One Week!

Mountain Airstrip During Joe's Standardization Flying

March, April and May passed in a whirlwind of training, packing, repacking, more packing and goodbyes. We are within a week of stepping on an airplane in Seattle to begin a 40 hour journey to Maseru, Lesotho. "How long will you be gone?" has been a common question over the past few months.  This query gives us pause because we don't quite know ourselves.  We intend to be out of the United States for a period of several years and to only return for relatively short visits for at least the next decade. 

Grace's Birthday Party at MAF housing in Nampa

Wilson Bar Airport - Flight Standardization Training

Flight Planning During Flight Standardization

Even though we have known that this is coming for a long time and have been working toward it as a goal, now that it's happening, it is a big change for us, for our kids and for our families. We will be moving to a place that does use English but also uses several other languages, one of which (Sesotho) we will intensely study and learn to speak. Regardless of the langauge, the culture is far from our own. Due to the nature of work in which we are engaging, we will see people suffering and dying. Our children will grow up thinking of Africa as home and wondering why we talk about the place we go every few years on vacation as "home." They will see their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins perhaps once a year, when either they visit us, or we visit them. Everything we own right now fits into the back of a pickup truck and will be going on the airplane with us to Lesotho. 

Aircraft Inspection During Maintenance
Standardization Training

Magneto Inspection During Maintenance
Standardization Training

Tim Helping Dad Work on his Bike

Making Memories in our Hometown

How do we feel about all of this? How can we describe feelings we don't fully grasp ourselves? Our overriding emotion is true excitement and anticipation at the privilege of bringing hope and help in the name of Jesus to isolated and suffering people in Lesotho. We know this is God's calling for our family and that the gifts and passions we have fit well with the mission we have been given. Nonetheless, we are giving up culture and country, face-to-face time with family and friends, and the comforts of life as we know it to fulfill this call. There is loss there, and the many goodbyes of the past few weeks put an exclamation point on some of what is being left behind.  

Grandpa Love!

Goodbye Hometown!

Alison Ranch, ID - Where Postcard Photos Come From!

All our stuff, Packed for Africa

Field Orientation Training at MAF Headquarters

Goodbye to these three!

Yet, the wistful feelings for the people we are leaving highlights the fact that our Creator made us for relationship. We were made to be in relationship with God, with other people, and with the creation around us.  As we have prepared to serve in this mission we have seen these relationships grow and improve.  Karen and I are so happy that we are on this journey together. We have grown much closer as we have mentally, emotionally and vocationally prepared to go. Along the way, we have also developed deep friendships with those who have encouraged us, as well as with those who think we're crazy (yes, we know you do). We also have learned to trust in God and believe in His provision more deeply as we have moved toward this mission. We have seen that our own strength is feeble and foolish and that His power is made perfect in our weaknesses, when He enables and we follow. The journey of preparation alone has made this quest worth the sacrifices it has required.

Fishing With Grandpa!

We also know that it is easier to be optimistic and passionate during the honeymoon period of this journey. We do appreciate your continued prayers for us and our family as some of the harsh realities become clear when the inevitable culture shock sets in. Even now we occasionally find ourselves on edge with big emotional reactions to mild stressors. The joys of the chaos of transition! 

Joe Gets a Break while Another
Standardization Pilot Flies

Joe's Uniform Shirts Arrived!

Together Hiking Time in Boise!

Time with Cousins!

Hiking in the Idaho Woods with Family

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!

Happy New Year!

Hopefully you and yours had a joyous and peaceful Christmas! Here is a short update on how we have been and our plans for 2016 (wow, how did that happen?!).  God has been good to us these last few months and we wanted to share some praises for answered prayer.

First of all, in October Joe was able to get a permanent exemption to the color vision restriction on his flight medical certificate. He took a test with the FAA that demonstrated his ability to properly interpret color light gun signals (which are used in the unlikely event that radio communications are down) and a flight test that showed his color vision deficiency did not affect his ability to perform normal flight operations. What this means is that his colorbindness will never again be an issue while flying within the United States, which opens up the opportunity for a lot more flying jobs. It is a bit unclear if other countries would accept the FAA exemption, but since many countries view the FAA as a gold standard, it is very positive.

Joe also finished the first part of his schooling in early December.  After two written tests and an 11 hour practical test that consisted of verbal questions and practical demonstrations of his ability, he was issued an FAA airframe mechanic certificate. Over the break from school he has been working some extra hours flight instructing for Hillsboro Areo Academy. We had a snow day in Portland today, but tomorrow Joe starts back up at school with powerplant classes, in which he will be learning to inspect and repair aircraft turbine and piston engines.

I have been co-leading a small group at the women's Bible study at our church, Village Baptist. It has been helping me to stay accountable with my personal prayer and Bible study and also learn some leadership skills. It is such a great group of women and they encourage me so much. I am still working at Old Spaghetti Factory and enjoying the opportunity to get to know some of my co-workers better. As always, it is a challenge for me to balance my desire to not miss out on social opportunities with getting enough sleep and spending time with my family.

Gracie is our joy and growing up so fast. She really likes figuring out anything mechanical, pretend play, "darbies" (Barbies), Play Doh, dress up and hide and seek. She is also starting to help me some with cooking. She knows how to make her own melted tortilla with shredded cheese and "thomas" (hummus). She has the quite the sweet tooth so she asks to make cupcakes and cookies a lot.

As far taking a mission trip this year, we decided against going to India in February. Instead, Joe and I are planning to go to Lebanon in June. Our church has been partnering with Heart for Lebanon for years, and with the current refugee crisis there, there is more work to do than ever before. One of the ways they help is a two-week trip every year where they assist with food distribution, medical care, construction projects, kid's day camps, etc. Our church focuses on safety and does a lot of training beforehand so that the people who go are well prepared to serve. I really wanted to go last year but it didn't work out, so I am very excited to get to go with Joe this year.

Our goals for this year are to focus on our family, for Joe to finish school, and to learn as much as we can about how to effectively serve God both here and abroad. We have heard from lots of people that the pressures of full-time missions work here and especially abroad puts a lot of stress on the family during the adaption stage. So we want to make sure that we are in a good place with our personal relationships with God, in our marriage, and with our family and friends. In addition, we are taking advantage of several learning opportunities; we are attending a major missions conference in a couple weeks, taking a Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course and staying involved at our church. Joe will be done with aircraft maintenance school this fall and we are unsure of what doors God will open after that. We may stay in Portland for awhile after he finishes school before applying for a missionary aviation position.  We would appreciate prayer for guidance and wisdom in this matter.

We deeply appreciate all of your prayers and support. We love to hear from you all about how you are and wish you the best in 2016.