Elke Kummer grew up in a small town in Germany. She later worked for the local town council, where she also ran the library. “Landing that job felt like hitting the jackpot,” she says. On vacation, she went sailing on tall ships. Those trips offered meaningful cross-cultural experiences, which awakened her desire to be involved in overseas missions. In 1997, Elke met Hans from Switzerland at church. Hans was working for the Swiss organization, Helimission, which had sent him to Germany for training to become a licensed helicopter mechanic. Elke was fascinated by his stories from the mission field as well as the concept of using helicopters to reach isolated people groups with the gospel. In 1999, Hans and Elke married, and a year later Helimission sent them to Papua, Indonesia where they experienced many “adventures in the rotor wind.” Today, Elke and Hans live in North Hesse, Germany. Besides Elke’s book writing, they are both involved in “Hope from Above Inc.” bringing the gospel to unreached and isolated people groups through aviation and technology.

Elke enjoys riding motorbikes, photography, playing the guitar, reading, hiking, and exercise. “What stands out from my experience in missions is that God is faithful, especially in the midst of challenges and hardships,” Elke says. “I also noticed that happiness in ministry is a matter of attitude rather than of circumstances, training, or suitability.”