MAF flight brings missionary Marty Comer to his final resting place in the African
nation he loved.
Story by Rachel Gwole George
Marty Comer, a founder and pioneer for Equip2Serve, flew to Harper with MAF to reach remote communities in Liberia where he trained and supported local pastors. It was during that visit to Maryland County that Marty died.
In a poignant final journey, MAF flew Marty’s coffin to his final resting place in Harper – a remote community where he felt a special connection.
"Thank you MAF for honouring my husband so well. I'm grateful for your support," his wife Julia said.
The wife of the late Marty Comer shared the impact that her husband has made, and thanked the MAF family for their service in partnership with training organisation Equip2Serve.
Thank you MAF for honouring my husband so well. I'm grateful for your support,
"We had always talked over the years that if God chose to take us home while we were here, this is where we would want to be buried," she said.
"I see it as putting his body on the ground as a seed that is being planted, I pray there will be much growth for the Kingdom that will come.
"He loved to teach the Word of God, and he wanted others not only to hear it, but for it to change their lives.”
George Lott was a close friend to the Marty, they worked together even during his final mission trip.
"He was a hero, a close friend, and brother to me and many pastors here. He was a good teacher, and his attitude was different," said George.
His legacy is a generation of church leaders who have been strengthened to share the Gospel effectively with isolated people.
He was a hero, a close friend, and brother to me and many pastors here. He was a good teacher.
MAF pilot Ed Burrows recalled what it meant to fly with the dedicated missionary between Harper and MAF’s base in Liberia’s capital Monrovia.
“He demonstrated real passion to follow God’s calling to rural Liberia to train up a new generation of pastors in sound biblical teaching,” Ed said.
“He recounted how far things had progressed since he started teaching in Liberia over 10 years ago. It is a fitting legacy for a man who loved Liberia and its people.
“Marty worked out Christ’s love in action, fulfilling the poignant words from 2 Timothy 4:7, ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.’ He will be sorely missed by all those at MAF and in Liberia whose hearts he had touched.”
Marty, who was Equip2Serve Co-Executive Director, and his wife Julia were flown by MAF to Harper to conduct leadership training on how to read, understand and interpret the Bible, and how to prepare sermons. The flight took only 90 minutes, a sharp contrast with the uncomfortable nine-hour drive.
“By flying us safely, MAF saves us so much time and gives us more time to minister the gospel,” Marty said at the time.
“When we first started in 2012, travelling with vehicles on a terrible road caused lots of delay. We had five flat tyres. It was horrible spending the entire day on the road, and our mission was delayed. MAF has taken the road out of play.”
By flying us safely, MAF saves us so much time and gives us more time to minister the gospel.
What they said: ‘Training showed us the light’
At the training event in Harper, several local church leaders shared testimonies of hearts changed by the work of Marty Comer and Equip2Serve.
Peter had always been passionate about leading people but lacked the Biblical foundation to do it well.
“You came. You opened the road. You opened our mind. You gave us the light,” he told Marty and Julia.
“We were turning the Bible upside down. We did not know what we were doing. We could not even prepare a sermon, and we were delivering the wrong material to the hearers, but when Equip2Serve began to teach us, they started to show us the light.”
For Edward the change was like a veil being removed from his eyes. The Scriptures began to make sense.
“The way I used to see the Bible is not how I am looking at the Bible now. Through the help of Equip2Serve it was like removing black cloth from on my face,” he said.
Naomi’s transformation was not just theological, but personal.
“Equip2Serve actually served as a teacher in my life,” Naomi said. “For me, to forgive was a difficult thing, but from this study, by the grace of God, bit by bit, I am putting it away. So, I am grateful to God for that opportunity.”
