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Introducing New Missionaries-in-Training Introducing the VanFossens
by Greg VanFossen
We first became acquainted with the LaBores while living in Southern California. Bill and Laura made a presentation of Project Airpower at the Banning SDA Church. We characteristically hung around and socialized after the program. Then we invited the LaBores to dinner at our home and subsequently met with them as time allowed. We moved to Northern Indiana in 2004 and have continued to observe the progress of Project Airpower.
In November 2007 an email showed up from the LaBores subject line: “A job for Greg and Chrystal.” It began with “HI!!!!! Hey! Are you by ANY chance interested in mission work??!! We could REALLY use you!” The communication went on to elaborate the needs and ended with “Pray about it! We are.” Though we had discussed participating in a short-term mission trip, it took a little while for the reality of the invitation to sink in. It was probably best that it was sent via email rather than voice because the evidence of the invitation remained for reexamination so as to reconfirm in our minds its reality. During the initial recovery phase, thoughts of child interest, viability of the move, and material management issues surfaced. We discussed the invitation with our children. They immediately started expressing a desire to go “tomorrow!” During family worship both Brandon and Serena started to pray that we go to Guyana soon. These expressions from our children are significant in that they typically do not seek change in their environment.
We realize that Jesus Christ came to our planet with an agenda. His plan is to restore the lost relationship with man. If we make His agenda ours for our appointed term of “three score and ten,” He will give us eternity to “…build houses and live in them…plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them.” We decided to simply do our part to start the process, and if God wants us to go, He will do what we can’t. God reveals His will through prayer, scripture, the Holy Spirit, circumstance, and you, His church, the body of Christ. You will play a role in whether or not we go to the lost, or stay. I have always enjoyed learning. I was probably influenced to great degree by my older brother’s drive to try new things - building and flying model airplanes, riding skate boards, surfing, sailing, snow skiing, mountain biking, canoeing and hiking. Though I led him into the motorcycle and skydiving realm, he obtained his flight instructor rating and took me through my private pilot license…along with some simple aerobatics so I knew how to “take the bull by the horns”. I took my Private Pilot check ride the summer after graduating from La Sierra Academy. Since then I wa intermittently active as circumstances and economics allowed. During my senior year in college, a roommate started on his instrument rating and persuaded me to do the same—with not much effort on his part. Proficient from the momentum of the training, the next summer I procured a commercial pilot license.
After completing a BS degree in nursing,God gave me experience in orthopedics, cardio-thoracic intensive care, emergency department and critical care transport. My choice for undergraduate education was one of practicality. My Christian walk was as many other’s—growing up in a Christian community, going through the motions, living life as it came. The activities and things were what made life fun, and that was most important. Looking back over the last 20 years, I can see the gradual changes consistent with the Holy Spirit’s “wooing” that have developed the present paradigm from which I operate. There is nothing like a combination of study, prayer and Christian service to bring the heart into submission to Christ. I first discovered the benefit of knowing who God is in my graduate
Over the past 15 years, God has given me experience that includes family practice, emergency medicine, setting up a mobile clinic for Native Americans, occupational medicine and retail health. I have come to the realization that spiritual health is closely interwoven with physical health. In the U.S., materialism deeply affects both the patient and provider. Spiritual issues are overtly suppressed. Whether North American materialism or indigenous animism is practiced, the spiritual needs of the patient are the same – the wages of sin are death, the gift of God is eternal life. Serving as the Wings for Humanity Healthcare Director will provide an opportunity to not only observe the spiritual battle, but to exercise my faith, both in the hospital and in the villages to tackle problems where they really lie. This will also provide opportunity to utilize aviation skills (initially learned for fun) for the honor and glory of God.
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