SMAT (School of Misisonary Aviation Technology)

At SMAT This years A&P class is well underway. Their one year A&P program runs from August to August. Construction of their new Office, class room, and lab facilities also began this past August. The new facility will be a great home for the A&P program. It will also free up current hangar space for the flight training department.

SMAT offers a one year A&P program as well as flexible flight training. You can check out their website at http://www.smat-aviation.org.

JL

Have you seen any fruit

Every Wed is Chapel Day here at MAF headquarters in Nampa, Idaho. But this Chapel Day was very special for me as a MAF pilot. We had two missionaries that spoke to us and shared a film about the arrival of the New Testament in their own language. These two missionaries had served many years on the island of Papua. A very remote village by the name of Korapun with a one-way airstrip on the side of a mountain in a small valley in Indonesia. MAF has served these missionaries for over 30 plus years. I was one of the many MAF pilots that made many flights into that airstrip to provide the food, supplies, a hydro-electric water system to make it possible to use a computer and have electric lights at night and so much more over those many years. During 15 of those years the missionaries were translating Gods Word into the language of the Kimyal people of that valley. 15 years of hard labor so that they now have and can read His Word in their own language. I am just a pilot/mechanic but I am also a part of the Body of Christ and todays Chapel brought into focus all that we do as an aviation ministry within MAF and world-wide Missionary Aviation.

Each of us in the Body of Christ have a special gift and ours is a very technical one but MAF has been a very important part in bringing Gods Word to the Kimyal people today. A eternal gift to them. As tears ran down my checks, I truly understand the need for all the parts to work in that Body, yes even pilots and mechanics. The years of training, raising support, living in a different cultural and language, seperation from our families in the States for long periods of time, yet all of that and more was worth every minute to see the faces of the Kimyal people as they looked and understood for the first time the Word of God in their own language. We have always had the Bible in our language to read and I even have over seven translations in my own home to reference ! Do I think each time I open Gods Word what a wonderful gift we have, is it the same joy I see on the faces of the Kimyal people on that DVD ??

Not only I have now seen one New Testament completed in a life time but have news of another in a different part of Indonesia that I flew for many years ago ! That's why I am in MAF and if I could, I would do it ALL again. Capt Hook

Don't Crash and Burn - Situational Awareness

Pilots have the mantra, "Aviate, Navigate and Communicate!" or, "No matter what happens, keep flying the airplane".
Lack of Situational awareness is a major factor in aviation accidents. Loosely defined it is the ability to monitor the environment, assess changing information, and take action based on the complete picture.

Despite an interruption, a distraction, a fire, a woman delivering a baby in the back of the airplane - you cannot become distracted to the point you neglect airspeed and altitude.

This principle has some great cross-application in our spiritual lives as well. A biblical and heart-felt understanding of who I am in Christ is critical for spiritual situational awareness.

If I don't have this grounding, and daily commitment to live in God's grace, my assessment of life's irksome issues, troubles, and hurts - or even blessings, gifts and joys - can quickly become skewed. I tumble on one side into stress, anxiety, striving, comparison, jealousy. Or, on the other side, into pride, complacency, or selfishness.

I can zero in on the crisis and forget the big picture. Or, I can step back, look around and walk in truth. I am a new creation in Christ, part of a body of believers, called to share the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, blessed with gifts to use for God's glory, engaged in spiritual warfare, running a race, born again to a living hope and an inheritance which is eternal...

Situational awareness is a constant discipline in a good pilot. Let's have an even greater commitment to spiritual situational awareness - based on God's word - in our daily lives.

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Colossians 1:9&10

Recruiters . . . . . . Everywhere

Laughter, sarcasm, ribbing, and serious discussion all happened this week as the recruiters got together. Our semi annual meeting for the recruiting department lasted 4 days and included 5 full-time recruiters and one half time recruiter. It also includes our very detail minded administrative assistant that helps keep everything straight.

You may not realize it but we try and have someone available in different parts of the country so they can be responsive to those of you who need answers. Brian Behal is in the Southeast, John Lemmon is in the Midwest, Perry Pust is in the Northwest. The other 3 are located at our HQ in Nampa, ID and cover the Southwest and Northeast.

We meet together because it is important for face to face time as co-workers and we feel the same way about the need for face to face time with people who are interested in knowing more about MAF. Email and phone calls can only go so far and then you just want to sit down and talk with someone who knows and has been there. All the recruiters have been there and done that in terms of serving overseas as a pilot/mechanic.

