We Passed MAF Technical Evaluation!

The Airplane Joe Flew During His Flight Evaluation

Thank you to all who prayed for us the last couple weeks. We are excited to share with you that we successfully passed Mission Aviation Fellowship's technical evaluation (TE). 

No, Joe didn't fly this one!

The next step will be to return to Nampa, ID from July 10th-August 18th for candidacy. At that time we will officially become members of MAF and we will be assigned to a location. We are really looking forward to finally knowing where we will end up.  It is exciting to contemplate telling all our friends about where we will be serving and what we will be doing over the coming months.  

We were impressed with MAF as an organization. MAF is highly professional and it is clear that they take good care of their people. Joe appreciated the emphasis on safety and high standards for both flight and maintenance. I appreciated how they involved me in the process and provided lots of opportunities to connect with MAF career wives and staff. We felt that the organization has good accountability and transparency.  They care about how the family is doing, they stress the importance of work/life balance and they have lots of resources in place to help us to thrive. We both have a lot of peace about moving forward.

Cessna T206 in the MAF Hangar

One of my big questions during the week was how to best prepare for candidacy and the big decision on where to go. Here are some of my thoughts: 

1. Many people shared their experiences serving in many places and how God used the good times and the hard times for their growth and blessing. There will be pros and cons no matter where we go. 
2. The organization has a healthy approach governed by prayer that balances where they need personnel and what our desires are. They will make an offer about where to serve, and we can say yes or no. I believe God will confirm our decision by giving both Joe and me peace about it. 
3. We can best help the candidate committee by being open to all our options and understanding/articulating the common values both Joe and I share (like what type of ministries we most want to support, what our gifts and skills are, what kind of schooling options we would like). 



Walk with dad after a long week of TE

4. Ultimately our trust needs to be in God. Struggles are a part of life no matter where you live and people will let you down. We believe God has prepared this opportunity for us, He is with us, and He will take care of us. 

Gracie had to see the dinosaur at a fuel stop!

One of the things I've been thinking about is how to balance commitment to the organization with what is best for our family. I know that misguided commitment to God's work can be incorrectly used to justify unhealthy neglect of personal needs or relationships. I do not want that for my family. I'm thankful for the wisdom of those at MAF who helped me work through my thoughts on this. God impressed on me that what is needed is not only deep commitment but also authenticity. There will be difficulties; adversity will happen. If we have not settled in our hearts that we are serving where God wants us until He makes it clear it is time to leave, then we aren't going to be able to persevere. However, we also need to be honest about what we are feeling and the problems that arise, so that we can reach out for help from others and resolve the issues. 

Karen, Gracie and our soon to arrive Timothy!

We would appreciate your prayers for the following: 

1. Baby Timothy is due May 3rd!!
2. Karen is doing an online training on "Serving Others by Listening Well." 
3. That Joe will be able to finish well at his job at Hillsboro Aero Academy and that his students will succeed at their training. His last day will be June 30th. 
4. As we anticipate the busyness, changes and challenges ahead, we want to make sure we have good patterns of self-care established like spending time alone in prayer and Bible study, getting enough sleep, eating healthy food, getting regular exercise, taking time to relax and connecting as a family. Pray we will prioritize these things regardless of circumstances.  
5. That God will prepare a team of prayer and financial support partners.  

Thank you again for your prayers and support! It means a lot to us! 

Our Journey Continues

The Graduate

It has been a while since a post and it is time to catch everyone up on what is in store for 2017 and share how God has been working in our lives. 

Joe finished maintenance school in December and is now a FAA certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic (A&P). This certification was the last major prerequisite to applying for mission aviation agencies.  While he was in school he was working as a flight instructor part-time.  Since August he has been working full-time at

Joe's ground students at HAA

Hillsboro Aero Academy as the ground instructor for 29 soon-to-be airline pilots from China. He teaches them a three-hour ground class four times a week, does some flight training (including progress check flights) and monitors the overall progress and well-being of the class. What he likes best about the job is working with instructors and school staff to help students to succeed and thrive.

