Swords into Plowshares

He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. 

Isaiah 2:4

It didn't take long after the Wright brothers’ first flight in 1903 for airplanes to be used militarily. The first world war began just over ten years later when aircraft started to be used in the war effort. World War 2 drove many of the major advances in aviation technology, helping to usher in the jet age and modern aircraft as we know them today.

Isaiah prophesized in the above verse that in the last days nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. That is, they would take instruments of war and turn them into instruments of peace.

I’ve always somewhat thought of the work that we do in that way. When MAF started shortly after the second world war, aviation had, for the most part of its history, been used for death and destruction. The first MAF pilots took what had been instruments of war and used them to help bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

LAMP’s Cessna 182, GODX, takes off from Cooking Lake Airport in Alberta

Obviously, the planes we use on the mission field today are not the same as the planes that are used in the military.  The plane needs to be suited for the job and it’s critical that the right aircraft is used for the right mission.

When I was first seconded to LAMP, they had been operating a Piper Lance for 15 years and it had served them well. They had also just acquired a Cessna 182, which had been donated by a generous supporter who had owned the aircraft. 

However, that plane, for a number of reasons, was never quite suited for the job at hand. We’ve made it work, but the Lance has always been more reliable and useful over the years in our ministry.

With this in mind, I made a recommendation to LAMP’s board that they consider selling the 182 and replacing it with another Lance. Operating two of the same airplane type has many benefits to go along with the benefits of using a plane that is more suited to the work being done.

After much prayer, we recently listed our 182, GODX, for sale. Granted, the aircraft market is a small one, so there’s no guarantees that it will sell or that we will receive an offer we’re happy with, but for now, we’ll try and see what doors God opens.

Navigating the sale and purchase of an aircraft is new territory for me, so there’s been much to learn. Please pray with us as we make decisions and search for the right aircraft for our mission.  

LAMP's Red Piper Lance has long been the workhorse of the fleet

I’ve flown a lot of hours and have many memories in GODX over the past 12 years. Countless lives have been impacted by the Gospel and touched by the love of Christ as this aircraft has made its way into communities in the north.

Thank you for the part you play in making all these flight possible. I look forward to seeing how a new aircraft will not only keep LAMP operating safely and efficiently, but also continue to keep us Flying for Life!