Madagascar, a very poor nation, is the fourth largest island in the world, over seven times larger than Scotland. It is prone to tropical cyclones, torrential rains and flooding, and the hostile climate renders three-quarters of the roads impassable for most of the year.
Mission Aviation Fellowship in Madagascar
Since 1988, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) has responded to the needs of the NGO community in Madagascar. Today, MAF works with more than 18 Malagasy relief groups to transform the lives of their own people in remote and inaccessible locations.
Project Outline
The Madagascar Mission Run will enable our partners to operate on a regular monthly basis. As the aircraft will be based in a remote region for several days at a time, there will be additional flights to satellite airstrips, saving our partners time and money and enabling new organisations to use MAF’s services. Charges will be on a seat cost basis, again saving valuable resources. This will particularly benefit local church-based mission partners. Every pound of subsidy that MAF can provide for our partners is another that can be spent on bringing clean water, healthcare, education, the Gospel and other aid to Madagascar.
Is it fair that one small, poorly equipped clinic is the only source of primary medical care for 250,000 people in the Beroroha region of Madagascar? Working with Hoveraid, MAF will fly medical teams to remote villages situated along the Mangoky River providing healthcare and health education.
There are no roads in the Tsiribine River region and only one landing strip. MAF can deliver medical teams which, together with an MAF collapsible boat, will enable week-long visits to villages along the river.
These are just a few of the examples of the nine locations that have been identified as high priority areas where, with your support, we can make huge improvements to people’s lives.
When disaster strikes the island, we are right at the forefront of relief operations with partners such as Red Cross, World Food Programme and World Health Organisation, bringing aid and support to people who have invariably had their homes and their livelihoods destroyed.
Working in Maroantsetra with Medair, we have been delivering pipes and drilling equipment to provide clean water.
Germany’s Agricultural Action and Nutrition National Office have recently been flying with MAF to look at ways of improving local agricultural practices.
Over 50% of the population of Madagascar follow indigenous beliefs, including ancestor worship, so there is an urgent need to spread the Good News that the Gospel brings in offering hope for the future to people who are in darkness.
Without our aircraft and the support of our partners, who is there to show mercy and give hope to these unfortunate souls?
That is why we offer such an invaluable service to visiting church teams, such as the team from South Africa who make an annual trip to evangelise with local Christians in Ankavandra, or the flights for Bible study leaders to Mananara to teach secondary school students about
the Bible.
Thank you
MAF is once again privileged to be working with the Church of Scotland Guild to see lives changed by the practical and biblical approach. Together, this means that many in Madagascar can respond to the call of Micah 6:8, when asked, ‘And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’