time to get back. I had literally 5 minutes to pack and be out the door.

The scenery was beautiful – vast, vast endless landscapes of rolling green hills, flat plains, and not so high mountains. The main sign of life throughout was simply dirt tracks crisscrossing everywhere as if people just made their own tracks and no two people followed the same ones. There were very few towns in the whole 2.5 hours. The feeling of isolation is intense.

The town was called Tosotsengal – small and remote. Ryan said it was the coldest place in Mongolia - it can get down to -60 Celsius . Some of the hotels we tried were fully booked because of a festival in town. We ended up staying with an expat family, only one of two non-Mongolian families in town. They've lived there for 20 years. Nice little home, but no toilet or running water in the house. They have electricity and the house is rigged like most, with water pipes and radiators that are heated by a wood-burning stove. During the long winter the stove must run 24/7 or else the pipes will freeze. I found the whole thing fascinating.

A couple of facts:

• There are only about 25 Christians of about 7000 in Tosotsengal .
• I tasted Yak cream, which is thick like clotted cream. So yummy!

JUNE 16th

On Sunday, we follow Michael and Judith to the local church they attend. The congregation of 50 is a mix of South-Sudanese and international NGO staff. Some of the faces are familiar, from the Bible study I attended on the first evening in Juba. The sermon was challenging; hearing it was challenging too – I had taken a seat next to the air-conditioning unit which was working overtime to cool the room. I wasn’t about to turn it down though.

The distance between the MAF compound and the church is short enough to walk, allowing us to experience Juba at street level. Were it not for the masses of discarded plastic water bottles that proliferate every empty space, the city could have a certain charm. The roads are also dominated by vehicles that are either registered as belonging to international NGOs or the United Nations. While these remain the major presence on the streets, they indirectly reflect South Sudan’s underdeveloped status.

In the afternoon, I finally get a chance to justify packing my swimming shorts and take a dip in the pool that has been set-up on the MAF compound. The contrast from the searing heat is extremely welcome. Michael and Judith join me soon after and collectively we reflect on the fact that we are relaxing in a pool in one of the poorest countries of the world. It doesn’t seem right. And yet, it doesn’t seem right that Michael is an experienced pilot whose thousands of hours’ flying time could land him a very well paid job elsewhere, yet he volunteers his services in one of the poorest countries in the world. If an occasional chance to escape the heat by relaxing in a pool means Michael and Judith are willing to stay with the MAF team longer, then countless lives in South Sudan will directly benefit.

In the evening they invite me over to watch a documentary about South Sudan’s ‘Lost Boys’ who fled the country to escape the violence that was engulfing their homes during the war for independence. Scattered around the world, the plight of this group is a powerful reminder that South Sudan is one of the countries in the world most in need of prayer.

JUNE 15th

It’s the weekend! The day begins with meeting Judith (married to Mike who flew me yesterday) for a traditional South Sudanese meal of ‘rolexes’. In a country as visibly poor as South Sudan, it seems a strange idea that we are going to be munching on luxury watches for breakfast. I’ve also conscientiously been watching the food I eat so I don’t get an upset stomach, a goal that is unlikely to be helped by downing a load of metal cogs. Fortunately, the rolexes Judith returns with from a local vendor are actually rolled up chapatis with a fried egg inside. She informs us that she buys these rolexes from a trusted vendor to avoid picking up any fakes.

As we munch away, conversation turns to the subject of food. From what we saw from the skies yesterday, South Sudan is an incredibly lush land, with the potential to be a breadbasket that feeds all of Africa. With virtually no infrastructure in place on the ground, the country remains more of a basketcase.

Today is a big day for the team on the compound; a delivery of furniture for the newly built accommodation units is arriving. It’s a case of all hands on deck, as existing furniture is first moved to make way and then the huge truck is unloaded. The new desks, tables, cupboards and more all need taking to the correct houses and then require assembly. My mind is more than willing for the task, but my body is still weak. The reward for our labour is an evening meal at one of Juba’s up and coming restaurants along the Nile river.

JUNE 14th

It’s before 6am and the sun is yet to rise. We’ve slept in a wooden shack underneath a tin roof, in one of the least developed regions of the world. Despite these conditions, Adrian is up and sporting a clean and completely creaseless pilot’s shirt, ready for our departure back to Juba. He is of course British and I ponder whether any other nationality could maintain such a formal demeanour in this tropical setting.

We’re flying another of the families serving with Cush for Christ out of the country; Natalie, already a mother of two, is heavily pregnant and will be giving birth in Kenya where the medical facilities are much better. As we take-off from Malualkon, she is also hoping for a ‘weather-less’ day.

