Thousands of patients were treated and people can now hear the Bible in their own language, thanks to a successful outreach that flew with MAF
MAF flights in Guinea were operating at just the right time to enable a visiting Christian medical team to carry out life-changing work in an isolated part of the country.
While efforts were still progressing with the authorities to establish the programme in Guinea, temporary permission was granted to allow MAF to fly its first charter.
It was an answer to prayer for Mission Partners For Christ who would have had to choose between a gruelling trip on difficult roads or an expensive alternative flight with another company using two smaller aircraft.
“Hundreds of people started praying,” Sheri Postma, founder of Mission Partners for Christ, said.
“Finally, we saw our prayers answered and MAF received the temporary permission. We were the first (charter) passengers flying with MAF Guinea.”
The MAF flight took the American team from the capital Conakry to a regional airstrip, but they still faced a further two-hour road journey to their destination.
Hundreds of people started praying. Finally, we saw our prayers answered and MAF received the temporary permission.
Working with a pastor from Conakry, the group brought help, hope and healing as they treated patients, prayed for the sick and shared the Gospel.
“We were able to bring 84 solar audio Bibles with micro-SD cards so they could hear the Gospel message in their language,” Sheri said.
On their first day in the community the team treated 389 patients, then the next day they saw 650 patients at another village.
Sheri said: “So many came out. We treated 2380 patients, and a total of 15 people opened their hearts to Jesus during the week of the medical outreach.”
Among the many health issues they treated, the group saw a significant number of cases of stomach worms due to people having lack of access to clean water. The missionaries are now raising support for another clean water well, and praying for people to maintain it.
MAF Guinea Country Director Lisa Blomberg said it was a privilege to work with Mission Partners for Christ - flying them to the isolated villages where they provided care.
“It was not easy to coordinate permissions at that time, but we were grateful for the support of the authorities and for the involvement of the MAF pilot who came from Uganda to make the trip possible,” Lisa said.
“MAF is in Guinea to serve and help meet the needs of families in these isolated communities and we’re delighted that we could help Sheri and the team. We look forward to working with Mission Partners for Christ on further trips in Guinea and other nations where MAF works.”
Within two months of the medical outreach, this unreached people group has its first underground church where 24 people are regularly gathering to grow in their Christian faith. Almost every patient treated is reporting that since the medical team visit they are feeling much better.