The Next Step: TE Prep and Connor Medical Update

After flying a Cessna 206 for a week and working on piston aircraft for a week with instructors at Moody, Jeremy is feeling much more confident about his TE, which is coming up in three weeks. Thank you for your prayers! Also, because he was gone from STC for those two weeks he was prepping with Moody, one of the new associate instructors started taking over a few of Jeremy's normal work responsibilities. The baton is starting to be passed on as Jeremy transitions out of his roles at STC.

Connor had his blood drawn again this week to check his iron levels.  We got his results yesterday, and his iron levels are lower than they were two weeks ago.  This is causing concern for the doctor, so she is sending Connor to a specialist.  Anemia runs in both sides of our families, so we aren't concerned, but we'd appreciate continued prayer as we work with doctors to try and increase his iron levels.  On a good note, no one would ever be able to tell that Connor is anemic.  He doesn't show any of the symptoms.  He is active, has color in his face, eats well, learns and discovers new things every day, and sleeps well, for which we are thankful!

Thank you for your continued prayers for Connor!  We will keep you all posted as we get more information.

The Next Step: Medical Physicals

As a part of the MAF application process, Jeremy, Connor and I had to have medical physicals. Jeremy was able to complete his, and I will be able to finish mine once the baby is born in September. Connor is almost done with his, which brings me to why I'm writing. Connor did great for all his tests! He didn't even wince when his blood was drawn. What a trooper! Anyway, when the results came back from his blood work, it was clear that he is anemic (apparently a pretty common problem for toddlers). His doctor won't finish and send MAF his physical paperwork until his iron levels rise. He is now taking an iron supplement, and I have changed his diet to incorporate more iron rich foods as well as foods that increase the absorption of iron.

Connor goes back in to have his blood drawn and tested on Monday, June 16th. Would you pray that for his own health and for finishing his physical paperwork that Connor's iron levels will rise to a satisfactory level? 

Thank you for your continued prayers as we keep moving forward with MAF! 

The Next Step: TE Prep

Many of you are aware that last November we turned in our application to being the process of joining Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF).  Once some more paperwork was filled out and sent in, we were able to schedule a technical evaluation (TE), which is one week of flight testing and one week of maintenance testing for Jeremy. We are scheduled to be in Nampa, Idaho at MAF headquarters July 7-18 for Jeremy's TE.

Over the last five years, Jeremy has been focusing on turbine training and maintenance while working at Spokane Turbine Center whereas his TE will be in a Cessna 206, which is a piston aircraft. (I add that information because only 4 years ago I knew nothing about airplanes. :) ) Needless to say, it is going to take a shift in thinking for Jeremy to get back in the mindset of piston aircraft. In order to get him refreshed and ready, Jeremy is doing some TE prep work with Moody Aviation. This week he will be doing flight preparation and June 9-13 he will be doing the maintenance preparation.

Would you pray for Jeremy as he studies and prepares to take his TE? Pray that during his preparation with Moody and during his personal studies that everything he knows will flood his memory and that he will be comfortable with flying and maintenance in the 206 again.

Thank you for your faithfulness in lifting us up in prayers as we move forward with joining MAF! We are blessed by your support and encouragement!

Winter 2014 Newsletter

Fall 2013 Newsletter

Indonesia: Connor's Perspective

Well, I've now lived "overseas" for roughly 1/8 of my life.  Whatever that means.  It's what Mom and Dad tell me, anyway.  Personally, as long as I still get fed, have my diaper changed, and have plenty of wiggle time on the floor, I couldn't really care less which hemisphere I happen to be in.  That is, of course, provided that Mom and Dad (preferably Mom) are close by.  That said, this "Indonesia" place is really not bad.  Here are some of my favorite activities over the past month and a half.

I have gotten quite a bit more mobile since leaving Spokane.  I can roll and scoot about anywhere I really need to go, which becomes a fun game with Mom and Dad.  I like to try to roll off the bed or couch, or anything else they set me on, before they can see me and catch me!  It's great fun, although so far I haven't quite succeeded yet.  I have also discovered that rolling around and exploring underneath the coffee table next to my "pad" in the living room is great fun!

I've taken a great interest in reading over the past few weeks.  My two favorite books are "The Bear Snores On" and "The Little Blue Truck" which, as you can see, I'm fully capable of reading all by myself now!

I've made some really good buddies over the past few weeks.  This is Tate College.  I got along quite well with him and his three brothers.  They didn't even mind if I needed to take a nap after playing hard!

Another favorite pastime I've picked up here in Indonesia?  Drinking cold water on these hot, muggy Indonesian days.  I like it best if I can hold the cup and do it all myself, but because of my drinking problem, Dad or Mom often hold the cup for me.