Adrian informs me that we need to stop off on the journey back to Juba in order to take on some more fuel. If we start running low, he tells me, we’ll have to fly slower. I ask him if running out completely means we’ll be up here all day. We land at the town of Wau, an airstrip that has recently been upgraded and tarmacked and the staff on the ground proudly inform us that the runway is now 300 metres longer than the one at Juba. MAF flights rarely stop at Wau, so we take the opportunity to tell the authorities we meet about the organisation’s work. This friendly approach pays dividends when I am given permission to take pictures of the plane refuelling. My colleagues in MAF Norway run an extensive appeal to raise funds for the fuel that keeps MAF flying and I know they will appreciate some fresh pictures to enhance this.

Taking off from Wau, Adrian and I start playing a little game. It’s not “I-spy”, but counting the number of wrecked aircraft that litter the sides of Wau’s airstrip. We finally agree on three. I discover later in the day that many of these abandoned wrecks carried weapons during the war for independence from north Sudan. The cargo was considered more precious than the aging carriers that flew it in, hence those that hadn’t crashed on landing had been abandoned and left to rust.

In Juba I say farewell to the Faris family and Adrian, and simply lower myself down from one MAF plane and climb on board another. Once again I’m allowed to sit up front as pilot Michael Dupuis prepares to take-off for the settlement of Keew (my third flight of the day and it’s not even noon). We’re taking a group of staff from Christian Mission Aid, an NGO which MAF flies regularly, to this remote location. Space has also been made on board to stash an 80kg freezer unit that will allow medicine to be stored at a temperature necessary to keep it effective.

Plans for this delivery are complicated by the fact that there has been rain in Keew and the runway may be too wet for a landing. There is however another strip close by in Jaibor where we are informed that conditions are dry enough. Two hours’ later, we fly over Keew and the muddy wheel marks of an aircraft that managed to take-off yesterday provide a clear warning that the ground is still wet. Jaibor it is then, a further five minutes’ flight.

The clinics that CMA run in both Jaibor and nearby Keew have been extensively resourced by MAF flights. Building materials, syringes, medical gloves, medicine and more have all been flown in. Simeon, who oversees the clinics, explains that bringing such supplies in overland would require a nine-day boat journey. I furiously scribble down all that he is telling me.

We are invited for a bite to eat and the extra time spent in Jaibor over midday is all valuable minutes for the airstrip at Keew to dry out. The heat is stifling and initially I assume the local villagers are all sheltering inside the ‘tukuls’ (mud huts with cone-thatched roofs) that dominate the view. I am corrected by one of the CMA staff who informs me that the earlier rain has sent people scampering to the fields for harvest preparations.

Potentially the shortest MAF flight in the world, we spend five minutes travelling from Jaibor to Keew (it is however a four-hour walk between the two settlements). The freezer is unloaded and we have to make a swift departure. Juba airport has been known to close abruptly at six o’clock, leaving us minutes to take-off if we are to get there in time. We arrive at six on the dot, the last flight to land at Juba that day.

Back with the MAF team, we share a meal together. This would be an ideal time for me to interview some of the group about the work that God has called them to. The schedule of the last week and today’s five flights has left me shattered though and I head for an early night.

JUNE 13th

The housing facilities at the MAF compound in Juba have recently been upgraded and I’m grateful that there is a little time in the morning to take a tour. Things are so new, that I’m actually being shown round a building site that has signs of work-in-progress everywhere. I’m also introduced to many of the local staff who fill vital support roles in MAF’s operations. With a chance in the next 48 hours to visit two destinations where MAF is supporting missionary activities, Judith reminds me that I have an opportunity to directly experience a side of the work that most of this team will never witness. A sense of humility and ‘standing-upon-the shoulders-of-giants’ descends upon me.

Less than 24 hours after arriving at Juba’s airport, I’m soon back there for a flight with MAF to Malualkon, a remote destination in the country’s north. We’re bringing in the Ward family who serve with Cush for Christ and pilot Adrian Rose prays for a safe journey.

Before departing, Adrian also invites me to sit with him up at the front of the plane. In MAF terms, a seat in the cockpit is considered on par with an upgrade to first class. Strapping myself in, I can’t help but notice the dazzling array of buttons and dials just in front of me. The temptation to start pushing random ones is overwhelming, but I discipline myself. The noise factor of flying with MAF remains though and Adrian passes me a chunky headphone set. Putting it in place, once again I find myself staring at the control panel, wondering if one of them will tune me into Classic FM.

Having not been able to hear anyone else during the earlier MAF flight, suddenly I can hear Adrian, Juba control tower and anyone else who cares to use the local aviation airwaves. The amount of chatter going back and forward between the planes that are coming and going is overwhelming. Fortunately things get quieter as we get airborne.

