The MAF Office

Before we were living in Ohio at MMS Aviation, while we were there and when we are out in Tanzania ... there is always a whole load of people working away in the MAF UK offices in Kent, making all the details for us, our supporters, other overseas staff, families in the application process and a million other bit and pieces, fall into place.

Some of them we have been in touch with since the beginning, others we only know by name ... some we've been emailing back and forth with over the last year or so but have never met face to face. Each one of them though are really important to us and the work that MAF gets to do throughout the world but often (not always) because they aren't the faces of the actual pilots or engineers out on the mission field with MAF, almost get overlooked. Without them and their support we wouldn't be able to be doing what we're doing or be able to serve the ministry of MAF overseas.

Yesterday, as a family, we got to visit the MAF UK offices. They are relatively near where we are based right now, so it wasn't a huge undertaking to be able to do that and yet so helpful for both us and them to become more than just a face on a prayer card or an email address. We were able to catch up with some of the staff we have got to know well, get a few questions answered face-to-face rather than with a half a dozen emails going back and forth, meet some new people and give a presentation to all the staff, updating them on where we are on our MAF journey. 

It was also a really good opportunity to give feedback on our first stage with MAF and talk through some of the details of what is to come with people who know and understand the processes that we're going through and are working hard to make them as straight forward as possible for us. 

Being the admin half of our family, I have more likely been the one emailing backwards and forwards with them all at the office and I enjoyed being able to talk through some of the things we've been corresponding about and thanking the individuals personally for all they do on a regular basis on our behalf. They really are a bunch of superstars, so if you work in the MAF UK office and I didn't get a chance to say hello and thank you in person for whatever reason yesterday, we really do appreciate all you do for us! 

The Best Laid Plans

Whatever our best intentions ... things don't always work out as they should. Like writing this blog three times a week when me and all my family are suffering from some viral cold/stomach bug infection and can't function let alone keep up with any other commitments ... sorry, you'll notice I'm missing one this week, we're all still recovering!! Scheduling 'home' time ... is ... let's just say, not all that straight forward either!!

We are very lucky that with MAF UK we get to return back to England every year to visit friends and family, talk to churches, renew visas and raise support. During our time in Ohio, we get 2 weeks allocated and later on, when we're on project it will be 4 weeks. We appreciate that we're really lucky in this respect, as other friends with different mission agencies don't get that frequncy. Some don't get to travel home for several years or have to do a long stint each time. With MAF they need the expertise of the pilots and mechanics on the bases so would rather the staff take shorter breaks each year which works out well for our family ... especially the grandparents back in the UK!!

Last year we took an extra week's holiday in the middle of our time at home which worked perfectly ... a week of craziness ... a chance to totally relax and re-energize and have some fun together as a family at my in-laws holiday cottage by the seaside ... followed by another week of craziness.

This year was planned with our previous success in mind. We emailed friends and family several months in advance so we could get organised ... but even then it wasn't til we sent out our final almost packed itinerary that the majority of people contacted about meeting up ... it was a bit late by then ... but a lesson learned for another time!!

We're nearly at the end of our time in the UK now and I can honestly say that almost all of our trip hasn't gone as we arranged it ... from planning funerals to missed holidays to colds and stomach bugs ... it has been almost a month of learning how to adapt, be flexible and in true missionary fashion make the most of how each and every situation turns out. We've learnt more about each other as a family and how we all adjust (or not) and what our limits are ... something we need to know as we continue on our journey together all over the world. So I guess in that respect it has been a complete success!!

Admin Mummy

While we've been home these last few weeks, sharing with supporters what we've been up to with MAF UK and MMS Aviation, it is a given that Mark can talk about planes, repairs, study, exams but I often get asked the question 'So what do you do?'

Sometimes it feels like 'not a lot' ... and those of you with kid(s) know that days can come and days can go when all you seem to be doing is changing bottoms, washing clothes and feeding little munchkins from sunrise to sunset with very little to show for it. I am quite task orientated and love to see a 'to do' list with tasks ticked off ... so days without even a couple of things achieved certainly feel like a failure to me.

About 10 years ago when I spent a few months travelling round Australia and New Zealand I found a fridge magnet which said ...

'If you think you're too small to be effective you've never been in bed with a mosquito'

It always puts a smile on my face to read and gives me a little bit of comfort to know that whatever we do, whether big or small can have an effect on other people. Hopefully a more positive one that a mosquito though!

Part of being a missionary involves raising support and keeping family, friends, churches etc up to date with what you're up to. Mark loves the practical side of his work in the hangar but he'd be the first to admit that admin is definitely not his forte. I on the other hand thrive on it ... yes, some would think it's very sad but I love it, making us the perfect combination as a couple!

