From Plans To Action

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Well, it has been a bit of a crazy ride thus far. For the past year and a half I have been planning the way forward. But now, as I move into motion, the Lord will be directing my steps. October was a whirlwind of activity as I journeyed around visiting ministry partners and churches while also sorting out all the details that needed to happen so that I could leave Canada on November 2nd. Then during the first couple of weeks of November I travelled through 4 countries on 4 different continents and for a while I didn’t know if I was coming or going. Now I am writing to you from the town of Nhulunbuy in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia.

As I mentioned, October was one event after another. On October 2nd and 3rd I was able to go with my sister to Calgary to visit some ministry partners. On the 2nd I was fortunate to have dinner with a couple who have previously served as missionaries in Papua New Guinea. It was very valuable to hear of their experiences as I head towards PNG. As I have progressed on this journey it has been interesting to see all the people that God has brought into my path who have had previous connections to PNG. On the evening of the 2nd my Aunt was gracious enough to host a dessert night where I was able to share about MAF with a group of friends. It was a good time of sharing and prayer. Then I was able to meet with some old friends on the 3rd and update them about all that has been happening in my journey with MAF.

On the 4th I was able to go back to the Evangelical Missionary Church in Castor to update them on my recent and future activities. It was a good time of reconnecting with those I had met in the spring. Then, between running around to update paperwork and vaccinations, I was able to spend some time with family over Thanksgiving weekend. The following weekend, on the 18th, I returned to the Missionary Church in Athabasca to bring them up to date about all that has been going on, and say farewell to all my friends and ministry partners who are there. I was glad that I was able to make that trip as I will not be seeing anyone there for at least two years.

The last week of October seemed to blend itself into one long day. On the 25th I was at my home church in Brownfield for my final Sunday in Canada. That was a good service which included a time of commissioning and prayer in preparation for sending me out to PNG. Then we had a nice fellowship lunch afterwards where I was able to speak with people individually. During the week I was very busy with finishing the visa applications for PNG while also sorting out what to take with me to PNG and what to leave in Canada. I finally finished packing on Saturday morning, a few hours before I needed to leave for the airport.

MAF International Orientation Group

November 11th, 2015

Then the grand adventure finally kicked into motion. On Saturday, October the 31st I left Canada and flew from Edmonton to Vancouver and landed in London, England on the 1st of November. The next day I started orientation classes with MAF International. The classes ran until the 11th. It was a good learning experience as all the staff and attendees involved came from many different backgrounds and countries.

On November 12th I left England to continue on my journey towards Papua New Guinea, but first I’ve stopped in Australia for the next 3 months. After a quick rest stop in Cairns I continued onto Gove on the north coast. I am currently living in the town of Nhulunbuy while working at the MAF hangar which is located at the Gove airport. Since I don’t have enough time to jump through all the hoops to get my Australian pilot’s license I am unable to fly during my time in Gove, but I am able to help out with all the various jobs that need doing around the hangar. I will be here until January 22nd. At which time I will be travelling back to Cairns for the 4 week flight standardization course. The flight standardization course will consist of classroom and flight exercises so that I can learn MAF procedures which will enable me to more easily integrate into the team in PNG.

So, looking forward: once the standardization is complete towards the end of February, I will be jumping over to Port Moresby in PNG. This will be so I that I can complete the PNG visa application process and also to write some exams for my PNG pilot’s license. At the end of February I will travel from Port Moresby to Mount Hagen to begin program orientation.

News from the Field: PNG Medevac
Story and Photo by Mandy Glass

Sunday afternoon, 4th October. We had just decided it was time to make a cup of coffee and then make our way to an afternoon home church when the phone rang. It was the chief pilot. A medevac. A woman had birthing difficulties and was losing a lot of blood. 20 minutes later, we were at the airport – without coffee. Jeff Baloiloi, an Internship Pilot who also lives here in Kagamuga, helped us to unlock the base facilities and refuel the aircraft. While Mathias and I flew to Tsendiap, he remained on the radio and organised an ambulance from Mt Hagen Hospital.

Loading the patient onto the airplane at Tsendiap

October 4th, 2015

Once they heard the Airvan land in the village, a little troop in Tsendiap made its way from the local health post to carry the woman to the airstrip – two wooden beams and a sewn sheet served as a stretcher. Leah was really suffering. You could see it clearly. People were busy rubbing her legs and fanning her with their hands. Her baby girl, born in the early hours of the morning, was peacefully sleeping in a bilum, but Leah herself was not in good shape.

