To say that aviation has played an important role in NCEM’s ministry is an understatement. To understand, one needs to realize the vastness of this mission field — we’re talking about the world’s second largest country!
It was illustrated clearly by early NCEM missionary to the Inuit, Gleason Ledyard, who traveled both by dogteam and by plane. He told of how, when flying, he would look at the tundra below and then at his watch. Every eight minutes he would note that he’d just passed one of his camping spots … one day’s travel by dogteam!
In the Hangar
The past years have seen new roads pushing further north, making more and more communities accessible by car. Commercial flights may now be more practical for our missionaries (though north-south travel in Canada is always much more expensive than east-west). So, in some respects, aviation’s role in NCEM has changed. Yet it is still essential to assist NCEM in fulfilling its mandate and there are still many northern communities best accessed by air.
NCEM Aviation staff serve as members of outreach teams that fly into isolated communities. Our pilots are “missionaries first,” and regularly assist with visitation, teaching and preaching. Aircraft maintenance, and the management of aviation resources, are also important parts of this team ministry.
We are deeply grateful to many who have faithfully supported NCEM Aviation in prayer and in sacrificial giving. Our task is to continue to “redeem the time” in our generation. Our goal is to assist in making the ministries of NCEM as timely and efficient as possible.
We presently have Aviation staff based in Nipawin (SK) and Prince Albert (SK), flying and maintaining our Cessna aircraft.
For more Aviation information, please contact our NCEM Aviation Coordinator:
Albert Heal albert@ncem.ca
Donations to the ongoing ministry of NCEM Aviation should be sent to NCEM.