(another) 5 minute update on the flying Crispies

Thank you so much for choosing to stay connected with us as we have (probably) moved farther away from you recently. It is definitely a challenge to keep up relationships in the midst of life in general, never mind from such great distances. The closer we get to leaving, the more we appreciate the support, prayers, and just plain old friendship with those we love, and we already miss "home" and belonging, wherever that might be. (Last night we were listening to building 429's This is not where I belong, and I asked the kids where they feel they're "from." Charlie said Minnesota! Surprised me, as it was only one year of his 5 yr old life, but I guess he really liked it there. Score one for our Minnesota peeps ;-)

• Prefield Technical Orientation (say that fast 5x :-) is off to a really good start. We are just so grateful to be here. So humbled. It is challenging, for sure. Many people have asked what Patrick is learning. Doesn't he already know how to fly? He does! You don't get to this point with just a private pilot's license, he should definitely know his stuff by now ;-). But this kind of flying is just so different from what you would do in the US, or in any regular kind of aviation job. And then, of course, there's the maintenance part. It's part classroom, part shop, part flying, part homework/studying. I'll get some more details and some pictures here pretty soon. 
• The rest of the family: We are trying to keep things pretty normal this fall, if possible. Charlie started kindergarten, Hannah is doing a few main subjects and alot of fun extra stuff to help us learn about our new home, and Caroline goes to the preschool at the center 3 mornings a week. I can see it from the apartment, so its convenient, affordable, and is helping me get comfortable with teaching 2 kids, instead of 1. 
• We are enjoying so much being close to some more family. In my adult life, my mom and I have never lived in the same country, and here we are just a few minutes walk, for a few weeks at least. And more family about 30 minutes away. We are also, of course, trying to squeeze in American stuff, especially in this season of fall, which we love dearly, and will miss. (Expect lots of pumpkin patch and apple picking pictures :-) 
• We are just so excited. I know we've said that alot. And it doesn't mean we don't have realistic expectations (I hope) about the challenges coming up. But we are learning so much about Kenya, and Nairobi, learning greetings etc. in KiSwahili, meeting Kenyan friends, cooking Kenyan food, reading Kenyan books. You get the picture. And it is such a neat country. It has alot to offer. But so much more than that, we continue to learn more about what God is doing through AIM Air to support evangelism, discipleship, and church planting among the peoples who are not yet aware of our incredible, merciful, holy, compassionate God. There is so much going on, so many unbelievably committed people, foreigners and Africans, working so hard in so many difficult, remote places. And we will get to serve them through aviation. 
• My 5 minutes are probably up. (You should have read faster ;-) Just wanted to say thank you again to our amazing partners, both prayer and financial. We obviously could not be here without you. Our car fund has really come together, thanks to some pretty special people! Many of our future needs have been built into our Outgoing Fund budget. But there are still some significant needs that we still have, such as luggage, a satellite phone, a handheld GPS, and more tools for Patrick. (Since our organization is non-denominational, there is no sending body backing them. We each have to bring what we need to the table, so to speak.) And then things like schoolbooks for the next few years, kids shoes for the next few years, etc. Thank you for considering helping with those needs. 

Thank you for taking the time to catch up! 

Reporting live from the JAARS Center in Waxhaw, North Carolina

So, we have been here at JAARS for 2 wks now, and have really enjoyed our stay. Our apartment is in the very top left corner. The bottom left shows the RV park, where people like my Mom and Bob keep their camper when they are here volunteering.  If you're just getting caught up, all prospective missionary pilot-mechanics have to do some sort of an evaluation. Some organizations do their own, but AIM Air, and many others partner with JAARS, which is a branch of Wycliffe Bible Translators. Wycliffe is actually headquartered in Florida, but here at JAARS is where all the training takes place. Not just for pilots, but in a variety of fields such as IT and Vernacular Media Services. Missionaries from many different agencies send their people here. There is also a missionary retirement community. All the people who work here are volunteers; some are missionaries who have spent time overseas and are now working in a different capacity, others are retired people that come work for a few months or a few years. The cars in the parking lot sport tags from all over the country. You don't have to be a church planter to be a missionary. The people here are supporting Bible translation through working in the cafeteria, library, housekeeping, childcare, and a host of other areas. I won't go into everything that happens here, just hit some of the highlights for us. (If you're interested in finding out more, click here.)