Before taking off from Mt Hagen, Mathias had put a new type of stretcher into the aircraft. Leah was transferred onto this, and it made it very easy for everyone to lift her into the plane. Her husband, who is also the head of the local health post, accompanied her, as did their seven-year-old son and a friend who was caring for the newborn girl. When we arrived in Hagen, a vehicle from the Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority was already waiting outside the MAF base to take Leah to the Mt Hagen General Hospital.

By the end of this Sunday we had not been to church, but to worship God isn’t restricted to a building or a gathering of believers; worshipping God means doing what he is asking you to do, and being a testimony of His love for all people and his desire to save people’s lives, physically and spiritually.
----------------------------

With God’s provision my next newsletter will come to you after I have landed in Papua New Guinea!

A great big THANK YOU: I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been praying for me, encouraging me and financially supporting my ministry with MAF. Without you none of this would be possible! Thank you for partnering with me to reach the support required to be able to serve in PNG.

-Ryan

More Info:
www.mafc.org
http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/281213732064928/

The Wings Of The Morning

“If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.” (Psalm 139:9-10)

As I write this, I am in the midst of making all the necessary preparations that are needed so that I can leave Canada by November 2nd. While organizing all the individual details that need to be taken care of, I have been constantly reminded of Psalm 139:9-10. It is at times like these, leaving familiar surroundings and going into the unknown, that I find myself most in need of “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). But I know that, looking back over the past months of fundraising, He has orchestrated events to enable me to serve Him in Papua New Guinea. And with His strength and provision I will do just that.

To get you caught up on what I have been doing, in early August I was able to head out to British Columbia for a fundraising trip. That trip allowed me to follow up on the contacts that I made when I was out there in March. From that trip God provided some new donors, which was a huge blessing. Thank you so much to those new donors! Then I was able to take some personal time for a vacation to spend time with family. While I was on vacation God added the blessing of more new ministry partners, so the fundraising total is now up to 95% of the goal! Now I have turned my attention towards preparing to leave for PNG. These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity as I have started the visa & work permit applications for PNG, while also putting my affairs in order here in Canada. With all the different things to do it has gotten a little hectic at times.

Over the next few weeks I will be on the move as I visit different places to meet with some ministry partners and churches. On September 27th I was able to re-visit the Killam and Forestburg Baptist Churches. That was a good time of reconnecting with people that I had met back in May. This coming Sunday, October 4th, I will be speaking at the Castor Evangelical Missionary Church to update them on the progress of my journey with MAF. Then on October 18th I will be heading up to the Athabasca Missionary Church to re-connect with them and bring them up-to-date as I move forward towards landing in PNG. In early October I will be making my way to Calgary where I’m going to be connecting with some new friends and reconnecting with some old ones. If you live in any of these areas it would be great to meet up with you!

As we descend into winter I will be saying my final farewells to all my friends and supporters here in the Great White North. Around November 1st I will be flying to England to participate in an orientation course that will be held at the MAF International office in Ashford. I will be there until the 11th of November, at which time I will be jumping half-way around the world to touch down in Cairns in northern Australia. I will be helping out with the program there until I begin the flight standardization course at the end of January. The standardization course is basically comprised of familiarization flights so that I can learn MAF procedures and standards. Once that is completed around the end of February I will be making the short hop to plant my feet firmly in PNG. I cannot wait to be a part of the ministry that is transforming lives as told in the story below.

First Life Saved After Airstrip Reopens
Just a few short weeks after the much-awaited reopening of their airstrip, the people of Wauru were faced with a life and death situation. The memories of the historic day when Brad Venter and Sebastian Kurz canoed for seven hours to inspect the strip and then flew in the next day to officially reopen it, were still very fresh for them. “Basically, our first flight to Wauru was a medevac request. If the strip hadn’t been reopened, we would not have been able to fly in there and I am pretty sure the woman would be dead now”, said Brad Venter, MAF Wewak’s senior pilot, when telling about the first operational flight into Wauru.

It was less than two weeks since the opening when Brad got a call on the evening of Thursday August 20th from Philip Mawi (President of the Yapsie Local Level Government) to say that there was a sick woman in Wauru who urgently needed to be flown out to the hospital. Brad discussed the situation with Philip and it seemed that the woman had complications giving birth and was in critical
condition.

