Our Next Big Step Has Been Taken

Greetings friends. Great news! We have officially paid the deposit for the first semester of my training at Moody Aviation, starting August 2019. It really feels like a dream…It was just earlier this year that it felt like an impossibility for me to become a Missionary Pilot, but, alas, things are moving forward quite quickly now, in fact, it feels as if there is not enough time to do everything we need to do, but we are trusting God.

What Still Needs To Be Done?

When we think of all that needs to be done before we can actually leave for the US to start my training, the reality hits us that this is far bigger than us. We realize that this can definitely not be done in our own strength, we need God every step of the way. So, please keep us in your prayers always.

The bulk of our focus this next year will be on fundraising activities (please check out our support page here). We will be contacting many churches in and around East London to ask if we can speak to their congregations and also to their Bible studies, cells, life groups, etc. In between all of this we are trying to organise talks on local radio stations and to do fundraising events like markets, movie nights and more.

What will make the fundraising extra challenging is that I have to do it while working at my regular job, Mon-Sat, which means that there will be many sacrifices that need to be made in terms of less personal rest, free time and time together as family. Our children are such a blessing in this where they are really excited about what we want to do and they are prepared to sacrifice as well. We are so encouraged by Paul where he said in his letter to Philipi “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phi 1:21) and also “I count all things as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phi 3:8). We are learning now, even if it is slowly, that there is truly nothing that can compare to Jesus and He is teaching us to let go of all things, even good things, for something far better…Himself.

We will also be needing to sell basically everything we own, as we won’t be able to take much with us to the US. This will probably entail things like garage sales, advertising, word of mouth, etc.

Once we have raised sufficient support, then we can apply for your Visa’s. Tanya and I will be going to the US on student Visa’s.

All of this has to happen within the next 8 months…a big task…but our confidence is not in our plans or abilities but in our Sovereign God who is passionate about His glory and the spread of His worship to all nations.

Thank You!

A BIG Thank You to all those who have been praying for us and who have supported us financially. We appreciate your support for the sake of the glorious Gospel.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:3-6

Grace and peace,

John, Tanya, Michaela and Tristan