A short while later, Adrian informs me that we are likely to encounter some “weather” during the two-hour journey. It’s a somewhat strange statement, since his comment also leaves open the possibility that we may not experience any weather. What does a weather-less day involve I wonder? As the plane starts vibrating and shuddering, I soon come to understand that ‘weather’ is pilot-speak for rain and storm clouds. ‘Weather’ at 10,000 feet also has a particularly unpleasant smell about it, until Adrian explains that this has been caused by one of the Ward children vomiting into the black bag that is provided.

The arrival in Malualkon is a welcome one, both for those on board and the community that has come out en masse to greet us. We unload the Wards’ packages and depart the airstrip for Cush for Christ’s base. The half-dozen international staff are involved in a radio ministry there as well as offering discipleship courses for church leaders. They are also living a traditional missionary lifestyle, in shelters they have built themselves using local material (and a few resources flown in by MAF). Night descends as we eat together, and I talk with the team about how God is using their ministry. The tales are inspiring in many ways, but we have to return to Juba at first light, so we call it a night and I fall asleep staring at the incredible amount of stars that God has created.

JUNE 12th

Knowing that the roads will be chaotic, I wolf down far more chips than I should so we can take an early taxi to the MAF hangar. It’s the same driver who met me two days ago when I first arrived in the country. We probably would have made faster progress through the traffic by borrowing his mountain bike.

Today is a day of two halves. In the morning I train Katie, one of the MAF Kenya team who is helping us gather the reports, stories and photos that MAF UK needs to publicise the ministry. In the afternoon, I’m scheduled to board my fifth flight in three days, heading to Juba in South Sudan where MAF has an extensive operation.

Although MAF does operate shuttle flights between Nairobi and Juba, I’m flying direct with another airline. At least, I am hoping to fly... Upon check-in, I’m told that the flight has been delayed by a couple of hours. Needing to let people know I’ll be arriving later, I scan the walls, the car park and the terminal building for a payphone, to no avail. Eventually I ask a bystander if I can make a call from his mobile and he willingly agrees.

I have been reassured that Juba’s roads don’t yet have enough vehicles on them to do traffic jams and upon arrival that certainly seems to be the case. Driving around the capital of the world’s newest country, I’m also making a mental checklist of what else Juba doesn’t ‘do’ – buildings more than four storeys’ tall for a start.

My main contact on the Juba team is Judith, an extroverted Newfoundlander who I’ve met before at a training conference for MAF staff working in information-gathering roles. She has a Bible study that night at her place and we head straight there. Somehow she’s found out that today is my birthday and a plate of brownies, one including a candle, is produced. A group of mostly South Sudanese friends from the local church she attends perform a wonderful rendition of happy birthday, and the ice is broken for a study on Jeremiah. This is my first visit to South Sudan and within an hour, I am studying God’s Word with my brothers and sisters in Christ. What a privilege to belong to the largest and greatest family on earth!

JUNE 11th

The Methodist Guest House in Nairobi where I’m staying at serves chips for breakfast. My home for the next couple of days is making it possible for me to start the day with chips. I don’t have long to savour them though - I’m off to the MAF hangar at the city’s Wilson Airport, where I’ll be briefed about the organisation’s work in Kenya and South Sudan and then jump on my very first flight!

Along with a group of MAF UK’s trustees, we head off to Marsabit in the country’s north. All of us are flying MAF for the first time and we’re giddy with the excitement of schoolchildren. Our chatter comes to an abrupt halt as soon as the engine starts though – sitting on board a non-pressurised small aircraft has to be one of the best conversation killers going. Brad, our pilot, passes us all some much needed air plugs.

As with yesterday’s taxi, my views from the window are obscured – this time by clouds. With nothing but white fluffy stuff to see and no-one I can hear to talk to, I settle down for some of the sleep I lost en route to Kenya.

We’ve been advised by Brad to save our photos until arriving in Marsabit, because it apparently “looks much more like Africa”. As the plane lands on a remote airstrip, his description proves itself correct; reddish mud tracks snake through small basic units of accommodation, while the lush greenery thrives under the relentless sun.

We’re in Marsabit to see an orphanage that MAF has helped support. We meet Pastor John Arero who oversees the home and we head to his house first for lunch. The walls of his homely abode feature several certificates and photos; the pastor graduating from Bible college; and being presented a certificate by one of Kenya’s former presidents for his work amongst Marsabit’s least fortunate.

The orphanage is surprisingly empty, with most of the 35 children still in classes at the local schools they attend. We do however explore a sturdy chicken coop that MAF donors have provided the funding for. Ultimately this will be home to a hundred chickens and provide the orphanage with some much needed income. With there being no chickens in Marsabit, the animals will be flown in by MAF too. I’m left wondering if Brad also has a stash of chicken-sized earplugs?

