Steve and Laura Persenaire

While based in Kalimantan as an MAF pilot, Steve flew routinely to a variety of jungle airstrips or water strips. Through the flying ministry, MAF was able to serve communities, support churches and show compassion. Steve has also served in an Instructor Pilot role, training and equipping other MAF pilots for strategic service. Beginning in June 2018, the Persenaires have been serving in the MAF regional office in Jakarta, Indonesia, where they interface with the necessary government entities to obtain the permissions and permits for MAF to serve in Indonesia.

Steve grew up in Arkansas where he attended a church that had a strong mission emphasis. Throughout his teenage years, Steve had the opportunity to experience several short-term mission trips. The experience he had on these trips and Steve’s interest in working with machines combined into a desire to serve God overseas using these interests and abilities. Steve graduated from Moody Bible Institute’s aviation program in May 2002. He and Laura married the next day.

The daughter of an MAF pilot, Laura grew up in Honduras, Cameroon, and Zaire, moving to the States in 6^th grade. After being back in Tennessee for a few years, Laura felt the call to serve the Lord overseas. Her experiences growing up in other countries, short-term mission trips, student life in public high school and university, combined with serving in her local church in TN, prepared her for serving the Lord through MAF in many ways. Laura graduated from East Tennessee State University’s Master of Arts in Teaching program in 2004. She loves being a small part of the bigger picture of what God is doing in Indonesia. Laura enjoys her current roles as she homeschools their daughters, serves through the local church, and often helps to manage a guest house.

Steve and Laura are encouraged by the following verse to continue serving the Lord wherever He calls them, to do whatever He calls them to do. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”