Last spring (January- May 2012) I took a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) class and learned how to make maps. We had a large project to do throughout the semester incorporating what we had learned. I used that project to make a map for Lesotho MAF. Now, 5 months later the maps I made are on their way to Lesotho! I sent them to a MAF Lesotho pilot, Danny Hulls, who is in the states till the end of October when he will return to Lesotho. MAF Lesotho will get a large map (3.5 ft x 3ft) and a fold up map (26 in x 20 in).
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| The maps ready to be rolled up and sent off. |
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| Tracking confirmation of the maps! They are getting sent to Danny who will take them to Lesotho. |
With this project I mapped out where all the existing airstrips were located as well as where possible new airstrips could be built if there were a need. Also incorporated in the map are many towns and villages and you can see if a town has access to an airstrip or a medical clinic. I defined access as being a town within an 8km or 5 mile radius of an airstrip. With this map the MAF team in Lesotho can assess where there are fewer people being reached physically via airplane as well as spiritually. The possible locations are ranked from poor to excellent based on how many villages and towns are around the area as well as the surrounding terrain and roads. The MAF team could take these maps to the Lesotho government and propose to build airstrips in the best possible location and possibly get grant to do this. It is in the Lord's hand what happens with these maps and it is to His glory that missionaries can go into remote areas and spread the gospel!
Missionaries are all over the world both far and near! I recently found out that one of the people who fly out of Bowman field is a missionary pilot with Agape Flights ( http://www.agapeflights.com/) which fly to Haiti and in and around the Caribbean Sea. I get to meet with him soon and learn more about what he does and how God has been working through him.
Here's a link to MAF's frequently asked questions http://www.maf.org/serve/overseas/faq#.UHsPeFEutUN in case you were curious about MAF and the process of becoming a missionary pilot with them. For the pilot requirements, most missionary aviation organizations have similar requirements.
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8
Fly with Christ,
Helen
Interesting. Did you create the base map using ArcMap? Did you have to create any databases? Will the people be able to access the map electronically at all?
ReplyDeleteI've had some limited experience with GIS, mostly through searching property records. I'm also something of a map-o-phile myself.
I'm sure it will help those people quite a bit!
Hi Ben!
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting! If you have more questions feel free to email me at hagg.helen@gmail.com.
I did use arcGIS/ arcMap to create this map. There is also another (free) GIS program called QGIS that I am going to experiment with and it does the same stuff as arcGIS.
For databases: I got some of my data from the people in Lesotho via a google earth file and had to convert it into a shapefile. For other data I got it from GADM (GADM database of Global Administrative Areas) as well as Nasa Reverb.
I sent a pdf version of the map to the people in Lesotho but they cannot make changes to it since they don't have arcGIS or anything like that. If changes had to be made, I would have to do it.
If you have more questions or comments I would love to talk more!
Thanks for posting!
Helen