Great News!

I was informed last week that I have been chosen as the recipient of the Billy G Edenfield Scholarship. Middle Georgia Tech awards about $7500 in scholarships every quarter. I am so thankful for the $500 that is headed our way. Because of the large number of students eligible to apply, I probably will not win another scholarship before graduation, but I'll keep trying. Thanks to Gary Cox and Andrew Davis for writing letters of recommendation on my behalf!

We The People...

As I excercised my right to vote today I took a look at the people around me. The sheer variety was amazing. Black, white, and all the colors in between. Old, young, and middle-aged. Some with teeth, some without. Well-dressed, shabbily-dressed and yes some that looked half-dressed. Men and women in uniform, hippies, teachers, and plain old me. I stood in that line and realized that whoever wins the election tonight it will be because of us, all of us, "we the people". God has given us the duty to vote & the outcome is in His hands. May God get the glory in whatever comes.

MAF Comes to Call

Mission Aviation Fellowship's (MAF's) Southeast Regional Recruiter, Brian Behal, was heading down I-75 on his way to Florida and made a layover at our house. Brian was the gracious leader of our trip to Ecuador 2 summers ago. It was great to catch-up with Brian and what is going on in the world of mission aviation. We were able to share with Brian the progress that we have made over the last year and a half and get a reality check in regard to our timeline and expectations. Brian was, as always, very down-to-earth and a source of encouragement.

Brian also came bearing gifts that Halloween evening. Each Halloween we face the same dilemma. We want to be a light for Christ in the dark night of Halloween and yet we haven't have an idea that suited just right. This may just be the solution we have been looking for. Brian brought each of our kids a "MAF Kit Plane". It included: a rubber band, a stick of gum, 2 Life-Savers candies, and a roll of Smarties candy. The directions are to thread the rubber band through the Life-Savers, thread the chewing gum through the rubber band ends, and insert the roll of Smarties between the gum and Life-savers. Brian told us that we should "stick" close to Jesus (just like gum sticks), that missionaries come in lots of different types (teachers, pastors, Bible translators, pilots) just like Smarties are different colors, Jesus is our Life-Saver, just like the landing gear on an airplane.

So, if you come a knockin' next Halloween, you just may get something that looks like this! Thanks Brian!

What would it take for a person to do THIS to his computer?

The laptop was sitting open on a small glass end table. The table got knocked over and the MacBook landed "face"down with the weight of the table on top. It appeared to work o.k. except that it wouldn't stay open without a prop. Quotes for fixing the broken hinge ranged from $200 - $400 (to start) and would require boxing it up and shipping it off for an unknown length of time. Jeff was at the end of his proverbial rope. Then he got the idea to search the web for information on how to do the repair himself. The first I knew of this grand scheme was a request that I come to hold the screen for him. Puzzled I lent a hand as he proceeded to remove what seemed like everything from the inside of the computer. It was gut-wrenching to wonder if it would ever work again. After locating the broken part, Jeff placed an order for the replacement. When the new hinge arrived he installed it in about 2 hours and hit the power button. It works beautifully and makes me wonder why I ever doubted that my favorite airplane mechanic could work on MacBooks! And the grand repair total (including shipping) ... $50.

An Unscheduled Haircut

We have had quite a weekend with 3 of 4 kids having episodes of "gastrointestinal distress". It started Friday afternoon and ended Monday night. A great way to spend Labor Day Weekend! On Monday morning about 7 am, Jeff and I were awakened by Bo (3 years old) asking us to admire the haircut he had given Whitney (2 years old). I sleepily hoped he was talking about a pretend "haircut". Needless to say, he wasn't. Most of her curls and any hope of a pony tail are gone! We are taking her to the beauty shop on Wednesday to let a professional see if she can work any magic ( or at least even things up a bit). Bo's hope of being a barber is over! I have confiscated his scissors and put all of Whitney's hair into a bag to go in his baby book!

FAQs

I admit, Mission Aviation is not something you routinely hear about, even in mission minded churches. And, like many folks we've talked with, you may find yourself with questions. Well, here is a broad sweeping attempt to cover some of the questions we frequently get.

What is mission aviation? It is providing air transportation in support of missionary efforts and humanitarian needs in hard-to-reach areas of the world.

Who will you serve with? Right now we are not certain. We are prayerfully considering several organizations (see list on Blog), and once we achieve the necessary qualifications, which are the same for most mission aviation groups, we will interview and perform a technical evaluation (TE) with them. We trust God to lead us to the one He wants, and give us a heart for a particular mission and/or people group.