In my 'spare time' from being a mummy, I write the newsletters, keep our supporters lists up to date, send out cards, write the family blog and the presentations we do and much more. We know that it is SO important to have the prayer and financial support of all those people who are behind us, in order for us to be effective in what we're doing and we feel a responsibility to those who follow us to keep them as up to date as possible. We don't take that lightly at all and so we see our roles as equally important even though mine goes relatively unseen the majority of the time.

While the admin might sound like the mundane and boring part of the partnership ... I really enjoy it. Keeping in touch with people via the old fashioned snail mail is something I've always loved doing and we've had a lot people comment to us how grateful they are that we take the time to acknowledge them and their support fairly regularly too.

Since Naomi has been born I am still working out just how I fit the admin stuff into family life again so I've got a little behind ... so apologies to all, as I figure out how it works again! I will get there I promise! 

During this trip home I have been encouraged by so many people though who have thanked us for the updates and individual contact we have been able to have and quite a few people have commented on how much they enjoy our quarterly newsletters, the 'Beckwith Blurb' too. It puts a little smile on my face to know that however little my input may appear into the mission side of our lives, I really enjoy it and it actually doesn't go completely unnoticed either!

More about MMS Aviation

This year while we're visiting our supporting churches, instead of talking a lot about who we are or giving a lot of information about MAF UK, both of which we've shared about in the last few visits, we decided to share more about MMS Aviation which is a lot less well known. (When I say 'we' ... I do most of the the admin stuff, newsletters, presentations etc ... so with my hubby's permission, 'I' decided it would be a good idea!!)

MMS is totally unique. It maintains and repairs mission aircraft while training future mission aircraft engineers ... or 'maintenance mechanics' as they call them. MMS's mission statement which encapsulates it's essence is ... 

'Preparing People and Planes for Worldwide Mission Service'

All the staff at MMS, admin staff, trainers and apprentices are working on faith support. This means that they are not paid any wages but are supported entirely by individuals and churches. As a result, when work is done on a mission aircraft, MMS doesn't need to charge them any labour costs. In 2010 alone, staff at MMS worked on 31 missionary aircraft from 15 different ministries and invested over 11,000 maintenance hours ... saving mission aviation approximately $450,000 (£300,000) in labour expenses. I'm really proud that my hubby is able to be part of that!

Since 1975, when MMS started in a garage, it has grown unimaginably. They are now in 3 hangars and 74 apprentices have completed service, 64 of whom have served or are still serving in ministry around the world. The staff of MMS have served 96 different mission aviation organisations, performing over 475 major aircraft repairs and modifications.

MMS also sends maintenance teams on Rapid Response around the world to meet emergency needs, to places such as Florida, Haiti, Gabon. Since 1980, MMS have sent out 128 teams with more planned in the pipeline.

We are really pleased that MAF UK have secured an effective partnership with MMS to allow individuals and families like us to begin our mission journey with this hands-on training. It means that my husband, who is already an aircraft design engineer, can work on mission aircraft while training for his A&P (Airframe and Powerplant) Licence.

The training is three years, unbelievably we're already two thirds through this ... and then we've agreed to a further 8 years (two 4 year terms) on project with MAF UK. Although Mark will be certified then, I'm sure the learning process will continue daily.

More about MAF

Many of you reading this may have never heard of MAF or Mission Aviation Fellowship ... and as that is who my husband and I are working for, I thought I'd share a little with you. 

As the title suggests it all about flying and aircraft ... none of which I have any experience in ... but my husband has a career in aircraft design so we didn't want to waste his skills when we went into mission. When I lived in Dodoma, Tanzania over 10 years ago I worked alongside the MAF families there and even taught some of their children in my class so have been familiar with MAF for some time. The great thing for me as an MAF wife is that I can get involved with as little or as much MAF or other work as I choose which is great when raising a young family as for now I can concentrate on them and when they're a bit older I can work with MAF or in schools, orphanages, other charities where my skills fit ... but there's no pressure either way. I've appreciated this so much already when friends back in the UK haven't had that choice to stay at home for financial or other reasons ... and while the munchkins can be infuriating at times ... I consider myself really lucky to have the opportunity to be the one bringing them up and looking after them all day every day ... and don't want to miss a second!!

So ... MAF is a worldwide Christian organisation operating over 125 light aircraft in more than 30 countries. Around 280 flights every day transport patients, relief teams, medical supplies and Christian workers in the world's remotest regions and places of deepest human need. Places where flying is not a luxury but a lifeline. Amazingly every 3 minutes, an MAF plane is taking off or landing somewhere in the world!!

