MAF flights are helping to bring education and new opportunities to girls in remote areas of Liberia.
Happy kids like Eleazar and Mercy are enjoying free education and the opportunities it brings.
Sister Philomena Godfrey, the Superior General of the Congregation of the sisters of the Holy Family, understands the importance of access to school – something that wasn’t available to her as she grew up during Liberia’s years of civil war.
The Catholic Nun, based in Maryland County in Liberia’s southeast, has a passion for empowering young girls through education.
She says it brings joy to her heart to see kids like Eleazar Moses and Mercy Sayeh thriving in class, benefiting from free education, feeding and a good living environment.
“Being a Catholic nun and dedicating my life to God in service to my brothers and sisters brings great joy, despite the challenges,” Sister Philomena shared.
“Our mandate from Christ is to go out and proclaim the Gospel to all nations. This mission involves periodic training and supervision of catechists and lay leaders, which is significantly facilitated by MAF.”
Sister Philomena expressed gratitude for the essential support provided by Mission Aviation Fellowship flights from Liberia’s capital Monrovia to remote locations like Harper City.
MAF's services play a vital role in ensuring the timely delivery of workshop materials and facilitating travel for school children and educators, especially when roads are inaccessible.
Sister Philomena says: "The services that MAF renders to us cannot be overstated. They enable us to accomplish so much that would otherwise be impossible."
The appreciation was echoed by students at Sacred High Boarding School in Harper City.
Eleazar Moses expressed gratitude on behalf of the students, saying, "A very big thank you to our donors. Thank you for coming, and you are most highly welcome." Mercy Sayah added, "Thank you to everyone. Thank you MAF for flying us safely and keeping us here."
A very big thank you to our donors. Thank you for coming, and you are most highly welcome."
Sister Philomena highlighted the compassionate nature of MAF's operations and the impact it has on the lives of MAF passengers.
“We once sponsored a woman with a gynaecological problem. MAF flew her to Monrovia for treatment. She was initially tense and afraid, but the pilot's prayer before take-off, placing all passengers under God's protection, calmed her fears and grown her faith,” she said. “Although she eventually expired to cancer, she went to God with a renewed spiritual connection."
In her native Grebo language, Sister Philomena added: "Na, Bsay, yanswah Sabado," meaning "thank you and God bless you."
She said the work of MAF was helping the church to serve people in towns and villages across Liberia.
“MAF's work does not discriminate; we are all part of one family, which is what God wants,” she said.