 December 2024. It seems that each newsletter this year starts with how Haiti’s instability and gang activity are impacting how Missionary Flights is operating at the time of publication. In the beginning of November, gangs in Port-au-Prince vowed to make travel difficult until their demands were met. In the course of a couple days, they shot three different airline’s aircraft. This resulted in the Port-au-Prince airport being closed to all civilian aircraft. At this time, Missionary Flights anticipates that it will not be able to fly to Port-au-Prince until some time in the new year. Initially the FAA prohibited all U.S. aircraft from being below 10,000 feet over the country of Haiti. MFI was able to apply for permission to complete two evacuation flights. Once those were completed, the FAA adjusted the boundary for the restriction to be the southeastern part of the country and MFI was able to resume flights into Cap Haitien and Pignon. Please continue to pray for a resolution to this ongoing situation, for safety of the missionaries that we serve, and that God will be glorified..  Haitian Artisans proud of the shipment we helped transport to the U.S.  MFI’s DC-3 at the Stuart AirshowWhile on deputation, we got to participate in a cool God story. We were in Elgin for First Baptist’s missions conference. We got the opportunity to share in a Sunday school class along with several other local ministries. The director of the local pregnancy care organization was present and sharing about her organization’s ministry there. When we started sharing about what we do with Missionary Flights, she shared that the clinic had an ultrasound machine that they were trying to get to Haiti. Our first question was to whom she was trying to get it since we only fly for ministries that are connected with us. She named two names and the second one we knew off the bat was one of our regulars. So on Tuesday, James went over to TLC and loaded up the ultrasound machine. God had made sure that he had the tools to disassemble it enough to fit and the space in the vehicle to transport it. After we returned to Florida, we were able to get it loaded on the plane and sent to the doctor in Port-au-Prince that the clinic had been praying for about a year and a half to be able to get this equipment to him.  Ft Pierce Hangar Banquet First ultrasound in Port-au-Prince Now that we are back home from deputation, it has been announced at MFI that our Director of Flight Logistics is retiring at the end of this year. Beginning in January, James will step into this role. On the upside, James has been being groomed for this role. On the downside, this means that finding a new assistant for James is happening much quicker than we anticipated. Please pray that this transition happens seamlessly.Thank you for your faithfulness in love, prayers, and support as we serve at MFI .James and Sam Gabhart If you are not currently receiving our monthly Prayerline with items you can pray for daily for our family and Missionary Flights, please click here to update your preferences to be added to that mailing list. Family News It’s incredible to think that we’re already in the Christmas and advent season. As we look back on this last year, there are so many things to be thankful for. We are so blessed by having three incredible children who have a heart to serve God. We are blessed by Sam’s mom being with us to afford us the ability to be at Missionary Flights as often as we need to be. We are blessed to have an incredible church family that we get to spend time with a couple of times a week. We are thankful for MFI and the trust and encouragement that they give us with the roles that we fulfill. Most importantly, we are grateful for you – our supporters and our prayer warriors. .  Deputation Travel Pictures Deputation Travel PicturesThinking about the kids, we are excited to have gotten to see Chris turn 14. This smart, spunky, goofy teenage boy has a beautiful heart to point people back to Christ. There are several times when his encouraging word to us is exactly what we needed at that precise moment. It’s going to be incredible to see how he continues to grow and mature in his faith in the coming years.  Starved Rock Chris is 14! Another thing we find ourselves incredibly grateful for is the scholarship the kids have for being homeschoolers with the state. The scholarship has given us the opportunity to try new things, and new curriculums. I know we’ve talked about it in the past, but to see them thrive in ways that we have not seen them thrive, is quite honestly the biggest blessing of them all. To know academically, that they are being challenged without finding major sources of frustration, is a gift. The ability to order them things that they are excited about— that sparks their interests— is just incredible .  Trunk or Treat Trunk or TreatThank you again for your love, support, and prayers this year.Here’s to 2025!  Praises and Prayer RequestsPraise that MFI has raised our support level to help reflect the higher costs of everything. Prayer that we are able to raise the difference of this new increase. Prayer for wisdom to know the right time for Kathy to have her first knee replacement. Prayer for the ability to recognize boundaries and to hold to them. Praise for the blessing of our new vehicle and it assisting us with daily life beautifully.< /li>Praise for our faithful supporters, both in prayer and financially. Prayer for God to bless their consistency to support the work He is doing. Prayer for MFI in the needed wisdom in filling open positions, and for God to provide the correct people to fill them Ministry Update We are so thankful to all who are following God’s leading in supporting us. The MFI Board increased our support level to $6,300 monthly. We currently receive $5,500 (87%) in monthly commitments. We need an additional $800 to be fully supported. Online Giving: www.missionaryflights.org/gabhartORMail Checks to: 3170 Airmans Drive Fort Pierce, FL 34946 Memo: Gabharts #2837Click here to download a printer friendly version.Copyright © 2024 Gabharts Flying By Faith, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you requested to receive communications from us. Our mailing address is: Gabharts Flying By Faith742 Forster AvenueSebastian, Florida 32958Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. |
