Family Update for Christmas

First of all, we want to say thank you to all of our friends and family who have supported and prayed for us this year. With your help we have made great strides this year toward our goal of being full-time missionaries.

In January 2009, Jeff was immersed in full-time airplane maintenance school. He attended school during the day and night sessions for several months. This proved to be stressful for the whole family but happily resulted in a faster completion date and a 4.0 grade-point average to boot! By September, Jeff had completed all the necessary coursework and passed the FAA exams in order to be a licensed A&P mechanic. We hope that by the end of this year Jeff will not only have completed the requirements of a commercial pilot but also those of a certified flight instructor. All of these things must happen to reach our goal of being a pilot/mechanic on the mission field.

This year Kathy continued to homeschool the 4 kids and work one day a week as a pharmacist. She completed a Bible course by correspondence through Moody Bible Institute. In June, Kathy, was honored to go to Jamaica as a part of a medical mission team, where hundreds of needy people received top-notch medical care.

Graham turned 9 this year and has become quite a football fan. He played Upward sports at every opportunity and his appetite for reading remains unquenchable. Royal Ambassadors is his favorite extra-curricular activity and satisfies his need for running through the woods and making things with his hands.

Cameron, now 7 years old, began 1st grade, and has a real heart to serve. Cameron participated in Upward Sports in basketball, cheerleading, and soccer. She found out that soccer is her favorite sport to play. At church, she enjoys singing in the choir and GA's.

This year was the end to a lot of waiting on the sidelines for Bo. He has watched his older brother and sister play ball for several seasons and now he was finally old enough to play too. When he got his first uniform he wore it instead of pajamas but his parents wouldn't let him wear his new cleats to bed. Bo took the first steps toward becoming a reader this year and by the time Kindergarten starts Fall 2010 he'll be a pro. We are continually challenged by the gratefulness that Bo expresses for each blessing that comes his way.

Whitney is quite a 3 year old. Being the youngest of 4 she has a sense of confidence that is well beyond her years. She eagerly meets strangers and welcomes any and every opportunity for a chat. Needless to say she keeps her parents (and her siblings) on their toes.

As a family, we took the camper to Waxhaw, N.C. to visit the JAARS center and learn about the work of Wycliffe Bible translators and the SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics). We also camped on Jekyll Island, Ga. for a couple of nights and enjoyed a long family bike ride.

Our church here in Warner Robins, Central Baptist Church, voted to become our "sending" church! They will be a lifeline of prayer support for us in the coming years. We also had the opportunity to participate in a worship service at Unity Baptist Church and connect with mission-minded believers there.

During the upcoming year we hope to continue what has been started. We'll finish up our preparations for applying with a missions agency and keep on nurturing the little ones God has given us. We would like to invite you to come along with us on this journey.

May God bless you this Christmas season.

Flight Training Continues

I flew down to Douglas, GA today in order to take a Commercial Check-ride with the FAA examiner there. I passed oral portion; however, by time that was over, two hours later, the weather had deteriorated just enough that I could not (chose not) conduct the check-ride portion because of low ceilings and wind gusts. It will take longer and cost more, but that's aviation!!! "Got time to spare...go by air." The examiner commended my good ADM (Aeronautical Decision Making). I then flew back to Atlanta (IFR) and will try again next week, or when the weather is cooperating. Amazing...I took off heading north towards Atlanta and the 3000 foot "white blanket" (cloud layer) disappeared! Warner Robins and Macon looked great from 6000 feet. I saw all the JSTARS down below working the pattern. Then a few minutes later was let down to 4000 foot and slid right in under the ATL approach, just east of Stone Mountain and into PDK for a greaser! -Jeff


Douglas airport (KDQH) photos attached. Aeronautical Chart link below.
http://skyvector.com/#55-35-3-2233-692

Flight School. Check out the entertainment. Sky King episodes! Remember that show?
www.americanflyers.net

American Flyers @ Atlanta (PDK).
http://www.americanflyersatlanta.net/

Peachtree/Dekalb Airport (KPDK) photo attached. Chart link below.
http://skyvector.com/#55-101-3-1968-946

Q: Why are aircraft needed for missions?
A: What do missionaries do when: 1. The country in which they serve has no postal service.
2. Their child is gravely ill and the nearest hospital is an 11-hour drive away. (Sometimes 2 or 3 weeks away by dugout canoe.)
3. The tribal people need a doctor, but the doctor has only a week to treat everyone and it's a 3 day walk, one-way, to their village.
4. Their car breaks down and it takes 6 months to get repair parts.
5. Their children who attend school in a neighboring country want to come home for the holidays.
6. The Missionaries would minister to many tribes in a week but it takes too long to get to the other tribes.
7. The flooded rivers have isolated their village again, cutting off and food or supply lines, as well as, any escape.

This is why missionary pilots go to the field!
Taken from Christian Wings for the World (CWW)

Jamaica, What a Blessing

The mission trip to Jamaica is now complete. It was a whirlwind of activity. We saw, in the neighborhood of, 1,500 patients in 4 days and filled thousands of prescriptions. Many of the people we endeavored to help hadn't seen a physician in 4+ years. I was very impressed by how the team came together to get the job done. Everyone put aside their own agenda to join in the common goal of "doing unto the least of these". The Jamaicans themselves were extremely grateful, we heard it again and again. If it wasn't an individual thanking us for the help we had given it was a spokesperson thanking us on behalf of their people.