I should do some kind of top 10 things to know if you will be coming to stay at JAARS. If I were, one of the top would be the bread dock! A few times a week, a van runs to some local businesses (such as Panera) and picks up the bread and bakery items they aren't going to use. A blessing and a curse! Everyone who takes advantage of this service donates a few dollars to cover the cost of gas. We just happen to be right across from the dropping off point. 

If God provided loads of chocolate chip cookies to remind me He loves me, then He also threw something in for my daughter. Why was a brand new leftover size 6 Halloween costume there? Not sure. Sometimes they get random items, such as the fire extinguishers there alongside the bagels ;-) But it was there for somebody to take, and it sure made Hannah smile. 

This is one of two such signposts on campus. If you squint, you can see it is approximately 7,000 some miles to Nairobi. Guess we should start walking. 

This is the office my mom has done work and training in, the VMS building. I think Vernacular Media Services is so neat. Having a written copy of the Bible in your hands and being literate enough to read it is wonderful. But that is a long, long process, and not always the best way to reach a group of people. VMS gets the truth of the Bible into the hands of people all over the world, through MP3 files, videos, recordings of all kinds, and just anything you can think of. In this building, people are trained how to set up a recording studio in primitive surroundings, make and edit recordings, and all kinds of things. Obviously people need to be able to study the Bible for themselves. But in the meantime, there are many ways to share the Gospel. It is really exciting how many people are reached through these methods. 

 It has been a beautiful time of year here. This brilliant tree is right outside our windows, we are on the bottom floor. There are various living arrangements for people, depending on your family size and length of stay. We were given a 3 bedroom apartment right next to the playground! Everything is very well maintained and equipped. Good wireless internet and a free laundry room in the building have been really wonderful! If there is something you need that isn't in your apartment, you can go to the housing office, and walk through their store rooms. Anything is available. We came back with a bathroom stool, box fan, and double stroller to use while we were here. Little things that make life alot easier when you're away from home. Even things like crock pots and any kitchen appliance you can imagine. It is a wonderful place for people to stay when they are in our situation, or home on stateside assignment. We also used the library and the part-time childcare while we were here. And there is a clinic that can administer our travel vaccines.

The kids have made many little friends on the playground. They also quickly discovered the two tricycles and scooter outside the apartment. Here, nobody finds it strange that we don't have a house or household belongings. That we have been in transition since we sold our house 14 mos ago, and will continue to be for a few years. That I don't have a concrete answer on exactly how this next little while will play out. Sometimes it can be challenging for a goal oriented person such as myself to stop and talk with EVERYONE I meet, as people like to do here ;-), but it is really encouraging to hear people's stories and testimonies who have been where we are, and very humbling and inspiring to hear the stories of those who have returned after 20 some years overseas. 

A few pictures of where Patrick has been spending his time. I would tell you more about what he's been doing, but then I'd have to kill you. The TE being top secret and everything. Just kidding. I can't tell you because I don't really know. It has to do with airplanes. Flying them and fixing them :-) 

We didn't take an official tour, but these are just a few of the neat things we saw in the hangar and surrounding areas. The kids enjoyed the many murals. 

 Who notices why I put this earth-shattering picture? Not the age of the vending machine ;-). (How bout those drink machines at Firehouse Subs. Those things are crazy! They seem futuristic to me. A touch screen drink machine? What will it be like when we get back? So cliche, I know.) Only in a place like this would they have to write on it, please don't use foreign coins. I just thought that was funny.

