My Flight Attendant Career: a Call to Make a Difference in this World

My Flight Attendant Career: a Call to Make a Difference in this World

3.5 years ago, I had visited one continent (North America), now I have been on 6 of the 7.  Thanks to my career as a flight attendant.  To this date, I’ve worked 603 flights, flying almost 1.3 million miles with over 200 layovers.    Think of how many people I have encountered....ALOT.  I’ve worked with over 3,000 flight attendants and 1,800 pilots, flown over 87,000 passengers (rough estimates).  

Before becoming a flight attendant I worked in the Church..... called to the ministry of the Church.  I went through the whole call process, formally recognized by the Church as a called and commissioned leader, which I was truly called to serve the church at the time in my life.  I served about ten years in full-time ministry... now I approach my four year anniversary as a flight attendant.... and I’ve since lost my ‘formal call’ from the church, but I have a very clear call to this vocation/job as a flight attendant.

Most people go from a ‘job in a world’ to a ‘job in the church’ or Call to ministry as it is often said.  From my perspective, my call went from big to bigger—from within the church, to a Call being the church every single day in this world; not just in one neighborhood or area or to one group of people.  I am called to share God’s love all over the entire world all the time to everyone I meet.  I am not a person who walks around and tells people Jesus loves them, nor do I constantly offer to pray with people—I am not in your face.  I simple share the love of Jesus by being present, being kind and treating everyone I encounter with dignity and respect—every customer and every crew member, every flight.

I am called to a ministry of presence at 36,000 feet, in Europe, Africa, South America or Grand Rapids, Michigan.   I’m called to 36,000 feet where ‘the Church’ can’t necessarily easily be present—exception of people like me, who are there regularly.  This call to share the love of Jesus at 36,000 feet and anywhere in the world outside the church community is big and matters—I have an opportunity to make people feel welcomed and cared for when they least expect it.

The joys and sorrows I’ve heard about with my colleagues and with passengers at 36,000 feet are endless and happen every single day I go to work.  Life can suck and often times people use airplanes to get from point A to point B in times of hurt and sorrow and also times of celebration and joy.  I’ve been with people (most often strangers I’ve never met and will never see again) as they’ve heard sad news or joyful news.  I’m with people going to weddings, vacations, court dates, funerals, to be with loved ones as they are soon to die, I hear about divorce, children and drug use, bullying... I’m with sick people, scared people, folks going to job interviews and business meetings—these are real experiences I have encountered.  Offering a listening ear, a welcoming place and just being someone who cares— this is what I do.   

The Church gives me a foundation to live out my call—though I am often on the fly, being physically at a church building can be hard, so I am constantly trying to define what Church is to me and how it can still be Church when I can’t physically be present in that community.  This is a work in progress, because most Church communities are defined by Sunday morning experiences.  

Ultimately safety and customer service are the first priorities for my job— I happen to work for a company that has one of their core values being servant leadership and this is what I do.  What does that mean in my role as a flight attendant?  This gives me space to love others as I am called to do—to give and love without expecting something in return.

Take care of yourself so you can care for and love others—if this doesn’t happen, you may get lost in this world and drown into the problems you encounter.

I am so thankful for this opportunity to be in the world—being the hands and feet of Jesus.  Vocation is a Call that can go beyond the formal Church ministry—my hope is that you can recognize your call, wherever it may be.  Your call where you are is just as important, if not more important than any formal call to ministry.  You are called to love others in all corners of cubicles, construction worksites, schools or wherever you are in this world.  I hope you can recognize your call to share the love of Jesus where you are and with your career or vocation, you don’t need a formal call to serve the Church, to be the church and share the love of Jesus in this world.   Go forth knowing that you make a difference by who you are and who God has called you to be.