Day 1

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Day 1

‘MAF aircraft fly all sorts of things
To help people out,’ Mike said.
‘This Advent, let’s build a list of them
All the way from A to Z.’

A is for audio Bible,
For listening to God’s wonderful Word.
As Mike took off in his small aircraft,
He was glad the Good News would be heard.

The first stop was northern Australia,
The territory of Arnhem Land.
As Mike landed his plane on the airstrip,
A man came to lend him a hand.

‘Most Bibles here are in English.
That’s not something that’s easy to read.
But now we can hear our own language,
Your cargo’s a blessing indeed!’

Mike showed him the audio Bible,
All charged up by the sun’s warm rays.
No need to worry about batteries or plugs,
Now people could listen for days.

These audio Bibles are just one of the things
That MAF flies through the skies.
Join us tomorrow for the next letter,
And another exciting surprise.

Day 2

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Day 2

‘MAF aircraft fly all sorts of things
To help people out,’ Mike said.
‘This Advent, let’s build a list of them
All the way from A to Z.’

B is for blankets, cosy and warm,
Stacked up in the back of Mike’s plane.
Flying so high, he looked down at the view
But could only see muddy terrain.

Beneath Mike lay Sulawesi island,
A place where he often had flown.
This Indonesian land was ruined and scarred,
It was a true disaster zone!

There’d been an earthquake and tsunami,
But MAF had got there quick,
Delivering everything the people might need
To those who were injured or sick.

Mike brought his plane down safely
For the people who’d lost their homes.
They were glad to receive his blankets
To cover their weary bones.

These blankets are just one of the things
That MAF flies through the skies.
Join us tomorrow for the next letter,
And another exciting surprise.

Day 3

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Day 3

‘MAF aircraft fly all sorts of things
To help people out,’ Mike said.
‘This Advent, let’s build a list of them
All the way from A to Z.’

C is for chimpanzee – what a surprise!
As Mike turned his plane to the west,
A call came over his radio set,
‘Please respond to this urgent request!

‘A poor baby chimp has been injured,
She has fallen out of a tree.
Please will you help us by taking her
To the wildlife sanctuary?’

Mike landed his plane in Liberia,
Where he picked up the injured ape.
Her name was Mary Beauty,
And she’d had a lucky escape.

Some poachers had killed her mother,
Leaving Mary all alone.
Mike was only too happy to take her
To the safety of her new home.

Chimpanzees are just one of the things
That MAF flies through the skies.
Join us tomorrow for the next letter,
And another exciting surprise.

Day 4

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Day 4

‘MAF aircraft fly all sorts of things
To help people out,’ Mike said.
‘This Advent, let’s build a list of them
All the way from A to Z.’

D is for dentist – open wide!
They help us to keep our teeth healthy.
Although there are many in the UK,
Not every place is as wealthy.

The next stop for Mike was Papua,
And as he began to descend,
Down there waiting, below on the ground
Was a dentist called Ika, his friend!

‘Please take me to Nalca,’ said Ika,
‘I’m teaching the small children there
About how to clean and look after their teeth
And to treat all their smiles with care.

‘I use my puppets to teach them,
They really enjoy the show.
Fun helps the children remember
The toothbrushing skills they should know.’

Dentists are just some of passengers
That MAF flies through the skies.
Join us tomorrow for the next letter,
And another exciting surprise.

Day 5

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Day 5

‘MAF aircraft fly all sorts of things
To help people out,’ Mike said.
‘This Advent, let’s build a list of them
All the way from A to Z.’

E is for evangelist –
Which is quite a difficult word
For a person who tells others about God’s love,
So the Good News can be heard.

Elisha lives in Tanzania,
Where he shares God’s Word with his tribe.
He travels all over the area,
Preaching to those far and wide.

As Mike brought his plane to a standstill,
He saw Elisha with a giraffe.
It was his dear friend Alpha,
Who always made Mike laugh.

The pair were surrounded by people,
Who were eager to hear what they’d say.
They’d been sharing God’s love with the Maasai,
And teaching them all how to pray.

‘MAF flies me to faraway places.
If I walked, it would take many days,’
Said Elisha, as he entered the aircraft,
‘You’re such a great help Mike, always.’

‘May I join in your alphabet adventure?’
Alpha asked his good friend Mike.
‘To see the things MAF’s flying,
Is something I’d really like.’

Evangelists are just some of passengers
That MAF flies through the skies.
Join us tomorrow for the next letter,
And another exciting surprise.

