SUMATRA, INDONESIA(ANS)
--
Benjamin (Ben) T. Uskert, a pilot and mechanic serving in Sumatra, Indonesia
with MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship), died on Sunday, November 7, 2010,
in a tragic swimming accident.
Ben
Uskert, wife Katie and son Jeremiah (Photo:
MAF)
According to
a news release from MAF, Uskert was at a beach with a group from a local
orphanage when two teenagers ventured into deep water and were swept away
from the shore. He and another adult swam out to assist them, but Uskert and
one of the youths were overcome by the waves and current. Uskert was
pronounced dead at the scene; the body of the teenager has not been
recovered.
"We are
profoundly saddened by the loss of our friend and fellow worker in Christ,
as well as the young man he was attempting to rescue," said John Boyd,
president and chief executive officer of MAF. "Please pray for Ben's wife,
Katie, and son, Jeremiah, as well as the other members of the family."
The Uskert's
joined MAF in 2008. They attended language school in Indonesia for nine
months before beginning service with the MAF Sumatra program in December
2009.
Memorial
services will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2010,
in Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia.
A fund has
been established to assist with the cost of family members' travel to
Indonesia. Contributions can be made through the MAF website at
www.maf.org, or by calling
1-800-FLYS-MAF.
MAF has
served in Sumatra since 2004, when the organization played a key
role in the recovery efforts following the deadly Tsunami that devastated
the Aceh area.
Uskert was
born and reared in Valparaiso,
Indiana, and accepted Jesus as his Savior at an early age. He graduated from
Purdue University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Technology.
He took additional courses at Trinity Bible College and Moody Bible
Institute. Prior to joining MAF, Uskert worked as an aircraft technician and
trainer. He also served as director of maintenance for the Indiana Aviation
Museum, overseeing a fleet of 17 aircraft. He married Katie Tucker in 2005,
and their son, Jeremiah, was born in 2007.
Founded in
1945, MAF (www.maf.org)
is a Christian ministry organization which transports missionaries, medical
personnel and supplies, performs disaster relief work, and conducts
emergency medical evacuations in remote areas. MAF also provides distance
learning services, as well as telecommunications services such as satellite
Internet access, high-frequency radios, electronic mail and other wireless
systems.
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MAF Pilot Drowns in Indonesia Swimming Accident
By Dan Wooding
SUMATRA, INDONESIA (ANS) -- Benjamin (Ben) T. Uskert, a pilot and mechanic serving in Sumatra, Indonesia with MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship), died on Sunday, November 7, 2010, in a tragic swimming accident.
Ben Uskert, wife Katie and son Jeremiah
(Photo: MAF)
According to a news release from MAF, Uskert was at a beach with a group from a local orphanage when two teenagers ventured into deep water and were swept away from the shore. He and another adult swam out to assist them, but Uskert and one of the youths were overcome by the waves and current. Uskert was pronounced dead at the scene; the body of the teenager has not been recovered.
"We are profoundly saddened by the loss of our friend and fellow worker in Christ, as well as the young man he was attempting to rescue," said John Boyd, president and chief executive officer of MAF. "Please pray for Ben's wife, Katie, and son, Jeremiah, as well as the other members of the family."
The Uskert's joined MAF in 2008. They attended language school in Indonesia for nine months before beginning service with the MAF Sumatra program in December 2009.
Memorial services will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2010, in Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia.
A fund has been established to assist with the cost of family members' travel to Indonesia. Contributions can be made through the MAF website at www.maf.org, or by calling 1-800-FLYS-MAF.
MAF has served in Sumatra since 2004, when the organization played a key role in the recovery efforts following the deadly Tsunami that devastated the Aceh area.
Uskert was born and reared in Valparaiso, Indiana, and accepted Jesus as his Savior at an early age. He graduated from Purdue University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Technology. He took additional courses at Trinity Bible College and Moody Bible Institute. Prior to joining MAF, Uskert worked as an aircraft technician and trainer. He also served as director of maintenance for the Indiana Aviation Museum, overseeing a fleet of 17 aircraft. He married Katie Tucker in 2005, and their son, Jeremiah, was born in 2007.
Founded in 1945, MAF (www.maf.org) is a Christian ministry organization which transports missionaries, medical personnel and supplies, performs disaster relief work, and conducts emergency medical evacuations in remote areas. MAF also provides distance learning services, as well as telecommunications services such as satellite Internet access, high-frequency radios, electronic mail and other wireless systems.
Provided by our friends at Assist News Service
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The view points expressed in ChristianNewsToday.com are those of their respected writers and are not necessarily held by the advertisers, publishers, editors, or staff members associated with ChristianNewsToday.com.
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