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Read or watch today’s Christmas Story to find out what special item(s) we had onboard our plane today!
Choose from the options below and record your answer on your printable Advent Log available here. Then, from December 25 – 30, visit maf.ca/advent to upload your answers for a chance to win a VR headset!
Don’t have a printer? Don’t worry. Simply use a piece of paper to record each day’s special item.
What did we put in our plane today?
In the attic, Mike found a diary and old map
With the story of how MAF began.
Mike decided, for his Christmas mission,
He had an exciting plan!
Each page was filled with pictures and tales,
One for each country in which MAF flies.
From the first of these nations until the last
He’d provide much-needed supplies.
Now, jump inside Mike’s MAF plane,
There’s so much to learn and see;
Though Christmas is fast approaching,
There’s still space for you and me!
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
Mike’s little plane touched safely down
In the jungles of Ecuador.
He stepped out of the cabin and looked around
It’s a great place to explore!
Up to the aircraft came a smiling man,
Jaime Saint was his name.
Many years before, his grandfather Nate,
Had visited this place in his plane.
Some violent men from the jungle
Had killed Nate and all his friends.
But their story’s inspired many folk since,
Because the warriors made amends.
‘There are snakes in this jungle,’ said Jaime,
‘They’ll harm you if they bite.
Is there anti-venom in your plane,
So our nurse can make things right?’
Mike had just the thing in his plane,
So Jaime smiled at the sight;
Happy the villagers would be okay
Whenever they got a snakebite.
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
Mike touched down at the next place on his map:
South Sudan – a dry, dusty place.
A family of six was waiting for him,
Each had a big smile on their face.
‘We’re here to help the Laarim people,
But we can’t buy fresh food, you see.
We must get our fruit and veg flown in,
If we want to have them for tea!’
‘No problem!’ said Mike, as he opened the hold,
‘You can have the fruit, cabbage and beans.’
‘Thank you, Mike!’ the mother said,
‘We’ll stay healthy by eating our greens!’
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
Landing in a place called Wanakipa,
Mike found himself surrounded
By friendly Papua New Guineans,
Looking astonished and astounded!
A lady called Harriëtte called up to him,
‘We were praying you had Bibles in your hold.
My friends want the Scriptures for themselves,
But my very last copy’s been sold.’
‘Let’s take a look,’ said Mike, looking around,
Before emerging with a crate.
It was full of Bibles in the Tok Pisin tongue.
‘Thanks,’ said Harriëtte, ‘Now that’s really great!’
‘Thanks!’ said the villagers crowding around.
‘Now we all can read of God’s love.
We hoped you’d be able to help us,
When we saw your plane flying above.’
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
Mike’s next stop was the island of Papua,
Where he planned to pick up some fuel.
He’d also spend time with some children
Who attended a missionary school.
As Mike touched down on the airstrip,
A girl ran towards him, called Grace.
‘We’re going to help in a far-away village,
Could you fly my class to that place?
‘We’re going to clear stones from their airstrip,
‘Do you have anything to use in your plane?’
‘I always carry some shovels,’ said Mike,
‘For use when there’s bumpy terrain!’
So the children jumped into Mike’s aircraft,
And they flew to a place far away.
The villagers were so pleased to see them,
‘Thanks for coming to help us today!
‘We rely on your planes in our village.
With no stones, you can now land with ease;
Bringing doctors, teachers and pastors
To provide us with their expertise.’
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
The next stop for Mike was Brazil,
And the city of Porto Velho.
As he carefully landed his plane,
He was met by a very nice fellow.
‘Hello, my name’s Dr Eddie,
Could you take me to the Purus River?
With my colleagues, Tanya, Viviane and Rose,
There are toothbrushes to deliver.
‘The four of us are all dentists,
So we offer everyone our assistance.
Without us their teeth may get bad,
As the nearest town’s such a long distance.
Mike was happy to lend a hand,
So he helped the four dentists to board.
How happy they were to work together
And demonstrate the love of the Lord.
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
The remote mountains of Papua New Guinea
Are Pastor Jinga’s home.
He needs a radio to speak to his friends
Because he can’t do it by phone.
‘Could you set up a radio?’ the pastor asked,
‘We have no power or electrical wires.’
