MAF Youth Magazine - Issue #28

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LUCY FLIES SOLO...

AT 14!

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Lucy flies solo...

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MAF Youth caught up with Lucy, from Rugby, about her major achievement last year

MAF YOUTH: How long did it take to achieve your first solo flight in a glider?

LUCY: I started training in August 2020 and my first flight was on 1 September 2021 at Husbands Bosworth Airfield Gliding Centre in Leicestershire.

(The period included a few months off when I couldn’t fly due to COVID-19 restrictions.)

MAF YOUTH: Wow – that’s amazing in such a short space of time! How long have you been interested in flying?

LUCY: When I was little I went to Coventry Airport with my Dad and looked at all the old planes in the museum. When Dad took me to the café at the flying club I saw the gliders and thought, ‘I really want to do that’. I had a trial flight when I was still eight years old and LOVED it!

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MAF YOUTH: So does your Dad like planes? Are there any aviation enthusiasts in the family?

LUCY: No – it’s really kind of my own thing!

MAF YOUTH: It’s great that you’ve discovered a love for it yourself! What was that attracted you to flying?

LUCY: Just a sense of being free in the air with nothing other than your own ability to fly the plane!

MAF YOUTH: What was the training like which enabled you to fly a glider solo?

LUCY: At first it was really hard, and I struggled with a few things. It was really difficult getting over the mental side of things when you don’t get it – learning new things but also putting them into practice.

But the instructors were really nice. They encouraged me a lot and were quite inspiring. I got frustrated with myself when I couldn’t do things, so I had to overcome that.

doing it on my own until I touched down. I just concentrated on what I had to do!

When I left the plane, I was like, ‘Oh, wow, I just flew that all by myself!’ I was smiling so much and really happy. On my second solo flight, I thought, ‘Wow, it’s really cool to be up here on my own’, and now I’ve done more than 20 flights!’

MAF YOUTH: Any breath holding, slightly hairy moments?

LUCY: Not really, no. It all went well. Take-off was good. I was a little scared for the landing because there was a slight crosswind, but it was fine! I thought it would have been scarier than it was!

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MAF YOUTH: It sounds like an experience in perseverance.

MAF YOUTH: Well, that shows your skill! How often do you get to do this hobby of yours?

LUCY: Every weekend apart from winter, when I find it too cold!

LUCY: Definitely!

MAF YOUTH: What did it feel like when you flew the glider on your own?

LUCY: The first thing I noticed was that it was really quiet because the instructor wasn’t there.

He’d normally have been talking to me. And I was so in the moment that I almost didn’t realise I was

MAF YOUTH: Fair enough! What did you enjoy most about your first solo flight?

LUCY: Probably the take-off because once you take off there’s no going back! The whole thing lasted about 5 minutes, but it felt like forever, and I got up to 1,500 feet!

MAF YOUTH: Flying in a glider is different to flying in a powered aircraft. How would you describe the difference to people reading this?

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LUCY: Well, staying up in a glider is a real skill, as you rely on riding thermals. And with gliding you can’t afford to make mistakes when landing because you only have one shot at it as you don’t have an engine. I think the most common misconception about gliding is that you can’t go far, but that isn’t so. In the summer, someone from the club flew from the Midlands to Wales and back. I think it took about seven hours.

MAF YOUTH: That’s incredible, zero fuel! So, do you now fly powered aircraft as well?

LUCY: Yes, I fly them at Coventry, and I am hoping to get my Private Pilots Licence in the future. I can’t fly solo in a plane yet because I’m not 16. Hopefully, when I reach 16, I will.

MAF YOUTH: Would you consider flying for MAF in the future?

LUCY: Yes, definitely! I enjoy speaking French, so I’d like to go to a French speaking country in Africa. I want to go all over.

MAF YOUTH: Great! Any advice to teenagers reading this who would like to do what you’ve done?

LUCY: Follow you dreams and do whatever you need to do to get there. Once you’ve done it, you’ll feel very accomplished. You’ll meet people from lots of different age groups, so it’s a hobby that helps you gain confidence through speaking to lots of different people.

