End of Summer update
Good afternoon!
Here in southern Maine there are many indicators that fall is on its way.
Boy oh boy did we have a fantastic summer as a ministry. The Lord literally lead every step of our team into various directions. It is incredible to see a ministry that is so multi-faceted with many different team members who are following the Lord from day to day. Some have moved far away while others serve locally. This summer, we saw an all-time high of volunteers with PTG Missions. Various folks from places like New Brunswick, Canada, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania all came to serve here in Maine at one point or another.
The camp season went well where we saw the Lord work all across the state in a mighty way. Roughly 50-60 young campers served and were impacted by a mission aviation camp right here in Maine in 2021! Praise the Lord!
Three past campers graduated high school and are now at college preparing for what the Lord is preparing them to do. Some even are getting equipped for mission aviation.
As most of you probably know our Assistant Director, Josiah, and his family, moved to Michigan to attend a two year program with SMAT. This is an exciting time for them as they “left their country” for something they felt the Lord had called them to do.
So, as the fall like breeze blows through my office as I type, what does the fall bring?
1) My classes are continuing on as I slowly approach my final term. In 2022 I will graduate from South African Theological Seminary with a Bachelors of Theology. I am grateful for this opportunity and I have seen it help my preaching, my personal walk, and the effectivity of sharing the Gospel.
2) Our ministry is at an interesting point. You may ask “how so?” Well, our home airport is experiencing some probable changes in 2022 and we are unsure of our longevity at the airport along with other items that may be in place that our ministry has chosen to not be associated with. (More details to come). With this being said, we are praying about the opportunity to find a field in the Buxton, Hollis, or Standish area where we can build a 2900ft X 75ft grass runway with our own hangar. This would allow our ministry to operate at full capacity without being confined to the rules of an airport that seems to have an uncertain future. Our current home airport is actually for sale and is expected to sell soon; natrually this will change many things for us as ministry. We are just trying to prepare our hearts for a possible move that the Lord may have us to do. More details will be coming as new information develops. I have been working with a realtor to see what is available for land in those ideal areas.
3) This fall we plan to send out our propeller for overhaul as it has flown over 10,000 hours! Remember with me, this airplane was a trainer with Liberty University, so in essence, this propeller literally has propelled the Gospel and trained mission pilots for the majority of those 10,000 hours. This will cost us roughly $3,500 to do the overhaul.
4) We are seeing some new faces in and around PTG Missions. We welcome Noah, who has done some flying with me and is the fiance of one of our past campers and now a volunteer. We are excited for their wedding next week. They are preparing to serve with Ethnos 360-Aviation Wing a few years down the road. Also, Jason and Charity Funk have made it to Togo, West Africa, and are beginning their ministry as we speak. Occasionally I hear from Dwayne King, and it is a delight to connect with him a couple of times throughout the year.
These are all items you can be in prayer for along with us. We are excited to see the Lord continue to work here in Maine.
On September 19th I will be filling the pulpit in Bethel, and on September 26th we will be sharing about PTG Missions and our burden in South Paris.
Normally the fall is a time of the year where I focus on family and take a breather! This year hasn’t exactly been like that. Bennett started football again and I got chosen to be the head coach. I did not plan on this, but overall have found it a great opportunity to serve the community and Lord willing, shine the light of Christ to the kids. This fall we plan to take some family fishing trips, get some house projects completed, and begin preparinging for 2022.
Enjoy the weather!
Blessings,
Alec Kindred