Loading the patient onto the airplane at Wauru
August 21st, 2015

From his recent airstrip survey Brad knew that getting the word out to request an emergency flight is a challenge on its own for the community. Brad picks up the story of the medevac: “Wauru does not have a radio and they only have intermittent cell coverage if they walk up a nearby hill to get a signal. Because it was dark and we could not fly, we had to wait until morning and see if the situation had changed before making a decision as to the best course of action. The following morning we heard nothing from the village and neither had Philip. So, eventually, we decided that we had to fly there anyway and see. So, by 9 am on Friday, Paul Woodington and I set off for Wauru in the Airvan P2-MFL. On arrival there they advised us that the woman was still critical and needed to fly out. She had given birth the previous day but unfortunately the baby had died and she had a retained placenta. She was very weak. Paul prepared the aircraft and soon we were on our way to Telefomin. I radioed ahead to arrange for an ambulance and on arrival in Telefomin she was transferred to the ambulance and driven to the hospital.”

In mid-September Paul Woodington flew the woman from Telefomin back to Wauru after she was considered well enough to return to the bush. It is clear that if Wauru had not been opened she would have died in her village.

The preceding story is only one of many that I hope to be involved with once I reach PNG. But it can’t happen without your help.With regard to financial support, 100% of the outgoing support has already been raised! As I mentioned for the monthly support, 95% has come in, leaving another $230/month still to be raised. From now on, any one-time donations will be divided into the monthly total. With those financial needs in mind, would you prayerfully consider supporting the first four year term of ministry at $50, $75, or $100/month or whatever the Lord lays on your heart? I am hoping to reach this ministry target as soon as possible so that I am able to serve the people of PNG through MAF. Thank you so much for your consideration and for your incredible support!

If you would like to help with financial support and/or prayer support that would be great. You can donate to this ministry online, by phone, or by mail. Please designate your donation to go towards Ryan Cole. If donating by phone, call toll free 1-877-351-9344. If donating by mail, please make your cheque payable to Mission Aviation Fellowship of Canada. If donating online you can follow this link: https://mafc.org/missionarypages/cole/index.html#donate

If you are unable to give financially but still want to be a part of this, then please feel free to sign up for my MAF newsletters by sending me a message at ryancole277@yahoo.ca

If you know of other people who would be interested in hearing about this work with MAF, then please spread the word. Because the more people that know about this, the better.

Thanks for reading this and thank you so much for your support. With God’s provision and blessing I will be writing my next letter to you after I have landed in Australia!

-Ryan

To donate by mail, send your cheques to:
MAF Canada
264 Woodlawn Road W.
Guelph, Ontario
N1H 1B6

For USA donors online:
https://maf.org/donate?fid=NxJL1Lk3Lhk%3D&fdesc=xFqs0FDMQGRCrYqqrUs7fg%3D%3D#.VL8qZdLF-Sr

More Info:
www.mafc.org
http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/281213732064928/

The Journey Continues

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1).

Many times over the past 5 months I have been reminded that fundraising is a marathon, not a sprint, and it can only be done with absolute faith in God. That has never been more evident than now as I move into the final 18% of the support raising journey. There comes a time in every marathon when the runners have to reach the point of being radical, some would say even crazy, in their attempt to finish the race. Many would say that MAF pilots and staff are radical in their approach to life. Not only because of the situations in which they operate, but because they shun the ideals that the world holds as important. From leaving comfortable secure lifestyles, to depending completely on God for financial support, to then operating in remote, often primitive and dangerous, situations for perhaps the rest of their careers.

At the Camrose Airport Fly-In Breakfast
Sunday, May 31st

At the end of May I was able to set up a MAF display at the Camrose Flying Club Fly-In Breakfast. It
was interesting to see all the different airplanes and speak to people about the work of MAF. I was able to see some old friends and make some new ones. Then on June 7th I was able to speak about MAF at the annual Zinger Fly-In Breakfast just outside of Coronation, it was a good opportunity to meet new people and have detailed discussions about the work of MAF. Speaking to groups of pilots is good because they more fully understand the need for and the effectiveness of airplanes in remote areas of the world.