‘Of course!’ said Mike, reaching into his bag,
And pulling out some pliers.
Mike carefully connected the cables
To the rooftop solar panel,
So Pastor Jinga could then talk to his friends
By tuning in to the appropriate channel.
‘I can hear my friends!’ the pastor cried,
‘And speak to my head office too.
Thank you, Mike, for all your help.
God bless MAF, and God bless you.’
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
On Mike flew, for miles and miles,
Across the blue Indian Ocean.
He landed in Kenya in Africa,
Where he heard a great commotion.
Mike heard a call, ‘Hi, it’s Alpha here!’
Then he saw a great giraffe!
The pair had been friends for years and years,
And had shared many a happy laugh!
‘Come and see RedTribe’s beadwork;
They make jewellery to sell.
It gives these ladies the money they need
To buy medicine and food as well.’
Remembering Christmas was coming near,
Mike thought of an excellent plan.
‘This jewellery would be great for my mum,
May I buy some if I can?’
Mike thanked the ladies for the jewellery,
Which he soon stowed safely inside.
Then he turned with a grin to Alpha,
‘Will you join me for a ride?’
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
After a couple of hours in the air,
The friends landed in the DRC.
Heading towards the hangar,
They were greeted by MAF staff with glee.
‘Hello Mike, and Alpha too,
Could you help us with your plane?
We need to get some measles vaccines,
We’re so happy that you came.’
‘We’d love to help you,’ Mike replied,
As he unloaded vaccines they could use for injections.
‘Where do you want them delivered?’ he asked.
‘You will need to give us directions.’
‘They’re to go to the village of Lisala,
But be careful they don’t get too hot.
Because they’d no longer be effective,
And we’d have to throw out the lot.’
The people gave a sigh of relief,
‘Now our children will be protected!
Measles is a nasty disease,
But thanks to you, they won’t be infected.’
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
After crossing the Atlantic Ocean,
The pair arrived at MAF’s Suriname base.
In the middle of a tropical rainforest,
It was a hot and sweaty place!
‘Hello, Mike, can you help our friend?
She’s about to have a child.
We need to get her to hospital now!’
‘We’d be happy to help,’ Mike smiled.
Alpha helped the lady up the steps
Into the back of Mike’s plane.
He made space for a nurse and the baby’s dad,
And then they took to the skies again.
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No sooner had they left the ground,
When Mike heard a little cry.
A tiny baby girl had been born
In the air – 200 feet high!
With mother and child both doing well,
To the hospital Mike flew.
As he safely landed his little plane,
All would be well, he knew.
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
Following the map, Mike and Alpha flew
Across the world to Australia.
They were met on the runway by a smiling man,
Carrying a huge box of paraphernalia.
‘G’day,’ said the man, ‘My name is John,
I’m an MAF engineer.
I fix our aircraft and keep them aloft,
Would you like to help me here?’
Mike grabbed his trusty toolbox
From the back of his little plane.
He joined friend John in the hangar,
‘Let’s get these planes flying again!’
The pair worked all day with their spanners and pliers,
Paintbrushes, hammers and drills.
Soon one of the planes looked shiny and new,
Ready to fly far over jungle and hills.
Once the paint was dry, Mike thought about
The adventures the planes had had.
John gave him a spanner as a souvenir,
Which Mike thought he’d save for his dad.
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
Northwards Mike flew on a fine sunny day,
To a place all covered with sand.
‘We must be in a desert,’ he thought.
‘It’s Chad,’ Alpha said, ‘a dry land!’
Down below, Mike spotted a camp,
With little tents all in a row.
‘I’ll land and help these people,’ he said,
‘They may need me to fly some cargo.’
Mike landed the plane and was met by a man,
‘I hope you can help us,’ he said.
‘We’re catching some very rare dama gazelle,
So that poachers don’t trap them instead.
‘We have a gazelle that needs taking
To the safety of our game reserves.
Would you fly her in your little aircraft,
So she can live the life she deserves?’
With tubes on her horns to protect the plane,
Alpha helped Becki the gazelle inside.
They flew her to the safety of her new home;
She seemed to enjoy the ride.
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
Next stop on their Advent adventure,
The friends flew to Kalimantan.
