Thanks for your support. News: East Timor

We want to say a personal thank you for your support. It really does make a difference.

Here are new projects you will help fund:

• ·         Bremer, $600. We are starting a Bible  Study on Bremer Island which has around 15 Christians in the making. We are looking to purchase 15 Study Bibles, 1 Large Print Study Bible for the old lady, LakLak, who’s eyes are failing her, and the Christianity Explianed Course with 15 workbooks.
• ·         Easter, $2000: Easter Outreach into the Homelands. We are meeting at our house after Church tomorrow with Yolŋu leaders to arrange details of what we can do at Easter in the Homelands. We are looking to send a team to at least three of the largest, reaching over 200 Yolŋu for Christ.
• ·         Dry Season Outreach, $4000: An ongoing outreach program into the homelands on Saturdays and Sundays. This is in the planning stage, but we are seeking God’s guidance on how this can be resourced.
• ·         Return to Service:  $100 per week. We are completing our second MAF term at the end of this year. To return to the mission field, we need to raise an additional $100 per week.
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Last year we were able to complete:

·         Bremer Island outreach, every two or three weeks for a year

·         Easter Outreach

·         Several Monthly Outreach Events

·         Christmas outreach to all Laynha Homelands

We also supported:

·         Steve Grace converts in Millingimbi, Ramingining, Elcho Island, Lake Evella, Numbulwar Yirrkala

·         Dave Stanfield ministry to the same communities

·         Kevin Sigai, an Aboriginal Evangelist, to Yirrkala full time

·         Men’s Camp in Yirrkala

This year, we also have planned support for:

·         Revival Meeting in Elcho

·         Steve Grace converts in Millingimbi, Ramingining, Elcho Island, Lake Evella, Numbulwar Yirrkala

·         Dave Stanfield ministry trip

·         Kevin Sigai full time ministry from staff tithings

·         Men’s Camp in Yirrkala

Please pray for:

·         For God to find new supporters with a heart to regularly support us

·         Give thanks for God’s provision

East Timor

On Easter Monday I will be traveling to East Timor to operate the base there until August and fly all MAF operations. The history of East Timor is one of oppression and violence. In December 1975 Indonesian forces invaded and took the lives of 250,000 individuals. More recently in 1999 the Indonesian forces killed aproximatley 1,400 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 into Western Timor is refugees. The violence was brought to an end in May 2002 with an Australian peace keeping force moving in and the Indonesian forces moving out, but not before the outgoing forces destroyed the majority of the country’s infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply, schools, and nearly 100% of the country’s electrical grid. In February 2008 a rebel group staged an unsuccessful attack against the government. Since then, peace has returned for the most part, but a constant situation of uncertain security and civil unrest continues.

In July 2007 MAF opened a base in the capital city of Dili to help in the general rebuilding of the country and improve access to isolated communities. MAF air service would help a large number of Timorese especially in the area of medical evacuations which is the majority of our work there. We also help NGO (non- government organization) communities to better support access and supervision of a wide range of development projects underway around the country; other agencies broadly involved in the rebuilding and strengthening of the nation

For me this is a great honor to be asked. In practice it means I have eight days of mountain flying training in East Timor to complete starting after Easter, and in that time I need to learn and  takeover the operation and keep it operational until a new pilot family arrives in August. I will continue to act as a relief pilot for East Timor on an ongoing basis, to relieve the single pilot family, who arrive in August, during holiday and sickness periods.

I will be spending several three week periods in East Timor, after the first I come home to attend a Regional Managers Training Conference in Arnhem Land; back to East Timor for three weeks then back to Arnhem Land for the Asia Pacific Staff Conference which I am speaking at for three days;  a short holiday, then back to East Timor and home for August.

Please pray for:

·         Clare and the family in Arnhem Land when I am away

·         That the new East Timor family raise enough support to arrive for August

·         Successful and safe mountain flying

·         Being a great Witness for Jesus

More details: www.maf.org.au

One of the flights we make is across Indonesian territory, as East Timor is in two areas separated by Indonesia.  We fly at low level, under the radar and over sea as much as possible. They know we operate there, but keeping out of their way has proven to be the more successful strategy.

Japan

Due to the fact that we’ve had a couple of inquiries about the involvement of MAF in the disaster relief effort in Japan, I wanted to let you know that the services of MAF are not needed as very few of the agencies we normally work with are based in such a developed country.  Therefore we have not set up a relief fund for the disaster.  

One organisation in the area is Samaritans Purse and they are working with local churches to distribute food, water, blankets, hygiene supplies and other aid to people in areas affected by the earthquake and Tsunami last week.  For more information please see http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/pray_for_japan/

God’s Provision

Four new much needed pilots join Arnhem Land this week. My role is to facilitate their induction and lead them through to operational flying in five weeks. Earlier this year I became a MAF instructor pilot, so these new staff will be my first students.

Please pray for them (and me)!

Are We Effective?

The weather has been very bad recently. Yesterday, my last flight of the day, I departed a small homeland inbound to Gove with a small Yolŋu family on board. The weather was shocking; we could not see Gove, so I skirted around the outside of the storm descending under the cloud base with the ground features becoming clearly visible. I headed for the coast and crept around the back and under the storm at low level. As a pilot, I was Safe, Legal and with Margin - this is how MAF pilots fly; as a passenger, this is not so obvious. I looked around to assure the passengers only to find the Yolŋu lady with her hands in the praying position, eyes closed and visibly talking to God. When we landed I thanked her for her prayers and she proudly said, “I am a woman of God”.

Thanks for all your support.

In Him – Paul, Clare and Family.

Paul Woodington

Cultural Development Officer and Pilot

MAF ARNHEM LAND, AUSTRALIA 

Phone: +61 407 045 349

email:MAF.paul@woodington.com

www.woodington.com