From Geoff and Celia
Geoff was brought up by wonderful Christian parents and was ‘forced’ through Sunday School and church. However, it didn’t entirely put me off and, as a young teenager, I made a personal commitment to Christ through the witness of a group of Christian friends. I studied mechanical engineering at university and joined a local engineering company where I worked on turbo-machinery for power generation. I have had the opportunity to travel to many developing countries and, as a result of the needs I have seen, have had a long-term commitment to mission.
Celia became a Christian through sitting next to the daughter of a missionary in primary school. After studying photography and linguistics, her interest in mission led her to spend three years in China. When Celia returned to the UK, she began working with Friends International in international student ministry in Newcastle. One of her roles involved helping to run the Globe Café, a meeting place for international students. Geoff and Celia met in 2003 when he joined the volunteer team.
Following our marriage, we were encouraged to look again at how we were serving God and, in particular, how we could fill the missionary role that was dear to both of us. Geoff had been a long-term MAF Supporter thanks to a family friend who was a regular passenger in the 1990s. At this point, we became aware of MAF’s need for engineers to look after their fleet of light aircraft. After much prayer and encouragement, we have been accepted to join this work to demonstrate the love of God by keeping MAF’s planes flying in support of relief, development and evangelism.
Our four-year-old daughter Miriam is looking forward to coming with us to help people in different parts of the world.
We are supported by friends at Jesmond Parish Church, the Newcastle West Methodist Circuit and many others on at least two other continents. We hope you will part of that team.
The Linkleter's are currently residing in Coshocton, Ohio in the USA where Geoff is training at Missionary Maintenance Services before the family will be moved overseas to serve.