Lynne Bontrager
was born in Victorville, California, and lived in Arkansas and Missouri
while her parents prepared themselves for missionary service in Brazil.
She was 8 when her family moved to Brazil, where she attended Brazilian
schools in her earlier years. Later, she attended a boarding school for
missionary kids. She became a Christian when she was about 9, primarily
from the instruction of her parents. Upon graduation from high school
she entered the aviation program of Hesston College in Hesston, Kansas,
where she met her husband.
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Because of her upbringing, she has always been aware of missions, and she first heard of MAF while in Brazil. She remembers, "MAF pilots used to fly students to the boarding school I attended. They would ‘buzz' the school to alert school staff of their arrival."
In August 1979, Lynne married Wally Bontrager who worked at an FBO in Kansas City, MO, as a CFII, and occasional charter pilot. He later left aviation and took on new skills in IT. Meanwhile, Lynne was attending the University of Missouri, graduating in 1981, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education. After 5 years of teaching Social Studies to grades 5-8, Lynne "retired" to raise their two children, Corrie and Jon-Michael. In September 2001, her husband died after a 7-month battle with cancer. Of this time she shares, "God has been my Rock and Fortress during my time of grief."
I Peter 5:7 has been a mainstay for Lynne. "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully." (Amplified) "God has proven Himself over and over to be faithful to this promise," she says.
Lynne taught at Evangelical Christian Academy, an MK school in Madrid, Spain, in 2005-2006. In 2007, she went to Wamena, Papua, Indonesia, with MAF, to teach at the MK school located there. From experience, Lynne says, "A major concern for missionaries is the education of their children. I want to use my God-given gifts to help parents in this area of concern."
To fund the worldwide ministry of MAF, God is faithful in providing generous ministry support from His people. He has called the men and women of MAF to serve Him in a unique way.
He is also calling people like you to play a special role in the ministry of MAF around the world. You are invited to become a ministry partner with Lynne. For information on how to be actively involved in her ministry through prayer and/or financial gifts, please write to MAF at the address below, or email Lynne at: lbontrager*at*maf.org.
