Bringing the Good News

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.   

Acts 20:24

Ten years ago at this time, I was in the midst of having to make a very difficult decision. The first term I spent with MAF, I was seconded to an organization called Flying Mission, where I flew on an air ambulance in Botswana. I was coming to the end of my two-year contract, and Flying Mission had asked if I would stay on with them longer.

I knew right away what I wanted to answer: Yes! I loved the work that we were doing, the country, the culture, the people, and even the weather. I was perfectly content living in Botswana, had made some great friends there, and very much enjoyed my two years. However, as I began to pray about it, I felt the Holy Spirit leading me to return home.

 Although I knew I had to follow the Spirit’s leading, I didn’t know why I had to return, and I had no real plans in place when I arrived in Canada. I figured I would maybe work for a year, gaining some more experience flying, and then head out overseas again with MAF.

After arriving, I began to contact companies and send out resumes looking for a job. Over the initial weeks, I wasn’t having much success, and things didn’t get better as those weeks turned into months. As time dragged on, and after a lot of rejection, I began to get discouraged and wondered if I had made a mistake. Maybe I had misheard God? Maybe I wasn’t supposed to leave Botswana.

I couldn’t see God working in any of this and began to become increasingly frustrated. Until, after almost a year of being back home, one day, my phone rang. It was Ron Ludke, the Executive Director of LAMP.

MAF had put him in touch with me, and he explained that LAMP had tragically lost a pilot in an accident that November, and they were in need of someone to temporarily fly for them for the summer. After Ron had explained LAMP’s ministry and the work they do, I told him I would think about helping out.

The next day my phone rang again. This time, the voice on the other end of the line said they were calling from an airborne geological survey company and that he had my resume in his hands. He said they worked all over the world and would send me to fly in Africa, Asia, South America, even the Arctic.

My mind began to drift as I thought about how exciting an opportunity this would be. Then I heard him say, “How soon can you start?” After a year of not being able to get any interviews or even a call-back from a company, somebody was offering me a phenomenal job.

However, in the back of my mind, I knew what this was: temptation. God did not call me to fly geological surveys. He called me to serve Him on the mission field. Even though the work with LAMP was only to be temporary for a couple of months, I knew that’s where God was leading, and so, as difficult as it was, I declined the job offer.

I started flying Ron around from community to community that summer. A couple of weeks in, shortly after we had taken off in the plane one morning, Ron turned to me and said, “I’ve prayed about this a lot, and I’d like you to stay on full-time as LAMP’s Director of Flight Operations.” I told him I didn’t think I was qualified to be the director of anything, but he responded by saying that he thought I would do a great job.

I ended up initially agreeing to do one year with LAMP. Then, one year turned into two, and two years have now become nine. I’ve spent a lot of time with Ron travelling all over the north. In these nine years, he hasn’t just been my boss but has been a supporter, encourager, mentor, and friend. 

Now, after almost twenty years leading LAMP as the Executive Director and bringing the Good News of Christ to the isolated people living in Northern Canada, Ron is going to be moving on and retiring at the end of this year. It will be difficult to see him go, and he will be missed, but I know that God will continue to use him in great ways.

If you’ve ever heard Ron tell this story, he’d say that he was on his knees praying that God would send LAMP a pilot. Little did he know that at the same time, I was on my knees praying that God would send me somewhere. We were an answer to each other’s prayers, and Ron believed in me and gave me an opportunity at a time in my life where, after a lot of rejection, it felt like nobody else would, and for that, I will forever be thankful.

What the future holds now is unknown. At the moment, LAMP’s board is searching for a new Executive Director and is hoping to fill the position in the coming months. I don’t know what direction or vision this new Director will take LAMP in, but please join me in praying for LAMP and their board as they search for this new person.

I look forward to seeing what God is going to do in the future and thank Ron for the years of faithful service and leadership he has provided at LAMP over nearly two decades.