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

Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Today was my last day of work at VMRD. I have mixed feelings at this point. I have worked there full-time for the last eight years, and part time since the late 90s. Of course it is also my family's business. It has been an awesome place to work, and I am very grateful for my time there. I am leaving a lot of good friends and good people. I guess the best description would be that I'm wistful. On the other hand I'm extremely excited about our future. It is a tremendous opportunity to be able to serve God and at the same time to do something I love. There will be a lot of work and it will not always be easy, but it is what I am meant to do. 

Tomorrow we will begin a new chapter in the life of this family. The first order of business is to get moved to Portland. Karen has been doing an awesome job getting things ready for the move over the past few months. Now I will be able to help her with the move preparation full-time. Since I need a job when we get there, I will also be pushing very hard in the next few weeks toward getting my CFI. We would appreciate prayers for strength, wisdom and safety over the next few weeks as we move.

Meanwhile, this little cutie is being cute: