I’m honored to serve as a board member for a non-profit ministry called Missionary Maintenance Service (MMS). Although the generic name offers a humble nod to those who serve in this vital ministry, it doesn’t adequately describe the life-giving service MMS provides.
Behind its plain-Jane title resides a highly technical aircraft repair shop that occupies three large hangars at a private airport near Coshocton, Ohio. Under those cavernous hangars rests numbers of small aircraft in various forms of disassembly. Small aircraft are the life blood of many Christian missionary ministries to third world nations. These agile airplanes are able to land on crude runways carved out of dense forests or open pastures.
MMS provides first-class professional grade aircraft repair and service to the many missionary organizations that selflessly provide not only the Gospel message but necessary supplies as well as air ambulance services.
I think of foreign missionaries as modern-day heroes of the faith, but I worry aloud that they’ve lost their luster in our high-tech, post-modern churches today. In years past, local churches measured their spiritual prowess by their foreign missions budget; posting pictures in the hallways to honor those who left the comfort of home and family to serve in foreign fields.
Practically every local church honored its foreign missionaries with financial support; celebrating their heroes with annual missionary conferences that lasted for several weeks. Today, with some exceptions, foreign missions has been relegated to the status of a red-headed step child. It seems to me that globalization and worldwide internet communications, which should have brought us closer to poorer nations, has instead only distanced us. I’m stepping on my own toes now, because I know I’d much rather worship in a climate-controlled, comfortable sanctuary this Sunday than share the outside elements with my brothers and sisters on the other side of the globe.
But thank the Lord there are still those who go outside their comfort zone to serve others! Even more impressive than MMS’s high-tech facility and aeronautical expertise are those who work there. You see, they are themselves self-supporting missionaries from around the world. They come to MMS as skilled technicians who could be demanding impressive salaries in the commercial aircraft industry. Instead, they answer an internal call to honor their Savior. They have responded to His call and sailed off to Coshocton, Ohio. They must raise their own financial support, just as practically every foreign missionary would do, in order to repair, service and maintain the airplanes that, in turn, service foreign missionaries around the globe.
Earlier this week, I was invited to meet with the twenty techs before they began their workday. We sang and prayed together and confirmed the important work being performed at Missionary Maintenance Service. I was humbled to pray with these missionaries and to bless them as they launched into another hard day’s work. Afterward, as I walked through the facility, Dwight Jarboe, the Director, showed me an incredible Cessna that was nearing completion. The newly applied symbol of a red cross and a huge banner reading “AMBULANCE” in Portugese glistened off the bright white fuselage. I was touched to realize I had some small part in the valuable services this plane would soon perform around the world.
Jesus turned the world on its ear when he walked among us. He continually emphasized how those who humble themselves and serve others are actually the ones most exalted by the Father. His sidekicks, believing he was going to overthrow the current government and set himself up as the exalted ruler of the world, tried to convince him to appoint them to lofty positions. He shocked them with his response to their selfish request when he said,
“You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. It’s not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your servant.” Matthew 20:25
Each time I visit MMS, I’m humbled by the ‘other world’ priorities of these good people and challenged to get out of my comfort zone and serve others.
Read Ron’s column, Simple Faith, each Saturday on the Faith Page (page 3) of the Lancaster Eagle Gazette, or visit www.lancastereaglegazette.com.