Day 6

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Day 6

‘MAF aircraft fly all sorts of things
To help people out,’ Mike said.
‘This Advent, let’s build a list of them
All the way from A to Z.’

F is for fuel drums – jolly and red,
And very heavy indeed.
With fuel inside, to help our planes fly,
It’s just what our pilots need.

Mike’s next stop was back in Australia,
To MAF’s maintenance base.
Waiting was Pilot Bridget,
With a great big smile on her face.

‘Welcome, Mike and Alpha,
I hope you can help me today.
These drums full of fuel will help me fly
To Arnhem Land far away.’

The friends were only too happy to help,
And the drums were soon on the plane.
Then heading west towards Arnhem Land,
They knew they’d see their friends again.

These fuel drums are just one of the things
That MAF flies through the skies.
Join us tomorrow for the next letter,
And another exciting surprise.

Day 7

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Day 7

‘MAF aircraft fly all sorts of things
To help people out,’ Mike said.
‘This Advent, let’s build a list of them
All the way from A to Z.’

G is for glass eyes – they can’t help you see,
But they might help you feel more content
If you unfortunately lost your own eye
Through an illness or accident.

The next stop was Madagascar,
On the runway below was a fox.
It was their old friend Foxtrot,
In whose paws they saw a box.

Foxtrot handed over the cargo,
A big box filled with glass eyes.
They were needed in a faraway hospital,
To give a patient a nice surprise.

Foxtrot climbed into the aircraft,
And the friends were soon in the air,
Heading off to the remote village hospital,
To deliver the cargo there.

These glass eyes are just one of the things
That MAF flies through the skies.
Join us tomorrow for the next letter,
And another exciting surprise.

Day 8

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Day 8

‘MAF aircraft fly all sorts of things
To help people out,’ Mike said.
‘This Advent, let’s build a list of them
All the way from A to Z.’

H is for healthcare workers
Who use their special skills
To help people far from a hospital,
And take care of all their ills.

Next stop for the friends was Angola,
The home of Dr Tim.
He looks after people who aren’t very well,
So they were pleased they could help him.

‘Hello friends,’ said the doctor,
As Mike carefully landed his plane.
‘I’m needed in a hard-to-reach village,
Do you think you could help me again?

‘I help people when they’re feeling sick,
I tell them about Jesus too,
But the village is a very long way away,
So I can’t get there without you.’

‘Climb on board,’ shouted Alpha.
‘We’ll soon get you there,’ said Mike.
Foxtrot said, as he loaded the plane,
‘We’re glad we can save you a hike.’

Healthcare staff are just some of the passengers
That MAF flies through the skies.
Join us tomorrow for the next letter,
And another exciting surprise.

Day 9

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Day 9

‘MAF aircraft fly all sorts of things
To help people out,’ Mike said.
‘This Advent, let’s build a list of them
All the way from A to Z.’

I is for injured people,
Who need urgent medical care.
If they can’t get to hospital by car or bus,
MAF carries them in the air.

As Mike and his friends headed west,
An urgent call came through:
‘Could you hurry to the island of Timor-Leste?
We’ve an urgent job for you.

‘A villager was hurt on his bike,
When it started veering madly.
Please take the patient in your plane,
He needs a crutch quite badly.’

The friends were only too happy to help,
And they sped to the man in their plane.
They soon had him safe with the doctors
Who helped him feel better again.

Injured people are just some of the passengers
That MAF flies through the skies.
Join us tomorrow for the next letter,
And another exciting surprise.

Day 10

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Day 10

‘MAF aircraft fly all sorts of things
To help people out,’ Mike said.
‘This Advent, let’s build a list of them
All the way from A to Z.’

J is for the Jesus film,
With a powerful story to tell
Of what Jesus did in His time on earth,
And His power to change lives as well.

The next stop for the friends was Uganda,
To catch up with their old mate Sam,
Who works hard as an evangelist,
Which is why he’s a busy man.

Sam was below on the airstrip
As Mike brought his plane in to land.
‘Could you take me to the Ssese Islands?
I’ve something exciting planned.

‘The people who live in the islands
Have had a difficult year.
I’m going to show them the Jesus film;
They need some Christmas cheer!’

In no time at all, they were on their way
To the isolated location,
Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ
At the islanders’ celebration.

The Jesus film is just one of the things
That MAF flies through the skies.
Join us tomorrow for the next letter,
And another exciting surprise.

Day 11

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Day 11

‘MAF aircraft fly all sorts of things
To help people out,’ Mike said.
‘This Advent, let’s build a list of them
All the way from A to Z.’

