FBC Men's Quintet: Making a Joyful Noise

While I'm nowhere near the singer that Karen is, I do enjoy making a joyful noise to the Lord. I'm more enthusiastic than polished, more free-style than trained, and though I can't tell you what note I'm singing I'll try my hardest to hit it (once someone shows me the line I'm supposed to sing).

All that said, I'm now part of the newly formed Men's Quintet Choir at Fresno Bible Church. We just had our first real practice last night and began working on three songs. We have a tenor, two bases, an alto, and they let me sing melody with one of our young adults whose job it is to keep me out of harmonial trouble. Is "harmonial" a word? Spell-check doesn't think so...If not, it should be. Maybe I should just say his job is to keep me on key.

Please pray for Helen, our director, as she shapes and molds us into one voice. I'll try and have some photos of us in next week's blog.

A Humorous Story From The Field: "Need Teeth"

I'd like to share this humorous story with you from one of our graduate families in the field:

"Debbie, one of our literacy workers, and her family were out in their village. She didn't have a lot of time to learn the language as she was busy with house work and home schooling her children. Every day an elderly lady would come by her house and sell her vegetables. Debbie began to talk to this lady, practicing a few simple sentences.

One day Debbie felt confident that she had mastered these sentences well. Leaving her house, she looked for some ladies in the village to whom she could say these sentences.

As Debbie began to use the sentences she had practiced with the elderly vegetable seller, the village ladies began to laugh. "You sound just like Ibu Yaki," the said. "You talk like you don't have any teeth!" Debbie laughed along with them. She had indeed practiced the sentences with Ibu Yaki and Ibu Yaki didn't have any teeth."

I hope this humorous story not only brings a smile to your face but also provides a small glimpse into the realities faced by missionaries around the world each day.

Saving $67.50 for MAF-Chad

Here's a photo of Chuck Egbert, one of our Production Mechanics. Chuck completed MMS back in 1998, served a year in Alaska and then served five years in South Africa as a pilot/mechanic. Chuck and his family returned to join MMS as staff several years ago.

Chuck is fabricating a fuel line for the MAF Cessna 206 from Chad. The original fuel line is lying on the bench in front of Chuck. It's about twelve inches long and costs $72.50 from Cessna. Chuck will be able to make it for about $5.oo in material saving MAF $67.50 on this part alone!

It's your gifts and prayers which make this all possible. Your involvement with us is making a difference in this world and the next one.

May God receive the glory!

Troy Paul, Houseguest

This past week we were blessed to host Troy Paul in our home. He's the gentleman in the red shirt. Troy is a "pre-candidate" with MMS. While he has expressed interest in mission aviation, he hasn't yet been led to apply for service. Troy, his wife Shannon, and their children drove up from Texas to visit MMS about a year and a half ago. Since then Troy bought an airplane and began earning the flight ratings necessary to serve in missions.

Troy flew the airplane solo up to our hangar on Monday and spent the rest of the week volunteering in the hangar. He assisted with an inspection on a Cessna 310 and helped fabricate a part for some amphibious floats needed in Canada. He also had the chance to talk with many of our mechanics and to gain a better understanding of the realities of mission aviation.

On the home front, Tucker and Tanner quickly accepted Troy, and Karen and I greatly enjoyed having him as part of our family for a week. Troy watched the radar closely the past few days as a weather front was predicted to move through the area this morning. Ultimately, the system fizzled-out over Ohio and I drove Troy up to MMS after a breakfast of Karen's famous home-ground whole wheat and oatmeal pancakes. Once at the hangar he made a final weather check, filed his flight plan, and taxied to Runway 22 about 10:30 to start the first leg of his eight hour flight home. As I type this he should be close to, or already on the ground in, Indiana where he'll re-fuel and then return to the sky for the second of three legs.

I'll keep you posted as they discover what the Lord has planned for them.

Receipts and Mailing Lists

Along with her other ministry tasks, Karen spends every Friday at MMS receiving, recording, and receipting the donations received by the mission. Donations come in preferenced for each of the eighteen families serving here, donations come in designated for specific accounts, and some donations come in direct support of MMS organizational operations. Karen shares the job with Rena, the wife of our CEO. Rena normally works on Tuesdays. Last year MMS received over 7,800 donations of various sizes and shapes.

