When a young boy couldn’t breathe, you made a difference through an MAF flight.

“Sadrak came down with a respiratory virus and it turned into a respiratory emergency,” said Trevor Johnson with HeartCry Missionary Society. “We thought Sadrak was going to die.”

Trevor and his family live among and minister to the Korowai tribe in the village of Danowage, in the lowland swamps of southeastern Papua, Indonesia. A virus had been spreading throughout the village, and now little Sadrak had come down with it—his lung secretions so thick he wasn’t able to clear them on his own. He struggled for each breath.

Sadrak on the airplane. Photo by MAF pilot Greg Dole.

“We suctioned him and cupped his back to get the gunk up and out, and gave him nebulizer treatments, but he was decompensating fast,” said Trevor.

Trevor and his wife, Teresa, both trained nurses, did their best to stabilize Sadrak and then arranged to have him flown out to Merauke.

“The floatplane from Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) was in the air and in record time we found ourselves on the way to the hospital in Merauke,” said Trevor. “Thank God for the pilots of Mission Aviation Fellowship. MAF saves lives!”

Trevor and his son, Noah, and Perin, Sadrak’s adoptive mother accompanied the child to Merauke. After five days in the hospital there, Sadrak was well enough to be released. While they waited for an MAF return flight to their village, they took in some local sites. Sadrak walked along the beach and collected hermit crabs. He saw horses and cows, and rode in a car for the very first time.

Sadrak at the hospital … starting to feel better.

These are the firsts of many other firsts in Sadrak’s life. Praise the Lord for His healing touch, and may Sadrak grow to know and love the Lord with all of his heart.

Thank you for your partnership with MAF, which allows us to provide lifesaving flights to isolated people throughout Papua and around the world.