PD
from the
PRESIDENT’S DESK
a publication of Mission Aviation Fellowship
Our Mission
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
– John 12:32 (NKJV)
Dear friend, One of my greatest joys is hearing the stories of people around the world who are coming to know our Savior—especially those in places where the message of the Gospel has only recently been shared. Testimonies like these continually remind me that the work MAF does is making a difference. And I could not be more grateful for the part you are playing through your support and prayers! The overarching story of the Bible is one of our God stopping at nothing to bring His people back into a full relationship with Him. And not just Israel. The Scriptures tell, throughout both the Old Testament and the New, of our Lord’s passion to redeem people of all nations. This sweeping flow begins in Genesis and carries through to Revelation where we see people of every tribe, tongue, and nation worshiping Jesus Christ. How wonderful to think that you and I are writing our own verses in God’s story through MAF. Throughout this edition of FlightWatch, you will read of how people in the far corners of the world are coming to know Christ. I cannot overstate your role in this! Thank you for the part you are playing in sharing the love of Jesus with a world in desperate need.
For His Glory,
John C. Boyd President and CEO
Sharing the love of Jesus Christ through aviation and technology so that isolated people may be physically and spiritually transformed. Managing Editor: Production Manager: Art Director: Graphic Designer: Writers/Resourcing:
Every gift you send, every prayer you offer for MAF, helps change lives through aviation and technology. We enjoy hearing from you! Please send comments and questions to MAF-US@maf.org. MAF PO Box 47 Nampa, ID 83653-0047 208-498-0800 1-800-FLYS-MAF (359-7623) maf.org MAF maintains the highest standards of financial accountability and public disclosure to donors, the government, and the world at large. MAF is a member of ... Accord™ (formerly AERDO) • CSC Christian Service Charities • ECFA Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability • IAMA International Association of Missionary Aviation • Missio Nexus.
All Scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2010 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
On the Cover: A member of the Lesotho Flying Pastors team prays for a young man in the mountain village of Kuebunyane, Lesotho. Photo by Mark and Kelly Hewes.
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Tracey Werre Micki Blair Colby Dees Clayton Borah Chris Burgess Jennifer Wolf
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MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT JONATHAN AND NICOLE DE JONGH
photo courtesy of the de Jongh family
When he was a young boy growing up in Belgium with missionary parents, Jonathan de Jongh had plenty of chances to ride in “the big airplanes.” Every time he flew to the States, he loved visiting the cockpit, full of buttons and levers. “My mind was made up,” said Jonathan. “I was going to be a pilot.” Jonathan realized God was calling him to use his skills and passion for flying for His Kingdom. Doors opened for him to move to the USA and attend Moody Aviation’s program. While there, he met and married Nicole, as she was studying for a bachelor’s degree in ministry leadership with an emphasis in women’s ministry. At Moody, they met several MAF families and were impressed by their testimonies. As they delved deeper, both Jonathan and Nicole realized MAF’s mission statement resonated with them. “We wanted to bring the Gospel and physical help to the isolated, wherever they might be in the world,” said Nicole. The de Jonghs are excited about when they’ll finally get to their new home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Jonathan looks forward to flying to remote places
and meeting the many people who count on MAF. Nicole is eager for the relationships that will blossom through school, church, and the neighborhood because of her outgoing boys. But right now, they still need the support to get there. They are working on building a ministry partnership team of individuals and churches who are committed to pray for and financially support their ministry. The de Jonghs see this as a way to advocate for missions and give people an opportunity for greater involvement. A chance encounter at an IKEA led to a conversation with a pastor about what the couple is doing, where they are heading. “He said he wanted to support our ministry with MAF,” said Nicole. “Two days later we had a onetime gift and a monthly commitment from his church!” “God continues to amaze us with these unplanned ‘divine appointments,’ ” added Jonathan. The de Jonghs expect they’ll continue to experience God’s faithfulness throughout this support-raising process and when they arrive in the DRC because, as Jonathan says, “God is with us, He will carry us through it, and He loves us where we are at and has enough grace for us along the learning path.”
If you would like to join the de Jongh’s ministry partnership team and help them get to the DRC, please visit maf.org/dejongh. 1-800-FLYS-MAF
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photo by Mark and Kelly Hewes
A Long Way from Jerusalem How MAF, The Lesotho Flying Pastors, and YOU are sharing the Gospel in the mountains of Lesotho
atthew Monson, a pilot with Mission Aviation Fellowship, and his passengers stepped out of the Cessna 206 after landing near the village of Kuebunyane, Lesotho. They followed a windy dirt path across small streams and past a few huts until they reached the home of the chief—a man who governs all the villages in this deep, remote valley.