Karen also manages the MMS mailing list which currently comprises 6,700 families and individuals. She adds new lists in when families arrive, she removes old lists when families leave for the field, and she updates entries as contact information changes.

Fridays are always a bit more fun for me as Karen works in the office next to mine and we usually have lunch together. It seems to me that MMS is little brighter, the pressure a little lighter, when Karen's around. She helps me laugh at myself and to refocus on our Lord.

Can anyone ask any more of a wife?

Dog Blog #1

Welcome to Dog Blog #1. And it's about time, I might add. I've been on Keith's case for weeks to be part of his blog team. I mean, after writing page two of his newsletter for four years, why shouldn't I be blogging as well? Sometimes it takes an inordinate amount of canine patience to live with a pair of humans. You know what I mean, Vern?

As an introduction to those of you who might not know us from the newsletter, Tucker Sue and I are brother and sister. We're Cocker Spaniels. Tucker Sue is on the left in the photo and I, Tanner Lou, am the suave and debonair fellow on the right. She wears a red collar, I wear a blue one. Our shots are up to date and we're street-legal with the appropriate tags. Good to go in sun, rain, or snow you might say. We recently received our Spring haircuts.

We share the house with another dog, Hope. She's a Black Lab-Great Dane mix who was living here when we moved in. We call Hope, "The Queen" because she's older than we are, keeps us in line, and lets us know when we break the rules.

I'll write more about Hope in future dog blogs.

As far as keeping you up to date, Tucker and I have finally gotten Keith and Karen settled down and in something of a routine again after their two month trip to California. It hasn't been easy, but they're finally going to bed on time, sleeping the night through, and giving us the appropriate attention and obedience we've become accustomed to.

As far as humans go, we didn't do too bad.

RV-8

Another project in our hangar is an avionics upgrade to an RV-8. This airplane is owned by a local pilot and is providing the opportunity to gain electrical and wiring experience. Ian Hengst is the Team Leader overseeing the project.


This photo is of Ian building the wiring harness for the RV-8's new radio "stack." If you look closely you'll notice the Ian is building the harness wire by wire.

This photo has Scott, Ian's "team," in the cockpit of the airplane. Scott's fabricating the new panel hardware, circuit breakers, and related internal connections to receive the new radios and upgraded avionics package.

No more than 2o% of our work may be performed on non-mission aircraft. When we do work on "commercial" projects like this this one, labor charges do apply. These labor charges are a source of income for the mission.

Along with the needed income, non-mission aircraft projects often provide different maintenance challenges than those found in typical mission airplanes. This variety helps round-out the experience gained by our apprentices so that they are more fully prepared for service on the mission field.

Mission Aviation Group-Honduras, Cessna 206

Today's airplane vignette is the Mission Aviation Group (MAG) 206 from Honduras, Central America.

The airplane was flown up here last May for a major inspection and to take care of several "squawks." Squawk is the technical term pilots use to identify a problem and/or irritation with an airplane that needs repair. In the case of this 206, there were several squawks to address.

In the process of working through the inspection, which was anticipated to take four months, more and more squawks were discovered ultimately turning the major inspection into a full restoration. The airplane has been here for a year now and there's still more work to do. The photos will help you appreciate the depth of maintenance the guys are involved with in getting this airplane ready to return to missionary service.

Mike Dunkley is the Team Leader on this project and he can use your prayers as he leads Shawn and Chuck in putting this airplane back together.

First Bike Ride

Some people mark the arrival of spring by the bloom of a specific flower or by sighting the first Robin. Others by raising the storm windows and setting the screens in place. One of the ways we mark Spring's arrival is by going on our first bike ride around the neighborhood.

We had rain Saturday night and Sunday morning but Sunday afternoon the sky was clear, the sun was warm, and Karen and I looked at each other and said, "Bike Ride!" Here it is nearly May and the weather's just finally warm enough to enjoy pedaling around without a parka .

