Aviation ministry in the body of Christ

BRAZIL

A view from the air. (Photo supplied)

We walked down the metal steps of the small jet in Tabatinga, Brazil, and were hit by heat and the smell of the rainforest. There was beauty in nature, but the buildings and streets were well-worn and plain. We slept in a small but clean hotel and headed to the dock early in the morning. It was fascinating to check in to the jetboat for our trip down the Amazon, starting with the police office, then watching luggage get loaded through trapdoors in the aisle on the boat, and finally taking off down the river.

At the beginning of our seven-hour ride, we were offered grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and hot coffee, and later a plate of beef, spaghetti, and rice. The cook in the closet-like kitchen at the back of the boat was basically a magician, as far as I could tell. Upon arrival at our destination, Santo Antonio do Ica, we were met by our smiling hosts and taken to their home on small motorcycles. What a trip!

The 12-day trip was an adventure, with over 50 hours in airplane and boat seats, sleeping in six different beds and two nights in airplanes. The purpose of the trip was an aviation audit/consult for a couple with an airplane for ministry. While in Brazil, we were starkly reminded that God gives each of us gifts to use in his body and kingdom—and he expects us to use them where he leads, whether within our house, our community, or halfway around the world. What a privilege to be part of God’s work!

Our time with Lloyd and Athena was a blessing as we heard their passion for gospel work among the isolated people on the Amazon River. They work with a small team in local churches and the community of this remote town. Lloyd uses a small aircraft to travel to churches and transport local pastors, who trade 24 hours of paddling for 15 minutes in an airplane!

The team also has a clinic where they do prenatal care. It was amazing to spend a morning there, seeing the staff, including a surgeon and Athena, who is a nurse, love the women by providing quality care and sharing the gospel. It is incredible to be able to invest in what is happening there. We talked through both aviation and ministry, offering suggestions in various areas.

Aviation is key to ministry in many places, either supporting church planting or as a creative access option. Garry earned his private pilot license as a teen and graduated from Moody Aviation with a BS in Missionary Aviation Technology. We married during his first term in Venezuela and have spent over 30 years doing aviation and investing in missionaries and local communities. These days we work at Moody Aviation. Our goal there is to increase longevity of mission aviators by investing in spiritual maturity and technical excellence, and we are always looking for those gifted with a love of God and aviation.