Normally, passengers contribute a highly-subsidised fare towards the true cost. The balance comes from people concerned that others should have a better life, spiritually and physically. In the UK, MAF is a registered charity funded by voluntary gifts which help finance MAF's operational work and support services.

We started working with MAF in June 2009. Having spent a short time in the summer of 2006 at their base in Nairobi, Kenya we knew we wanted to commit to them long term. As an MAF family the work we are doing is funded completely by individual supporters and churches. One of the things I get up to is keeping in touch with supporters by writing to them, doing our newsletters (or Blurbs) and keeping our Family Blog up to date.

If you would like more information about MAF UK, take a few minutes to check out the following links ...

The MAF UK website

The MAF UK Facebook Page

MAF UK on Twitter

Saying 'Goodbye'

One of the sacrifices of committing to life overseas, is being away from family and good friends back at 'home'. When you talk to the grandparents ... the sacrifice goes both ways ... as we have the only two grandchildren on both sides of the family, that we've 'taken' with us! There have also been times when we've missed having the opportunity to send the girls to the grandparents for the day or the weekend so that we can get some things done too.

We've been lucky enough that a lot of our family have been out to visit us, more than once and that with MAF we get to go home every year, whether it be to renew visas or catch up with supporters and churches. Last year when we were in the UK for a few weeks our timetable was pretty hectic, seeing people, saying goodbye and then seeing some more people before saying goodbye again. About halfway though our trip our eldest daughter (then 2) stopped liking the goodbye bit ... and ever since has always avoided goodbyes when possible.

With all the visitors coming and staying with us, each for a few weeks at a time, there are inevitable goodbyes on a regular basis, from people that have invested lots of time into the girls while they've been here. Until recently Abigail didn't seem to put two-and-two together ... that they were going going, not to return to our house with us ... but the last two trips to the airport (just this week to say goodbye to my mum, above) have been a lot more sad for her as now she's nearly 3, she really gets it.

While saying goodbye for myself and my husband isn't always easy either, we can appreciate that it's just until we see them again ... but trying to explain that to 'little people' isn't as straight forward. It's the norm for us now ... so one way or another the girls will get used to it over time. Thankfully with the wonderful invention of Skype ... we can be in touch a lot more in a tangible way for all of us while we live so far apart ... but we do find ourselves wondering from time-to-time if it's in the best interests of us all to be doing what we're doing (even though a split second later we know it is!)  

We're back in the UK again in November ... we'll see how the constant goodbye's go this time round ... for all of us!

The Journey so far ...

I often think that God has a sense of humour! As a child I was quite shy and even managed to avoid school trips as I didn't want to spend time away from home. I really wanted to study languages ... but the thought of spending a year of my course living in another country and culture, speaking another language was just too much! At Uni I grew in confidence but when I told my mum I was planning to spend a month in Tanzania, East Africa after my second year of study, working with street children and on a building project she was still a little surprised!

That trip in 1997 totally changed my focus and my vision ... I was challenged by God that if I was going to do this 'Christianity thing' there was no point unless I gave it 100% ... it was all or nothing ... I chose ALL and have never looked back! It also opened my eyes to the possibility of full-time mission work and resulted in another 2 short term trips in Kenya and through contacts I made on that first adventure, a role teaching for two years back in Tanzania (1999-2001). Now all I want to do is live within and embrace new cultures and languages!

Halfway through my time in Tanzania, in the summer of 2000, I experienced one of the most amazing moments of my life ... after 4 days trekking, I was standing at the top of Kilimanjaro ... the highest point in the whole of Africa!

I'd like to say it was memorable and etched into my mind for all time ... but honestly I've never felt so exhausted in my whole life and all I really wanted to do is get back down the mountain and sleep for a week!!! Given that only 1 in 10 people who climb Kilimanjaro make it to the crater rim, let alone the summit ... it's something I'm really proud of. Sadly it all happened before camera's went digital and the one I had stopped working because it was freezing cold before I got to the top. Thankfully one of my climbing companions did capture the moment for me!!

Over a decade later with some more study under my belt both in missions and teaching English I find myself as a missionary with MAF UK (Mission Aviation Fellowship UK), living in small town America while my husband who is an Aircraft Design Engineer is two thirds through more training at MMS Aviation (Missionary Maintenance Services) ... not quite what you envisage for your life when you attend career workshops at school ... but way more exciting than I could ever have imagined!

We also have a family blog www.beckwithsbigadventure.blogspot.com which chronicles our adventures together.