14 — Good News, etc. — July 2009 nc/sd
missions
“Go, ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” – Matthew 28:19 (KJ)
First Kodiak bush aircraft takes missionary work to a higher plane
By CYNTHIA ROBERTSON
“It’s because aviation is an incredibly founded in 1945. The missionary teams kingdom by enabling the work of more
expensive major, and it takes a very long of aviators, communicators, technology than 1,000 organizations in isolated areas,
The Quest Aircraft-designed Kodiak time to get through it,” he said. and education specialists all build God’s serving 55 countries.
made its public debut at Gillespie Field Requirements of pilots include being
in June. The plane, which runs on jet fuel a believing Christian, acquiring a pilot’s
Graduates of
at 750-horsepower, is the first of its kind license, an airframe and powerplant
San Diego
for the Missionary Aviation Fellowship license, and a mechanic’s license.
Christian
(MAF). Indeed, sending the plane to Indonesia
College
The Kodiak is a bush airplane able will cost $25,000, said Benney. But where
Aviation
to land in rough, primitive wilderness, God’s will is in place, there will be a way,
Technology
executing short take-offs and landings. as demonstrated in the past by generous
Like all MAF aircraft, the plane will carry
Program
gifts of churches and individuals.
the sick and injured to medical clinics, A recent graduate of the Aviation
pushed the new
deliver medicines, Bibles, food and other Technology Department at SDCC, Michael
Kodiak to a
necessities of life. The pilots of MAF are also Cool has his eyes on a career as a missionary
hangar for its
trained in aviation mechanics so that they pilot. “I am currently getting out of debt
public debut at
do not need to rely on outside help. now after all my education costs,” he said.
Gillespie Field.
“This plane is a realization of a dream ten “Last year, the Lord opened the door for
Photo: Cynthia Robertson
years in the making,” said MAF CEO John me to come out here to fly. I had been
Boyd, who grew up in a British colony in thinking I would go into the military, but
Africa. “It is an extremely sturdy, reliable I was introduced to MAF. This new plane
piece of equipment, it has easy access to just blows my mind. How fast it takes off
A million dollar recording? You bet!
the engine compartment, and it can carry and lands is a real trip.”
nearly twice the load of our other planes. Rodney Dryud, another graduate of
“It will be the 911 of the jungle,” Boyd Aviation Flight Technology, has been
Z
ig Ziglar, motivational speaker and
author of Confessions of a Happy
Christian, once said, “Offer me a
YOUR
added. accepted into MAF and is now building
million dollars for my tape player, and if
Currently, 38 families in MAF serve from missionary support. “My funding is
I knew I couldn’t replace it, I would not
MISSION
six bases in Papua. The need there is so great at about 75 percent,” said Dryud, who
take the money.”
that MAF pilots are able to accommodate will be going with his wife Tammi to
If an old-school recording device that
BILL SMITH
less than half of the flight requests they French Language School near Montreal
plays non-inspired words is worth that
receive. The Kodiak aircraft, the first of in August.
much, then how much would a recording
four planned for Papua, will be able to By next year, the Dryuds will be heading
of God’s Word be worth? Consider this: group of Scottish students raised enough
transport more passengers and supplies to the Democratic Republic of Congo. “Lots
Believers have risked their lives to smuggle money for 1,000 Talking Bibles for Malawi.
with fewer flights. of civil unrest there,” Tammi said, who
copies of the written Word behind the As Paul Hoekstra suggests, “Think of how
Before the Kodiak takes off in August received her degree in education from
Iron Curtain. American POW’s in the pleasing it must be to God to hear His Word
on its 6,500-mile maiden flight towards SDCC and will home-school their 8-month
Hanoi Hilton risked beatings to pass along played back.”
Papua, Indonesia, it was scheduled to make old son Justice. “But we’re prepared, and
scraps of what they could remember of the Not surprisingly, the blind have found
several public relations stops, the first of looking forward to it.”
