When I was growing up and even now the church I used to attend supports MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship). Yesterday evening I was sat in the worship annex at my current church I was reading my book while having a drink and I looked up at one of the information racks. There was an email from Max, he is one of the members of MAF team that were already out in Haiti.
MAF have three aircraft and a hangar based in Port-Au-Prince, they’ve been able to use this to fly in aid. From the email I read on the first day they flew back to Florida volunteers and team members who were not needed with the relieve effort – for example volunteers with family and children out there in Haiti with them. They then used the return trips to bring in aid where possible. A fourth aircraft is set to join the fleet.
Apparently the quake was the strongest to hit Haiti in 200 years.
Because they have these little planes they can get aid round the country where roads are blocked and things like that. They can then return with international workers who are evacuating the country. (This sounds like a harsh thing to do but if for one or another reason they can leave would it be better that they are heading home rather than using aid resources and things like that.)
The MAF website can be found here and the specify site about the relief effort in Haiti can be found here. If it is of interest I also found this on the MAF site explaning about how they have been working out there before the earthquake.
MAF has been based in Haiti since 1986. This disaster follows the widespread devastation caused by a series of hurricanes in Autumn 2008. With roads cut off and damaged, MAF’s Cessna aircraft flew essential emergency relief supplies to cut-off communities across the country.
John Woodberry asserts, ‘The MAF programme was here before the earthquake and in a strategic place to serve and help those in great need in Jesus’ name.’
If you would like to donate to MAF there is a link on their homepage (see the first link above).
Donations are still being taken through the DEC, Tearfund and Christian Aid amongst others. Donations of time by praying are so incredibly useful as well:
- Pray for the people of Haiti as they deal with the aftermath of the earthquake, ask the Lord to comfort those who are injured and mourning.
- Pray for rescue efforts to find survivors trapped in destroyed buildings and for communication links and power supplies to be restored quickly.
- Pray for a swift and generous response from the international community to help this disaster-prone poor country.
- Pray for the safety and protection of Tearfund staff and partners based in Haiti and that they will be able to respond as effectively as possible.
(Prayer points come from the Tearfund website)
