Jeremy and Janet Boddington
Mercy Air Project
Providing transport to partner organisations and assisting them with medical work and dentistry, pastor training, health training, agriculture training, education, practical repairs/building, community support and evangelism.
Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world with a long history of civil war, broken infrastructure and widespread malaria and HIV/AIDS.
In 1985 the UN declared it to be the nation with the highest level of human suffering on earth, and today it remains politically tense and largely in spiritual darkness. The door is now open to Evangelical missions, and a number of faithful organisations are providing spiritual and physical relief to these isolated communities.
As well as building clinics, schools, and orphanages, they train pastors and build churches. But they are severely hampered by lack of good vehicular access, and find it hard to attract volunteers and medical or pastor-training teams due to the remoteness. ESwatini (ex-Swaziland) and areas of South Africa struggle with similar issues.
This is where Mercy Air comes in with its two planes and three helicopters
Travel, for instance in the Zambesi Delta that would normally take days by 4WD and dugout canoe, takes minutes in a helicopter. Medics, dentists and agriculturalists can hold a clinic under a tree in the morning in one village and do it all again 20 miles away in the afternoon.
In the event of a flood or cyclone, disaster relief is only hours away and missionaries who are living in tough and remote areas have a means of getting out fast if they need to. Mercy Air provides a lifeline back to civilisation and has rest-accommodation for those needing a break from the rigours of the bush; deep long-term support partnerships have been formed.
Three decades of aviation experience
Both Jeremy and Janet grew up in Africa as missionary children and now feel called to overseas mission themselves.
Jeremy’s three decades of aviation and management in the Royal Navy has prepared him for the role of CEO, leading the team, liaising with mission partners and developing safe and efficient flying and outreach programmes. His practical skills (such as building, vehicle maintenance and plumbing) are proving useful in maintaining the Mercy Air operating bases.
Janet, a Primary Teacher, helps Mercy Air with its hospitality programme and wider outreach.
