Lost and Found – A Life of Suffering

Kiir Dau Mathiang knows a great deal about suffering, he also knows a lot about how God can turn suffering around for his purposes.

Hailing from Malakal County, near the border between Sudan and South Sudan, Kiir, aged 3, lost his Father as a result of the civil war. Although he was one of four siblings, upon leaving Malakal County, 2 of them tragically died – leaving himself, his Mother and Sister.

In October of 1989 Kiir, and what remained of his family, fled to a refugee camp in Itang, just over the Ethiopian border, where they spent a whole year living under great tension. Kiir had been fishing in a nearby river when fighting broke out in the camp. Amidst the panic, Kiir’s Mother and Sister fled back into Sudan again but this time without him.

8 year old Kiir was alone but soon joined a group of 12,000 lost boys suffering the same plight. They set up camp nearby. However, as a result of the unrest in Ethiopa, Militia who opposed the Sudanese soon arrived and 5,000 boys lost their lives.

Kiir and the survivors formed groups. Fending for themselves, these groups would desperately scrounge for food and water where they could. There never was enough of either and due to exhaustion and hunger, some of the boys would literally sit down and die.

Hunger, thirst, harsh terrain, wild animals and disease were all threats that affected Kiir and the survivors as they plodded on. This lasted a whole year.

Having walked a 1000 miles, endured another violent outbreak in Ethiopia, been robbed by tribal bandits and having contracted tuberculosis, miraculously, the end to Kiir’s suffering was in sight. When Kiir and the survivors reached Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, they had truly and finally found refuge. Kiir was treated and cured of tuberculosis; he was even able to finish his schooling. He was finally safe. But wait, it gets better…

Kiir eventually applied to work for MAF and when accepted, he became a 3 month intern in our Kenya programme. He went on to accepting a ‘Head Bookings Officer’ position with MAF in South Sudan. His dream had been to work for a Christian NGO and to live a Christian life and God had been undeniably faithful.

As hoped, Kiir was reunited with his Mother and Sister in 2010 after 18 years of separation. Kiir now resides in Juba, living for God and working for MAF. Such an incredible story of how God, through many trials and tribulations, can bring scandalous redemption out of hopelessness.

Genesis 50:20 springs to mind “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

Scroll down for photos!

Kiir Dau Mathiang

Kiir hard a work with MAF Pilot Ryan Unger

Kiir reunited with his Mother

Kiir with his Mother and Sister

3 Fun Ways You Can THINK//INSIDE//THE//BOX

Our latest fundraising campaign, “Think Inside The Box”, exists to help isolated schools in PNG receive vital learning resources in order to ensure their students can remain and progress in education. Depending on where you go, the literacy rate in PNG can range from as little as 4% – 25%

THE//PRICE//OF//RICE

Rice is something MAF delivers loads of – tonnes in fact – and a staple at Oksapmin High School. What we’re challenging you to do is to make like MAF, and carry some rice yourself! You decide how much and for how long – just carry it safely in a backpack and get people to sponsor you for doing it. Once you’ve completed your challenge, hold a big cook-off, invite people over, and serve the rice with a dish of your choice. This would work particularly well if you do it as a youth group. Why not cook a big lunch for your church family after church one Sunday? Let us know your plans, and invite an MAF speaker along to talk about our work while you dig in!

BOXED//IN

Get sponsored to spend time in a box. Seriously! It’s harder than you think. Whether you do a few hours on your own or cover 24 hours as a group, set your target and then ask people to sponsor you to do it. You can get lots of unwanted cardboard boxes from supermarkets or high-street shops, so claim them, customise them, and get boxed in! If you are going to get boxed in, please let us know by using the hashtag #BoxedIn

SHOEBOX//SLEEPOVER

Everyone loves a good sleepover right? Mates, movies, popcorn, chocolate, ice cream, games, fun! But we challenge you to take only the bare essentials – the contents of a shoebox. Have a shoebox sleepover and pack your overnight stuff into an old shoebox (you can also bring a sleeping bag and pillow – we’re not that mean). Do it at home or church, gather some friends and give MAF some of the money you might have spent on all those extra goodies!

