Matt and Amanda

Matt:

I have been on the field in Papua, Indonesia now for fiveyears now.  It has been a dream since I was a kid to be able to serve in Papua.  After the tsunami hit Sumatra, Indonesia in 2004, I dropped out of my maintenance school and my dad and I left for Sumatra.  We were with Samaritan's Purse and their aviation department.  It was during this time that I saw just how vital helicopters are to saving lives.  My main job was to load the helicopter, refuel it, and to help with maintenance.  It was a great month of serving the people of Sumatra, and after that I was all in for Helicopter Ministry.  Since my dad flew helicopters with MAF in Papua, we had a lot of contacts with Helimission.  Helimission took over the helicopter missions for MAF Papua and a few pilots swapped from MAF to Helimission.  I contacted Helimission right away and then 12 years later I'm serving the Papuan people with the useful tool of a Helicopter.  I have really enjoyed learning the language and building relationships with the locals here.  I'm currently serving as a pilot and have taken the role as maintenance manager.  It is vital to keep these helicopters safe considering the terrain we fly in.  As a pilot, I had may hurdles to jump through in order to obtain my Indonesian pilots validation.  Through that time God taught me a lot about paitience.  I get so focused on time and feel that I need to get things done right now.  But, we serve a God that is outside of time and he cares more about who we are rather then what we do.  I have always told people, "I'm here to serve" and I think God was testing that in me.  I found out, that is very easy to say, but much harder to live out.  I love flying and wasn't sure why God wasn't letting me fly, and it was hard to watch my friends get to fly while I was grounded.  But, God got me to the point of serving in whatever capacity was needed, and loving it!  I told God that he always has a pilot ready to serve when He needs one, and now the door has been opened. He also taught me that God is willing to use me in ways I am not "equipped" for.  As long as we are willing to be used by God, he will supply the "skills" we need to perform them.  From the bottom of my heart I want to thank all of you that support and pray for me to serve the people in Papua!  

Amanda:  

Hey friend!  I have been living here 6 years now!  I really love living here.  Is it hard? Yes.  Is it also beautiful?  YES!  Living here is so much more complicated in some ways, and so much more simple too.   The helicopter ministry is so important and needed to be the wings of the Gospel of Jesus.  Sometimes I get to follow Matt on a medical evacuation, and it refreshes my vision and I am always amazed at what God has us doing here.  While we are here for the helicopter mission, God is using me in an unexpected and beautiful way.  Completely organically I have helped to open a grassroots basket project here. I had no idea this would grow into the big project it is becoming.  But God knew.  People in remote villages can pick the special reed in the forest around their villages, and turn it into beautiful baskets that I help them sell.  Between the basket project, helping to teach English to some dear friends, continuing my language learning, a million other tasks, and of course my main ministry, my daughters....I stay busy!   I love serving here, my heart, my passion, is that others come to know and believe the best news EVER...Jesus. 

Our Family:

Our oldest is almost fluent in Indonesian, she has picked it up just playing with her friends.  Our second is starting to pick it up.  We love serving Jesus here, and we are honored and humbled to help spread the good news of Jesus here.   It is ALL ABOUT JESUS.