Category Archives: Ministry Focus

Crisis Averted

The phones started ringing earlier than usual one morning as we were commuting to the office in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). “We have 50 people we need to get out,” said a humanitarian aid worker. “We’re looking at approximately 110 people that may need to be evacuated,” said another caller, an embassy […]

Unearthing an Enduring Legacy

Nearly 60 years ago, MAF pilot Nate Saint and four other missionaries landed at “Palm Beach” on the Curaray River in Ecuador. Setting foot on the river beach was the next logical step in what the men called “Operation Auca,” after initial attempts from the air to contact the hostile Waorani tribe were deemed positive. […]

A Congolese Church Conference Ushers in Healing

In the first century, the apostle Paul gives the church in Ephesus instructions on how they can grow in maturity. Among the first things he emphasizes is a call to avoid division. For Paul, unity was essential among the body of Christ in order not only for churches to grow in the faith but for […]

GATR Ball

How an inflatable can impact a disaster response effort

It looks like an eight-foot beach ball. But when a disaster strikes—like an earthquake or typhoon— this inflatable device is much handier than its simpler cousin.

In fact, it can be a game changer.

When a major disaster occurs, like Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines or the 2010 Haiti […]

70 Years: Changeable but Immutable

Piper AE-1 somewhere in Mexico. Photo credit: Jim Lomheim

Aviation ranks as one of the most conservative activities on the planet. In the beginning, all flights were experiments. Enough succeeded to encourage more tries, but crashing got old. Surviving aviators developed a fondness for doing what they knew would work over what they thought […]

Connecting Friends

Neheng and Sebongile enjoying their M&Ms, and pilot Justin Honaker

Sebongile and Neheng are two of my favorite people. The best of friends with a lot common, they are the same age and go to the same school. They’re also MAF frequent flyers. And, they are both mute and deaf. However, for all the […]