Give us a call and maybe we can stop by and visit with you. God bless.

What are we looking for?

The issue came up recently that made us aware that many folks out there get mixed messages about what MAF is looking for and how to join up and help. To help clarify that a bit, I thought I would address some of those issues in this blog.

MAF is always and will always be looking for more qualified Pilot/Mechanics who meet our requirements in ratings, time, experience, and who have a passion for ministry, not just flying. Even though we do state that we have a pilot only requirement, the options to place you into our ministry as a pilot only is very limited due to the fact that we then have to have someone to place with you who can do the maintenance. That really limits the options, therefore we do highly prefer the pilot who has his maintenance license as well. We can place about as many P/M combo poeple as we can get. Remember, we want people with a passion for ministry, as our mission is to minister the grace and provisions of Christ our Savior to the many around the world who do not have hope. The aircraft is one of our tools, but you personally are much more of a tool if placed in God's hands, through MAF.

Another problem we run in to is the expectation that MAF will be pursueing you, recruiting you into the organization. Although we do have our recruiting department, we function more like a guidance counselor department, helping you determine whether mission aviation is what God would have you do, and if MAF might be the avenue He wants you to use to serve Him. We are not trying to drag anyone into the org that God has not specifically lead our way. This will demand that you are the one that pursues service with MAF. We are here to assist you with questions, tips, helps, as needed, but we want to see commitment, perseverance, and pursuit as you seek the avenue God has for you to serve Him. In other words don't sit on the sidelines and wait for us to call. This is your life, your service, your future, and it's up to you to follow God in the direction that he has called you. It's not our job to convince anyone to join MAF. That's God's business and we draw the line in that area of playing God for you in your life. We do need many more people to serve in MAF and are looking for those that God is directing our way. Can we help you along that line? YES!

For further info, see our web site and/or contact one of us recruiters. We'd love to pray with you and help you process what it is God is asking you to do.

Respectively submitted,
Perry Pust
NW Recruiter

It's hard to believe the summer is over (well not officially since the first day of fall isn't until 23 Sept.). It seems that each fall I am busier than the one before. That might have to do with the fact that I've got more recruits I'm working with although my friends say it's because I'm getting older!

Since 20 Aug I've already been to one fly in (Smoketown, PA), Liberty University twice, and crammed in 2 weeks of vacation to try and get ready for all my upcoming travels. Thursday the 16th I leave for Raleigh, NC (I'll be visiting folks on the way down) and Saturday I fly out to MAF HQ for the fall week of our semi-annual meetings. I'm already planning my October and November trips and even have a couple of options for December. If you'd like me to stop by and see you, please drop me a line. Thanks!

And even though it's been a VERY full summer, it's been one of the most productive in terms of recruiting that I've had. Our Technical Evaluation slots are all filled up for this October as well as for next April. At our meetings we'll be discussing how we can get some more slots for folks who want to do their TEs, since that seems to be the choke point in the process.

And I know I'm not the only recruiter who is feeling swamped. As I talk with the other two remote recruiters they too seem to have more on their plates this year as well (of course they're older than I am!).

So as you think to pray for MAF, please pray that we recruiters will make good decisions about time management and which recruiting opportunities we should participate in and which we should let pass us by. Thanks!

Until next time...

Brian - SE Recruiter.

Are you available?
That was a question I was recently asked. The AWANA program at church had lost several men to Job changes. It does not fit my schedule well but I can help plug some holes. It is also a chance to help some young person better understand the Bible, Who God is, and the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. I don’t have to go half way around the world for this. I just have to show up.

Ministry sometimes is more about showing up, being available, than what we actually do. Remember it is God’s Spirit that is at work to change a heart, not our eloquent words, or our strong argument that convinces someone they need Jesus. When we show up we bring a new dimension into their lives because Christ lives in us. It’s true we need to do our best but just showing up can sometimes be the best thing we can do. So, where do you need to show up? I will be adding AWANA to my schedule.

Remember climbing in the pilot seat of an airplane, traveling half way around the world, joining our IT or LT staff, signing on as a teacher or manager; there are all kinds of jobs that need to be done, but in the end it is more about showing up where God wants to touch someone’s life. Make yourself available. Train the best you can, read and study God’s word, but don’t get so bogged down you can’t show up where God needs you now.