There are seven planes that Mission Aviation Fellowship uses to help meet needs in a country of more than 100 million people.
And one day, Stephen Weiland will be one of the people helping keep them in the air.
Weiland and his wife, Haley Weiland, will be at Trinity Park United Methodist Church’s Mission Celebration on Sept. 19.
They are in the first year of a initial four-year commitment with Mission Aviation Fellowship. They have raised about 42 percent of the support they need to go to the mission field, and in 2022 they hope to attend language school in Senegal to learn French before going to the Congo.
Weiland grew up in Knightstown, the son of Jeff and Ann Marie Weiland. Jeff Weiland is an art teacher at Greenfield-Central High School.
After graduating from Knightstown, Weiland went to Moody Bible Institute’s aviation school in Spokane, Washington. He said the school does a great job of introducing students to missionaries and aviators, and through that he became aware of Mission Aviation Fellowship.
“I really just fell in love with the organization and their heart to see the Gospel spread using the airplane,” he said. “If they can fly pigs, coffee, sheep, translators — if they can get the Gospel into a country using an airplane, they’ll do it.”
While in Washington, Stephen met his wife, Haley, who already felt called to missions. They were married in 2019 and welcomed daughter Addelyn this summer.
MAF’s work in the Congo includes flying Bible translators working to reach more groups of people with the Bible in their language. According to its website, its planes also make medical care available to remote areas and help carry training and encouragement for pastors leading churches in isolated regions.
Weiland likes knowing there’ll be plenty of work for him to do as he handles the heavy maintenance and teaches other staff how to work on planes.
His youth pastor is not surprised Weiland is bound for the mission field.
“He grew into a student with a real servant’s heart,” said Troy Doubman of Brandywine Community Church in Greenfield. “I think back to his days in our youth group and nothing was ever about him. … He is one of the most unselfish youth to ever go through our program.
“I am thrilled that he and his family have chosen to sacrifice some of their comforts to serve others overseas. I look forward to seeing God continue His work in Stephen and his family.”
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You can find out more about Stephen and Haley Weiland’s work with Mission Aviation Fellowship, sign up for their newsletter and donate to their work at https://maf.org/missionaries/weiland/
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The documentary “Ends of the Earth” highlights the work of Mission Aviation Fellowship and will be shown in theaters at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 and 7 p.m. Oct. 21; sites include Regal Galaxy 14, AMC Castleton Square 14 and AMC Indianapolis 17, all in Indianapolis. Learn more at https://endsoftheearthmovie.com/
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