Best Mailing Address:
468 Lawson Road London, ON N6G 1X8
JOURNEY
THE
Email us for our Quebec address
mr.philhenderson@gmail.com Quebec Phone: 418-621-5187 Cell Phone: 403-443-7343
Chad
An update from Phil & Merilee Henderson with MAF August 2012
AU QUÉBEC As May was winding down, we found ourselves in the midst of some ambiguity as to where we'd be learning French. MAF was looking as far away as France or Switzerland for a solution as options in Québec were not materializing. But at the right time God provided solutions to both where we’d be living and which course we’d be taking. Our original home church in London Ontario stepped up and through some connections we eventually received an email from a newly retired couple in Québec City. They offered their house to us, fully furnished, for the duration of our time in Québec. We moved out here at the end of June. We’re all living together for two months, learning from each other. Then at the end of August they leave for BC, to learn English, and we will stay and take care of the house. The house is perfect, on a cul-desac, with friendly neighbors. We think it’s the nicest place in which we have ever lived. They even have a small pool in the back yard too! One more case where God answered our prayer and then piled on extra toppings. The contrast from Quebec to Chad will be significant! We are in class four mornings a week with a tutor while Kaitlyn and Lily are with a babysitter. In September, Kaitlyn will start kindergarten at a great school called L’Eau Vive (Living Water). Next to the school is the church we attend where many of Kaitlyn’s future friends will be each week. We are slowly understanding more of the sermon each week and even laugh at some of the jokes – well after everyone else!
We eat most suppers together with the couple who own the house. A great time to practice our French.
Language learning, as a family. We’re all getting into the swing of learning French. Kaitlyn and Lily now often use ‘Bonjour’ and ‘Merci’. Normal daily interactions are no longer a daunting prospect, however, if you are on Facebook you may have seen the story about Phil almost going to a dog groomers for a hair cut. Fortunately they were closed that day. Recently the owner of the house was confused about the gender of words in English. We’d been explaining how someone would casually ask for a full tank at a gas at a gas station. He then asked, “It makes no sense, I thought there were no masculine or feminine words in English but you say, ‘Fill‘er up’ at the gas station. How do you know if your car is female?” Needless to say, dinner conversation can be agonizing but there are bound to be many more of these stories to come...stay tuned. Faith in more than real estate. In a wonderful step of faith of their own, the owners, who recently had the house up for sale, chose to take it down in order to bless us with a place to live for these six months. Pray that God will richly bless them for their faith and generosity.
Québec City Visitors Welcome
MAF has a new logo! All worldwide MAFs are now under one identity. Click on it to learn more about the changeover and see a video of MAF’s history.
AN UPDATE ON CHAD The latest email from the other pilot in Chad came a couple weeks ago. There is a critical need for a temporary replacement pilot from another MAF program for the end of August and some of September. If one can’t be found they will be forced to ground the aircraft. The
other family is overdue for a furlough back in Canada and most other programs are unable to free up any extra pilots. By February
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2013 there should be three pilots in Chad to fly the two aircraft they have there – which is a very good ratio. Right now there is one pilot and at the end of August there will be none. Hearing this motivates us to want to “get a move on”.
MAF STANDARDIZATION IN IDAHO In March we were on our way down to Idaho for what amounts to boot camp for mission pilots. It was stringent, challenging, eyeopening, exhilarating and inspiring all rolled into one month. I flew with MAF’s best instructors as we worked on emergencies, short and steep airstrips, cargo loading and navigating long x-countries when all else fails. In order to give us a
sense of what is possible they try to push candidates to the very edge of the envelope of performance and s a f e t y. T h e n , o n c e w e ’ v e experienced that safely, they bring us back and show us where MAF operates, several safe steps of margin back from the brink. For more stories, photos and videos of this and other experiences along the way, please have a look at our website and blog. You can find the links here.
www.mafhendersons.com for updates, videos and photos from Phil’s side of things wonderful-life-mer.blogspot.ca thoughts on life, parenting and our family from Merilee
Praise God
Full Support!
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We are full of thanks and praise to God for the way he has stirred the hearts of many people like yourselves to partner with this ministry in Chad. We are excited to let you know that our monthly targets with MAF have been met and that is wonderful. Beyond the financial blessing, the knowledge of having you praying for the people of Chad, for our relationships with them and for the work being done is empowering and will sustain us in this ministry. We can’t wait to get on the ground, to get working and to begin sending back first hand stories of what God is doing in Chad through MAF and the many people we fly.
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Where & When
Left Ontario & Traveled to Québec June 26 & 27, 2012
2 Week Training in Ashford, UK January 2013
Arrive in N’Djamena, Chad February 2013
That He has provided an excellent house and family for us here in Québec And for the incredible outpouring of support from our send-off weekend at North Park Church
Prayer Chad! It’s an extremely needy country. Please look it up online or see the blog for some info we’ve collected. ‣For our family here in Canada; this is not an easy departure for them either ‣Kaitlyn will be starting at a Christian school in September – it’s all French For a babysitter to watch Lily four mornings a week from September to December while we’re in language classes ‣For
Thank you,
French Language Training in Québec July 2012 to January 2013
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Scan this square with your phone or go to qrmobilize.me/mafhendersons for more ways to stay in touch. MAF Canada. Mission Aviation Fellowship of Canada, 264 Woodlawn Rd. W, Guelph, ON, N1H 1B6 Toll free: 1.877.351.9344 | www.mafc.org Please let us know if you’re not interested in receiving our letters. If you’re getting this by mail and would prefer an email version, just email us at mr.philhenderson@gmail.com