Three Malagasy HVM workers (Good News Hospital Mandritsara) sat relaxed in their chairs, waiting to board the flight to Mandritsara in early December.
Veromiantra, who proudly held her two-week old son in her arms. Since her wider family lives in Antananarivo, she thought it would be best for her to deliver in the capital. Marguerite, admin assistant for PAACS (Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons) and finance officer for the HVM Hospital, who flew to Antananarivo to take part in an evangelistic concert that was attended by 800 people. Tahiana, a young man in his thirties, who had just spent the last three weeks in the capital, looking after his sick parents.
Time-saving travels
Though these three passengers had different reasons to travel, they shared a common ground: Being able to fly back to Mandritsara instead of spending 28 long, cumbersome hours on the poorly maintained road in a fully booked taxi-brousse (bush taxi). In fact, Tahiana came to Antananarivo by road.
While waiting to board the plane, he told us that their bus had broken down. Him and the 22 other people that were on the bus with him had to spend the next two days in the minibus trying to find comfort and sleep.
When asked what difference it would make to Tahiana to travel by air instead of road, he simply responded “Ooh…” with a big smile on his face.
Marguerite nodded as she listened to Tahiana’s story. She had also taken the road to come to Antananarivo. She left Mandritsara at 8am, driving the whole night, and arrived in Antananarivo midday the next day and thankfully, without any breakdowns.
However, she ended up with swollen feet from sitting down for such long hours and of course, she was exhausted from the long trip.
It's such a joy and privilege for us to use MAF's service.
Thankful for MAF's presence
Ted Watts, Head of the surgical department of HVM and Director of PAACS Training Programme, could only confirm the stories that his colleagues were sharing. In the past, there was little safety concerns for driving at night but with time, safety problems increased. The risk of hijacking, ambushes, but also drunk drivers would force them to drive only during the day and spend the night at a hotel, which would mean two full days of travelling. “Having to drive with the whole family, including two small children would probably be too much to contemplate”, says Ted. “MAF makes it possible for our family to serve in Mandritsara!”
Joel Chin, anaesthetist at the HVM hospital, spent the last year in Mandritsara. He was on the same flight along with his wife, a GP, and their three small children. Joel said that without MAF they would not even have considered going to Mandritsara for that one year. Indeed, the presence of MAF might even help them in their decision to return to Mandritsara in the future.
MAF makes it possible for our family to serve in Mandritsara!
Blake and Rachel, on the other hand, came along for a short holiday to Sainte Marie. They had been pastoring the Tana City Community Church in Antananarivo for the last six years and were excited to finally get some rest and be refreshed for their ministry. Blake reported, with a smile on his face: “We have done some taxi-brousse (bush-taxi) trips in the past, but it is not necessarily the most restful experience and would have shortened our holidays by three days due to travel by road and sea. It is such a joy and privilege for us to use MAF’s service."
