‘It really has been great so far, seeing you guys again!’ Mike said, turning to his friends and smiling. ‘Friendship is so important, especially for MAF pilots and ground staff who build connections with the local people they live alongside and help.’

‘My good friend Shiv, who works for MAF in PNG, told me about something amazing. Something which has impacted many girls and women in her community,’ explained Alpha the giraffe.

‘Shiv attends the local Baptist church women’s fellowship where they share experiences, run workshops on knitting or peanut butter making, and read the Bible together. It helps them to understand God better and encourage one another.’

‘Yum! I love peanut butter sandwiches,’ exclaimed Foxtrot. ‘That’s amazing.’

‘You’re not still hungry after that Christmas dinner, are you?’ Mike asked, and Foxtrot replied with a big grin and a chuckle.

‘Shiv was telling me that girls and women in places like PNG don’t have all the feminine hygiene supplies they need to stay clean and comfortable each month. It can make them feel isolated and rejected.

‘Shiv wanted to do something to help, so when she attended a meeting, she gave out special re-usable sanitary kits donated by churches in Canada. It really blessed the women who needed them. MAF also gave out similar kits to girls in South Sudan.’

‘Wow!’ said Mike, ‘I bet if the girls feel cleaner and more comfortable and cared for, they’ll be able to stay in school and, when they’re older, lead happier lives. What a fantastic project! Thanks for sharing this, Alpha.’

Foxtrot agreed, saying, ‘I hope all the girls grow up learning their true worth and discover how precious they are to God – like shiny treasure. As it says in Isaiah 62:3, “The LORD will hold you in His hand for all to see – a splendid crown in the hand of God.”’