As long as we ever can

Someone recently asked me: "How long will I/we (MAF) do what we do...?"

When I look at the famine disaster in East Africa and the apparent chaos in many other parts of the world,  it almost seems hopeless, but as a Christian I don't believe that a situation can ever be completely without hope. Then again, can I truly say that I have every experienced something even close?

If our hope was based only on the here and now, I think this is as close to hopelessness as you get. Even in this the reporter mentions that the people look relieved "that finally they have reached somewhere, finally they have hope." Then imagine how hopeless it must be where they came from...

Often the problems are so many and seem so big, that we feel what we can do won't make 'n real difference. However, I believe that all God asks is that we do what we can, when we can, He will do the rest. John Wesley said it well: "Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can."

Paul said to the Romans: "Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us." We have a blessed assurance of a future destiny based on God's love, revealed by the Holy Spirit and demonstrated by Jesus Christ!

We can only bring temporary physical hope to people, but we have a message of God's love that brings eternal hope and we have a mandate to take it to the ends of the earth.

So, to answer the question: We will do all the good we can... as long as we ever can until our eternal hope in Jesus Christ is fulfilled. And with your partnership we can do the best we can.

full circle

My previous post ended with me on my way to New York, where I spent a couple of days exploring before I left for the UK. Although I enjoyed the US very much, London was a nice change of scenery.

Ashburham Place

I saw some of the sights of London before taking a train down to the beautiful Ashburham Place, where we had the first week of our Facts & Friction course. Luckily the facts were good and the friction was not too severe. The second week of the orientation was held at the MAF International: Africa office in Ashford, Kent. This was a great opportunity to get to know many of the people 'behind the scenes' and learn how everything (and everyone) fits together. I left there feeling very orientated...

With the new Tanzania Program Manager and his wife

Thank you for all the prayers during this time. I learned a lot, improved my flying skills, trusting in God for even the smallest things and especially for those things I so often think I must do by myself.

You can see some of the photos of the UK trip here and here.

January 2012 has been set for me to start in Tanzania. Please continue to pray as I now set out to establish prayer and financial partnerships in order to serve as a full time MAF missionary.

God is on the move...

Owyhee Bend 1200ft/365m

So much has happened since my previous post, and it happened so fast! As I said; things would intensify in week 3 & 4 of the standardization course, and it did! We had to work through some tough times, but with the patience of the amazing MAF instructors and through God's grace, I achieved the standards required! I learned a lot, not only improving my own practical abilities and understanding limitations, but also to rely fully on God for all things, all the time. Even, and perhaps especially, for the things we so often think are our own responsibility.

After completing the training, I drove a car for someone from Nampa to Minneapolis (1500 miles in 36 hours with 3 hours of sleep along the way). Perhaps a little crazy in retrospect, but I wanted to see a couple of things, visit some friends and make it to Boston in time. So, I got to see some of the friends I met at Cape Town 2010 from Bethlehem Bible Collage in Minneapolis. Then I went on to Chicago and visited with my old landlord from Florida for a couple of days. After that I came to Boston to serve as a steward for the Biennial Lausanne Leadership meetings. We worked hard to organize logistics for the 150 leaders who gathered. In between we had great opportunities to interact with some great men and women serving God throughout the world. With them we discussed sections of the Call To Action of the Cape Town Commitment. What a brilliant document; laying out the role and the purpose of the Church. I firmly believe that this is our Call To Action as the Whole Church takes the Whole Gospel to the Whole World.

There is so much more to share, but this will have to do for now, I promise to add some photos soon.  (In the meantime maybe you can see some of them here and here?)


What next? I drive down to New York city tomorrow morning, spend a couple of days there before flying to London next week for the Facts & Friction course starting in July.

Thank you for your prayers and please continue as I realize more and more each day how dependent I am of that.

Praise God as we serve Him alone and He provides in ALL things!

two weeks of Flight Standardization

It's been more than a month since the last post, after 48 hours of planes and airports I arrived in San Francisco two weeks ago. During a quick stop over I saw the Golden Gate Bridge before getting on a 26 hour bus trip, bit of a different experience but I arrived safely in Nampa Idaho. I quickly made friends with other incoming missionaries all in different stages of the intake process. It is wonderful to learn how God works uniquely in each of our lives to get us to a place of complete surrender so that we can best serve Him.

Our first week was filled with ground school lectures; learning procedures, checklists, methods and theory why things are done the way they are. In order to serve God best, we must do our part by showing good stewardship of what we are given to serve with.

"The horse is prepared for the day of battle but safety is of the Lord." ~Prov. 21:31~

Although our final safety is in the Lord, we are not to go into battle unprepared.

Practicing Air Drops

During the second week we started taking the principles to the air as we learn to get the job done while staying within our own limitations and that of the plane and the conditions. We are progressing well and I am learning a lot. Things intensify as we now start to take the principles into more challenging terrain and airstrips. Please continue to pray as I learn and apply the skills in increasingly difficult environments.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

on the move and licensed...

What a feeling to get airborne again after more than a year of no flying!!
I came up to Johannesburg last week to prepare for my commercial license and instrument rating renewals. It also served as good preparation for the upcoming flight standardisation course. I got some valuable time in the Cessna 206 and some heads up from an experienced MAF training captain. All went well during the test with the South African Airways training captain and active MAFSA board member. There is always room for improvement, but everything was up to standard to revalidate my license.

Thank you for the prayers, I must say I was quite stressed, but a sense of calm came over me and checklists and procedures returned to memory, it can only be an answer to prayers. Please keep on praying, for safe travel and more calmness and vigilance as the flying will only intensify from here onward. Visit the blog for updated prayer requests.

Thank you for your partnership as I prepare to help MAF overcome barriers, change lives and build God's Kingdom.

Marco (MAF TC), me, Andrew (Examiner & SAA TC)
after the test in ZS-ANA, MAFSA's C206

and so it begins

Well, actually it continues... I officially started the application process with MAF in January 2010, I got approved in November and got assigned to the MAF Tanzania Program today! And it will be at least another 7 months before I actually get there. But a lot has to happen...

March/April I will be doing my license renewals at MAFSA at Lanseria.
9 May I start the 8 week intensive Flight Standardization Training in Nampa, Idaho USA. 3-15 July it's time for Facts & Friction (cross-cultural preparation) in Ashburnham Place, UK.
Up to then and until I leave I will be actively busy meeting people and starting partnerships through which we can "Overcome Barriers, Transform Lives and Build God's Kingdom."

Exciting times ahead, Praise God!!

New Year ahead

Blessings for 2011, I believe it's going to be a great year: Lots of changes and challenges but God will be at every turn to guide the way! 

I am looking forward to taking up this journey with your support and knowing that God is in control.

May He bless you and keep you throughout 2011.

Thank you for your support.