Recent flying events

It's been a while since I shared any flying-related photos - anyone might think I haven't been doing much!

In actual fact there have been a couple of things worth posting about:

Last weekend I flew the gliding club's towplane from Kaitoke up to Feilding to finish my glider tow training and get the rating signed off.

Today we had the Kapiti aero club Christmas BBQ and prizegiving. To my surprise I was awarded the cup for airmanship, in recognition for the various things I've done to prepare myself for MAF. It was a real honour.

Aircraft at Manawatu Gliding Club, Feilding. CIG is their towplane (a Piper Pawnee).
I did my rating in our Piper Cub, BRP. A little less power, but still does the job.

Receiving the cup for airmanship from Kapiti Aero Club CFI, John Harwood

Big news

Over the last few months I have been waiting to hear from MAF International regarding my placement and start date. A couple of weeks ago I was told that there are a number of issues which mean that the April 2019 flight standardisation course has been cancelled, meaning that everything would be pushed out to at least October 2019. This affects not just me, but pretty much every other new pilot joining the organisation.

However, I have just been informed in the last few days that MAF International is considering me for a junior flight instructor position at their flight training centre in Mareeba, Australia (about an hour's drive inland from Cairns).

I will travel to Mareeba for some assessments from 21-25 January to see whether they think I would be suitable for the role. If those go well, MAF will arrange for me to gain an instructor's rating at their flight training centre (8-week course, likely in the first half of 2019) and aim to start working later in the year. I would then be involved in training brand new pilots to be able to fly for MAF in the future.

I'm still a bit stunned that MAF are considering me for this - it's not something that many people would be given the opportunity to do. But I'm also really excited about the possibilities that this would give me for serving within MAF, not just immediately but also further down the track (once I go to the field, I could potentially be involved as a check pilot or training pilot there, rather than just a standard line pilot).

This opportunity has God's fingerprints all over it:

• Given the delay until at least October, I had started looking into doing an instructor rating at the aero club. However that was going to be a delicate balancing act between time, money and sanity. I was also concerned that I might lose my focus for MAF. This opportunity alleviates all of those concerns.
• It would mean that I would be within the MAF system a lot sooner than otherwise, so if things change and a field position becomes available, I'll already be there.
• I wasn't sure how I was going to cope being thrown in the deep end in terms of moving somewhere like PNG, having to adapt to a new culture, language, climate, living standards, and job all at once. Moving to Mareeba first for a year or two would help to spread that transition.

As far as I can see, it's all win-win-win-win! The only downside (if you can call it that) is that I would likely be bonded at the flight training centre for a couple of years. But that's neither here nor there - it may not be a long delay compared to when I would start otherwise, and as I said it would help the transition, so I really don't mind.

I am incredibly thankful for how God is working things out in ways that far surpass the plans I was coming up with! I don't know where this will lead - there are many possibilities that having an instructor rating could open up. But I do know that with God directing it, it's going to be amazing!

Unfortunate events

The last couple of weeks have been trying, to say the least. From the Bible we know that there is an ongoing battle between good and bad spiritual forces, and I was certainly feeling it recently! However, after the first couple of events it somehow got easier to cope with what came next, as I was reminded that God will not allow anything to happen to us that we can't handle.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'" (Ps. 91:1-2)

Here is a list of what happened.

Tuesday morning, 4 Dec: I woke up to find the power was off for no apparent reason. I rang the electricity company to ask them to fix it; it was sorted out by the afternoon.

Overnight Tuesday into Wednesday: Just after midnight my hot water cylinder burst. I was unable to turn the water off so called my parents (in between handling buckets and mopping up) and they were able to come and help call a plumber, clean up etc. The cylinder was replaced the next day.

Overnight Wednesday 5 Dec: My mum was rushed to hospital with what turned out to be meningitis. Thankfully she responded well to treatment. She was in isolation for a few days and was in hospital for a little over a week until she went home on Friday 14 Dec.

Friday 7 Dec: My colleague and I took our cars in for maintenance (so we could share a ride to work). When we went to collect them, while crossing the road on foot we were nearly hit by a car speeding down the median strip.

Monday 10 Dec: We had a fire at work in the roof space of the building next to mine. Everyone was evacuated and told to go home. I had left my bag in my office with keys etc. in it, so had to leave the car behind. Due to chemical hazards and concerns about asbestos, we were not allowed to return until 14 Dec.

Despite all these things, I had a sense of security knowing that God is in control. Each one of these could have been worse - for example, if the hot water cylinder had burst while I was at work or away for the weekend. A number of people commented that this could be good preparation for the difficulties I will face when I go to the mission field!

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah" (Ps. 46:10-11)

It's Christmas time

It's anybody's guess as to where I'll be next Christmas, but for now it's time to let the neighbourhood know the reason for the season!

Timing is everything

Here's an observation that came from a presentation I gave to a local church youth group recently. (This wasn’t so much of a promotional thing for MAF but sharing with them about what I’ve learned and experienced of God and how He is calling me to join MAF.) I mentioned how, if I’d gone to aviation college straight from school and got my CPL then, I could have been flying for MAF for 15 years by now. Yet that time has not been wasted, because I have learned more, experienced more, and met more people than I would have otherwise. Similarly at the moment there has been a delay with me heading to the field – at one point September 2018 was the aim, then April 2019, and now (as I was just informed last week) nobody really knows [1]. One of the kids came up to me afterwards and said, ‘If you had been flying for MAF already, you wouldn’t have been here to speak to us tonight.’ What she said was absolutely true. None of us know who we are going to meet, or whose life we will have an impact on. Regarding my placement at MAF, I know that God’s timing is perfect, and I don’t want to rush ahead of Him. And in the meantime, there are people He wants me to meet and help and inspire. The same is true for each of us, so my encouragement to you is to look out for those opportunities!


[1] I'll update everyone regarding this when I am able to. I've been told that there are a number of issues that MAF International needs to sort out before they can assign me to a programme. Basically, I have been accepted, so it is just a matter of time.