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

Guinea lies on the west coast of Africa and has a very varied landscape.

From coastal plains, mountainous regions, a savanna interior, and a forest area in the Guinea Highlands, the country has many barriers to access for remote villages. The highest peak is Mount Nimba at 1,752 m. The roads are very poor in Guinea – is has 44,348 km of roadways, only 4,342 km of which is paved. Air travel will save time on these terrible roads, and be much safer too, once MAF has established a flight programme there.

View pictures

A little more about Guinea...

Location

Guinea is located on Africa’s western coast. Its neighbours include Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

View map

Time

12:31pm, 11th November 2025

UTC +0

Fascinating Fact

The Guinean flag has three vertical stripes in three colours which all mean something different. The red represents sacrifice and labour, yellow reflects the riches of the earth, the sun and justice, and the green symbolises the country’s vegetation and unity.

Weather

It’s rather hot in Guinea in December, where temperatures can reach a sweltering 40°C! It’s also very dry, and you can expect a north-easterly wind called Harmattan, which blows dust and sand in from the desert.

A mission hospital at Nzerekore, Guinea. Photo by Margrit Kündig.

A street in Guinea. Photo by Margrit Kündig.

Students at a training school, start everyday learning life skills and values. Photo by Margrit Kündig.

A town in Guinea near the border of Liberia. Photo by Margrit Kündig.

A small village in Guinea. Photo by Margrit Kündig.

A picture of the Guinean flag - see fascinating fact for more information! Taken from Max Pixel.

Doing a new thing in west Africa!

Following three years of research, MAF is working on setting up a flight programme in Guinea.

Way back in 1948, MAF conducted its first survey in Sudan. MAF founders Stuart King and Jack Hemmings were keen to see if they could help isolated people in Africa. 75 years later, MAF is still doing surveys of other countries that need MAF’s help!

In 2015, MAF began serving in Liberia. Chief Pilot Emil and Finance Manager Margrit were in charge.

They noticed that the needs in Guinea, a neighbouring country, were also great, so in 2018 MAF organised a survey trip to Guinea. MAF Pilot Steve joined them, travelling to the capital Conakry from the UK.

Emil and Margrit made the two-day journey from Liberia by car. They drove from the Liberian capital Monrovia to the country’s border on tarmac roads, then through Sierra Leone in one day on very good roads.

As soon as they hit the border in Guinea, however, they realised that the roads were in a terrible condition! They could see why MAF was considering setting up a base there.

Six months later, they did a test flight for Mercy Ships, from Liberia to Conakry and then up to a remote location.

Emil and Margrit really wanted to help MAF get started in Guinea. So they left Liberia at the end of February 2020 and flew to Guinea with a planeload of belongings.

They took a break to see their family in Switzerland in March – just before the coronavirus lockdown began. Then they had to wait for Guinea to open up again. In August, when the President allowed aid workers to come, they returned.

Now they are learning more about Guinea (you can too!)* and can understand Guinean French quite well. They continue to be amazed at seeing God’s hand at work.

MAF can rent hangar space at the airport in Conakry, and the Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that they are welcome. MAF’s Cessna 208B aircraft, which used to fly in Mongolia, will now be used in Guinea.

Keep an eye on the MAF website or Facebook page for updates as to how things are progressing!

Survey

To examine and record an area, making note of its’ features, so you can make a map or plan.

Isolated people

Isolated means far away from other places, buildings, or other people.

Tarmac roads

Tarmac is what we use to surface our roads. It is made with crushed stones and mixed with other materials such as tar.

Facts about Guinea

Guinea is ranked 178 out of 189 countries on the UN’s Human Development Index, which measures things like life expectancy, levels of education and living standards. Widespread poverty is therefore high.
Life expectancy is 61 years of age.
1 in every 20 children won’t survive their first birthday.
According to the World Health Organisation, there is barely 1 doctor for every 1,000 people.
According to UN Sustainable Development Goals, a third of the population doesn’t have access to clean water.
According to the World Food Programme, 55% of the population live below the breadline.
Nearly 100,000 children under 5 suffer from severe malnutrition.
A quarter of the population doesn’t have enough food to eat.
According to the Omundi Index, 70% of Guinea’s people are illiterate.

Read

Luke 2:8

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

Pray

Dear God, today we thank You that MAF has this new opportunity to work in Guinea. We pray for the Kündig family as they get used to living in a different country, culture and climate. Amen.

Today's Challenge

Look around your neighbourhood, and identify any ways you could help – maybe you could pick up some litter, or pull out some weeds?

Did you complete yesterday's challenge?

Why not host a movie marathon with plenty of snacks, and ask your friends to donate to MAF as their ‘ticket’?

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MAF Advent Adventure Story

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