It is officially the wet season so, cloud cover and thunder storms are a daily occurrence. But once in a while you get a gap in the weather pattern, sometimes days long, other times just for a few hours. Meanwhile, inside the tall doors of the Mercy Wings International (MWI) hangar in Quetzaltenango, several days of meticulous, painstaking, work is just beginning. Like a finely choreographed Ballet, all is in place and ready. The …
May 2017- Save It For a Rainy Day
“Life on the mission field has its “focused” moments, like getting the Gospel out to the people, or ministering to the physical needs of those within your reach. Then there are those moments when the unexpected fights for all your attention.” -Chuck Martinez, Missionary to Guatemala. A few flights– The weather pattern as we move into wet season, it is less erratic and becoming easier to predict. Support flights were few during this month of seasonal transition, …
Forethought & Fumblings in Febuary 2017
Contrary to popular belief every hour of missionary flight is preceded by several hours of paperwork required by Federal Aviation Regulation and host country requirements. After the actual flight, there may be a need for some maintenance, that will always be followed by more paper. Using aircraft to serve the people of Guatemala sometimes requires attention be focused on support or facilities concerns. So, what goes on around the edges …
And now for something totally different…..
Ephesians 6:10-18 talks about putting on the whole Armor of God. This, so that you can be fully protected against the lethal deceptions of the devil. This passage of scripture actually reads like an airplane check-list. Mission Aviation flies very much in line with these exhortations. Before any flight carrying ministry workers, medical emergencies, or relief cargo takes off, a pilot must check every critical part of the aircraft. In …
All things to all men……….
When asked, what’s it is like to be a missionary, 1Corinthians 9:22 comes to mind. As a missionary, being all things to all men, can also mean taking on unexpected roles. On this day I was invited to say a few words at a gathering of city and Government officials. The Quetzaltenango Chamber of Commerce (Mesa Economico) was hosting a city wide meeting with special guests from the Aviation directorate from the La Capital, …
Signs of growth
Since January 2016, there have been signs of growth and maturing in Guatemala’s aviation infrastructure. Even at our home base (MGQZ) in Quetzaltenango, things are changing. Soon a genuine security fence will provide the means to keep people and livestock from crossing the runway. Meanwhile, the new airport Administrator is about the task of patching open sections of wall that allow people and animals dangerously close to operating aircraft. Today Mario (hangar guard) and I, Chuck, are …
What I see at work
During the dry season in the western highlands of Guatemala, you can see for 50 nautical miles in any direction. There is a beauty about the landscape that is apparent to the casual observer. But, to the missionary pilot, the view of the terrain is characterized as rugged and unforgiving. Over the past 9 years (and counting), it’s both a privilege and blessing, to have this view where I work …
The enthusiasm of children
What started out as “one of those days” on the mission field, unexpectedly, morphs into loud and colorful morning. All of this ushered in by the enthusiastic beat of a base drum. Drawn out of my office in the Mercy Wings hangar, I open the 30 ft doors and stand on a rock to look over the wall onto the dusty road. School children on this day are on parade. …
Must be a hundred ways to…..
Just goes to show that there must be a hundred ways to serve using aircraft in Guatemala. Organizers from Mt. Hope church, Lansing MI, are in the final preparation stages for a stadium event to take place in San Marcos, Guatemala. Using local radio broadcast, loudspeaker cars, and flyers to announce and invite the pubic. Distribution of the flyers (no pun intended) fell to Mercy Wings International (MWI) and pilot Chuck Martinez. …
Our small but “scrappy” volcano
Not everyone can say they have an active volcano in their backyard, but we can. This morning many heard the rumble and watched as the ash plum produced by our neighborhood volcano ascended miles into the sky . Actually there are two volcano (s), the larger silent one is the Santa Maria, and the smaller the Santiaguito. The smaller but scrappy volcano is active daily, but the rumble heard today …