MAF YOUTH: Many readers will be wondering how much it costs. Is it expensive?

LUCY: Actually, it’s surprisingly not. For gliding, a winch launch costs £9.50 at most clubs and a tow launch, when a plane tows you into the air, is £30. Most clubs run scholarship schemes. I have a scholarship, so I don’t have to pay airtime. A tow launch takes you higher to about 2,500 feet. We use a plane called a Chipmunk. The highest I’ve got to in one go is 5,000 feet. I was on top of the clouds!

MAF YOUTH: That must have been amazing!

LUCY: Yes, everything looks so small, compact and closer together from the sky. I once saw a red kite in a thermal with me and could see the bird flying.

MAF YOUTH: How can people find out where they can go gliding locally?

LUCY: If you go to the British Gliding Association website and enter your postcode, you can find the nearest gliding centre to your house.

MAF YOUTH: Brilliant! That’s really helpful. Do you have a favourite plane, by the way?

LUCY: I really want to fly a Cessna Caravan because they’re quite big and bulky, and it seems amazing they can get in the sky at all!

MAF YOUTH: Any final tips?

LUCY: Yes. People may think that gliding can’t take you anywhere, but it’s not true because the hours you spend gliding can go towards the hours you need to get your Private Pilots Licence, saving you money as well. And, because you know the basics of how to fly, there are some parts of the training that you don’t need to revisit.

S a fely la n d e d

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MAF UK Engineer Training Scheme MAF UK is excited to be rolling out a sponsored aircraft training scheme that enables motivated young people to join MAF and work overseas.

We will help successful applicants achieve the theoretical knowledge and practical experience necessary to obtain an aircraft engineering licence.

You will then go on to serve with MAF in one of our programmes in Africa or the Asia-Pacific region.

Ideal candidates will have completed A-levels in mathematics and physics, possess a vibrant Christian faith, demonstrate maturity, resilience, a keen interest in aircraft engineering and the ability to pass an occupational medical.

CLOSING DATES: Applications for our 2022 intake can be made immediately.

Applications for the 2023 intake close midday on 29 August 2022.

The selection process is competitive and will include interviews, technical evaluations and the completion of medical and psychological assessments.

For more information or to apply, scan the QR code or visit our website www.maf-uk.org/ engineer-training If you have any questions, please email hr@maf-uk.org

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MASERU

COUNTRY LESOTHO CAPITAL MASERU LIFE EXPECTANCY 53 Known for its Mountains, textiles and being surrounded by South Africa

Please pray for comfort for those living with diseases such as HIV and AIDS PHOTO GRANT STRUGNELL

Saved by a buffalo?

On a recent MAF flight over the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), MAF Communications Officer Jill Vine heard the amazing story of passenger Kenneth Rwego – a story she now tells everyone she meets…

Your worst nightmare

He makes a way where there is no way Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you could glimpse your future life, ten years from now? Would the things you were doing surprise you? With God in our lives, we can never really tell what’s around the corner.

Although Kenneth, a successful Ugandan businessman, had worked for Compassion International for ten years, a visit to eastern DRC changed his life forever.

‘My heart was moved when I saw the situation there,’ he explains. ‘My wife and I decided to sell up everything we owned to help support the Congolese who had such huge, insurmountable struggles. Everyone who knew me thought I was completely mad to let go of my executive role in Uganda to go and live in the DRC.’ But that’s exactly what he did – forming Eden Mission, which was set up in Bunia in 2011 to support families in Uganda and the DRC. Despite limited funds, Kenneth was confident that God would make a way where there was none.

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The DRC can be a very dangerous place to travel overland because of rebel activity.

However, before Kenneth heard of MAF’s existence, he had no choice but to drive through areas where it was possible that he would be attacked.

He describes how, in 2014, ‘I was driving with my wife and little girls aged two and three, when we came across armed rebels at a roadblock! They pulled me out of the car and dragged me into the bush.

‘My prayer was that they would kill me and not touch my family. They ordered me to give them everything I had, including my phone and money, but also my wife!

