Pilot Training for Meninho

In September Holly and I made a last minute trip back to Mozambique.  We had several goals for the trip (mainly packing up our house to put in storage), but another goal was for me to talk to Mozambican friends and get details of a story that started long before our family moved there.

In 2008, Mozambique experienced significant flooding.  The UN and Moz government were collaborating on recovery and preventative efforts to mitigate future flood damage.  Working with them was a highly educated Moz Christian named Diniz (De-neesh).  Because of the remote location and impassable flooded roads, MAF helped with transportation and became connected with Diniz.

Before one MAF flight, Diniz asked if his 11 year old son Meninho (Mah-neen-you) could come along.  He sat up front, and once the airplane climbed to altitude, our pilot asked him if he wanted to try flying.  That was not unusual - what was unusual is that he was good at it.  Meninho took to flying right away and said that someday he wanted to be a pilot.

Our director told him if he came into the hangar and volunteered, MAF would help him learn about aviation.  He helped wash, load, and unload airplanes, and did anything else he could do to learn or help whenever he had a break from school.  He was often there for our hangar Bible studies.  When we had an empty seat on a flight, we would bring him along, and on empty reposition flights with our instructor, he flew.  The instructor pilot told me he was always incredibly impressed with his precision and decision making. 

Meninho volunteered so much between his first flight and high school graduation, he ended up riding along for over 500 hours of flight time!  When Mozambique’s aviation rules changed and we needed help with the new certification processes, Meninho’s dad, Diniz, came to work at MAF.  Diniz has been our administrator and an invaluable member of our team ever since.  It was Diniz who went with me to build the airstrip for the Micaune Bible translators, and without him that airstrip would not be built.

Meninho is graduating college in December with a degree in administration.  This year he began working part time for MAF as the assistant quality manager.  When he finishes college, our MAF program would love to train him in as an MAF pilot. 

We are raising funds to help Meninho go to flight school in the US.  Below are some of the reasons it makes sense to us:

              -  Aviation fuel is very expensive in Africa, making training in the US a cheaper option.
       -    Meninho already speaks English well.
       -   As a Mozambican, Meninho understands the Moz culture and people in a way that we and our

                  colleagues are still striving towards.
       -  Pilot traing for a single individual is cheaper than sending a new MAF pilot family to Portugal
           for a year of language school.

       Generous supporters have already donated $32,000!  For travel, living expenses and training Meninho needs about $43,000 more.  Raising support from overseas is not a viable option, so we are helping fundraise for this while we are stateside.

We would love to talk with you about Meninho!  Please pray about helping Meninho get into the air with a tax deductible donation.  This would be a great cause to consider for year-end giving.  To donate online, click here, or call MAF at 1(800) 359-7623 and let them know you want to give to fund 4611.  You can also give via a check made out to MAF with 4611 in the memo line, and mailed to:

Mission Aviation Fellowship
P.O. Box 47
Nampa, ID 83653

From us, Meninho, and our whole program, thank you!