At the MAF fundraiser auction back in April we had sold a number of scenic flights. As a result of one of those scenic flights I was able to fly out to Waldheim, SK on July 27th and 28th with my aunt and uncle. Through some contacts in the area I was able to meet some new people and speak to them about the work of MAF. While I was there I also had the unexpected opportunity to speak about MAF at the local Mennonite Brethren Church. It was nice to share with my aunt and uncle the joy of flying and the unique perspective seen from a small airplane thousands of feet above the surface of the earth. From that altitude you get an appreciation for just how small we really are. When looking at creation from that perspective, I have often remarked that I don’t know how a pilot would be unable to believe in God. To see the world from a bird’s-eye view makes it absurdly obvious that an intelligent Creator is responsible for all that we see.

WIFI Bibles in PNG

A MAF Pilot Demonstrating the WIFI Bible

Here’s a bit of interesting news about MAF airplanes utilizing smartphone technology in PNG. A new project has started that uses a wireless digital Bible, or WIFI Bible, to allow passengers to download the Bible and other Christian resources. The WIFI Bible is a small wireless server that is distributed by Christian Radio Missionary Fellowship. It is accessed through a WIFI connection and the content is free to access and download. MAF Netherlands has funded WIFI Bibles for all the MAF Bases in PNG and battery powered WIFI Bibles for every pilot’s bag! That means we should be able to equip all the pilots and bases with a WIFI Bible by the end of this year, so that MAF customers have the chance to download Gospel music, the Bible in several languages, Jesus films and other Christian resources. Check out www.wifibible.org to find out more about this project.
In early August I will be heading out to British Columbia for a fundraising trip. This trip will allow me to follow up on the contacts that I made when I was out there in March. Then I will be taking some personal time for a vacation to spend time with family before I turn my focus to preparing to leave for PNG.

At this point in time, the forward looking schedule is as follows: I will start my transition and Cross-Cultural Training in September. Then I will go to the MAF International headquarters in England for two weeks in early November for Orientation. Following that, I will head to Mareeba, Australia for my final Flight Training and Standardization in January and then from there I’ll make the final move to Papua New Guinea!

To make this timeline possible we have launched the “Final Push To PNG” fundraising campaign. On June 22nd we launched the final fundraising campaign with 22%, or $1100/month, of the support remaining. Currently there is 18% or $950/month to go. Thank you to everyone who joined my team to help make this possible! But we have a way to go yet...

100% of the outgoing support has already been raised. From now on, any one-time donations will be divided into the monthly total. With those financial needs in mind, would you prayerfully consider supporting the first four year term of ministry at $50, $100, $200/month or whatever the Lord lays on your heart?

I am hoping to reach this ministry target as soon as possible so that I am able to serve the people of PNG through MAF. Thank you so much for your consideration and for your incredible support!

If you would like to help with financial support and/or prayer support that would be great. You can donate to this ministry online, by phone, or by mail. Please designate your donation to go towards Ryan Cole. If donating by phone, call toll free 1-877-351-9344. If donating by mail, please make your cheque payable to Mission Aviation Fellowship of Canada. If donating online you can follow this link: https://mafc.org/missionarypages/cole/index.html#donate

If you are unable to give financially but still want to be a part of this, then please feel free to sign up for my MAF newsletters by sending me a message at ryancole277@yahoo.ca

If you know of other people who would be interested in hearing about this work with MAF, then please spread the word. Because the more people that know about this, the better. Check back to find out about events where I'll be speaking about MAF.

Thanks for reading this and thank you so much for your support,

-Ryan

To donate by mail, send your cheques to:
MAF Canada
264 Woodlawn Road W.
Guelph, Ontario
N1H 1B6

For USA donors online:
https://maf.org/donate?fid=NxJL1Lk3Lhk%3D&fdesc=xFqs0FDMQGRCrYqqrUs7fg%3D%3D#.VL8qZdLF-Sr

More Info:
www.mafc.org
http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/281213732064928/

Higher Ground

GOD IS GOOD! It has been amazing and humbling to see the way that He has orchestrated events to bring in the financial support in His timing. I have remarked to some people that the way that God has brought in the support in the middle of an oil recession in Alberta seems like a miracle. To anyone else it would seem that trying to raise support in the middle of a recession is nothing short of futile, but our God is not restrained by economic hardships. He has continually reminded me of Ecclessiates 11:4 where it is written that, “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.” How true that is!

It has continued to be a busy season as far as support raising goes. On April 12^th I was invited to Athabasca to speak at the Athabasca Missionary Church. Because I had previously been living and working up there I still had a few connections within the community. During the church service I was able to give a full presentation on the ministry of MAF as well as giving part of my personal testimony. It was a good time of meeting new people and renewing friendships. I even met some people with connections to Brownfield.

