Mission Aviation Fellowship February 2011

The Barber Family

“Aleo maty rahampitso toy izay maty androany”

“It's better to die tomorrow rather than today.” This is a typical statement
heard amongst the Malagasy. Although it is a rather ominous statement it
really grasps the situation that much of the island’s people live under.
More than 70% of Madagascar live on less than $1 dollar a day, making
the island the 20th poorest country in the world!
This kind of poverty leads people to desperation, or survival mode. As
the rest of the world looks down on Madagascar for cutting down its for-
ests or carving away at its hillsides to find precious gems, the people
there are in survival mode. They have no other choice, they either cut
down a protected tree (so that we can buy Rosewood guitars) or starve to
death.
Madagascar is an environmentalist’s dream, roughly 90% of its flora and
fauna is found nowhere else on the planet. Of its roughly 200,000 species of wildlife, about 150,000 of those are endemic – meaning they
exist nowhere else on the planet. Because of these staggering numbers Madagascar is under intense scrutiny from the rest of the world, and
because of the illegal logging and mining much aid from other countries has been removed. This in the end only furthers the desperation of
its citizens.
Despite this information there is hope for the country! As MAF and other missions organizations continue to work and live amongst the
Malagasy people we will be able to teach them about sustainable farming, and other techniques. We can teach them about the love of Christ
and the saving grace of the Gospel. We can help them to live and work and survive honestly and with good character. If we give a man a
fish he will eat for a day, if we teach a man to fish he will eat for a lifetime, both spiritually and physically.

Weather sweeping across southern Africa is a reminder of the many

 20th Poorest country
 Population of approx. 20 million
 70% Lives on $1 a day
 30% Have access to clean water
 Approx. 80% Road systems are
destroyed annually in cyclones
devastating floods of 2000 in Mozambique that killed thousands and devas-
tated their agricultural production. Madagascar is once again a Country re-
ceiving intense environmental storms and is gearing up for strong cyclones.
Relief organizations have been put on the alert, as these systems will most
likely end in more devastation across the already unstable continent. These
storms mean loss of crops, devastation of homes, destroyed transportation
systems, infrastructure, and more disease and death. Cyclone season normally
runs between January and March and this added with the threat of combined
heavy rainfall will no doubt once again harm Madagascar. Storms are outside
of the peoples control and to an already struggling country only mean more
hardship
It is because of situations such as these that MAF is
prepared to assist and provide relief.

Our Upcoming Schedule

 Jan. 31-Feb. 11: Facts & Friction train-

Rob & Karina Barber MAF Canada
264 Woodlawn Rd. W.
barbers.rk@gmail.com Guelph, ON N1H 1B6
1-(877) 351-9344
ing @ Ashburnham Place, UK
MAF US  Feb. 12-21: We are on Vancouver Island
PO Box 47  Feb. 20: MAF Presentation @
Nampa, ID 83653 Quadra Island Bible Church
1-(800) 359-7623  Mar. 19: Missions Focus evening with
Maple Ridge Alliance Church
We had the opportunity to take our children out to Vancouver and settled back in our house in Mission, Wesley and Joyanne relapsed
visit Science World. Much more time could have been spent there, as with it again for a couple of days. Despite these health-challenges
the kids were fascinated with everything there was to see and do. and weather uncertainties, God has been so faithful as we’ve seen a
The Balloon Show interested them, and Faith was called on-stage to significant jump in our ministry’s support level. Thank you so much to
volunteer for an experiment, which she beamed at. This day was all of our ministry partners who have made this possible, and for your
made extra fun (and possible) because Karina’s brother Ricky joined prayers. We would not travel this journey without them!
us and was able to lend a third pair of hands, thus allowing each one Back to the UK
of the kids to explore to their heart’s content.
By the time you receive this newsletter, Lord willing, Rob and Karina
January’s Journey will be at the MAF UK Base receiving cross-cultural training. We are
Last month brought with it challenges of illness! Ten out of twelve of scheduled to return home on February 12th, and we hope to connect
us were struck with a nasty stomach bug right after New Year’s while with those who we had to cancel on last month due to illness or snow
we were staying in Nanaimo at Karina’s parents house. This illness, on the Island. Please pray for safe journey and that our children will
not to mention a couple of major snow-storms forced us to cancel a be content and healthy as they lodge with Karina’s parents for two
few visits with individuals and a speaking engagement up-island, weeks.
which was disappointing. Once we recovered from our illness, and Rob & Karina, Faith Wesley & Joyanne

Ministry Partnership Update: YOU Have Made A Difference

Wow! We are so thankful to
all who have helped us reach
66% of our ministry’s
monthly support goal of
$6000/month.

As well, our ministry’s one-time outgoing

fund has risen to 74% of $35,000

Items for Prayer:

 That we would continue to spend time in the Word
Is God Leading You to Join With Us?
 Safe travel for Rob and Karina to and from England This is how the remainder of our team might look:
 Health
$100/month
$75/month 
To Praise Him For!
$50/month 
 For the 12% increase in our ministry’s monthly pledged amount $25/month 
 For a significant 20% increase to the outgoing fund
 For the special ways in which He continues to confirm our steps on Please contact us for more information
or visit our website at mafbarbers.blogspot.com
this journey
barbers.rk@gmail.com
Want to see more pictures or get to know us better?
Visit our Blog at
(604) 755-4439
Each gift designated toward an MAF board-approved program will be used with the
www.mafbarbers.blogspot.com understanding that when any given need has been met, additional designated gifts will
be used where most needed. Page 2/2