The unsung heroes of MAF work at a desk all day but their passion is enabling MAF to reach isolated people.
Story by Tajs Jespersen
No amount of challenges can stop the finance team from securing the supplies MAF needs to stay in the air. That much is clear when talking to Fraser Norbury, Head of Finance in MAF PNG.
“Because of a complicated fuel supplier situation in PNG, we thought it prudent to import fuel from New Zealand in order to keep ourselves airborne," said Fraser.
Being a finance officer at MAF’s base in Mount Hagen doesn’t sound as exciting as flying planes to remote communities, but Fraser and his team are always facing new challenges.
”The banking system we use had such severe technical issues after an upgrade, that we had to pay our staff in cash," said Fraser.
These challenges are something Fraser enjoys responding to, and he has a talented team of five other staff members in PNG that keep the numbers in check.
One of them is Janet Hat, who is the Senior Finance Officer. She is the most experienced worker in the team, and helps to train the newer staff.
In PNG, the fuel situation is always changing, and Janet knows how essential it is to keep the supply flowing.
“What I love most is to pay MAF’s fuel supplier every month. It takes me almost two, three whole days to get this paid,” said Janet. “Fuel is very important to us. We can't fly without fuel.”
Clyde Johnny, the newest member of the team, is happy to contribute to MAF’s mission. While his task is to deal with the numbers, he also focuses on the goal and the importance of his work for PNG.
“(It’s for the) Christian mission field. Because we cannot push our mission without money,” said Clyde.