(Editor's Note: This article was first published in the January/February edition of the print Stand.)
“I know that some are always studying the meaning of the fourth toe on the right foot of some beast in prophecy and have never used either foot to go and bring men to Christ.” VANCE HAVNER
With those prophetic last days in mind (above), the men and women of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) are determined to use their feet – and their planes – to carry the good news of Jesus Christ to people worldwide before it is too late.
The Stand recently spoke with MAF flight instructor Erick Paradizo about the ministry and his role in undergirding its international evangelism outreach.
“Mission Aviation Fellowship has a clear objective,” said Paradizo, “to see people changed by the love of Christ. But we work to accomplish that objective around the world through several different ministry arms.”
Subsequently, MAF is often described as a family of organizations with over 41 planes that carry both physical and spiritual aid to churches, communities, organizations, and individuals in 12 countries. In fact, every six minutes, an MAF plane takes off or lands somewhere in the world.
Taking off
This international ministry fleet was birthed in 1945 when a group of World War II pilots returned home and wondered how they could use their aviation skills to carry the gospel to remote places throughout the world. Since an initial post-war flight into Mexico, MAF pilots have flown into inaccessible areas that had never been evangelized.
In one of MAF’s most recognized flights, pilot Nate Saint and four other missionaries landed their plane on a remote beach in Ecuador on January 8, 1956, in hopes of reaching the violent Waorani people with the good news of Jesus. Sadly, all five men were martyred that day, but their mission did not die. The gospel seeds they planted took root, and eventually, the entire Waorani (Auca) village came to know Christ as their Savior, including several men who had killed the MAF missionaries.
Before his death, Saint said: “People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives ... and when the bubble has burst, they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for all the years they have wasted.”
Still soaring
Over 65 years later, the work of MAF still revolves around the eternal significance of world missions. With member organizations in 34 countries, they also partner with affiliate minis- tries, transporting a wide array of people and products to help millions of impoverished people in remote areas worldwide.
MAF offices are located around the globe. Ministry head- quarters are in Nampa, Idaho, where Paradizo spends a great deal of his time training pilots for MAF International.
“I don’t think of myself as the typical flight instructor,” Paradizo stated. “Yes, we equip the pilots who come here to safely fly their planes in and out of very dangerous situations. But I want to be more than just a teacher; I want to be a mentor. “After all, I have been in their shoes as an MAF pilot, and I know that what these pilots are preparing to do can take a really big toll on them – and their families.”
Paradizo’s family consists of his wife Joanna and their three young sons, Archer, Baron, and Leo. Though they now make their home in Emmett, Idaho, near MAF headquarters, the young couple came from very different backgrounds.
He was born in Puerto Rico, where his childhood love of flying came from his grandfather who was also a pilot. On the other hand, she grew up in Tacoma, Washington, with a love for the arts, especially music.
God brought them both to Nashville, where they met at church, and their shared love for missions drew them together. They were married in 2016. Within a year, Paradizo was interning with MAF, and by 2018, he was a full-time part of the ministry with an assignment to Ecuador.
Overcoming turbulence
That assignment was put on hold after the premature birth of their twin boys, Archer and Baron. Even though Archer was born with a complicated birth defect and was given only four days to live, both boys miraculously survived. In fact, they recently celebrated their fourth birthday. Archer does have ongoing physical challenges, so Paradizo’s role at MAF grew from being a missionary pilot to training pilots.
“My main focus now,” Paradizo explained, “involves training foreign pilots who will go back home and work to strengthen MAF’s ministry efforts in their own countries.
“In my role as both teacher and mentor, I can listen to my student pilots and pray with them about their needs and their questions.”
Beyond mentor, his role is also like a gatekeeper to the various mission fields for those aspiring to be missionary pilots. And in his gatekeeping role, Paradizo spends much of his work hours determining if those new pilot candidates are ready for the task.
After all, each country has its particular aviation laws, potential logistical hazards, and politically charged issues. These aspects of preparation are only part of MAF’s basic instructional program for new pilots. But it represents a large part of Paradizo’s responsibility as a pilot instructor.
Plus, most remote areas of the world cannot offer pilots mechanical support if complications arise. Consequently, MAF pilot candidates often attend technical aviation schools before they make their way to Paradizo. Though not required, Paradizo took that same route, getting his aircraft A&P (airframe and powerplant) mechanic’s license before finishing his pilot licensure.
“But lately, we are seeing more pilot candidates who choose not to go that route,” said Paradizo. “Instead, many of them have been pilots for some time, and they just want to get to the mission field as quickly as possible.”
Paradizo understands their enthusiasm because he cannot really remember a time when he did not want to fly. Amazingly, God took that childhood love and is using it to support others with a shared love of flying.
Planning final descent
But for Paradizo and his pilot candidates, their shared love for God and His people is what matters most. That love reflects the love for the lost that has been the driving force behind the MAF ministry since its first flight in 1945.
As MAF flyer Nate Saint once said, “When life’s flight is over, and we unload our cargo at the other end, the fellow who got rid of unnecessary weight will have the most valuable cargo to present the Lord.”
Keeping that final heavenly destination in mind, Paradizo and other members of Mission Aviation Fellowship will steadfastly continue gathering their precious cargo of souls.