On the Indonesian island of Borneo,
They were determined to lend a hand.
Standing below by the airstrip,
Three MAF ladies were waving a greeting.
‘Could you fly us in your plane, please Mike?
We have to go to an important meeting.
‘We’re helping to translate the Bible
From English into Punan,
So people can read the Good News
In the language of Kalimantan.’
The ladies thanked Mike, and Alpha too,
‘You’re playing an important part
In enabling people to read God’s Word
In the language of their heart.’
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
The next stop, Australia’s remote homelands;
Arnhem Land, their destination.
As Mike landed the plane, folk seemed to be
In the midst of a great celebration!
Mike and Alpha joined the crowd.
There was cheering and applause.
Right at the front, giving out many gifts
Was what looked like Santa Claus!
‘Mike? Alpha?’ he said with a smile,
While walking towards the pair.
After removing his beard, they clearly saw
Their good friend Foxtrot standing there!
‘I’m giving gifts to all the children
Who live in the Laynhapuy homeland.
May I join you on your journey?
I could even give you a hand!’
The trio took off, to the next place,
Where the kids waited eagerly below.
When Foxtrot Santa give them a gift,
Their faces were all aglow!
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
The next place they landed was hot and remote,
MAF’s base in Arusha, Tanzania.
Waiting for them were five doctors who said,
‘We hope you can help us here.
‘We’re beginning a medical safari,
We must reach Gorimba in the west.
The people there have no doctor,
So we’re visiting at their request.’
Mike flew his passengers to the village
Where patients formed an orderly queue.
When they went to a doctor, he said to each one,
‘What seems to be troubling you?’
Once the villagers had been treated,
The doctors returned to the plane.
‘Thanks for the flight, Mike, we’ll be back
Next month to help them again!’
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
A country inside a country
Was the next place that Mike flew them to
Surrounded by South Africa,
It’s the Kingdom of Lesotho.
At MAF’s base, smiling Carolyn
Took something from her pocket.
‘I buy fabric like this for the women here,
So they can sew, sell and make a good profit.
‘The fabric I need is called Seshoeshoe,
It’s patterned, with colours so bright.’
‘We’ll go to market and bring you some back,’
Said Mike, ‘Will you join our next flight?’
The money that these ladies make
Helps their children go to college,
So they can get good jobs for themselves,
Having gained a lot of knowledge!
‘Please take this scarf,’ said Carolyn,
‘It’s a thank you for being my guest.’
The trio smiled and waved farewell,
They felt they’d been truly blessed.
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
The next stop for our friends was in Haiti,
Where they were met by a female physician.
‘The children here are thin, hungry and sick,
Because they suffer from malnutrition.
‘I need to send all these boxes
Of Plumpy’Nut peanut paste,
To the children who live in the mountains.
There isn’t a moment to waste!’
Quickly the cargo was stowed in the plane
Which flew to the right location.
After unloading, their passenger said,
‘This paste will save many from starvation.
‘Until they’re fit and healthy again,
We’ll feed all those in great need.
Thank you, friends, for your help today,
The MAF flight was useful indeed!’
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
Diary checked and journey logged,
Mike folded the old map away.
As his plane took flight, soaring high,
He wondered who he’d meet today!
The next stop on the map was Uganda,
In Africa where they’d been before.
Below on the runway was a smiling man;
Mike wondered what he had in store.
The man’s name was Issa, he welcomed the friends,
‘Could you help me to lead my workshop?
It’s for children who’ve had a terrible time,
Can we visit them on your next stop?’
‘Of course,’ said Mike, ‘Welcome aboard!’
Issa bought out some peg people and clay.
‘The children will use this stuff for fun,
Through the stories and games we’ll play.’
The children that Issa was helping,
Had witnessed some terrible crimes.
For they’d had to flee from civil war,
And felt sad and scared at times.
One of the children was Anna, who said,
‘You’ve taught me to be hopeful and strong,
Brave and fearless like Superwoman,
Thanks so much for coming along!’
Mike climbed back into the pilot’s seat
And began his important checks.
He turned to the next page of the diary
To see where he’d be flying to next.
When MAF first started flying in Timor-Leste, it was to help the Government improve the healthcare system in the early 2000s.
