Mike Mower always had the desire to fly. Having a father who was an aircraft mechanic in the Navy, Mower grew up around naval air stations and started taking flying lessons in 1975.

“I started taking flying lessons just as something for me to do,” Mower said. “Shortly after that I learned about missionary aviation when a missionary pilot came and spoke in my church in Virginia. After that, all my flight training was geared towards missionary flying.”

Mower became a member of JAARS (Jungle Aviation And Radio Service) and Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1981. Mower is stationed at Waxhaw, NC, where JAARS headquarters is located.

Mower and members of JAARS were in Ames this past weekend talking about the work that has been done by JAARS and Wycliffe around the globe.

Mower was assigned to the Philippines in 1984 when he started as a missionary pilot.

“My responsibility as a missionary pilot was to support the missionaries that were in remote locations,” Mower said. “People who were doing Bible translation and literacy work, health development, and community development. I would fly them in and out of their locations.”

Mower’s reason for joining JAARS was being able to both fly and provide service to people in need.

“That’s what gave me direction to move into that path,” Mower said.

Mower’s family was very supportive in his decision.

“My wife and two children went to the Philippines with me and they enjoyed life there,” Mower said.