Craig Lewis and I speaking at the MAF Fundraiser Dinner

The following Sunday was the culmination of many weeks of planning and preparation. On April 19^th we hosted a MAF fundraiser dinner and auction in Brownfield. It was a good evening of community fellowship and learning about the vital work of MAF. We were able to raise over $16,000! Thank you so much to everyone who made the fundraiser a huge success! From those who helped plan and set up, to those who helped run the event, to all those who attended the event and bought up all the auction items. It would not have been a success without your support. More importantly, the work of MAF is not possible without your incredible support. A special thank you to our guest speakers at the event, Rick Willms and Craig Lewis, and also to our auctioneer Kurt Cole and his team, you all did an amazing job.

The next Sunday found me speaking at the Evangelical Missionary Church in Castor. I have to admit, public speaking is not my preferred vocation. There are many times when I would simply like to go to PNG and start flying for MAF. But then there are times when I am speaking at a church and I can feel the Holy Spirit moving and I know that this is also part of MAF’s ministry. I know the words I am speaking are not mine. Because I am not that good of a public speaker. At those times I know that the Holy Spirit is speaking through me in order to reach out to people. Speaking at Castor was one of those times. The response from the people in Castor was incredibly overwhelming.

On May 3^rd I was able to speak at the Forestburg Community Church and the Killam Baptist Church on the same Sunday. It was possible to do both services on the same day because the Forestburg Church meets earlier than the Killam Church. It was a good time of meeting new people and sharing about the work that MAF does.

The last Sunday in May I was able to put up a display table at the Camrose Fly-In Breakfast. This annual event is hosted by the Camrose Flying Club and is the largest fly-in in Western Canada. When talking about MAF outside of churches, I have found that pilots are one of the most receptive groups because they more fully understand the need for air transport in isolated areas. This was true of the pilots at the Camrose Fly-In. I talked to several pilots who were very inquisitive about the type of flying and the work that MAF is doing.

On the first Sunday in June I will be speaking about MAF at the annual Zinger Breakfast Fly-In just outside of Coronation. Because I will again be speaking to a group of pilots I anticipate that this will be another good opportunity to have detailed discussions about the work of MAF. If you live in the area it would be great to see you there!

In terms of timelines moving forward on my journey with MAF there have been several options discussed. If the God brings in the rest of the financial support quickly then I can start flight training in August down in Nampa, Idaho. For this to happen I would need to have 90% of my monthly support raised before the middle of June. Then I would receive some orientation training at the MAF International headquarters in England before jumping off to PNG. Plan B, if the support doesn’t come in quickly, would have me doing orientation training in England in November and then jumping over to Australia for flight training. After that I would make the short hop over the water to PNG. But then again, these are only projected timelines. I have learned that God’s timeline can be very different, as He says in Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

With regard to financial support, 100% of the outgoing support has already been raised! For the monthly support, 66% has come in, leaving another $1,800/month still to be raised. From now on, any one-time donations will be divided into the monthly total. With those financial needs in mind, would you prayerfully consider supporting the first four year term of ministry at $50, $100, $200/month or whatever the Lord lays on your heart? As I mentioned, if I can reach 90% of the monthly goal before the middle of June, then I can begin training in August instead of November. I am hoping to reach this ministry target as soon as possible so that I am able to serve the people of PNG through MAF. Thank you so much for your consideration and for your incredible support!

If you would like to help with financial support and/or prayer support that would be great. You can donate to this ministry online, by phone, or by mail. Please designate your donation to go towards Ryan Cole. If donating by phone, call toll free 1-877-351-9344. If donating by mail, please make your cheque payable to Mission Aviation Fellowship of Canada. If donating online you can follow this link: https://mafc.org/missionarypages/cole/index.html#donate

If you are unable to give financially but still want to be a part of this, then please feel free to sign up for my MAF newsletters by sending me a message at ryancole277@yahoo.ca

If you know of other people who would be interested in hearing about this work with MAF, then please spread the word. Because the more people that know about this, the better. Check back to find out about events where I'll be speaking about MAF.

To get to know me better, check out the video below.

