Alan Discoe
is a pilot/mechanic with Mission Aviation Fellowship, serving the Lord
in Tarakan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. He recounts, "One of the
highlights of this ministry is interacting with national pastors in the
interior. They often serve in their communities as airstrip agents -
helping me load the plane, ticketing MAF flights, giving weather
reports over the radio, and maintaining the condition of their
airstrip. There have been many opportunities for mutual encouragement
as I am able to recognize and express admiration for their faithful
ministries to their communities over many, many years, and as they
express their genuine appreciation of the services that I help to
provide. This emphasizes to me the depth and the unity of the body of
Christ."
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As Alan interacts daily with the mission community and the national church, he holds Ephesians 4:2-3 firmly in his heart and mind. "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." He shares, "This verse is important to me because it reminds me of my need to seek unity and peace within the body of Christ. Serving overseas has especially brought to my attention how tempting it can be to focus on differences among fellow believers, and this tends to divide us. Instead, Christ calls us to ‘bear with one another in love' so that the body of Christ is healthy, and so that the observing world is drawn to His love."
In addition to flying, Alan recently became an instructor pilot for MAF, helping check out pilots on new routes and airstrips, and conducting proficiency flight reviews. When he's not flying, he serves as the aircraft parts inventory manager for the two bases. As time allows, he works as a mechanic and has also taken on a couple special projects, such as building, installing, and tuning high-frequency radio antennas in the interior, and building desktop computers for the office network.
Alan was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A year later he moved to Greeley, Colorado, where he lived through his high school years. During his second year of college, he came to know Christ as his Savior. "A pastor in my teenage years, a family friend, and a college youth pastor were all influential," reflects Alan, "but the liberating truth of God's Word ultimately brought me to Christ." His awareness of missions increased through college. Reading Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot really sparked his interest in missions.
Alan studied engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and earned a B.A. in Accounting at Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado. After three years of working as a CPA, he attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and Moody Aviation in Tennessee, where he earned a Certificate of Completion in Missionary Aviation. Alan holds a commercial pilot's license with instrument and flight instructor ratings and an airframe and powerplant mechanic's license.
To fund the worldwide ministry of MAF, God is faithful in providing generous ministry support from His caring people. He has called the men and women of MAF to serve Him in a unique way. He is also calling thousands of Christians like you to play a special role in the ministry of MAF around the world.
You are invited to become a ministry partner in this strategic ministry. Please prayerfully consider involvement with Alan through prayer and/or financial support.
