Families’ joy and relief as MAF flies hospital patients back to their communities.
Baby Natacio Gusmão was evacuated to Timor-Leste’s capital Dili by MAF plane when he suffered from a severe fever and infection.
But after that health scare for the nine-month-old, his family still faced the challenge of how to bring their little boy safely back home again.
So, Abio Tilman, the baby’s 37-year-old father, was relieved when he was told that MAF could fly them to their home in Adara, Atauro Island. That smooth 15-minute flight was a better option than a long crossing over potentially rough seas.
“Travelling to Atauro Island by MAF plane is quick and safe, allowing us to reach home without feeling tired, compared to travelling by boat,” said Mr Tilman, a schoolteacher and local fisherman
“We are thankful to MAF for helping us not only with the medevac but also for providing us with a return flight, which truly helped us ensure that my baby boy could get home without experiencing seasickness.”
Medevac patients often find it difficult to return home after receiving care at the National Hospital Guido Valadares (HNGV) in Dili.
Many of those patients have a hard time travelling on the poor roads and across rough seas, while they are still recovering.
However, MAF’s Closing the Loop Project helps patients get back to their villages quickly and safely, overcoming the barrier of isolation.
Nick Hitchins, MAF pilot and Country Director, explained how Closing the Loop was about caring for people beyond that initial medevac.
“The Closing the Loop project is designed to provide extra support to our medevac patients who have flown in from the districts,” said Mr Hitchins.
“It’s our duty to care for them, to let them know they’re not alone, and to ensure they receive essential items, so they have the best chance of making a quick recovery from the hospital and returning safely to their home villages.”
It’s our duty to care for them, to let them know they’re not alone
Silvano Araujo, whose wife Adelina dos Santos was in a severe condition when she underwent surgery before giving birth to their baby in Suai, explained what the return flight meant to them.
“We could not travel back by bus because my wife’s condition was not stable enough to endure the bad road conditions, and it would impact her health,” said Mr Araujo.
The farmer and businessman who lives in Suai, on the southwestern coast of Timor-Leste, expressed his feelings about the MAF return flight that helped them reach their home without experiencing winding roads on a long bus trip.
“I’m very happy to return home on a MAF plane, as it helps us get home without the bumpy roads or spending eight hours on a bus from Dili to Suai, which is difficult for my wife,” said Mr Araujo.
“But travelling by MAF plane could take us 45 minutes, and it’s also comfortable for my wife’s health.”
Mr Hitchins said the support of MAF donors is making a big difference in the lives of families who just want to bring their loved one home from hospital.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to all the donors who make Closing the Loop possible. You are facilitating our ability to speak God's love language to the hearts of people, many of whom have never experienced the love of God in that way before,” he said.
“It really connects people with God in a new way. I just want to say, please keep giving generously so that we can continue this work, which is one of our most impactful forms of work here in TimorLeste.