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Kalimantan, Indonesia

Indonesia’s province of Kalimantan occupies the largest portion of the island of Borneo and remains largely undeveloped. The geographical and logistical barriers are forbidding.

Dense rainforests, impenetrable mountains and the absence of roads limit access to the Gospel and life-sustaining services, such as health clinics and secondary education, leaving villages isolated.

MAF enables ministry groups to bring the Gospel and basic, life-sustaining services to otherwise inaccessible regions of Indonesia.

MAF began to serve mission groups and the emerging indigenous churches of East Kalimantan from its base in Tarakan in 1969. We are now the only western mission organisation remaining in the area to serve village churches led by Kalimantan pastors.

MAF opened its Palangkaraya floatplane base, in Central Kalimantan, in the mid-1990s to serve missionaries and a medical clinic in the interior. This base also provides flight service to isolated villages along four major river systems.

Today, the team provides much-needed flight services, and maximises opportunities to minister in ways not available to other mission agencies.

Aviation allows MAF to establish and develop relationships with a broad cross-section of society, enabling:

Theological education by extension, church conferences and outreach teams
Pastor training in remote locations, student transport to Bible schools, and the placement of ministerial students in remote villages for internships
Support for medical clinics in remote villages, as well as emergency medical evacuations
Community development projects, surveys, conservation
Delivery of materials to improve church buildings, hydroelectric systems, schools, local businesses, and homes
Transport of goods, medicines and school supplies.

Quick Facts

Main Base:

Tarakan

Programme Began:

1969

Aircraft:

Two Quest Kodiak 100s

Staff:

11 International
22 National

Did you know?

We served 3,661 passengers across 15 locations in 2022, and work with 9 partner organisations

Partners on the ground

GKII (Gereja Kristen Injili Indonesia)
GKPI (Gereja Kristen Protestan Indonesia)
GKKA (Gereja Kebangunan Kalam Allah Indonesia Church)
Kartidaya 'Kar]unia Bak[ti] Bu[daya]' (Wycliffe associate for Bible translation)
Dinkus Kesehatan (Health office in North Kalimantan)
STTW (Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Wilfinger) Bible theology school

Where is Kalimantan, Indonesia?

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About MAF UK

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) is the world’s largest humanitarian air operator. For over 75 years we have been flying light aircraft over jungles, mountains, swamps and deserts. We enable more than 1,400 aid, development and mission organisations to bring medical care, emergency relief and long-term development. Our pilots and personnel deliver relief workers, doctors, pastors, school books, food, medicines - everything that can only be safely and speedily delivered by air. Our faithful supporters give and pray to make this all possible.