Thanks for reading this and thank you so much for your support,

-Ryan

To donate by mail, send your cheques to:

MAF Canada

264 Woodlawn Road W.

Guelph, Ontario

N1H 1B6

For USA donors online:

https://maf.org/donate?fid=NxJL1Lk3Lhk%3D&fdesc=xFqs0FDMQGRCrYqqrUs7fg%3D%3D#.VL8qZdLF-Sr

More Info:

www.mafc.org

http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/281213732064928/

Whirlwind Start

Well, it's been an interesting few weeks. Even though I started raising support in January, February 18th was the official kickoff for my fundraising campaign. My first fundraising event took place on the 18th when I gave a radio interview about MAF on 93.3 FM in Stettler, Alberta. Although they only aired a 30 second clip during the news it was still good publicity. In the following weeks they re-aired it using different clips from the interview. Then on the 20th and 21st I helped to staff the MAF booth at Missions Fest in Edmonton. It was a good time of meeting new people and seeing old friends. I was able to make a few good contacts there. I even met some people who have previous history with MAF and Papua New Guinea. After Missions Fest, I was able to do my first official speaking gig in a church. On Sunday the 22nd I went to the Evangelical Free Church in Coronation to speak about my journey with MAF and the calling that God has place upon my life. Even though it is a small congregation, it was still a good opportunity to share about the work that MAF is doing.

MAF Display at West Kelowna Emmanuel Assembly

In fundraising, as in aviation, I have learned to be very flexible in terms of scheduling. This was useful in the last week of February. I was planning to do a fundraising trip out to Kelowna, BC to visit some friends out there. But I wasn't planning on going until the end of March. Then some opportunities opened up in the first week of March and I ended up driving out to Kelowna on February 26th. I was able to set up a MAF display during the Sunday services at the West Kelowna Emmanuel Assembly Church on March 1st. Then on March 5th I was allowed to give a MAF presentation to the senior's Bible Study group at the same church. I was able to speak about MAF and I also gave a part of my personal testimony. The following day I spoke about MAF in a more personal setting when I was able to be part of a dessert evening. It was a good time of connecting with people on a more direct level. While I was in Kelowna I learned that our local newspaper ran an article about my ministry with MAF. I had contacted them several weeks before to see if they were interested in doing an article. I had sent them some notes and a few pictures and figured that they might do a small article in the middle of the paper. But then they surprised me by running it as the main article on the front page.

After I got back from Kelowna on Sunday, March 8th I had a good opportunity to share at my home church and update them on everything that has been going on with the MAF fundraising. I know that I am incredibly blessed to have such an amazing church that is willing to stand beside me as I move forward in this ministry. I am so thankful for their amazing support.

Coming up in the near future I will be speaking about MAF at several different events. On March 12th I will be giving a small presentation at the monthly meeting of the Iron Creek Flying Club at the Killam-Sedgewick airport. Then on April 12th I will be travelling to Athabasca to speak at the Athabasca Missionary Church. The following Sunday will be the main event of my entire fundraising campaign. On Sunday, April 19th we will be hosting a MAF fundraiser dinner at our local Recreation Center. We will be having a BBQ potluck dinner followed by a live auction to raise funds for MAF's ministry. It should be a great evening of community fellowship and advancement of God's kingdom.  

With all of the financial support I am now at 23% of the total support goal. That means I still need $4000 in monthly support and $15000 in one-time support. Please support this ministry. Whether it's $25, $50, $100, or $500, any amount of monthly support that you can give is greatly needed. Not just for me, but for the people of PNG and so I can serve them. Please give to this work. But keep in mind, I don't just need monthly support while I am in PNG. It is needed now. Because I can't get over there until 100% of the support is donated. And I also need prayer support, because that is a huge part of this as well. If you are able to commit to keeping me in your prayers for the 4 years that I am in PNG that would be awesome. You can donate to this ministry online, by phone, or by mail. Please designate your donation to go towards Ryan Cole. If donating by phone, call toll free 1-877-351-9344. If donating by mail, please make your cheque payable to Mission Aviation Fellowship of Canada. If donating online you can follow this link: https://mafc.org/missionarypages/cole/index.html#donate

If you are unable to give financially but still want to be a part of this, then please feel free to sign up for my MAF newsletters by sending me a message at ryancole277@yahoo.ca

If you know of other people who would be interested in hearing about this work with MAF, then please spread the word. Because the more people that know about this, the better.

