“My heroes have always been cowboys,
and still are it seems.”
Willie Nelson
Nothing against cowboys, but my heroes have always been missionary pilots.
While I loved Elisabeth Elliot’s stirring story, like Destin below, when I read Through Gates of Splendor, it was Nate Saint who caught my attention. The man was a mechanical genius, and a first-rate pilot.
Destin Sandlin hosts the Smarter Every Day video series. (He’s the guy who built the bike with the wrong way steering.) In a recent video (picked up by Popular Mechanic) Destin interviewed what he calls a “Super Hero.” It’s part of his #SuperPowerForGood series in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Super Hero in the video is a pilot and trainer for Mission Aviation Fellowship, Brian Shepson. This is a great story. (More after the video.)
Worth noting about Destin’s video series is how the narrative is peppered with ministry references: Through Gates of Splendor, Elisabeth Elliot, Nate Saint, Mission Aviation Fellowship, what missionary pilots carry, how aid gets to people in need, vaccine transport.
This is a great example of being salt. God only knows who will Google the terms above and find a story so many of us have known and loved for years. A story about the love of God, the missionary impulse, a love for people, and the power of the Gospel.
