Nearly one million people die from the preventable disease Malaria every year. In Africa, one in every five childhood deaths is due to the effects of the disease (WHO). An African child has on average between 1.6 and 5.4 episodes of malaria every year and every 30 seconds a child dies from Malaria. (WHO)

Read about Rob's epic flight from Torquay to Adelaide to raise money and awareness of malaria HERE on our News Page.

Rob Lithgow has flown hang gliders for more than 35 years - he began building them aged 11 in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. For the past 12 years Rob has run a successful business training people to fly Hang Gliders Paragliders and Motorised forms of both - Adventure Airsports on the Great Ocean Road.

At the same time as running a succesful business, Rob and his wife Kate pioneered and pastored 2 churches - one in Narre Warren, south east of Melbourne and one in the beautiful coastal township of Torquay on Victoria's Great Ocean Road. It was during his time pastoring in Torquay that the idea of combining his love of flying with his love of Ministry began to form.

Adventure Life Ministries has travelled the entire East Coast of Australia as far as Cooktown with its unique approach using spectacular DVD footage, inspirational preaching, demonstration of hang gliding and paramotoring using a simulator and full sized hang glider (where there is room for it).

Rob and his family spent 6 months traveling around Australia in a motor home (providing self-contained transport and accommodation) during most of 2007 and invited interested churches and individuals to express their interest in putting an outreach together for the “Flying Pastor” to visit and help their church reach their community. It was a hugely successful time and we spoke in many churches, mainly in many country towns and also in places like Cairns and Townsville and as far north as Cooktown.

In late May 2009 The Lithgow Family will again set out for an extended trip through the Northern Territory and Western Australia travelling in a motorhome. During this trip Rob hopes to be able to explore new territory with the paramotor, raise funds and awareness for Malaria and speaking in churches comparing the lessons of learning to fly a hang glider or paraglider with the steps of faith that make life happen.

Rob is not the only member of the Lithgow family that flies. Rob's son Sam has been helping Rob with flying training since he was able to walk and began flying at a young age. Sam holds a current paraglider licence and enjoys boating around in the sky at any opportuniity.

The Lithgow family also share a love of music, with Rob playing Lead and Bass guitar, Skye playing Lead guitar and Sam playing drums... (Joey is developing on keys and Heidi at 3 years just loves to dance and sing!). Sam and Skye are part of a youth band and in early 2009 Sam organised a very successful youth praise and worship night at a local hall in Torquay. While Rob's wife Kate can play the flute, she prefers to work with computers and puts together the DVD backgrounds and all things computer.

All that said, if you as a small church are in need of musicians - we are happy to jump in!