By Steff WillisWednesday 21 Feb 2024Books & LiteratureReading Time: 2 minutes
After witnessing the destruction that aircraft wrought during World War II, a couple of Christian Airforce pilots started what is now a global movement using light aircraft to instead bring life and hope to those experiencing isolation.
In fact, every five and a half minutes, a Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) plane takes off or lands somewhere in the world bringing the essentials of life as well as medical care, emergency food, and Christian hope in over 27 countries worldwide.
In ‘Aero Grace’, Author and MAF Advocate, Ron Watts unveils the rich history of mission aviation in Australia from the 1920s to the present day.
“I’ve been involved in mission aviation since the mid 70s when I first joined MAF” Ron said.
“I grew up right next door to the Kingsford Smith Aerodrome which gave me a love for airplanes, a love for aviation and flying”.
Ron Watts, author of ‘Aero Grace’ / Supplied: SparkLit
After coming to faith at a Billy Graham crusade in 1968 and going on a short-term missions trip and seeing how aviation was being used to advance the work of the gospel, Ron got involved with the work of MAF.
“I’ve got older, I just had an increasing interest in the history of it. I didn’t realise back then that people have been using airplanes to serve the Kingdom of God since 1928.
“That God… moves certain people to take the risk… putting aircraft to use because back in those days the airplanes were pretty, I guess you might say, primitive.
“Eventually I decided, this needs to be written down. I needed to get these stories before these old pioneers died and took their stories with them. So that really is how Aero Grace began.
To learn more about the work of MAF and to get a copy of Ron Watt’s book, ‘Aero Grace – The Gospel in Australia Skies’, visit the MAF website.
Listen to the full interview in the player above.
Feature Image: Mission Aviation Fellowship Australia Facebook