Lesotho

The kingdom of Lesotho is a small, mountainous country located entirely within South Africa. Lesotho is the only country in the world that lies entirely above 3,281 feet in elevation. While beautiful, this small African nation is crippled by poverty, famine, and HIV/AIDS.

Because of you, MAF is working to bring the good news of Jesus Christ as well as access to food, medicines, and other services to the people of this small nation. Since 1980, MAF has provided safe, efficient air transportation for the Lesotho Flying Doctor Services (LFDS) and other agencies operating in Lesotho.

Nearly 300,000 people living in the mountains depend on the LFDS doctor teams that serve at one of 11 rural clinics, three health outposts, and five district hospitals on a weekly basis … thanks to MAF flights. In addition, MAF also conducts emergency medical evacuation flights, many of which are for laboring mothers. Nearly 90 percent of MAF flights here are medical related.

MAF missionary families and local staff operate and maintain four aircraft to reach 18 dirt airstrips carved into the nation’s rugged mountains. A crucial part of the team here is the MAF Chaplain, Sefiri, who complements MAF medical flights by visiting patients in the hospital at Maseru, and at MAF’s Patient House—praying for and sharing Christ with them. He often visits them in their home villages as well, after they’ve recovered.

In addition, MAF flights support local pastors in their efforts to bring the gospel to remote mountain communities, where there are no churches. In this way, MAF can bring the Good News to the Basotho people while also caring for their physical needs.