NAMPA, Idaho - 11-05-08 - MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship), a Nampa-based aviation, communications and technology ministry serving more than 1,000 Christian and nongovernment organizations worldwide, today dedicated an aircraft destined for service in Lesotho (Le-soo-too), Africa.

MAF President and CEO John Boyd offers a prayer of dedication for an aircraft destined for service in the African nation of Lesotho. The plane previously served 20 years with the MAF program in Ecuador.

The plane, a 1980 Cessna T206, leaves Nov. 12 for the MAF program in Lesotho. It previously served for 20 years with the MAF program in Ecuador. While in Nampa the aircraft has been completely overhauled and refurbished through gifts from generous donors who contributed some $290,000 for the project.

“We thank the Lord for the faithful friends who have made this project possible,” said John Boyd, MAF president and CEO. “With this aircraft, the MAF Lesotho program will greatly expand its services to remote villages and health clinics.”

The African nation of Lesotho is one of the poorest countries in the world, and its population suffers from ongoing drought and famine. As much as 32 percent of Lesotho’s population is infected with the HIV/AIDS virus.

MAF has operated a program in Lesotho since 1980, and provides safe, efficient air transportation for the Lesotho Flying Doctor Service (LFDS) and six health clinics operated by Partners In Health (PIH). Nearly 200,000 people depend solely on LFDS and PIH for medical care. MAF aircraft deliver food, medicines and Bibles, and support a number of missionaries working among the Basotho people there.

However, the need is greater than the current flight capacity, and MAF has been unable to accommodate all of the requests for its services. In the past year alone, MAF has seen a 10 percent increase in the number of emergency medical evacuation flights in Lesotho. In response, MAF seeks to add one to two additional aircraft to its Lesotho fleet.

Founded in the U.S. in 1945, MAF missionary teams of aviation, communications, technology, and education specialists minister and enable the work of more than 1,000 organizations in isolated areas of the world. With its fleet of 134 bush aircraft, MAF serves in 54 countries with an average of 281 flights daily across Africa, Asia, Eurasia and Latin America. MAF pilots transport missionaries, medical personnel, medicines and relief supplies, as well as conduct thousands of emergency medical evacuations in remote areas. MAF also provides telecommunications services, such as satellite Internet access, high frequency radios, electronic mail and other wireless systems.