Hello!
Thanks for visiting our website, what would you like to know about us?
We met in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in February 2016 and got married in the UK in July 2017. Since then, we’ve served together as Missionaries, working for Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) in PNG. We live in Telefomin, a remote community in the mountains, near the PNG border with Indonesia. Our life here is not “normal” by western standards, but we love it.
Telefomin is our home, MAF is our life.
Pictured with us is our little dog, Ray, who is a toy-poodle, maltese-terrier cross, who was brought to PNG by a New Tribes missionary family. He moved in with Shiv in 2014 when his previous family left PNG, he was 8 years old then. Sadly Ray died in March 2022, shortly before we left PNG for our Home Assignment. He was a wonderful member of our family and we miss him terribly. Whilst Ray could never be replaced, please pray that we find a new little dog when we return to PNG towards the end of 2022.
“If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
- Psalm 139 v 9-10 (The Bible)
Ryan
I’m a pilot, currently flying the C208 Caravan.
I grew up in Alberta in a strong Christian family. I attended Prairie Bible College where I earned my pilot’s license. In 2008, following God’s leading, I joined MAF and served with Flying Mission Services in Botswana, flying medical evacuation flights (medevacs), until 2011. After returning to Canada, I spent 2 years flying in northern Alberta.
In 2013, God reaffirmed my calling to serve with MAF and in 2016 I transitioned to Papua New Guinea. As an MAF pilot, I serve isolated communities in PNG by providing access to essential services that greatly impact the physical and spiritual well being of the people living in these areas.
In my spare time I can often be found fixing things around the house or at the MAF base. I also enjoy gardening, reading, playing computer games and leather work.
Siobhain (Shiv)
My job title is Operations Support which includes a lot of things, like training our local staff to use MAF’s flight booking computer software, dealing with complex booking requests involving multiple aircraft and writing a manual for our Ground Operations Department. As a member of the wider MAF team, I help other MAF staff to get vegetables and meat delivered and I look after MAF’s transit house in Telefomin, providing hospitality to visiting MAF staff, along with my neighbours. I also enjoy being an active part of the Ladies’ Fellowship group at our church in Telefomin which meets on Saturday mornings.
I grew up in military communities in England and Germany. After university, I followed in the footsteps of my parents and grandfather by joining the Royal Air Force (RAF). I worked in logistics and airport management in London, Scotland, and the Falkland Islands.
After leaving the RAF in 2013, God led me to MAF. I have been in PNG since 2014, using my skills and experience in various strategic roles within the Operations Department.
Spare time, what’s that? I also enjoy baking, blogging, arts & crafts and board games.
Enjoying the daffodils in London
At the Eden Project in Cornwall, UK
Our presentation table at a church in York, UK
Isolation Snowman building in Canada!
Walking the road to Eliptamin, PNG
Our wedding day
Pandemic - the board game!
Canoeing off the coast of Madang, PNG