Last year, 346 of our passengers were emergency patients – that’s more than 1 every day of the year! There are hardly any hospitals in Timor-Leste, which is why MAF flies so many ill and injured people. Without MAF, it can take days to travel overland to see a doctor. Timor-Leste is one of the poorest countries in Asia, and one in three people don’t have clean water to drink. This means that many families catch diseases like typhoid and hepatitis from dirty water. MAF enables charities like WaterAid to set up clean water systems and teach people how to wash their hands, so diseases don’t spread.
Timor-Leste occupies half of the Island of Timor and is close to the north coast of Australia. The country shares borders with West Timor, which is part of the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara, the southernmost province of Indonesia.
10:49am, 18th January 2021
UTC +9
Timorese culture is heavily influenced by legend. The island’s creation myth says that an old crocodile turned into the island of Timor-Leste as payment of a debt to a young boy who’d helped the crocodile when it was ill. As a result, the island is shaped like a crocodile and the boy’s descendants are said to be the Timorese people who live there!
Although the weather can be a warm and tropical 30°C, it’s the rainy season. During December there can be as many as 25 days of rain – although most people don’t splash around in rainboots!
Coastline east of Dili showing the road to Manatuto. Photo by Mark Hewes.
The MAF Timor-Leste base in Dili has a cool curved roof over their aircraft hangar! Photo by Mark Hewes.
Timor-Leste has a wet season from December to May, and a dry season from June to November. Photo by Mark Hewes.
Although the runway in Dili is paved, many airstrips MAF planes land on are not. MAF Timor-Leste has it's base at Dili. Photo by Mark Hewes.
Dili is the capital city of Timor-Leste. Check out the colourful fruit and vegetables you can find in a market there! Photo by Mark Hewes.
Most of the flights MAF does in Timor-Leste are medical evacuations (medevacs). Photo by Mark Hewes.
Atauro Island is a small island situated 25 km north of Dili. MAF Timor-Leste often flies organisations to Atauro island so they can serve the people living there. Photo by Mark Hewes.
Wennie Fernandez is the founder of the Agape School for the Deaf, the only deaf school in Timor-Leste. She flies with MAF to deliver sign language training! Photo by Mark Hewes.
Earlier this year, MAF Timor-Leste Pilot Jason Job flew a medevac (medical emergency evacuation) flight for a young man who’d been bitten by a crocodile and needed to reach hospital urgently to save his badly damaged leg.
Nineteen-year-old Lino was working on his boat on a rainy day in January. Because the sea was dirty from the heavy rains, Lino didn’t see the crocodile approaching. Although his leg was badly bitten, Lino managed to escape by moving out of the water onto the sand.
Thankfully, the crocodile didn’t follow him, which most likely saved his life. A friend nearby phoned Lino’s brother and told him what had happened.
Crocodiles are believed to be sacred by the Timorese people. Many of the legends explaining how the island was formed include lafaek – the Tetun word for crocodile – because the mountainous ridges are said to resemble a crocodile’s head. In fact, many crocodiles hide in the murky waters of Timor-Leste.
When Pilot Jason Job heard about the accident, he set off from the MAF base in Dili to Baucau, where Lino lived.
About 40 minutes later, Jason reached Baucau, where he helped Lino, Lino’s brother, a nurse and another family member, onto the plane, ready for the flight to the hospital. Because of his leg, Lino needed to lie on a stretcher bed in the aircraft.
Back in Dili, an ambulance was waiting to take the young man to the National Hospital in order to save his leg. MAF Timor-Leste makes roughly 28 medevac flights a month, and each year we airlift one or two victims attacked by crocodiles.
MAF is grateful to been able help Lino in his time of need and we pray that he and other crocodile attack victims will make a complete recovery.
A medevac is the shorter word for a medical evacuation. This means taking someone from one place (often very remote) in an aeroplane to a hospital far away. Medevac flights are often people’s only choice in order to survive
Tetun is the language spoken on the island of Timor
Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Dear God, we thank You that MAF was able to take Lino to hospital quickly. Please heal his leg so he can walk and be happy again. Please protect the MAF Timor-Leste team as they help fly many other ill and injured people, like Lino, each month. Amen.
Encourage someone today, telling them what you love about them
