A SQUADRON of light aircraft led by flying priest Confraternity of Christ the Priest Father John Fowles has touched down in several Queensland dioceses to raise funds for young East Timorese to attend World Youth Day (WYD08).
The fly-a-thon, part of the Fly-Away-To-Heaven Project, stopped off in three parishes across Rockhampton diocese – Mackay, Rockhampton and Bundaberg – last weekend.
It then continued on to Maryborough and Hervey Bay, touching down in Redcliffe last Monday and the Gold Coast on Tuesday before heading off to northern NSW.
The stops are part of a fundraising fly-a-thon around Australia which started in Albury on May 1 this year.
The Fly-Away-To-Heaven initiative has established several fundraising events to achieve the goal of donating $1 million to the people in several poverty-stricken areas of East Timor.
WYD co-ordinator for Rockhampton diocese Stef Lloyd joined the squadron for the Rockhampton-to-Bundaberg leg of the event.
“Sharing the short trip of 45 minutes from Rockhampton to Bundaberg at five thousand feet with Jeff Nott and Jacques Garnier, part of the Fly-Away-To-Heaven team, was an inspiring experience,” Mrs Lloyd said.
The squadron, consisting of eight aeroplanes, has been stopping at major cities and towns around Australia and is due back in Albury tomorrow.
Country music singer Korey Livy has accompanied the group to sing Earth Angels Care – a song specially penned for the fly-a-thon – at various stops.
The song is on a CD and sales will help bring 10 young East Timorese to World Youth Day in July.
The Fly-Away-To-Heaven Project has also raised more than $180,000 for East Timorese orphans, providing yeast and flour for women to supply bread for one orphanage and paying for beds and furniture for another.
For more information or to find out how to purchase the Earth Angels Care CD visit www.flyawaytoheaven.org.au