‘I offered them everything but pleaded for my wife and explained that I was doing mission work.

‘While I was pleading with them, a large and extremely dangerous buffalo suddenly appeared out of nowhere and we were all scattered as it chased the rebel who had the gun! I knew God was protecting us. I ran towards my car and drove off like a madman, hitting the rebel barricades across the road and driving onwards.

‘We eventually reached a small town and, although the car had been wrecked and one of my daughters was injured, we’d escaped with our lives! I had preached about ‘God interventions’ but had never experienced this first-hand. God had definitely intervened!

‘I would probably have been dead, and who knows what would have happened to my wife and two daughters?’

Left // Kenneth Rwego flying to DRC Background // Isaac Quesada, Unsplash.com Buffalo // Lewie Embling, Unsplash.com

‘While I was pleading with them, a large and extremely dangerous buffalo suddenly appeared out of nowhere and we were all scattered as it chased the rebel who had the gun! I knew God was protecting us.’

God works in mysterious ways…

When Kenneth shared his story with friends, one of them told Kenneth about MAF and how we provide flights for Christian organisations.

So Kenneth contacted MAF and, since then, has flown with us 36 times.

God’s unlikely rescue has brought more of God’s blessing to Eden Mission.

An American who heard about Kenneth’s encounter with the buffalo and the rebels wanted to see what was happening there and flew with MAF to visit Eden Mission’s projects.

He was so impressed that he started raising funds for the Christian charity and now there’s an office is Dallas, Texas. In Kenneth’s words, ‘I can’t believe how quickly our ministry has grown. If it wasn’t for MAF, we would have stopped after the rebel incident.’

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Top // Eden Mission at work Bottom // Children Eden Mission are helping Background // Alex Perri, Unsplash.com

Bringing people to Christ One incredible story of transformation that stands out for Kenneth is a witchdoctor he met in 2016 who sold poison to people so they could kill their enemies. He shared the Gospel with the witchdoctor and offered to pray for him.

The man was initially reluctant but he later accepted prayer and, after a few minutes, accepted Jesus as Lord and was reborn!

His wife also became a believer. It was only later that Kenneth heard that the couple had poisoned and killed 68 people themselves, with hundreds more dying because they’d sold poison to others in the community.

In 2021, Kenneth met with this same man again and discovered that, in the intervening years, he had planted 2 churches and was now pastoring a congregation of 300 people, as well as training new pastors! Instead of killing people, the man is now bringing people to Christ.

Kenneth concludes the story, saying, ‘We wouldn’t have met this former witchdoctor without MAF flying us to where he lives in Mambasa!’

Thanks to MAF, the mission has been able to reach the whole of Orientale Province in eastern DRC, which is three times the size of Uganda. From Bunia, Eden Mission personnel can fly to different locations like Aru, Mungwalu, Aliwala, Mambasa and Komanda, which would take two or three days by road.

All of this is made possible by God!

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Eden Mission offers economic empowerment using local inhabitants’ resources, and provides discipleship training, counselling and parental support. Since 2011, it has helped around 4,200 people.

Kenneth is emphatic that they ‘could never have achieved this without MAF. We’ve seen God use MAF in ways I can’t explain. I believe God will protect the work of MAF because their intention is to be a blessing to the Kingdom.’

otential p g in c a f le For peop ls in DRC e b e r h it w trouble

For Eden Mission – to continue to do Go d’s work

D RC – t h at in ls e b e r e For th w God’s love o n k ld u o w they

For Kenneth and his family

For all those applying to the Engineer Training Scheme

‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’ yer? me pra o s d e Ne s your Snap u — we'd ts ! reques ray for you p o love t

Jeremiah 31:3

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We’re super excited to be going to Dreaming The Impossible AND Limitless this summer – hope to see you there!

l a v i t Fes 2022

NGE O N // C H A ONNECTI C / / Y T I ND COMMUN SHOWGROU | STAFFORD ST U G K AU .U 6-10 STIVAL.CO

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