God wants me (Kathy) in Jamaica!

Six months ago, I was approached about going with a medical mission team to Jamaica. I was immediately interested but there were so many obstacles in the way. The first thing that came to mind was the $1000 that would be needed to pay my way. Secondly, the four kids that depend on me, weighed heavily on my mind. Jeff's schedule is so tight with schooling, flying, and Army Reserve comittments, that I saw no way to work in a 9 day trip to Jamaica.

God can make a way. Jeff began encouraging me to take a look at the calendar. His school quarter ends the day before the team leaves for Jamaica. He would also be able to arrange his other priorities so that he could hold down the fort during my absence. At this point I was ready to tell the team I would go with them (trusting God for the financial means). The next day a member of the team approached me to ask if I would be able to go and said that they would give me a 50% scholarship if I could accompany them. Wow!

In the following weeks, as we have shared my desire to use my pharmacy skills on the mission field, my trip to Jamaica has been fully funded! God's people are so awesome. We are now working on accumulating prescription drugs, vitamins, glasses, toothpaste, etc. We have also held a fund raising dinner where we made over $3000 to buy additional supplies.

At this point we are just over 7 weeks away from our mission trip and God has already shown Himself at work. I feel so blessed to be a part of this group of dedicated professionals and I can't wait to see the work that God has planned for Jamaica and for me.

Is it April already?

It often seems like time goes by and there is nothing "news-worthy" to blog about. But here is a slice of our life right now:

• Graham turns 9 years old this month!
• Graham trimmed his thumb to a smaller size with a cheese grater.
• God has expanded our support base this month! He is so faithful to supply our needs.
  
• A "Secret Angel" has blessed us with passes for a kid's fun day and spending money for a parents "fun pass".
• We are making plans to attend the IAMA Conference in Lynchburg, Virginia in May.
• Kathy is preparing for a short term medical mission trip in June.
• Jeff continues classes in pursuit of his A&P license and is on track to finish in
  September.
• Jeff added night classes to his schedule in January and has only 2 more weeks to go at night (yipee!).
• The 3 oldest kids are enjoying their first season of Upward soccer. We spend our Saturday's camped out at the fields because they all play at different times.
  
• Jeff and Kathy have the privilege of teaching a great group of Kindergartners on Sunday mornings.
• Kathy is at the half-way point of her Moody Bible Institute Old Testament Survey Course.
• We finished our taxes without filing for an extension (that doesn't happen very often)!
• Kathy is enjoying practicing pharmacy one day a week. Working for Godly people is such a blessing.
• Kathy continues Physical Therapy to work through her neck pain issues.
  

New Year!

Wow! As I survey what happened in 2008, I am amazed at God's continued provision in our lives.  Sustaining us in our Fifth Wheel Camper until at just the right time, providing us a place to live that was not only a Super Super great deal cost wise, but perfect in location and size for our family of six! Then God provided a renter for our Kentucky home! Then part-time jobs for both Kathy and I.  Kathy at the Medicine Shop, and me, my old Army Reserve job with the Savannah District US Army Corps of Engineers, only I get to work out of the Robins AFB Area office (what a deal)!  The part-time income, along with the support that is coming in, has kept us from totally draining our savings account, and is almost meeting our monthly expenses in full.  Praise God!

Mission Preparation Schedule.  We are about half-way.  Tomorrow begins the last three quarters of A&P school. I am on track to complete Airframe in June, and Powerplant in September. This quarter and next I will be going at night (M/T/W) as well, so please pray for Kathy and kids, as they will be seeing a little less of me over the next six months. 

Many are wondering how the flying is going. Well, there hasn't been much flying this past year, as money and time just did not allow. This is not a grave concern.  As it goes with flight training, it is best to knock out the written knowledge tests, then concentrate the flying hours leading up to the oral & practical with the FAA Designated Pilot Examiner. So, my approach has been to fly once or twice a month to maintain currency, and focus on completing the written exams for Commercial & Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), then when I finish A&P in September, I can focus solely on flying until the time comes for the technical evaluation sometime in spring of 2010.    

Our short-term goals remain:  

1.  to build a long-term support network

2.  to achieve qualifications, both technically and non-technically, in the most expeditious and economical manner, while remaining debt-free

3.  select a mission organization

One important qualification for overseas service is our medical fitness.  It is for this reason that I share the following and ask for your prayer.  Kathy has been suffering from chronic neck pain for over a year now.  Having sought a number of medical opinions, all are convinced the pain is muscular and possibly TMJ related.  Though we don't see this as being a disqualifier right now, it can become debilitating.  Shepherding four young children full-time demands all the strength and mobility one can muster.   

Thanks to you who have been so faithful in supporting us this past year! There is no way we could do this if it were not for your generosity and partnership in what God is doing in our lives.  May God richly bless you who support us with your prayers and financial gifts; for you - we are truly thankful! Please don't hesitate to drop us a line, and especially if there is anything that we may be in prayer about.

"...so that all nations might believe and obey Him ..."  Romans 16:26

Jeff & Kathy 

~ The Hoover Crew~