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Pastor fills
space left by Golden retirement
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Bringing the mission of God via the sky |
A rural Newberg airport hosts hundreds of pilots and
would-be pilots at the Mission Aviation Fellowship's annual fly-in |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
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One doesn’t have to be a pilot to become a
missionary.
But if someone were interested in learning to fly, then use those
skills to spread the gospel to people in 32 countries all over the
world, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) would be happy to help by
connecting would-be students with flight training schools.
Mission Aviation Fellowship is a faith-based nonprofit Christian
organization that was formed in the 1940s to support missionary work
and nongovernmental humanitarian organizations in the world.
Once a pilot has earned his or her pilots license, and flown a
minimum of 400 to 500 hours, MAF will put them to work.
The only other requirements for missionary pilots? They must be
mechanics, able to maintain their own airplanes while serving; they
must have at least 12 credit hours in Bible education at the college
level; and they must have the heart and commitment to serve others.
So said Perry Pust, a pilot, mechanic and missionary as well as the
organizer of the third annual missionary fly-in which began Friday
and continues today (Saturday) at the Chehalem Airpark on Dopp Road.
“We don’t teach them to fly,” he said. “They get their training
somewhere else. But the schools do a good job of training and
preparation for mission service.”
Pust described the ideal recruit. “We’re looking for committed
Christian people who are interested in using aviation as a tool for
missions,” he said.
Tim Rosener, director of flight training at Precision Aviation,
which hosts the event, said “(Mission Aviation Fellowship) is an
organization that recruits and manages pilot mechanics to fly for
missionaries all over the world.”
More than 300 people from as far away as Canada and northern
California attended last year’s event, and organizers expect at
least that many this year.
Pust said highlights of the event includes forums for would-be
missionary pilots, allowing groups to ask questions of what is
expected and get quick answers.
Anyone interested in becoming a missionary pilot is invited to
attend the fly-in or to e-mail Pust at ppust@maf.org. |
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From
Aug. 26, 2006, Newberg Graphic
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