PCM News: Ministry play time

18 August 2009

Ministry play time

We would admit that we do get to have a fair amount of fun.

Depending on your view point, my 60 km and Cathy's 35 km mountain bike race this last weekend would prove that.

The week before though saw another opportunity for frivolity when Julian and Annie Bullen and two of their friends visited us. We arrived in Lesotho within 3 weeks of the Bullen's in 1994 to work for our respective missions and have been good friends ever since. They are currently living in Angoche way up in Mozambique working with the Koti people, but have to leave the country every three months to renew their visas.

This is where Mercy Air really comes in handy for many missionaries as we are an ideal place to stay whilst paperwork, meical visits, vehicles etc are sorted out. We are also in a good area to chill out and partake in some serious R n' R, which can be as refreshing as staying in bed all morning - I'm told!

So, we chilled in the evenings, had some meals together, chatted, prayed a little... and then we turned our eyes to the hills.

We have a friend at our church in White River who runs the local adrenalin spot called Induna Adventures, and we arranged with him for a two hour blat around the forrests on quad bikes. Considering the lifestyle in Mozambique this was a real oportunity for Julian and Annie to let their heir down - and for Cathy to tie hers up!

So, ministry? - of course. Every one needs their batterys charging somehow. Fun? - need I say more!

Paul

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A short history of us

Not long after we were married we felt that God had some full time work for us overseas. This initially began with a move to Sheffield in 1992 to work for a Christian management training company. Three years later we felt the Lord's prompting that another change was imminent and this led to a move to Africa where we helped set up a youth program with the Lesotho-Durham link in the capital Maseru. An initial three year commitment turned into four after which the youth work was handed over to the nationals.

Then, after feeling God was moving us into mission flying Paul enrolled at a flying school and completed his South African commercial license with an instrument rating in December 1999.

We moved from Lesotho to White River in South Africa in June of 2003 where we now work with Mercy Air. Mercy Air was borne out of Youth with a Mission (YWAM) and is a sister, although smaller organisation to the more well known Mercy Ships. We are situated near Nelspruit and provide a service to missions and the development/aid community in the southern African region but mainly serve Mozambique.

We operate four aircraft at present - a Quest Kodiak, a Cessna 310 and two Airbus 350 helicopters which are often used for the relief flights.

When not flying Paul is responsible for flight operations and is Mercy Air's Safety Officer.

Cathy, who is a registered Nurse and Midwife works part time at Africa School of Missions which is a bible college preparing missionaries for overseas service. She teaches in their School of Health and is part of a team which visits a number of rural clinics during the week. She is also helps with the hospitality ministry that Mercy Air runs.

Matthew spent four years at Rhodes University in Grahamstown where he studied photo journalism. He has now flown the nest and is living with his wife in Durban. They have a young daughter named Isabella.