MISSION
               Suriname

T

he Emenakers have been a part of Calvary Chapel East Anaheim from the very first day this fellowship started in 1985. God called their family to missions in 1986 when they moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma for Rick to finish his aviation training. They returned to California in 1991; and in November, 1992, CCEA sent the Emenakers, with their three children ages 5, 2, and 8 weeks, for full time service with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) in Suriname, South America. Their mission with MAF is to see individuals, communities, and nations transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. MAF utilizes aviation, communications, learning technologies, other appropriate technologies and related services, and collaborates with churches, subsidiaries, partners, and networks.

The Emenaker’s spent their first 9 years with MAF in Paramaribo, Suriname, which is located on the northeast coast of South America. Rick served as pilot/mechanic during those years, as well as instructor pilot, and program manager. Rebecca was involved in the ministry in numerous ways that helped support missionaries working both in the rainforest and in the capital city. The Emenaker children grew up during these years learning to speak Dutch, vacationing in the Amazon jungle, and attending an international school in Paramaribo. In 2001, the Emenakers had worked themselves out of a “job” since they had trained competent Suriname nationals to take over the aviation ministry.

In the summer of 2001, a new chapter started in the lives of the Emenakers when they moved from tropical, Dutch-speaking Suriname to Moscow, Russia. Rick became the director of the MAF Russia program, which supported missionaries and mission organizations through logistics, warehousing, distance education and a secure email service, but no aviation. It was MAF’s desire that aviation get started in Siberia, Russia, which is what Rick pursued the seven years they lived in Russia.

Times changed in Russia since their arrival in 2001. The logistics ministry in Moscow was taken over by competent Russian nationals. MAF is still pursuing an Aviation ministry in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, where there is another MAF family already living. Even though the Emenakers were involved in other ministry like working with Russian youth through English Camps, when they were not able to obtain a long term visa, it seemed the Lord was moving them out of Russia which lead to a yearlong furlough in the US.

Currently, Rick, Rebecca and Rachel are living in Suriname at the request of the Suriname MAF program called SZV. With SZV, Rick is training new pilots and mentoring the program as director until it gets back on its feet. After an almost eight-year absence of flying, Rick is now re-certified to fly. The Emenaker’s are faithfully serving God in South America and are awaiting what God will do there next!

If you are interested in becoming a part of the Emenaker’s support team, please contact Pastor Phil Lewis, Carl Vinger or Rick and Rebecca at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it