Welcome!

Welcome to our little corner of the world where we look forward to posting journals and pictures as we get ready to travel to Papua New Guinea (PNG) to serve with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF).

About 10 years ago we lived in PNG (also serving with MAF) for about 18 months and returned for the birth of our first child. It will be a little different going back - this time with our 4 children! We are all very excited! (Although our kids can hardly imagine life without Grandparents just blocks away!)

Since our 2-week orientation training at the MAF Canada head office in Guelph, ON in November '08 we have been raising funds and our support level currently sits at about 65%. God is blessing us through people like you! (If you are interested in joining our support team it's easy to link to the MAF Canada website right from this page and click DONATE ONLINE where you can specify where you would like your gift to go.)

MANY, MANY THANKS to those of you who have already committed to partnering with us financially and in prayer! We feel so blessed to have friends like you!

OUR GOAL: We hope to be ready to leave in EARLY JULY if our support comes in time, as well as our PNG work visas. (We've been busily filling out stacks of paperwork to meet all the necesssary requirements - thumbprints, blood tests, x-rays and 36 passport-sized photos between the 6 of us!) If we can't get away by July then it would probably mean waiting until January 2010 when the next training/orientation course will be held. We will trust God's timing.

PILOT SHORTAGE: Since MAF is extremely short of pilots in PNG at this time they are having to cut out a lot of the flying they normally do which means people are not getting the physical and spiritual help they need. That is why we are eager to get on our way as soon as possible. Please pray for the pilot families who are working hard to help as many as they can.

CHECK BACK SOON! We hope to add more pictures in the near future. God bless!

The Derksens : )