How do you deal with conflict in a team?

How do you get access to money in Africa?

What do you do if someone throws a live grenade in your general vicinity?

Just a bit of light reading to see us through the next few months!

Those were all questions addressed on our MAF International induction training this week, those and many, many more! We had sessions on living in a programme, safety, security, staying healthy – physically, mentally and spiritually. There were sessions on how the organisation of MAF works, with so many different arms in so many different countries, and sessions on bribery, fraud, communications, IT, quality and everything in between!

The days were packed full of information delivered by a multitude of different people within MAF, broken up by very tasty food and opportunities to get to know the other attendees. There was a lot of sitting and listening, but practical elements helped to keep us focussed. I found the simulated checkpoint and carjacking particularly helpful! Don’t worry, we might have learned about the many things that could kill us but Uganda is a safe country, it’s just always good to be prepared for every eventuality.

While the course itself was infinitely useful (if a touch exhausting), what really made the week incredible was getting to meet some amazing people (pictured above). The delegates arrived in Ashford, Kent, from all over the world, and over the course of the next few months will be sent to far-flung bases, to Uganda, South Sudan, Madagascar, Chad, Arnhem Land and Tanzania.

I’m left standing amazed at the work MAF does around the world, but perhaps more importantly, I’m left with a newfound respect for a ragtag group of ordinary people, many of whom have overcome some incredible hardships, who are devoting their lives to see isolated people physically and spiritually transformed.

I count it an honour to join their number, and only hope that we too can make a difference doing our part in the amazing work of MAF in Uganda.

We can’t do it without your support, so please do continue to pray for us, and if you are able to give then every little bit will help us reach our goal and get out to Uganda later this year.