30 miles or so away from this relaxing-albeit-somewhat-strange-surreal-missionary-bubble-world where everyone's cars are junk and most everyone's clothes are a tad old is South Charlotte. What to say about South Charlotte? Shopping and restaurants and spas and gyms (and repeat, repeat, repeat) beautiful neighbourhoods with perfectly manicured lawns, along with perfectly manicured people. Even though I lived here, and still come back regularly, it always feels a bit dreamlike. Forget some place a world away like Sudan, it feels strange that such places exist in the same country as say, Pratt Kansas or Worthington Minnesota. Everywhere I look something is yelling buy me, eat me, try to look like me. Maybe with a little more practice I can transition better between such different worlds. (I would love to claim that missionaries-in-training such as myself are not tempted with such things as shoes and new make-up, or really good food. Alas, I've always told my children that lying is worse than whatever they did in the first place! So we are real people too. For better or worse) My favorite thing about being close to this area is because I have family here. I am so grateful that we are required to be here for at least a few months, and my kids' cousins live right up the road! We are looking forward to it. And I will get to see my sister and dad more than a few times a year. 

The tiny speck in between the power lines, not a bird or a superman, but a future missionary pilot! My future missionary pilot, to be exact. 

Soaring high: how dreams become reality

While we will eventually serve overseas with Africa Inland Mission, we are currently with Proclaim Aviation. Proclaim is a really unique organization. When we found out about them, it was such an answer to prayer. We knew where we were, and we knew where we wanted to go. But how to get from point A to point B? The road seemed very long, and there were many unknowns and obstacles. A way where there seemed to be no way: Proclaim (along with a few other acts of God!) provided that for us.

They just launched a new website, and it is awesome! Sometimes people ask us where we are going, when, what we are doing in the meantime. (All valid questions, especially from our partners!) But I feel like I lose them somewhere in my response. Missionary aviation is such an important thing to so many missionaries, it really fills a special role in much of the developing world. So understandably, there is a price to pay for exclusivity: its really hard to get there! I felt that Proclaim explained all this much better than I ever have, so with permission, I am sharing it with you all here.

the backdrop

Needs on the field  More.  More. More.  Missionary Aviators, Aircraft Maintenance Specialists and the missionary personnel to sustain these efforts.  There are declining numbers of pilot/mechanic trainees, exacerbated by the high number of graduates who fail to make it to the field, along with the declining tenure of field missionaries.

Getting to the Mission Field   
The process to move from training to foreign service has many steps.  Overseas service is rigorous. Potential candidates are tested and examined to determine if their technical, emotional, professional and life abilities can sustain their families and their work overseas. Missions and Ministry agencies can only invest in candidates that can pass these rigors.  Yet, these steps are where resources and candidates can fall through the cracks. 

the obstacles

When a pilot or aircraft mechanic has finished their training in missionary aviation, they have all their FAA certificates, excellent knowledge and training, along with the burden of educational debt.
Flight Time  If overseas missionary service is the goal, Missionaries will need to gain additional flight hours, proficiency, and practical experience-- a process similar to medical internships and residency. 

Debt  In good stewardship, aviation missionaries must pay down their educational debt before they can head overseas.  This process can take several years, sometimes eliminating overseas service completely. 

Mission Aviation Schools   These schools work hard to provide training tailored to the stringent overseas regimen.  The training is technically advanced and meticulous.  Yet, these schools operate on little resources.

Aircraft   There is a need for a new generation of aircraft that can perform with big cargo, lots of passengers and still easily take off and land in unconventional and remote terrain.  All this while consuming jet fuel that is readily available overseas.

the solutions

By partnering with aviation schools, aviation ministries and foreign missions agencies, we build bridges.  Bridges of conversation and cooperation.  Bridges that streamline process and expedite resources.  Bridges that create solutions.  

Internships    Proclaim secures internships for our pilots and aircraft mechanics, giving them the arena to gain their proficiency and accumulate their necessary hours.  Many of our missionaries fill positions at mission aviation training programs, thus they are involved in training the next generation of mission aviators while they continue on their path to overseas service.  

Guidance   We seek to work with our mission aviators, guiding them through the steps and over pitfalls.  In this way, Proclaim is able to funnel a stream of aviators to overseas ministries. 

Financial   Along the way, we work with the missionaries to develop financial partners in their ministry, pay off educational debt and provide them with resources and opportunities to equip their families for the next phase of ministry. 