K is for the Kündigs,
A couple from Switzerland.
They’ve been with MAF for many years,
And love to lend a hand.

Our friends flew to see them in Guinea,
Which is where Emil and Margrit live.
They are travelling around the country
To see what help MAF can give.

The roads in Guinea are not very good,
With some washed away by the rain.
It’s certainly easier to travel there
If you’re flying in Mike’s little plane.

It would be such a joy for the people
If there was an MAF base.
The Kündigs are working to set one up,
Which would be a great help for the place.

Alpha was very excited
To hear all the news of their mission.
He decided he’d stay and help them there;
He’d be a most useful addition.

The Kündigs are just some of the passengers
That MAF flies through the skies.
Join us tomorrow for the next letter,
And another exciting surprise.

Look around

Believe it or not, remote Arnhem Land can be found in northern Australia – and is a place where traditional Aboriginal communities live.

Many of the people, known as the Yolŋu, don’t have access to the Internet or mobile phones. The Yolŋu are poor and many believe old myths about dark spirits which make them suspicious and scared. MAF helps by flying children to school so they can have an education. We also carry pastors so they can build churches and tell people about God. It’s a busy programme, with MAF’s ten light aircraft flying back and forth so new MAF pilots can learn about landing on dusty bush airstrips, and Aboriginal Yolŋu can have access to modern technology.

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A little more about Arnhem Land...

Location

Arnhem Land is situated in Australia’s Northern Territory. The closest major city is Darwin, which is approximately 244km away.

View map

Time

8:22pm, 11th November 2025

UTC +9:30

Fascinating Fact

Arnhem Land is famous for its X-ray art, which accurately shows the organs and bones of animals and humans. Believed to be one of the oldest art traditions in the world, it is thought that this style of art began around 2000BC and is still used today!

Weather

Arnhem Land is currently experiencing the wet season, also known as the ‘Tropical Summer’. The temperature typically ranges from 25-33°C, and extreme monsoons can be expected.

450kg of food donated by Woolworths to the Yolŋu community as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Photo by Divyan Ahimaz.

Two Christian schools come together to experience each other’s cultures. Photo by Nhulunbuy Christian College.

Welcome to Baniyala! Photo by Divyan Ahimaz.

Preparing to take-off for an urgent medical evacuation flight to Wandawuy. Photo by Divyan Ahimaz.

A beautiful sunset over Ramingining. Photo by Philipp Techand.

When I grow up, I want to be an engineer

When your car breaks down, your mum or dad probably takes it to the garage so the mechaniccan get it working again.

When a plane needs fixing, it’s taken to a huge shed called a hangar where special aircraft engineers can take it apart to see what’s wrong.

Mareeba in Far North Queensland, Australia, is where lots of MAF’s planes get fixed. The team have lots of skills, from repairing the buttons and switches that help the pilot communicate, to making sure the powerful engines are working well.

When an aircraft needs it, the engineers can even give the plane a brand-new coat of paint!

In Australian schools, it’s part of the curriculum for students in Year 10 to get some work experience – giving them a taste of what it’s like to have a job. This helps students to make decisions about their future career choice.

MAF’s Mareeba hangar is a popular place for students to visit for their work experience because it helps give them a good idea of what it’s like to work as an engineer.

Joshua recently completed his work experience at the hangar and really enjoyed himself. This is what he says he got up to:

‘I polished one of the aircraft and watched while a wing was put back on a plane. I had a go driving the robot that moves the planes, and landed a plane in the flight simulator. The staff were very helpful, including Mr Sibthorpe. He was very nice.’

Mechanic

A person who repairs and maintains vehicles and other machinery.

Curriculum

The subjects and lessons that you are taught at school.

Flight Simulator

A machine that is used to help train pilots. It uses a computer to make it look like you’re sitting inside the cockpit of a plane, so you can practice flying an aircraft.

Read

Luke 1:26-27

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

Pray

Dear God, we thank You for the solar powered audio Bibles. Thank You that the Yolŋu can now hear the Good News and can explore Christianity in a meaningful way. May their faith in Jesus grow ever stronger. Amen.

Today's Challenge

Leave a letter of encouragement in a Library book when you return it, as a surprise for the next person.

Test

Here we will give you all the instructions you need to create a variety of super fun craft and delicious recipes this Christmas. Why not keep an eye out for something you could make and give away as a gift to someone?

Downloads

MAF Advent Adventure Story

Christmas activities

We help vulnerable people in hard-to-reach places, but we couldn’t do it without you

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