Perfect Leaps of Faith 09
Pat Kelly
In December 2007 Paul Hyslop, together with Rev. Greg Bridges, visited a community of Christians in the world known as “The Warm Heart of Africa”. Malawi is probably the world’s most over-populated yet least developed of countries.
It is without doubt one the poorest countries on earth, where nearly half the population struggle to live on less than $1 a day. Food is a luxury, water unprotected and often an agent of disease, life expectancy at birth 48 years of age.
Paul was moved by his visit, very moved, he was clearly humbled.
In one of his “Letters from Africa” Paul wrote: “When the service finished and after the choirs had sung they normally prepare food for us but today they had no food to give. We left some money for maize but today the people would go hungry. Yet they just keep on smiling”. Paul’s impressions of that visit have not faded. His desire to help meet the needs of the impoverished, the hungry and the homeless there has remained present to him, ever since.
Can you just imagine how rich it has been for Paul (& Sarah and others) to organise a skydiving parachute jump for the financial benefit of Christian brothers and sisters in what has become one of our Mission fields in Africa? “I am beginning to have a real love for this country and its lovely people”, wrote Paul.
With ages ranging from 17-58: eleven men and five women from Community Church, Deal, made up the team who were to take to the skies, two miles above the countryside of Cambridgeshire.
None of the 16 had previously entrusted their lives to either a parachute or a stranger strapped to their back! It soon became clear just how much easier it was to entrust our lives to the living God that we know and love than an ex para we might never meet again – especially if it were to all go wrong!
So, what on earth could go wrong?
After the jump 16 people had variations on that theme!
Some thought they might never see their children and loved ones again,
That the parachute would not open,
That the plane would crash into flames,
That the landing would compress their spine and
They would be facing the remainder of their life from the seat of a wheelchair.
Others thought that the bones in their legs might break,
Their ankles twist or they embarrass themselves beyond belief!
What an opportunity to develop one’s trust in God?
Naturally, the day was enveloped with an abundance of prayer and many opportunities to witness to the presence of God, in our time.
Throughout the day strangers took a “pop” at the “bible bashers”, the “God squad people” and the “ex-monk”! How encouraging that they noticed! Good too that they saw groups of Christians huddled together in joyful prayer, before ascending on high, before returning to earth.
Inspiring too that when (because of high winds) those running the centre had almost given up all hope of further flights and jumps for the day and were already sending groups home, these Christians implored the Lord to gently calm the storms.
What followed was, as if God had commanded: “Let the winds be still”:
For so they were.
The final two flights of the day took place in perfect conditions.
Those who had waited all day and were last in our team to jump were rewarded with more than a first class view of some of God’s creation. God is Good!
Saturday 25th April was a day “on the edge” for most of our team from Deal:
Excitement, exhilaration, exuberance, enjoyment and endless energy for
16 people, with as many individual stories.
Once your name had been called - having signed much paperwork confirming that death, maiming or severe injury would not be held against the centre - it was your turn to get into a “jump suit”. Jump suits were available in two sizes: just too big or just too small!
From the hangar there was a little time for some “snappy photos” and a wave of farewell to your friends before a short stroll onto the airfield and an unceremonious clamber into the plane!
With a maximum of twelve passengers the plane would taxi to its appointed part of the field before turning and accelerating away from the now coveted terra ferma!
The slow climb to 10,000 feet took the best part of ten minutes, the speedy descent less than nine!
Plateauing out at about two miles above the ground and strapped to what you prayed was a competent instructor (and his parachute) the choices had reduced to one; just down! With legs dangling outside the door, a gentle shove was enough to ensure you were now in free-fall speedily reaching 185 m.p.h. for a period of 35 seconds. Did that take your breath away or what? Wow!
With a tug on the ripcord, the parachute catapulted you back towards the heavens!
By contrast to the free-fall, when under the canopy of the parachute – silence, peace and tranquillity reigned. Instantly one became aware of the beautiful patchwork tapestry of fields, rivers and lakes, tiny buildings and what appeared like ant sized people beneath and The Wash clearly visible on the horizon afar. So easy to join the excitement of the Psalmist:
The heavens declare the glory of God;
The skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Taking charge of the parachute was the privilege of some; the landing always the entrusted prerogative of the instructor. That all landings were so soft and within a sixpence of each other was a mark of the instructor’s experience and professionalism.
By the end of the day, Deal Community Church had become experts on the landing techniques of each other (as well as cloud formations and weather forecasting), diminishing comments of those involved in “Britain’s got talent” to relative insignificance!
Grace and Cole – the two lightest members of the team secured perfect 10’s for their landings. Sarah, James, Gary and Caleb were not far behind. On landing Caleb pleaded to go back up again and again and again!
The descent of Paul Strutt proved singular!
Having invited the Lord in prayer to fly with him, Paul launched himself from the plane a little earlier than expected, putting all the skills of his instructor to the test! Stronger than his instructor Paul “flipped” his passenger on leaving the aircraft!
No one had been shown how to get into such an upside down turtle position, arms and feet spread-eagle looking at heaven with the instructor and his parachute turned inside out! They survived!
Jack too, at 17, was “well up” for a great day. With his own camera crew in the sky Jack so thoroughly enjoyed celebrity status and the time of his life so far!
Like Lauren, Danny was really pleased to “have had a go” but does not intend rushing back to repeat the experience. Chris and Jason were particularly nervous. Jason prayed his way out of the fear and was rewarded with the most enjoyable flight, perfect descent and excellent landing. Chris couldn’t stop talking! In his defence Chris had never been up in a plane before, let alone get out of one at 10,000 feet!
Kayleigh just loved the free-fall basking afterwards in the peace, solitude and oneness with nature.
Earlier in the day it was Naomi Jones who was first up into the sky. She was the one who helped instil massive confidence in the whole team by her enthusiastic and competent performance. Naomi immortalised her own day by commissioning a memorable DVD of her experience. Your scribe’s descent was distinguished by a “running departure” from the plane and a flight of ecstasy!
Many of the team had risen at 3:00 for a departure from Dover/Deal at around 4:30…. We were at the parachute centre soon after 8:00 a.m. and remained there for over 12 hours! Regardless of the long day and the extensive waiting, spirits remained high. The only sadness felt by many was the absence of the “heavenly man” Rob Page who had so looked forward to the experience but had been denied because of medical problems with his inner ear.
Once all 16 were safely planted back on solid land, Sarah (recently recognised and ordained in the Church as a deacon but always to be known to her friends as the Cake Queen), presented the “perfect sponge cake of all sponge cakes” to celebrate the day. The cake was perfectly light…. As was her perfect landing from on high. A Purrfect ending to a perfect day!
Inevitably it was Paul Hyslop who captured best in three words all there was to say: Awesome, Awesome, Awesome……. !
What is especially awesome is that as a result of this perfect day our brothers and sisters in Malawi are likely to be credited with a sum exceeding £5,000 thanks to sponsorship donations, to the glory of God and the blessing of His children.