Big Sister!!

We are expecting a baby boy this spring; due date is May 3rd. Gracie excitedly tells people that she has never had a baby brother before; it's the first time! She likes to sing the baby songs. Sometimes they are about how to be nice to our dog Spike.

Grace enjoys preschool and is learning how to write her name. She loves to do art projects. I quit my job at Old Spaghetti Factory the beginning of this year and am enjoying more time with family. It is especially nice to have weekends and holidays off.

We have applied to join MAF (Missionary Aviation Fellowship).They are a non-profit organization that uses aviation to bring hope and help to isolated people around the world. This means that within the next year or two our family is planning to move to another country and work/live there long-term.  

Airplane Magneto Overhaul

The first step to join the organization is a two-week technical evaluation (TE). This will be in Nampa, ID on March 12th-24th. During this time, Joe will be evaluated on his skills as a pilot and mechanic. Please pray for Joe as it is a stressful process and he does not have a lot of time to prepare beforehand.

If MAF thinks our family will be a good fit for the organization, then the next steps would be as follows: 

• First is candidacy, which happens twice a year. The next one occurs in July. Over a five weeks, we would learn more about the places MAF serves and receive basic training to assimilate into the organization. 
• After successfully completing candidacy, we will be accepted to the organization and will be assigned to one of MAF's 15 bases in six countries in Africa, Asia, Eurasia, and Latin America. 
• Over the next 6-12 months, we will seek a group of partners to support us through prayer and financial donations, during which time we will continue to live in Portland, OR.
• After that we will spend a few more months of flight and cultural training at MAF headquarters in Nampa, ID.  
• Next we would move overseas for a year of language training. 
• Finally, we would move to our location of service at the MAF base. 

Some of Joe's students touring a B-17
that visited the airport

We chose to apply to MAF after about a year of prayer and discussion in our marriage.  We researched numerous mission aviation agencies extensively, even visiting their headquarters, and eventually settled on MAF due to its reputation, its member care policies, and its support of the family. We also like the opportunity to be involved in a organization that serves holistically, helping with both physical and spiritual needs. They do this by partnering with many different organizations that bring medicine and doctors, disaster relief, education, evangelists, Bible translators, food supplies, agricultural technology, clean water projects, and more. One of the things I like is that they are very supportive of the non-flying spouse and do not have a lot of requirements on my time. This gives me the flexibility to spend more time with our kids or even pursue other opportunities.

A lot of people ask how I feel about moving overseas on this crazy new adventure and I can honestly say that I am very excited. I know that there will be sacrifices and challenges; leaving family and starting over in a

Joe's flight student Jerry after Jerry's first solo

new language and culture are not going to be easy! 

I admit that I struggle with the word "missionary" as I sometimes think of it as someone who has it all figured out. Or worse, as someone who tries to impose his or her views on others. However, I have learned that it is more about using our gifts and passion to partner with God on His mission to restore hope, beauty, justice and freedom to this broken world. God has given us so much grace and many blessings and we want to share those with others; both where we live now in Portland and eventually somewhere else far away in the world. 

View from Joe's airplane on a recent
training flight in a Cessna 206

Last summer we got to travel to the Middle East and serve refugees impacted by the war in Syria. Before going, I wondered if my story and prayers would matter to those very different from me, people who had lost so much. It was amazing to see that when I shared from my heart, it translated the barriers of culture, language and background, because it is the same God who works in the same ways all over the world. Also, by serving alongside a local organization, I saw firsthand the tremendous difference made in lives through unconditional love and respect, building long-term relationships and meeting physical needs. This is something both Joe and I believe in and that is why we are pursuing this path. 

Thank you again for your prayers and support! It means a lot to us. Feel free to ask us any questions you may have. We would love to hear your thoughts!