Scriptures to each other. Christian workers them especially useful. Every single blind
which was San Diego. “There is strong Dryud nodded.”We really believe in
have spent their entire lives learning and Christian in Bangladesh has received one.
support here in San Diego from churches, MAF’s mission statement of reaching
translating languages in stone-aged cultures A Lebanese believer wrote, “My husband
individuals and organizations,” explained people who are spiritually and physically
to give one people group God’s Word. If is blind, and he goes out to witness, but his
Ghislaine Benney, director of development. isolated with the gospel of Christ,” he
the only way members of an oral culture (audio) Bible is 70 cassette tapes! Even his
“So we wanted to say ‘thank you,’ making said.
were ever to hear the Bible in their own Braille Bible is knee-high.” Now he is able
San Diego our first stop.” The life-transforming work of the
language to go out to witness with a single “book”
One of the MFA’s strong supporters aviation missionaries makes a lasting
w a s in his hand.
is San Diego Christian College, whose impression to both Christians and non-
t h r o u g h Even in America, people are finding uses
Aviation Technology Department has been Christians. “Many of our individual
such an for the English version of the Talking Bible,
keeping a close eye on the development supporters are not necessarily even
a u d i o recorded by Cliff Barrows. A nursing home
of the Kodiak. Christian,” Boyd said. “But they see the
device, then resident named Jim had an unfulfilled
“As a college, we need to re-focus on work we do, such as helping out with the
what would it lifelong dream to lead one person to Jesus,
providing pilots to the mission field,” tsunami a few years ago. Only our planes
be worth? but never had done so. One day he went
said Denny Breslin, director of aviation could get in and out of that situation.
In Escondido, to be with the Lord, and when his family
at SDCC. “We reach out to others less fortunate.
Talking Bibles came back the next day to pick up his
It is rare for a Christian college to have As Christians, that’s our fundamental
I n t e r n a t i o n a l things, they asked the fellow who had
a department in aviation studies, Breslin capstone.”
has combined zeal been in the same room whether he was a
said, much less in missionary aviation. Based in Nampa, Idaho, MAF was
for God’s Word, Christian. The roommate replied that he
c ro s s - c u l t u r a l understanding, and had believed on Jesus just the day before
Home Schooling
Calvary Ranch
modern technology, to produce and deliver by listening as Jim was playing his Talking
over 109,000 “Talking Bibles” around the Bible! God says, “My Word will not return
est. 1979
world. Founded by missionary and Bible to me void.” Indeed.
Start anytime ~ Low Cost!
A Recovery Facility
for Drug and Alcohol
translator Harvey T. Hoekstra and now led What I can do:
Monthly Payments Available
by his sons Paul and Mark, the ministry 1. Volunteer to help with any task, from
Where God Does the Healing
Curriculum included (if needed)
produces a device that looks like a small graphic design to packing boxes.
Bible (for credibility) and plays the New 2. Give $72 to fund production and
Adults can get their High School Diploma
Testament on MP3. It packs some powerful delivery of one Talking Bible, which might
Writing Classes ~ Lab Classes ~ Sports
speakers and can run on either battery or be used to reach an entire village. Or $720
solar power. as a leadership gift to fund 10.
Psalm 1:1 “Blessed is the man that walketh
Mark, the inventor, explained, “The idea 3. Pray for the ministry of Talking Bibles
not in the counsel of the ungodly nor
was to produce a Bible that was virtually and for increasing resources.
standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in
indestructible to being dropped, shaken, 4. As a church, adopt one listener,
Breaking the Bondage of
and would even be impervious to water one village, or one Bible listening
the seat of the scornful.”
Addictions since 1972
and insects.” coordinator.
Grace Christian Schools
A wide variety of individuals and groups The ministry can be reached at (760)
13610 Willow Road
www.gracechristianschools.com
have come together to pay for production 745-8105, www.talkingbibles.org or info@
Lakeside, CA 92040
and distribution of these audio wonders. talkingbibles.org.
(858) 541-0373
For more information please
The National Bible Society in various o
under the ministry of
call: 800-404-2258
countries have contributed. Christians Bill Smith of Escondido attends Emmanuel
Mission Valley Christian Fellowship calvaryranch.org
in Sierra Leone raised money to do their Faith Community Church and works in Rancho
own translation in the Krio language. A Bernardo as an investment advisor.
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