Dad is giving me scooter driving lessons!  The helmet fits me perfectly and there's even enough room in there to wear my binky.

I can reach the handlebars without any problem at all, and I can easily see over the speedometer.  I don't have to reach the pedals because there aren't any!  Too bad we're leaving for Spokane tomorrow, because if I had just another week or two, I bet I'd be on my own by then.  Oh well.  Maybe next time.

Photo Journal: MAF Tarakan

The MAF hangar and admin. building at Tarakan airport, E. Kalimantan, Indonesia

Three and a half weeks ago, we arrived in Tarakan, Indonesia, a small island off the east coast of Borneo.  Kota Tarakan (the City of Tarakan), with a population of approximately 290,0000, is the largest city for over 300 miles.  It is well-equipped with a large seaport, hospitals, schools, and an airport with scheduled airline service, making it a good location for MAF to base their operation serving the isolated people of northern Borneo.  Over the past few weeks we've been enjoying the challenge of adapting to life in Tarakan.  Day to day life here is obviously a far cry from what we know in Spokane.  Nothing comes easily and everything from how you flush the toilet to which side of the street you drive on is different or completely opposite from what we're used to.  We're thankful for the few Indonesian words and phrases we do know (and we're inevitably adding to that precious vocabulary), but language is obviously a huge barrier.  That said, it's been an adventure and a whole lot of fun.

Jodie has already posted some about her life here in Tarakan, so I figured I'd throw in a few pictures of what I've been up to out at the hangar, and beyond, over the past few weeks.

My trusty steed has faithfully transported me to and from the hangar without incident.  It's proven to be quite nimble and adept at zipping between the trucks, taxis, bicycles, pedestrians and swarms of other scooters that haphazardly clutter the narrow streets of Tarakan.  There don't seem to be any real rules of the road around here.  People do tend to stick to the left side of the road, as long as it's convenient, but right-of-way rules?  That sounds complicated.  Who has time for that?  Just swim with the fishies.  For all you mother-types who may be reading this, don't worry, Jodie and Connor don't ride the Hawg with me.  MAF has graciously provided an air-conditioned Toyota for our family transportation needs which is probably much safer, if significantly clumsier in traffic.

Coincidentally, our time in Indonesia has fallen precisely over the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.  We arrived shortly before it began, and we will leave just a couple days after it ends.  Indonesia is the fourth largest country by population and the largest Islamic country by population.  Throughout the day and night, their chanting prayers can be heard blaring through a loudspeaker at a mosque near you.  What a sad reality to live in, to think that you have to do so much, to live so right and pray so perfectly for God to hear your prayers.  Their incessant prayers serve as a continual reminder that we, as the Church, have our work cut out for us to be busy about our Father's business until our Lord's return.

Departing Tarakan's runway 24 for a day of serving the people of the Borneo interior.

As in any tropical environment, weather is always a big factor and must be continually dealt with and evaluated throughout the day.  Convective activity can develop quickly, commanding a healthy respect from the pilot.  Airplanes don't tend to fare too well in thunderstorms.

First stop: Long Nawang

We dropped off a plane load of supplies and teachers for an AWANA training event in Long Bawang.  Much of MAF's flying in Borneo is in support of the local church's training and evangelistic efforts.  None of this kind of activity would be possible without MAF's operations in this region.

Every good flight department is backed by a talented, efficient and professional maintenance department, and MAF-Tarakan is no exception.  I've had the opportunity over the past few weeks to work alongside these guys.  It's been great to jump in and be a part of maintaining an aircraft in the kind of operating environment the Kodiak was designed for.  The Kodiak pictured above, PK-MEB ("Bravo") is the highest time Kodiak in the world, with nearly 2,500 flight hours accrued in the last three years.  That's approximately 70 hours a month of actual airborne time, plying the skies above remote jungle airstrips in the Borneo interior serving people, showing compassion, and building Christ's church.  

"Bravo" is undergoing a phase inspection.  In this picture you can see that the right exhaust stack has been removed, allowing access through the exhaust duct to the back side of the power turbine.  This allows us to perform a borescope inspection of the back side of the engine, the aircraft equivalent to a colonoscopy.  Kinda nice that doctors don't insist on subjecting us to these sorts of procedures every 200 operational hours.  It's rough being an airplane.

The crew door windows on "Bravo" were in need of replacement, so we brought a couple of new windows with us from the States, along with the router (pictured) needed to remove the old windows.

The righthand crew door mounted in place with the new window freshly installed.

This is a quick glance at some of what I've been up to over the past few weeks here in Tarakan.  More to come...