Please Pray!

The following text is from the MAF Website.  Photos are by Tripp Flythe.

Sumatra, Indonesia—11-08-10—Benjamin T. Uskert, a pilot and mechanic serving in Sumatra, Indonesia with MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship), died Sunday, Nov. 7, in a swimming accident.

Ben was at a beach with a group from a local orphanage when two teenagers ventured into deep water and were swept away from the shore. He and another adult swam out to assist them, but Ben and one of the youths were overcome by the waves and current. Ben was pronounced dead at the scene; the body of the teenager has not been recovered.

"We are profoundly saddened by the loss of our friend and fellow worker in Christ, as well as the young man he was attempting to rescue," said John Boyd, president and chief executive officer of MAF. "Please pray for Ben’s wife, Katie, and son, Jeremiah, as well as the other members of the family."

The Uskerts joined MAF in 2008. They attended language school in Indonesia for nine months before beginning service with the MAF Sumatra program in December 2009.  Memorial services will be held on Saturday, Nov. 13, in Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia.

Several of our folks from Tarakan and Palangkaraya will be heading over to Banda Aceh to be there for the Katie, Jeremiah, their family and the MAF team.  Please keep them all in your prayers during this very difficult time.

We only recently met ben and Katie when they came over to our program a few months ago to help with a Caravan inspection.  Even during our brief visits with this young couple, their love for the Lord was very evident.  Ben's never-ending smile and upbeat, positive personality were contagious.   My friend and fellow pilot, Tripp Flythe, knew Ben well, and was a close friend.  I love what he shared about Ben on his blog.  If you want to read another take, here's an article from a news outfit in Indiana that gives more of their background info.

Thanks for praying.  God is sovereign!