September 2019

An Ida-Holz Collection of MAF Stories Worldwide

Do not forget to do good and to share with others;

with such practices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16

In July, MAF’s Disaster Response Team met

in Nampa and the Idaho mountains for two

weeks of training. They honed their use of

processes, go-kits, communication

equipment, and other critical skills. Part of

the training included a surprise simulated

response: with just three hours’ notice they

all had to get their go-kits ready to deploy.

Then they conducted an aerial assessment

flight, and when that was finished, they

were driven to a remote mountain location

where two competing teams had to set up

a VSAT system and upload their aerial

photos embedded in a Google Earth map.

Other exercises followed, and their time

together ended with three days of security

training. We know that nothing happens

without God’s knowledge and plan. This

training will come in handy as our Disaster

Relief staff continue to mobilize in Florida

to assist Samaritan's Purse (SP)

and Missionary Flights International (MFI) .

Disaster Relief staff participate in a simulated

relief response in Idaho. Photo by Brent Palmer Hello Everyone!

Are you frustrated by seeing

NEWS reports of the most

recent global devastation ...

without being able to help?

Well, here at MAF in Idaho,

the frustration that normally

would have accompanied

those troubling pictures of

the devastation following

Hurricane Dorian, for us was turned into relief, because . . .

Mission Aviation Fellowship was prepared (see article to left), and

summoned, to help other missions as first responders to the

disaster. MAF’s Disaster Relief team and a few of our pilots

worked with Samaritan’s Purse (SP) and Missionary Flights

International (MFI) in the early stages of the disaster response.

Though current updates can be viewed at www.maf.org/dorian,

here some highlights of our first responses after the hurricane.

MAF Disaster Response staff

John Woodberry (flight ops

support), and Brent Palmer

(Caravan pilot), helped with

flights, supported medical

teams, and set up an SP

emergency field hospital.

The 40 bed hospital is now

complete with an emergency

room, operating room, and an outpatient department that can

serve up to 100 patients a day.

Steve and Judy Holz; Mission Aviation Fellowship; P.O. Box 47; Nampa, ID 83653; www.maf.org/holz

As with any family, the blessings from the good done

by anyone is enjoyed by all. As Steve and I helped in

the training and sending out of some of the staff now

helping in the Bahamas, you have been helping us as

we support them. Thank you, MAF family, for your

part in this joint endeavor. Doesn’t that feel good?

(Dorian Disaster Response, Continued)

MAF staff also helped SP with the arrangements for some tarps to be

flown in to shelter the homeless, and assisted SP with some

relocation flights.

John Gorenflo and Vaughn Woodward, assisting MFI relief efforts,

were sent to help

with a variety of

detailed tasks that

led to relief flights.

When they first

arrived, they were

able to secure flight permissions and operating approvals from

the Bahamas and they identified on-ground partners to receive

the aid goods while completing the paperwork for import duty

exemptions. (The picture shows receiving MFI’s facility.)

MAF staff on-the-scene continue to help keep the relief efforts going, paving a path for the practical assistance

needed for the thousands of homeless and needy since the disaster of Hurricane Dorian.

We thank God for this opportunity to participate, reaching out with the love of Christ through practical service!

Unloading the SP Emergency Field Hospital

Gathering medical and relief supplies for the Bahamas.

Meanwhile, Back At The Home Front . . .

*MAF staff raise support for a pooled fund out of which MAF covers salary, housing, benefits, and staff-related expenses.

MAF exercises discretion over the use of staff support to carry out its mission and care for its staff.

Please pray for God’s wisdom for us. And will

you also pray to confirm with God what He desires for

your involvement in our ministry with MAF? Whether all

our prayers result in more financial support or less, we

appreciate that you’ll seek the Lord on our behalf, and

that He will “work out His plans” for our lives.

Thank you for praying for and with us,

and God bless you all!

Steve and Judy

The Lord will work out His plans for my life — Your

faithful love, O LORD, endures forever! Psalm 138:8

We have been blown away by the fact that

our ministry support average* has consistently

averaged 100% through the first half of 2019! We are

amazed that most of our regular supporters have also

been partnering with us for decades! Thank you for

persevering in ministry with us “through the decades”!

(I think there is a television show by that name.)

But currently, with life changes, retirement, and even

the deaths of some of our major supporters, we have an

average support shortfall of $2,500 monthly. We are

praying for God’s wisdom and direction concerning this.