Communications Volunteer, Michelle Dauth, joined her first ever medevac mission as MAF answered a call to rescue a man bitten by a pig and a pregnant woman facing complications.
Story by Michelle Dauth
It was my first day of work as a communications volunteer at the MAF base in Mount Hagen. During the morning devotion, someone requested prayer for an MAF medevac going out to Yifki to rescue a man bitten by a pig. Little did I know, this medevac would be the one I’d later hop on.
Nervous and a little scared, but also oddly excited, I boarded the plane. And what started as a simple prayer for someone in the morning devotion, became my own unexpected adventure.
From the moment we took off, I was captivated by the breath-taking landscapes of Papua New Guinea – towering mountains, thick rainforests, and rivers like ribbons flowing across the landscape. Flying over this rugged terrain, I couldn’t help but wonder how much of it still remains unexplored, hidden from the world but fully known to its Creator.
As the day unfolded, I witnessed first-hand the incredible work of MAF, and the impact it has on the most remote and inaccessible parts of this beautiful country. And to be flown by Bridget Ingham made my experience all the more inspiring. It truly couldn’t have been any better!
On our way to Yifki, we picked Sundi, a pregnant woman experiencing childbirth complications in Hewa. She walked with a faint smile on her face, as though the sight of an MAF plane alone could ease her pain. She shared with my colleague, Aquilla, how prevalent childbirth complications are in her village. Having lost her first child, she now feared losing her second.
In that moment, I saw how MAF is more than just an aviation service. It connects the otherwise disconnected communities to necessary health care. And for many, the MAF plane is indeed more than just a mode of transportation – it is a lifeline.
How many others struggle to reach even the smallest glimpse of hope? The way to the airstrip alone can be a life-or-death journey.
While still in Hewa, Bridget was informed through the HF radio that the man in Yifki still hadn’t reached the airstrip, and that we should return to Mount Hagen. The thought weighed heavily on me. How many others struggle to reach even the smallest glimpse of hope? The way to the airstrip alone can be a life-or-death journey.
More than two weeks later, however, Bridget flew to Yifki, where she met Yinge, the man bitten by a pig. His wounds, treated by a local health worker, were mostly healed. As for Sundi, she gave birth to a baby girl at the Kudjip Nazarene Hospital and was discharged just a week later.
MAf’s work is indeed critical, and although we may not reach everyone in need or do so in time, we are still able to bring hope and healing to many across the country.