Where will you serve? Again, we don't know yet. Mission aviation is utilized in many countries all over the world.

How long until you leave? Our schedule is based on several criteria that must be met before a mission group will accept us as a missionary pilot/mechanic family. How soon we accomplish these things is up to God. Currently, Jeff needs approximately 200 additional flight hours and the completion of his Commercial Pilots License, which he works on in the evenings and on weekends, as finances allow. He is currently enrolled at Middle Georgia Tech and will complete his A&P certificate in September 2009. The A&P (airframe & powerplant) certificate is an FAA license to inspect, repair and maintain aircraft. We are also taking the first of 12 hours of required Bible classes through Moody Bible Institute and building a network of supporters to help us reach the field. We are praying that these 4 things (flight training, A&P Certification, Bible courses, & support raising) will be completed by April 2010. And then we go for the TE, Orientation/Deputation, finish raising support (if needed, though prayerfully not). And finally, Lord willing, we hit the mission field! (That's the plan anyway.)

Do you own a plane? Much to Jeff's chagrin, we do not own a plane. Since October 2007 Jeff has been flying at Robins Aero Club at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. There he flies the Piper Warrior or Arrow; all of which are low-wing, single-engine, and are not classified as high-performance (>200 hp). The aircraft most widely used in Mission Aviation is typically a high wing, single-engine, high-performance aircraft, like the Cessna 182, 206, or Caravan. To be best prepared for this mission, this is the type of plane that is needed. The Aero Club has been a great resource but doesn't have a high-wing, high-performance aircraft in it's fleet. Please join us in prayer for God's provision in this area.

What will Kathy do? Hopefully, Kathy will continue to be a Homeschooling mom to the kids and work toward making a new home in a new land. We know also, that in building relationships outreach opportunities will come. As the children get older we are praying for God to provide mission opportunities for the family to be involved in.

How are you currently making ends meet financially? We are living off of God's provision! Before Jeff left his paycheck behind we had some money in savings, we cashed out some small investments, and a few dear people have been led of God to support us monthly. Jeff picks up work with the Army Reserves during school breaks and Kathy works as a pharmacist 1 day a week. These things in combination with the GI Bill and the Hope Grant are mostly covering our school and living expenses, but not completely. By far the most expensive item on our agenda is flight training at around $125 per hour (average). This is an expense that we do not know how God is going to make provision for. However, we know that he has called us to this, and we know that He will make it happen through His people. We would ask that you prayerfully consider whether you are one of these people.

What will you be doing when you get there? First order is generally language/cultural training; this will be for the whole family, and may run up to a year, in country. Next, we arrive at the assigned location and settle into a home furnished by the sponsoring organization. Jeff will perform daily flights carrying everything from indigenous pastors and bible/church resources, to humanitarian relief and performing medical evacuation. Generally, tours are three to four years in length with a six-month furlough.

Is financial support - tax deductible? Currently, we are not on staff with a non-profit (501.c.3) mission organization, and cannot provide a giver with a charitable contribution statement (1099). However, most churches are set up to do so, whereby giving toward a mission is in-line with their non-profit charter, and are therefore, willing to accept and give an offering to an individual or family preparing for full-time missions.

We would be honored to hear from you should you have a question, or if you would like more information about Mission Aviation or our journey! We may be reached by email at: hoovercrew@gmail.com.

Back to School

Today was my (Jeff) first day at Middle Georgia Technical Institute (MGT) in Warner Robins in pursuit of an FAA - Aircraft and Powerplant License (A&P). An A&P license allows me to maintain, inspect, and return aircraft to service as airworthy, and is a requirement for missionary pilots. I have already completed 2 quarters toward this goal at Middle Georgia Aviation in Eastman. You may ask - "How is it you were in Eastman, and now WR?" Good question; one which deserves an answer, but that would be "back-blogging"; is that allowed? Stay tuned... Anyway, attending class full-time, I anticipate completion in five more quarters, taking the FAA exam in August of 2009. Going back to school, where the average student age is 18-20, has been rather challenging (...in many ways). MGT requires that I purchase tools, and that's gonna be really tough on me...snap-on, craftsman, SK, or Matco? It's a guy-thing.

It's Home Depot Day!

For us the first Saturday of the month means a trip to the Home Depot for their Kids Workshop. Today the kids made birdhouses (...with a little help from Dad). Whitney showed more interest in testing out the JD tractors. All the hard work left us famished and longing for what has now become our favorite "dog" joint, Nu-Way.

