MAF Training Centre – Now Open!
by Angela Harding
Pictures Below: Inside the MAF Training Centre
It is with great excitement that we announce that the MAF Training Centre in Mareeba is now officially open!
On Friday February 20th, MAF Mareeba held the long-anticipated opening day. More than 100 MAF staff and supporters gathered to worship, pray and dedicate the new building to the service of the Lord.
Beginning with afternoon tea, everyone was given a tour of the Training Centre as well as the Mareeba hangar nearby. After some praise and worship, Chief Flying Instructor Marcus Grey led the ceremony, sharing about the history of MAF’s flight and engineering training and the various Training Centres in Australasia.
After serving as a MAF pilot in PNG, Volkher Jacobsen worked as the Flight Training Manager at the Flight Training Centre in Coldstream, Victoria (ACMA). Now based in Mareeba, he is confident that despite the move, MAF’s enabling role as remote area aviation training specialists remains unchanged.
Aviation Director William Nicol, speaking from Psalm 121, affirmed that the ongoing purpose of this new Training Centre was to enable people to journey with God, to reach out, so that they would be a blessing to others, “I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from.”
A number dedicated the building and those who serve and study in it to God, including ex-missionary kid Pastor Jireh Scheurwater, MAF Australia CEO Michelle Dorey, Ex-FTC Manager Leon Norsworthy, MAFI Maintenance Support Manager Darren Lydeamore and Regional Director Stephen Charlesworth
We sang, we prayed, we talked and we ate. And so with a “Shout to the Lord”, a pig on a spit, a cream sponge and a lot of excitement and laughter, the MAF Training Centre was officially opened.
A special thanks to the generous 671 donors who made all this possible.
The Opening Ceremony
The Service in the hangar, led by Marcus Grey, Volkher Jacobsen and William Nicol.
Ian Stacy, Sue and Stephen Charlesworth (Regional Director)
John Hermanus (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer) and Andrew Jenkins (Senior Training Captain) lead us in worship
MAF Australia CEO Michelle Dorey praying with Chief Flying Instructor Marcus Grey
Chief Flying Instructor Marcus Grey and Chief Engineer Ben Sibthorpe
Sharing a meal together in the hangar
Inside the MAF Training Centre
