PCM News: Mission to missions

23 June 2010

Mission to missions

I did a quick, short notice flight to Mozambique today to take some spares up for a stranded mission aircraft. Not a whole bunch to report from my side as far as mission flying is concerned, but without the parts the other aircraft was practically grounded, and much needed support to the local community could not happen.

The weather was almost perfect, and the view on the three hour fight up ...

was about as interesting as on the way back.

Boring flights are the best flight, so I won't complain.

I did see one interesting thing though. Call me thick but I thought ships were supposed to avoid lighthouses, not aim for them!

On returning to Nelspruit in SA, I parked near a MD83 that had apparently been chartered by a shed load of Australians to take them to various events during the footy world cup and they'd come for tonight's game.

As I write Australia have just beaten Serbia 2:1 so they'll be happy, although they didn't beat them by enough, so they are still out of the World Cup.

I got back just in time to see England edge Slovenia and go through to the second round - which now turns out to be Germany on Sunday. What's the chance of us losing it on penalties after extra time. That's never happened before - again!

Now I know where Cathy kicked the ball to! (see previous post).

Anyway, we're still thankful that today's flying activities could be fruitful, and that we're in a position to be able to help in a positive way.

Thanks

Paul and Cathy

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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.