Mission Aviation

I've been thinking about mission aviation as a whole this week. My reflections have been on the fact that we've spent our lives in a tiny niche, and the opportunities and the impact of that niche. Most of my growing up years our family was totally dependent on the airplane for transportation, anxious to look through the incoming mailbag, sustained by groceries that arrived in the mission airplane, and living in a house held together by transported supplies. An emergency medical flight saved my life when I was a toddler. The red and white airplane was my school bus every quarter as I came and went from home. The pilot was our biggest source of encouragement, news, and interaction with the outside world in the years our family worked alone. I grew up quite convinced that pilots were superheroes.

I eventually married a pilot and found out that while he isn't a superhero, he is a hero. Together we served missionary teams in four countries and trained new pilot families at our headquarters. We served in a large program and several smaller ones. We were leaders and followers. Now we serve at Moody Aviation, and some days I think about what we're training people to do and where mission aviation is headed. 

While some of the paradigms and opportunities in mission aviation are changing, the reality is that mission aviation continues to have countless opportunities to impact the world. Traditional avenues of supporting remote church planting teams still remain. Business as mission opportunities are growing. Mission aviation steps into places destroyed by natural disasters. As I look at these realities, I believe that the potential impact of mission aviation continues to grow. Mission aviators are serving all over the world, interacting with a great number of people. The Gospel's growth in many areas continues to be possible because of mission aviation. Humanitarian aid gives mission aviation a unique voice in a world of pain and chaos.

As I ponder, I believe that the investment is worthwhile. And I am thankful to be a part of it! This week the investment looks like office work, presentations, and interactions with students and staff at Moody Aviation.