Warm greetings to all. My name is Yuko Query. I am a First Officer for Delta Air Lines based in Los Angeles International Airport on the Airbus 320. My way of accepting Christ as Lord was in a special way as I discovered His Love at a retirement home.
My father (a firm believer) has been to me the model of Christ. As a child, he held my hand every night before I went to bed praying the Lord’s Prayer and asking God’s blessing for each of our relatives. My mother (who has fallen away), raised me in her Japanese language and culture.
The summer before starting high school, my mother visited her family in Japan while I stayed home in California. I had no summertime activities and one day, watched television all day long. When my father returned from work and learned of how I spent my day, he was not pleased. He quickly called the local retirement home saying he had a teenage daughter that would love to volunteer. The following morning, I met with the manager and activity coordinator of an Alzheimer’s care home.
What was strange and unsettling at first, over time, turned into enjoying time spent with the elderly. I learned each of their names, listened to their stories (morning time was best as their minds were sharp), painted the ladies’ nails, cut their food and helped them eat, and performed my daily duty of calling out the bingo numbers. The activity coordinator, Connie (a believer), made time to share Bible stories with all.
When Connie asked one day if I believed in Jesus, I replied that I did. Though raised to believe in Him and attend church services, I did not fully comprehend a relationship with Christ. I did not know Jesus; I knew of Him.
Receiving prayer from Connie and walking home that early evening, I began to reflect on my time at the care home. I realized how I truly loved all of them. How was it possible that I could love anyone outside of my family so much? I discovered at such a moment that love came from Jesus. He loves me and it is His love that enables me to love others.
It is difficult to describe what I experienced although it is a vivid memory still. When discovering Christ as Love, like a gentle covering over all of me was the outpouring of His peace. The whole world around me became silent. I could see the cars passing by but they had no sound. When I turned to cross a residential street, I looked up to the quieting skies—such hues of pinks and lavenders painted by the hands of our Creator. I gazed upon those clouds and in my heart told Jesus that I wanted to walk with Him for the rest of my life. I was baptized at fifteen and every Friday for the next four years up to my high school graduation, I returned to call out the bingo numbers.
This may seem like a distant time and story from where He has taken me now. God used the knowledge of His love and Japanese language to open doors for me into aviation.
First, as a ground staff agent at San Francisco International Airport for a Japanese carrier, then a Japanese language-qualified flight attendant for Delta Air Lines based in Honolulu. I began my flight training three years into flight attending and there achieved up to my commercial single-engine certification. While continuing work as a flight attendant, I simultaneously flew passengers on the Cessna Grand Caravans for an inter-island carrier. It was my acceptance into the initial launch of the Delta Propel Pilot Career Path Program that was the greatest answer to prayer. This program made a way for me to take my leave of absence as a flight attendant and pursue flight training full-time to become a pilot for Delta Air Lines.
I attest to my wrestling in prayer when God first put it on my heart to fly. My journey to return as a Delta pilot is truly His manifestation of perseverance and strength in me and encouragement through His people. My flying is Christ’s story of all of who He is. My uniform I wear in service to Jesus. He used flying to draw me closer to Him.
I became a member of FCAP during my initial flight attendant training for Delta in the Spring of 2012. Since then, I have joined Bible studies in Salt Lake City whilst based there as a pilot for a regional carrier and currently participate in the FCAP Women’s Prayer Group.
In each of our journeys as Christ be our all in all, I pray that each day we may continue to draw nearer to Him and grow deeply in the greatest love that He is. And as for me, it is seeing Him in the skies like that one special evening, reminding me of my promise to journey with Him forever.
May God bless you and keep you,
Yuko
“It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8
“Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive your inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm 121:1-4
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