Thanks for reading this and thank you so much for your support,

-Ryan

To donate by mail, send your cheques to:
MAF Canada
264 Woodlawn Road W.
Guelph, Ontario
N1H 1B6

For USA donors online:
https://maf.org/donate?fid=NxJL1Lk3Lhk%3D&fdesc=xFqs0FDMQGRCrYqqrUs7fg%3D%3D#.VL8qZdLF-Sr

More Info:
www.mafc.org
http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/281213732064928/

Green Light

After a quiet Christmas and New Years I have now officially joined Mission Aviation Fellowship. This past week I was in Guelph, Ontario at the MAF Canada office. The week included orientation, cultural training, fundraising seminars, and learning about logistical support. Although it was a little stressful at times, it was a good week. Most of the information was just a review for me, as I had learned most of it when I went to Botswana through MAF in 2008. But this time around I did learn a few new things. Plus it was good to meet all the new MAFC office staff and get to know those I would be working with during my term with MAF.

Now that I have completed orientation I have been given the green light for the next phase. Needless to say this will be the most intense chapter of my time with MAF before I actually get to an overseas base. Because now I have been given the go ahead to start fundraising. However I will be needing to raise a significant amount of support. Once all the funds are raised I will be going overseas for at least 4 years. Over the coming weeks and months I will be meeting with individuals, speaking at churches, and speaking at various events in order to build a support team of people who will be willing to partner with me during my time with MAF. One event that I will be attending is Missions Fest in Edmonton from February 20-22 at the Shaw Conference Center. MAF will have an information booth there along with a few MAF staff and I will be available to talk with people and answer questions, so feel free to stop by and chat.

Once 100% of the funds have been raised I will be headed overseas. At this point my destination is Papua New Guinea in southeast Asia. The MAF program there is a combination of missionary support, medevacs, and community development. Community development is broad term, but it includes a number of different services. Sometimes it means flying building materials into the isolated villages so that houses or a school can be built. Other times it means flying boxes of honey bees into the villages so that the villagers can use the honey production as a means to support themselves. Flying out of the villages, MAF aircraft are mainly

Bags of coffee waiting to be loaded onto the MAF Twin Otter

carrying bags of coffee beans bound for the markets which enables the villagers to have another means with which to support themselves. Of course, MAF aircraft also transport people in addition to everything else. And when a natural disaster strikes, MAF kicks into high gear to make sure that the people get what they need. Unfortunately, the people in the isolated villages in PNG struggle because MAF is unable to provide complete service because of reduced pilot numbers. Which is why I'm working to get over there. However, when the MAF plane comes people are excited. As one MAF pilot wrote recently, "After landing in Kabwum we were greeted by a shower of flower petals and given gifts of string bags made in a traditional way, these were filled with fruit as a sign of their appreciation."

As for fundraising, I will be needing monthly support. Whether it's $25, $50, $100, or $500, any amount of monthly support that you can give is greatly needed. Not just for me, but for the people of PNG and so I can serve them. Please give to this work. But keep in mind, I don't just need monthly support while I am in PNG. It is needed now. Because I can't get over there until 100% of the support is donated. But I also need one-time support for things like training and plane tickets to get over there. And I also need prayer support, because that is a huge part of this as well. If you are able to commit to keeping me in your prayers for the 4 years that I am in PNG that would be awesome. If you would like to help with financial support and/or prayer support that would be great.You can donate to this ministry online, by phone, or by mail. Please designate your donation to go towards Ryan Cole. If donating by phone, call toll free 1-877-351-9344. If donating by mail, please make your cheque payable to Mission Aviation Fellowship of Canada. If donating online you can follow this link: https://mafc.org/missionarypages/cole/index.html#donate

If you are unable to give financially but still want to be a part of this, then please feel free to sign up for my MAF newsletters by sending me a message at ryancole277@yahoo.ca

If you know of other people who would be interested in hearing about this work with MAF, then please spread the word. Because the more people that know about this, the better. Check back to find out about events where I'll be speaking about MAF.

To get to know me better, check out the video below.

Thanks for reading this and thank you so much for your support,

-Ryan

An Impromptu Interview with Me

To donate by mail, send your cheques to:

MAF Canada

264 Woodlawn Road W.

Guelph, Ontario

N1H 1B6

For USA donors online:

https://maf.org/donate?fid=NxJL1Lk3Lhk%3D&fdesc=xFqs0FDMQGRCrYqqrUs7fg%3D%3D#.VL8qZdLF-Sr

More Info:
www.mafc.org
http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/281213732064928/