VBS...They Brought their Pennies

Our church held it's annual VBS last week. Over 700 kids came and 100 decisions for Christ were made. Every year the children are challenged to bring a missions offering. It is a contest between the boys and girls to see who can bring the most money by dollar amount and by weight. The kids brought their money but made sure to stop by the desk of the "money changers" in the back of the temple. Their bills and coins were traded for rolls of pennies. The kids really got motivated and overwhelmed everyone by bringing $5187.48! Before VBS started the staff began to pray about to whom they would give this offering. They were interested in a missionary that the kids could get to know and see. The Holy Spirit led them to us. They invited us to go and meet the kids and they learned about missions and about what God has laid on our hearts to do. One kid about 8 years old recognized Jeff in the hall and said, "Hey you are the pilot who is going to fly Jesus in a plane to people who have never heard about Him before!" It was so encouraging to see the kids (and adults) get so excited about missions.

NorthStar Church's new worship CD

This is my brother's church's new worship CD. It's great! You'll want to buy this one. Click on the songs to listen.

MAF Vision Trip - Ecuador

Jeff and I had the awesome opportunity to go and checkout how mission work is accomplished using airplanes. While in a period of discernment and fact gathering we knew that a chance to investigate mission aviation work in a cross-cultural environment was too good to pass up. So, in June 2007 we left the four kids in the capable hands of our families and flew to Ecuador. Ecuador was chosen for several reasons. First, we didn't have to go to the other side of the world to get there. Also, Ecuador has a rich history of missions and it has lots of work ongoing. So, eventhough we don't know which country we will serve in, we knew that there was plenty to learn in Ecuador. Mission Aviation Fellowship's (MAF) Brian Behal was our guide for the trip. Brian and his family spent 10 years as a Pilot/Mechanic Missionary family in the area in which we traveled. Brian was amazingly patient to answer our barrage of questions (usually well into the night).

Our trip was filled with the unexpected. As we flew into the capital city of Quito on the first night. I didn't expect to see a bustling, modern city of 1.5 million people. I also didn't expect to be cold. I thought that the equator was supposed to be hot! The elevation of almost 10,000 feet keeps the average temperature at a chilly 64 degrees.

The most anticipated leg of our trip was the visit to Shell (3,000 feet lower in altitude and at the edge of the rain forest). Shell is a current MAF base and former home of missionary Nate Saint and family. The intriguing story of his life and death can be seen in the feature film The End of the Spear or you can request the book JUNGLE PILOT for free from the MAF website. We spent time in the MAF hangar and gleaning wisdom from the pilot/mechanic families living there.

We met missionaries doing amazing work. We met missionaries helping with water resources, orphanages, hospitals, communications, health education and nursing. All of this work was based out of Shell and reached into the depths of the rain forest. This answered a very important question for me (Kathy). I had wondered what I would be doing on the mission field. Yes, I realize that most of my time will be spent in taking care of my 4 little ones, but, I wondered, would I do anything else? They won't be little forever, and soon they will be old enough to be useful in serving others. What was evident to me was that there are a multitude of opportunities to serve. I won't be flying planes but I am confident that wherever we go, God will be able to use me (and the kids) too!

From Shell we took a 30 minute plane ride in a Cessna 206 to Tiweno. As we flew over the Amazon jungle, there were no roads, houses, or any other sign of civilization. Then we see the hand-cleared airstrip. By this time the natives had already heard our approach and they rushed out of the trees laughing and smiling to welcome us. These people, the Waodani, who welcomed us so readily, were the same ones who were known as savages just decades before. The gospel message has transformed this culture and brought them back from the edge of self-destruction. We had barely touched down when Dyuwi began praying for us. Dyuwi was in the group of Waodani killers who, in 1956, murdered 5 young missionaries (Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Pete Fleming, and Ed McCully). This man's life is so changed that rather than spear us as strangers, he prayed for us as brothers in Christ. We were treated to a church service Wao-style. They painted our faces, showed us how to throw a spear, and shoot a blow-gun. Our performances gave them plenty to laugh at!

Ecuador was a sobering reminder of how challenging a remote location can be and absolutely essential the airplane is in reaching the unreachable. It was also affirmed in me, personally, how God uses the sacrifices of His people to further the Kingdom. And, we gained invaluable first-hand insight into the lives of people doing the type of work that we aspire to.