Pushing the plane back into the hangar after the day’s flying, a medevac call came in and the team reversed their actions. Marijke Muilwijk shares the story as she had the opportunity to join her husband pilot on that unexpected additional flight mission.
Story by Marijke Muilwijk
Very early in the morning, in a village deep in the jungle, a group of people prepared for a long walk. They knew that another bush place, Samban, had an airstrip and they could get a MAF flight from Samban to the hospital for nine-year-old-Amanda, who was so sick and mostly unconscious.
They started this eight-hour walk through the jungle, carrying the young girl by turns, hoping for help.
Piet already had finished flying for the day. He had a hot and busy day. Whilst pushing the plane into the hangar, he got a phone call from the Pryor family, missionaries who live in Samban. A medevac. Come asap!
With no hesitation, Piet and the base team got the plane out of the hangar again and started refuelling. Meanwhile he called me offering to come along for this flight.
After a 30-minutes flight we landed at Samban. The young girl was unconscious and caried into the plane, accompanied by her dad and an uncle. Karie Pryor told us, they tested her positive for TB and Malaria and that we must tell this to the hospital, so they will treat her for both!
Karie prayed with us, and Piet took off with his precious load.
After landing in Wewak, the hospital’s ambulance wasn't there. So, Jacob, one of our traffic officers prepared the MAF bus to drive her to the hospital. Just as they left the MAF base premises, the ambulance showed up!
Please thank God with us for looking after His people and providing possibilities to help.
Update on the patient by MAF PNG:
1 Decemerb 2023:
Despite some attempts to get an update on the girl's well-being two months after the medevac, the girl could not be traced down. We need to pray and leave it in the Lord's hands.
5 January 2024 more news arrived from Karie Pryor, Samban:
“I HAVE NEWS!! AMENDA IS ALIVE!!!
She recovered and is up and about playing in Manu (her village).
I was in my garden today and I offered a ride back to the village to a group from Manu and I asked about her. They knew her and confirmed she recovered and is back in the village. I am so grateful for the news. We have asked them to bring her up sometime so we can see her again well.”