Mission Aviation Schools  Proclaim partners with Missionary Aviation Training Programs to not only provide instructors and staff from our missionaries, but to secure aircraft and other resources.

Aircraft   We maintain relationships with various companies seeking to provide missions with better aircraft solutions.  Thus, we are able to provide staff toward these endeavors, including training the current missionary aviators in these new technologies.

All of which leads to more missionary pilot/mechanics in the field! 

  www.proclaimaviation.org 

summer! (or spring. ok maybe spring-ish.)

We had a few wonderfully warm days, which we thoroughly enjoyed, and then went back to the high 50s :-(. But we're persisting in our pretending its summer, with popsicles, bike rides, and kid style fun!

The kids had a great time at the AWANA end of year carnival. This was the coolest, these giant inner tubes where they just smash into each other. They had so much fun! As parents, we feel strongly that it is our privilege and responsibility to disciple our own children, but I tell you what, we are soooo grateful to people like their awana teachers, who support us in that! They are there faithfully, even though they have their own families, jobs, lives. They do it because they want to see the kids of our church and community come to know Christ, internalize the Word deep in their hearts from early on, and grow in their walks with Christ. I know God has great blessings in heaven for these patient, giving, faithful people, who show my kids the Father heart of God. I cant thank you guys enough. 

"Whats that you say, popcorn, a choking hazard? whoops!"

Friday nights we make pizza. Some time it turns out better than others. 

Alas, one of the things we sold in our moving sale (for probably 5% of its value) was my rolling pin. Why i did that, i have no idea. Caroline did alright with a nalgene bottle, though ;-) 

Ben and Hannah putting sauce on theirs. 

Can anybody see whats wrong with this picture? I eventually noticed my toddler was wearing a white shirt, while playing in pizza sauce. (you'd think i'd never done this before!) And then when i tried to take the spoon away from her, she kept flinging it around, so we had red sauce on the walls, the curtain behind her, and some spots on the beige carpet. )yes, there is carpet under the dining room table. not good for our season in life!) 

There is a nice walking path close to our house. It is difficult to push Caroline in the car, because she wont pick her feet up. So we figured this out. She just lounges, motioning to one of her servants to come push her around. Oh to be 2 again! 

It can get very windy here, just like KS. Patrick enlisted the kids help in picking up trash in the yard, and for every piece of trash, they got 25c. Popsicles are about $1.25. Not sure if they were subsidized, but at least its a start on the road to a good work ethic! 

what was i thinking? Obviously, this child was COVERED in strawberry drippiness. She barely even ate it, just stood there watching it melt all over the place. no idea what i was thinking. i wasnt, apparently. 

Caroline has perfected her guilty look. She uses it so often, since now she is definitely old enough to know what she should/should not be doing! When she gets in trouble, she even shakes her finger, and says sternly "no, no!" Of course, then I have a hard time not laughing. Which kind of defeats the purpose of me getting on her for her naughtiness in the first place! 

Nana (Des) sent the kids a fun surprise, some new chalk. This was the best chalk we've ever had, it was so bright! and has really good staying power. Which is great for the art on the driveway, not so much when they decorated the garage door as well. . .  I did love our stoop, until it got wet, and everybody started tracking it in when they came in!

painting cardboard eggs to put in a nest we made out of glue and yarn. This months kiwi crate was a bird theme. Its a really neat idea, but hasnt worked well for our family. Everything ends up broken within a few days. maybe if the kids were older, things would get taken care of better? 

They did really like the bird costume, though. The mask has 3 different beaks, so you can pretend to be 3 different birds, and take them on and off with velcro. Then we read about the birds, their nesting habits, food and so on. Then Hannah drew pictures of them. This is why I like homeschooling. I like learning about things, and doing fun things with them at the same time. 

We ran out to the airport to take Patrick a snack this morning (SO nice that it is only 8 min. from our house!)

and we caught him just as he was going on a test flight, so he invited us to come. I considered my breakfast dishes in the sink, my laundry, school, and other things waiting for me at home, and immediately decided, yes, of course we want to come! It wasnt until we were taking off that i thought to ask, uh, what are we testing here? I might want to reconsider. . .