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Matthew’s passengers that day were the Lesotho Flying Pastors, a group of local pastors who are committed to reaching the people here with the Gospel—a people who have mostly never heard it. The work you are making possible through MAF and the Lesotho Flying Pastors goes back much further. To some extent this work has been happening around the world for nearly two millennia.
“I hope that the people here may know the truth,” said Pastor Simon, one of the Lesotho Flying Pastors. “They have really never had a chance to know who Jesus is.”
MAF has been a real help to us because we couldn’t reach out to these kinds of places before, -PASTOR SIMON
Luke 24 tells of Jesus talking with his disciples after His resurrection. Luke recounts his version of the Great Commission in which Jesus gives his followers the mandate to “go and proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins to all people, starting in Jerusalem.” And they did.
MAF’s airplanes are key to getting these pastors to this village and others like it. Without MAF, this rugged area is virtually unreachable except by foot or horseback. One pastor used to ride his horse to these villages—a dangerous trek that could take days.
“MAF has been a real help to us because we couldn’t reach out to these kinds of places before,” said Simon. “This is a big partnership between MAF and the pastors,” said Pheko, another local pastor, “because there is a great need to bring the Word of God to the mountains.”
Starting in their own city, the disciples went out and proclaimed the message of the Gospel. Two thousand years later, you are making it possible for that message to reach people in the remote parts of this tiny African nation.
Hope from Above
A Desperate Place
“Every time I talk to this chief, I’m just amazed at how he responds. God has softened his heart,” said Matthew. “It’s fun to see how the Word is transforming him.”
Lesotho is located entirely within South Africa. This mountain kingdom has the highest average elevation of any country in the world—unfortunately, it also has one of the highest HIV rates. Due to the stark, jagged landscape, many of the people who live here—known as the Basotho—are cut off from the outside world, and from medical care. Many people die before they can even get a chance to hear about Jesus. MAF and these pastors are working to change that.
In addition to reaching the villagers, Matthew has built a relationship with the local chief, which has opened more doors for ministry here. They regularly meet to go through a Bible study about King David.
“The pastors who come here help the people to know more about God,” said the chief. “Even in their conversations they talk about God, they uplift His name. It is going to help them to grow in their spiritual life.” The MAF staff and the Lesotho Flying Pastors are excited about the progress they are seeing here. They’re planning to start more churches in the mountains so that even more of the Basotho people will be able to experience the freeing grace of Jesus Christ.
“Essentially what we are doing is bringing pastors representing five different denominations from the capital city, Maseru, out to the mountains where there are no photo by Mark and Kelly Hewes churches, there are no pastors, and there’s just not a lot of teaching Through your support of MAF, out here,” said Matthew. “And so we get the special you are playing a vital role in the ongoing work that began opportunity to partner with those who have a heart for with a handful of disciples in Jerusalem and is continuing reaching their own people.” today among the Basotho people high in this small mountain kingdom. The pastors are starting a church here and spend their time preaching, getting to know the villagers, and showing the “JESUS” film. 1-800-FLYS-MAF
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TECH CORNER WHAT IF THE AIRPLANE SINKS?
MAF pilots fly in some of the most challenging environments on earth. And while we maintain an exemplary safety record, there is always the possibility that something could go wrong. So whenever there is the chance for added practice, MAF pilots jump at the opportunity. Recently two MAF pilots, Bruce DeVries and Aaron Hoffmann, underwent some pretty intense training. Bruce is on loan with MAF as an instructor at Moody Aviation in Spokane, Washington. He recently accompanied the fourth-year flight students for a threeweek Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) training. This training course prepares missionary pilots operating in remote areas to know what to do in a life-threatening accident when help is not readily available. This course included outdoor simulated rescues, medical training, and an escape from an upside-down cockpit … under water! The final project during this training—the forest survival stage—involved getting to a wrecked airplane that had been planted in a clearing in the woods, and rescuing a
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pilot, foreign pastor, and a missionary family (all with pretend injuries). Bruce and the students had to find, diagnose, prioritize, and treat everyone, all while being evaluated by the WAFA instructors. Aaron, an MAF pilot in Kalimantan, Indonesia, went through underwater egress training—or how to get out of a sinking airplane. This is particularly relevant for Aaron, as he spends much of his time taking off of and landing on Central Kalimantan’s jungle rivers. Aaron also got the opportunity to go through emergency maneuver training and an aerobatic course that taught him how to recover from unusual attitudes (or the airplane’s position in the air) and stall-spin situations. This training will hopefully remain theoretical for these pilots, but knowing what to do in an emergency situation gives extra peace of mind—especially when flying over remote jungles and mountains.