Gabhart’s November 2024 Prayerline
Gabhart’s October 2024 Prayer Requests
Gabhart’s Update – March 2024
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. Revelation 3:7 (ESV) No matter how dark a situation gets, we worship and serve God, who is sovereign over all things and will not be thwarted. Whatever He plans, will be accomplished. It can be hard to watch as it plays out, but we can rest in the knowledge that God is working all things for His glory.  Teams going to the Bahamas on a mission’s trip February has been a hard month in Haiti. National elections were supposed to occur on Wednesday, February 7th. Since the Haitian President was assassinated in July of 2021, the Prime Minister has governed the country. The gang activity has prevented elections. In February, one of the political opponents of the current government called for a revolution. This resulted in violent demonstrations occurring all over the country. MFI had to postpone several flights due to the unrest for the safety of our crew, passengers, and our Haitian workers. At the end of February, gun fire in the vicinity of the airport at Port-au-Prince prevented MFI from being able to complete the flight we had planned to end there. The United Nation’s multi-national force is currently in training to prepare to come in to address the gangs. This latest violence at the airport is designed to prevent the Prime Minster from returning to Port-au-Prince.  Wing pull inspection  Wing pull inspection Something that we have recently learned is that the gangs are preventing the children from attending school. Many of the schools in Haiti are run by Christian missions and the gangs have been threatening to shoot the schools that continue to meet. Please pray for safety for the schools that defy the gangs and that the gangs will have a change of heart towards their fellow countrymen. This is a very hard time for most of Haiti. There are some communities that are isolated from the violence, but they are becoming fewer as the gang activity spreads. Please continue to pray for the safety of the missionaries who have remained. Please pray for wisdom for MFI leadership to know when to go and when to stay so that we can continue to support those doing the vital kingdom work in Haiti.Thank you for your faithfulness in love, prayers, and support as we serve at MFI. James and Sam Gabhart |
| FAMILY NEWS |
March is a month of celebration in our house. This month Jonny turns 16! Several of you may be curious, but no, he has no desire to drive at this time. So, instead of a license for his 16th birthday, we are getting him a State ID. He’s reached the age where getting used to carrying identification is a really good thing. Also, for his birthday, our church has an incredible concert series that is coming. We are all going and it will be incredible. One artist, Cliff Preston, was at our church in December for the Christmas Concert, and he is a great up and coming artist. His band, The Band Table will be performing, and Stars Go Dim too. Here’s what is so exciting, our church’s youth group is opening and performing original songs. What an opportunity for them, and for us to be able to support them for Jonny’s birthday. Jonny turns 16! We are so excited for another opportunity with our church coming up this summer. Our youth group is participating in a mission’s outreach camp trip up to Liberty University. The entire camp is focused on missions and service projects. Chris and Abby are looking forward to going. Jonny has chosen to stay home this time because of not wanting to be too far from home for as long as this camp is.  Abby and Chris excited to be going on the summer camp missions trip!  Marriage Date Night With a camp like this comes costs, and fundraisers too. We find out more of what that will look like soon, but our “littles” will be sending out support letters to help be able to fund this trip. This will be Abby’s first trip with the youth, and as of this trip, we will have 3 kids in youth group. It is incredible to think how fast time has flown, and just how blessed we are by having three, incredible kids who love Jesus. Prayer Requests Kathy’s surgery was postponed for now. Pray the items that need addressed can be done quickly, and that she can feel even more confident in having it done.Prayer for our desire to have a home of our own, and the ability to keep saving for itPrayer for MFI, the needed wisdom in filling open positions, and for God to provide the correct people to fill themPraise that our vehicles are still holding on and getting us where we need to goPraise for our faithful supporters, both in prayer and financially. Prayer for God to bless their consistency to support the work He is doingPraise for our church encouraging our youth kids to not be afraid to follow where God is calling themMinistry UpdateWe are so thankful to all who are following God’s leading in supporting us. We currently receive $5,800 (95%) in monthly commitments. We need an additional $300 to be fully supported.Online Giving: www.missionaryflights.org/gabhartORMail Checks to: 3170 Airmans Driv Fort Pierce, FL 34946 Memo: Gabharts #2837 |
Request From The Stanton’s – Please Pray for Teri-néni
Teréz recently celebrated her 80th birthday. She suffered a nasty fall several months ago and fractured some vertebrates in her back, and she hasn’t fully recovered. Now she has pneumonia. Today I told her we have 500+ friends who would pray for her! She loved the idea. Please take a moment to pray for our dear “aunt” Teri.
We visited Teri at Christmas time. This was the first time I had seen her since before Covid. Her dear husband, Antál, died in the first Covid wave. She misses him terribly. Please pray for her loneliness, too.
Teri, like most ladies, loves Larry. Every time he goes to Serbia, he visits her. You may remember Larry’s story from a while ago of cutting trees in Teri’s yard, and afterward she cooked him a completely home-grown meal–then cleaned his muddy boots.
Since we’ve known Teri for many years, she has welcomed special guests, like our area director, Charles Jones. She always asks when Larry is coming back to Serbia.
Teri really misses fellowship with her friends and church family. Since her fall in the autumn, she hasn’t been able to attend church. Please pray for her comfort during her time of recovery.
On earth as it is in heaven
Matthew 6:10