USA (MNN) — Missionary pilots, in many cases, are the life-line to the outside world for missionaries serving in hard to reach areas. Today pilots are used to fly in Bible translators, medical personnel, teachers, supplies and more. However, the need for qualified individuals is great right now.
Mission Aviation Fellowship is just one organization that specializes in this type of ministry. MAF’s Gene Jordan says they need people because many fields are opening for the Gospel. “We’re finding ourselves being approached and then looking at areas that we would have never would have considered 10 or 15 years ago. Right now, for example, we’re in Central Asia. We’re looking at Laos and China. So, I would take any pilot, mechanic and communications specialist I could find.”
Jordan puts the need in perspective. “Let me put it this way, we just accepted, two weeks ago, a new recruiting class into MAF — five families and one single young man. And, we could have assigned them three times over.”
Jordan says their typical candidate is an instrument rated commercial pilot with his or her air-frame and power plant mechanics license. But, those aren’t the only needs. “The pilot/mechanic is kind of the basis of our mission, yet we are also looking for I-T computer, communications specialists, (and) maintenance specialists, even somebody who would like to manage one of our bigger bases and not fly.”
As MAF begins to acquire more turbine engine powered aircraft, they need more mechanics qualified to work on them. Pray that God will provide more recruits to help meet the needs on the field. Pray also for the increasing costs of aviation fuel and people to come along side MAF and help.