TIP: You could combine the two activities above and have a sleepover in which each member has to commit to 1-2 hour slots in the box.

Do think about how you could get involved! Be as creative as you like, you could even try and come up with your own fundraising activities! For more info, check out our website here —> http://maf-youth.org/thinkinsidethebox

4 Reasons Why We Pray – MAF Day of Prayer

This Sunday is MAF’s Day of Prayer! Churches across the country have been provided with Prayer Packs and will be joining us where they are to dig deep and move the heart of God!

Why do we pray though? Here are 4 essential reasons:

1. We’re told to!

The bible’s pretty clear about prayer being something that we should do. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 simply commands “Pray without ceasing”… that’s all the verse says! If scripture is God-breathed then we should obey without question.

2. It increases our joy!

In John 16:24, Jesus says “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be complete” – Amazing! Jesus’ desire is that we find ultimate joy through bringing our requests to the Father in His name! Praying is good for us and brings us satisfaction in Jesus.

3. It’s a massive privilege!

Romans 11:34 says “For who has known the mind of the Lord, who has been his Counsellor?” – There’s nothing we can bring to God that He doesn’t already know about, so what’s the point in praying? God can do what He wants can’t He? That’s the whole point! What’s staggering is the fact that the one who created the universe has allowed us to take part in His running of it! “God folds prayer into his causality” – Piper

4. It glorifies God!

“You also must help us by prayer so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many” (1 Corinthians 1:11)” Why prayer? Because it brings God glory! Answered prayer is a great testament to those who don’t know God! Answered prayer possesses the ability to cause awe, praise and thankfulness in anyone who sees it! If we love God, we’ll want Him to look great and prayer does just that!

Be encouraged! As MAF’s Day of Prayer awaits us on Sunday, let’s be thinking about how amazing it is to be able to pray together and let each reason fuel your prayers with passion and focus as we ask of God!

10 of Our Favourites – PNG Kids Edition

This week, we thought we’d treat you to a nice visual post full to the brim with some of our favourite pictures of kids from Papua New Guinea!

SO, without further ado…

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THINK//INSIDE//THE/BOX…

Would you like to join us in helping these lovely youngsters obtain their education? Why not take a moment and see what you can do!

More info here –> http://maf-youth.org/thinkinsidethebox

Kids love planes!

There’s just something undeniably interesting about planes. They’re vehicles that can fly! Assuming you’re not afraid of flying, a child-like excitement can well up from within when we board a plane. As the law of lift begins takes over the law of gravity, our stomachs go funny and our ears start popping. As the plane climbs higher, so does our excitement!

Dave Forney, an MAF Pilot serving in Uganda, recently shared about the encounters he has with local children where the fascination of planes is written across their faces.

“Kids love planes. That’s pretty universal. Anywhere in the world, if you introduce an airplane to a group of kids, they go bonkers”. Going ‘bonkers’ might not be the phrase most suited to our experiences in the West as flying occurs every single day, causing us to get used to it. In Ugandan and South Sudanese schools, however, Dave continues to describe the pandemonium!

In Uganda “…loads of school kids often come to our hangar in Kajjansi for a field trip to see the airplanes. It always amazes me how absolutely excited they are to get to see and touch a few parked airplanes – parked… as in not moving, engine not running; just sitting there quietly.”

In South Sudan “I offered to open up my plane and let them each take a turn in the pilot’s seat. You would have thought I had offered them a million bucks! Even the teachers!”

Planes are fun! Not just for going on holiday but as a tool that God uses through MAF to reach isolated communities in the developing world. We think that’s pretty awesome! If you do too then maybe it’s time to see aviation in a new way and get excited not just for planes but God’s mission too!

Would you like one of our speakers to come to your church, youth Group or CU. Want to hear more about MAF’s adventures? Of course you do. Click here! > http://maf-youth.org/thinkinsidethebox