NAMPA, Idaho — When Betty Burge marked her 81st birthday on Saturday, April 28, she celebrated by taking a ride on a small MAF missionary plane as part of her commitment to “do something outside of the box at least once a month.”
In December, the spry Ms. Burge had her picture taken with Santa Claus for the first time in her life. In March, she convinced a girlfriend to go with her to a biker church at the Busted Shovel Bar and Grill in Meridian, Idaho.
“Life has become more restrictive for me recently as I have a lot more difficulty hearing,” Burge said. “So, I wanted to spice things up a bit by getting creative and trying lots of new things.”
She tries different ethnic restaurants and even attended a Romanian funeral that lasted four hours! “I wouldn’t recommend that,” Burge said.
Betty Burge seated aboard the MAF KODIAK ready for takeoff. Photo by Colby Dees.
This month her out-of-the-box experience was a ride in one of MAF’s missionary airplanes. On Saturday, April 28 — Ms. Burge’s birthday – the Nampa-based ministry organization dedicated a new aircraft for service in Haiti, and offered airplane rides as part of the day’s activities. Betty Burge just couldn’t resist.
Ms. Burge is a long-time supporter of MAF, and even sponsors one of its missionaries – Brendan Blowers, a Nampa-native who serves with MAF in Costa Rica.
While she hasn’t flown in a smaller aircraft in a while, it won’t be her first time. When Ms. Burge lived in Moses Lake, WA, she dated a man with a pilot’s license.
“He used to call me up and invite me to dinner in Seattle,” Ms. Burge said. “Of course, I didn’t turn that down!”