Can’taTnheisGo Airpl aster? Any F You are saving hundreds of little lives through MAF medical flights
Joshua
“Had it not been for the pilot and for MAF, our Joshua would not have survived.” - Janice
“I'll never, ever forget that day as long as I live. Joshua's temp was 105, and during the flight, his eyes rolled back in his head. I thought I had lost him. Over the drone of the engine, I cried out, ‘Can't this thing go any faster?’” Janice Cotrone was serving as a missionary nurse in Haiti when her two-year-old adopted son became extremely ill with malaria and typhoid. She couldn’t find anyone to treat him. Fortunately, Mission Aviation Fellowship was there to help, flying Janice and her son to the hospital on the island of La Gonave. “Had it not been for the pilot and for MAF, our Joshua would not have survived,” said Janice. “Today, he is a high school senior. Praise the Lord!” MAF conducts 4,000-plus medical flights each year, bringing medicines to stock rural clinics, transporting doctors and nurses, and delivering patients in critical condition or laboring mothers to the hospital. Over the years, MAF has helped many children reach the lifesaving help they needed.
Maria
Dorcas
Andy and Dan
Maria was a young orphan who lived in a jungle village in Ecuador. MAF delivered her to the hospital in Shell, where doctors discovered that her kidneys were failing. They weren’t sure she would make it through the night, but she did and was flown to Quito the next morning to start dialysis. Maria received a kidney transplant in 2008, and today she is 19 years old. She lives with her adoptive family in the U.S., loves the Lord, and enjoys working with children, singing, journaling, and creating poetry.
In the village of Kikongo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is a set of 16-yearold triplets—a rare thing in the DRC. One of the girls, Dorcas, nearly died from a severe case of malaria. Providentially, there was room on a scheduled flight that was already in the air because two passengers had canceled at the last minute. MAF pilot Rod Hochstetler was able to pick up Dorcas and her mother in their village and rush them to the hospital at Vanga, where the girl received lifesaving treatment.
When missionary Jeannie Burkhart went into early labor in the remote village of Tigi in Papua, Indonesia, an MAF flight whisked her off to the hospital at Mulia. She gave birth 45 minutes after landing … to a surprise set of twins! Miraculously, though premature, the boys survived, and their lives had a huge impact on the Papuan villagers their parents were trying to reach. Today Andy is a pediatric paramedic for a helicopter transport team, and brother Dan pilots a corporate jet. They’re celebrating their 46th birthdays this month.
While not all medevac flights have a happy ending like these did, still, many people have received a second chance at life because of your partnership with MAF. 1-800-FLYS-MAF
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NEWS BRIEFS
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BIKING FOR GOOD
Pilots Justin Honaker and Bryan Eygabroad of the MAF Lesotho program trained for and participated in the Three Mountains mountain bike race. The race took place over one night and three days in March, and covered 150 km of some pretty rugged terrain. Bryan and Justin raised funds for the Lesotho Flying Pastors and for a men’s ministry called The Covering that battles child trafficking.
For wisdom as MAF continues to move forward in exploring ways in which to serve the people of Myanmar.
photo by Justin Honaker
CHANGING OF THE AIRPLANES
One faithful airplane leaves just in time to make room for another. In Mozambique, beloved 9Q-CMQ , a Cessna 210, recently returned to her former home in west DRC. She served the program well for 13 years. A month or so after her departure, the new Caravan arrived in Mozambique amidst much fanfare. The MAF team there is excited to use this new tool to bring the Gospel and help to the people living in hard-to-reach areas.
For the flying doctor service in Mozambique, which is reestablishing itself as a separate nonprofit association. Pray that it continues to move forward, unhindered, and for open doors to bring healthcare to new areas.
That the Lord will call pilots, mechanics, and teachers to serve with MAF. Dan Carlson, Conrad Hertzler, and David LePoidevin in front of 9Q-CMQ. photo by Heidi Hertzler
BIBLE DEDICATION FLIGHTS
In March, MAF pilots had the privilege of transporting church leaders and SIL International translation workers to two villages in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for two separate Bible dedications—for the Logo- and Mayogolanguage New Testaments. Praise the Lord for the completion of these books after decades of hard work by faithful translators, photo by Dave and Donna Jacobsson and despite setbacks caused by wars in the DRC. May His Word not return void! Watch for a complete story detailing MAF’s connection to this work through the years in one of our upcoming FlightWatch issues.
For the MAF leadership and the myriad decisions they need to make on a daily basis—for wisdom, discernment, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. – 1 Chronicles 16:11