Walking back to the airstrip I speak with Gabriel, a former resident at the home who is now a young man. His passion for Christ is overflowing and I’m delighted to hear that MAF is subsiding flights for him to complete a community development course in Nairobi, in order for him to assist the orphans and others in the town.

More clouds and more nod on the way back to Wilson. The four of us from MAF UK are being hosted by Brad and his wife for a meal that evening, but any road between the hangar and his accommodation has seemingly been shut for construction work. We complete the eight kilometre journey in slightly over two hours. Thankfully the trip back to the guesthouse takes a matter of minutes and I’m soon in bed, dreaming of fried potato.

JUNE 10th

My taxi driver tells me he likes mountain biking. Nothing so unusual about that, except I’m in Kenya, and I wasn’t expecting the capital Nairobi to be a global hotspot for those who like to trek on two wheels. Maybe it is? I’m not actually spotting many mountains, but with night having fallen I’m not seeing too much out of the car windows… except the number plate of the car in front. We’re stuck in a traffic jam and after taking two flights with a stopover in the middle of the night, I’m not actually relishing the moment.

I’m not here for the thrills and an African adventure though. As a communications officer serving with Mission Aviation Fellowship, I’m here to experience what God is doing through the teams in Kenya and neighbouring South Sudan. I’m hoping this insight will enable me to better tell others, that they may be inspired to partner with us through prayer and support.





















 

We're in Kenya!

I left my house at 4.00pm on Tuesday met up with my colleague Richard. We both travelled by train arrived onwards to Heathrow. We both waited for our plane headed straight off to Dubai Nairobi, Kenya. We both arrived at 3.00pm Wednesday afternoon.

My first experience was trying to fill out 5 different forms for a visa, the experience for me was tough. As a Dyslexic this was my worst nightmare! Once working out what other people were doing around me I just copied what they were doing it was fine.

Kenya is three hours ahead so we actually met our taxi at 3.30pm Nairobi time. With not knowing much of what to expect and having never been to Kenya or even Africa before! Exciting times!

I didn’t know what to expect before the airport opened, once I walked out of the airport, I was totally immersed in a new world.

I was immediately overwhelmed firstly by the noise; the traffic is lots of road signs, advertising billboards indicating and the noise. Cars, bikes and buses just moving forward into any available space that was available, at first it was gridlock once everyone worked out where to go – everything feel into place the traffic was moving quickly. A bit too quickly at times

On the drive across the city, there were many people walking along the side of the roads, many were in suits  and colourful rich clothes heading home from work and school. You could feel the hustle and bustle of a city but one like none I had ever experienced before.

All the people in the city were walking in and out of the fast moving traffic not looking where they were going. No one seemed to notice this chaos. Once I settled into the journey I could see there were many vacant and derelict buildings littering the landscape many unfinished. The buildings had many Chinese billboards and advertising; I was told later on the MAF staff that many nationalised Chinese companies are investing heavily into the Kenyan economy which marked changing times in the new globalised economy. This seems to give the Kenyan capital energy which you felt all around you.

Fighting through the traffic and people-watching made the time fly and the taxi arrived at MAF's hangar at Wilson Airport. I spent the day meeting with all the staff who works in a variety of positions. The aircraft in Hangar looked amazing! Much bigger in size than I have expected!  I will be uploading photos to the MAF website and Facebook when I have arrived back from the UK. Amazing stuff!

I spent a couple hours with the MAF engineers taking apart a whole aircraft. Incredible seeing the engineers taking aprt each piece of the engine putting it back together shortly afterwards!

Wow what a epic day. We landed at the Hotel totally exhausted... Its many hours on the plane with no sleep, GREAT! We will be heading back to the MAF hangar at Wilson Airport in the morning to find out more about the Kenyan programme. I’m really excited to finally see MAF’s work in the field seeing difference that the planes and MAF staff make in Kenya. I will be keeping you posted with future updates when we have internet! Take care.  Marcus J

First visit

For the next 7 days I will be reporting for MAF from Kenya with my colleague Richard Hubbard.  Richard is an experienced traveller, however this will be my first visit to Africa, I will be recording thoughts and experiences in this blog whilst visiting various MAF partners, programmes and people.

We will be going to Mfangano Island in Lake Victoria, where we will be meeting the children and teachers from the Gethsemane Garden Christian Centre. We will be handing out plane messages from the recent Christmas appeal and will record the children's response on film, so that we can share this special moment with you.

There may be opportunities during the week to go out on some MAF flights and experience the work that MAF does first hand, this will be particularly exciting for me as I am usually the person who updates all the online materials in the UK.

Watch this space, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for regular updates on our journey. We would love to share the blog with your friends. Please pray for us.


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