An opportunity to follow the call to the ends of the earth
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few …” Jesus said to over 70 of His followers as He sent them out to proclaim the coming Kingdom. This was immediately after Jesus addressed a laundry list of excuses that well-intentioned people gave for not following Him. And these “excuses” were not minor—one man wanted to bury his father, another had a family.
There are no false pretenses about the nature of following Christ. He never said it would be easy. He warns of suffering, homelessness, and even death. Not much has changed for his followers today—the cost is still great.
So even though the field is ripe for the harvest, MAF is challenged to find those who are willing to go.
A Different World
Today, missionary aviation looks very different from the early days of Nate Saint and Betty Greene. It’s less about pioneering mission work in the jungles and more about supporting indigenous pastors, as well as strategically working in closed countries. So while it may look different, the opportunities for ministry are not less.
MAF pilots often find that their passenger is not a western missionary, but a foreign aid worker, government official, local teacher, student, or pastor. In some places MAF staff are the only Christian presence.
Ron Hilbrands. Photo by Crissie Rask.
“Transition is happening. The way we have always done things needs to change in order to meet new opportunities,” said Ron Hilbrands, MAF Mobilization manager and former missionary pilot. “We need new staff coming in who will be part of reaching current and future generations with the Gospel.”
Ripe Fields
MAF’s services—from aviation to technology—allow MAF to be in places where more conventional missionaries can no longer gain access.
“Opportunities are opening for MAF to use aviation and technology in closed countries where traditional missions are prohibited,” said Ron. “We are going into Satan’s strongholds as an expeditionary force. We’re going to places where there has been no Christian witness for a long time.”
MAF needs people with a background in aviation, technology, or teaching willing to go to places that are in desperate need of the love of Christ.
“We are looking for people with skillsets and a passion for reaching hard-to-reach people,” said Ron. “MAF may be where God is calling them, and we can place them where they are needed.”
If you or someone you know wants to reach isolated people with the love of Jesus Christ, contact MAF Mobilization at mobilization@maf.org.
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