Mike, a son of third- generation missionaries to
South Africa, accepted the Lord at the age of 10
years in
Ohio.
After viewing the film, “Through Gates of Splendor”, he felt the Lord calling
him into missions aviation work.After
graduating from
LeTourneau
College in 1981 with a
degree in Missions and Aviation technology, Mike was prepared to check out
overseas service.
In 1986 while working as training staff at MMS Aviation in
Coshocton,
Ohio, Mike
took a trip to assist South America Mission in
Peru rebuild a newly-acquired
plane.This confirmed his call to
overseas ministries.In mid -1987, God
brought Nancy Duling into Mike’s life.Nancy, a Coshocton native, was teaching in Coshocton City Schools at the
time.
Nancy had accepted the Lord at the age of
eight; He had shown her when she was twelve that He wanted her to be a
missionary.They met at a Bible study
Mike was leading in 1987, and the rest is history! After marriage in November
1988, Mike and Nancy joined South America Mission in June of 1989, and arrived
in
Peru
in late October of 1991. Annette Mary was born in 1993, and Daniel Edwin
in 1999.
Mike's Talents and Work
Mike worked his first term and most of a second
as an aircraft mechanic at SAMAIR Peru, but it rapidly became evident that he
had talents in computer technology and ordering aircraft parts that were soon
put to good use.As time went on, and as
Mike became more involved in procuring parts, fuel, and other equipment
necessary to keep SAMAIR Peru operating efficiently, it became obvious that he
also had the patience and perseverance necessary to deal with aviation and
customs officials in the capital city of Lima, and local officials in
Pucallpa.So currently, Mike is serving
as Logistics Coordinator at SAMAIR Peru.While we are on HMA in the
U.S., three people are filling in for
him and doing his complicated, time-consuming, and often difficult job.The laws affecting civil aviation in
Peru can change
on a daily basis, so the government paperwork load has increased.Other challenges have also come Mike’s way,
but he deals with them one at a time, with the help of the Lord and your
intercession on his behalf.
Nancy's Talents and Work
For
Nancy, learning Spanish
has been a joy. Because she loves to
talk, she can develop friendships rapidly, and has done so with Peruvian ladies
of all social classes. She has helped
co-lead a ladies’ Bible study in Pucallpa, flight-followed for SAMAIR pilots,
and translated for various medical teams from the U.S..She maintains her state of Ohio teaching
credentials, so she also has, from time to time, taught High School English at
SAM Academy, our mission school which reopened in August of 2000. In addition to teaching, Nancy’s service last
term included serving as hostess for guests/visitors to the SAMAIR Peru base. Of course, in addition to all the above, she
has served her family as well in many capacities.
About us
Mike's Talents and Work