So we changed into some comfortable clothes, gave the dogs a "we'll be back later" biscuit, and went out to the garage to get the bikes down. No problem with my bike. Karen's, however, had a flat rear tire. The air leaked out as fast as our little compressor pumped it in.

After a brief discussion of our options, I grabbed the spare tire tube from my equipment pack and made an immediate replacement. Then we were off on a very enjoyable ride across the railroad tracks, up the small hill, and around the high school working our way home through random streets and side roads.

We wish you could have come along with us.

A Saturday Slow Start

We were blessed to have a slow start today. Sometimes you just need to sleep in, catch those extra winks, and smile into the pillow as the day begins without you being responsible to lead the pre-dawn charge. On Saturdays like today, once we finally get up, Karen fixes whole-wheat pancakes from flour she grinds here at home and sizzles up some bacon. Saturdays are the one day a week when we can have breakfast together. It's nice to have breakfast together.

The spring pattern of great weather during the week and funky weather over the weekend is now in place. So we were outside working on the yard for most of the rest of the day as rain is predicted to start any time. The yard is mowed, trimmed, and edged. I think I'm the only person in the county that has a power edger. Growing up in Southern California, the yard isn't done until it's edged. Out here not only doesn't anyone edge they don't sweep up their curbs or cuttings either.

Karen moved some mums, hand-tilled and cleared the flower bed behind the garage, and cleaned up the flower bed in front of the house. Now she's in the kitchen whipping up some white chocolate, Craisin, oatmeal cookies with walnuts. Can you smell them? I can. And I'll soon be tasting them.

Because I am such a considerate fellow, I'll eat a few for you.

Crucial Conversations #2

What is a crucial conversation?

The material we're being led through defines a crucial conversation as one where: the stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. Have you ever been involved in a crucial conversation?

Indications we might be entering a crucial conversation could be: feelings of stress, sweaty palms, a racing or pounding heart, tightness in our throat or chest, and/or a quavering voice. Actually, if you're experiencing those symptoms you might be having a heart attack but in some situations I think we'd rather have a heart attack than deal with a necessary crucial conversation.

Around MMS, just by the nature of who we are as an organization of strong-willed, spirit-led, missionaries passionate about living out God's calling on our lives, it seems many conversations enter the crucial range. Some days it seems like every conversation is a crucial conversation. But then I'm sure, at some point, it's that way in your life, workplace, ministry or home as well.

One thing that's happening as we work through the material is that I'm learning I'm not as great of a communicator and compassionate conversationalist as I thought I was. Go figure. I have high scores on the questionnaires where I should have low scores and low scores where I should have high ones.

Consequently, I'm praying that the Holy Spirit would convict me of my areas of weakness, guide me in the changes needing to be made, and enable me to make the changes required so that I can better glorify our Lord through the crucial conversations He sovereignly brings my way.

Will you pray that way for me as well?

Crucial Conversations

Just a quick post as at MMS we're in the middle of a two day seminar on communications called "Crucial Conversations." A pastor came down from Michigan to present the material to our group and to challenge us to become as accomplished at communicating as our guys are at fixing airplanes.

This evening Karen and I are headed to Columbus with our friends Chuck and Sally to attend a revival sponsored by an evangelical group of a slightly different political perspective than the one we typically hold.

It should be an interesting finish to an interesting day!

More to follow...

MAF-Chad Cessna 206

The airplane vignette for today is the Cessna 206 restoration project for MAF-Chad. This airplane is featured on the front page of the April GroundCrew newsletter which was mailed this morning (many thanks to Deborah, Dana, and the rest of the MMS ladies).

I was out on the hangar floor earlier today taking pictures of the team working on the airplane. This first photo is of Dale installing cable pulleys under the floor panels while Gertjan shims new seat rails. They're very excited to see major components coming together. Gertjan is from The Netherlands.

Since the GroundCrew was printed, fuselage painting was completed, tail surfaces were installed, new seat rails are in place, control cables are being rigged, and they'll soon "hang" the wings on the fuselage. In this second photo the guys are moving the wings into position prior to being hung.

It's been quite the challenge for Dale and his team to bring the airplane to this point, but momentum toward completion is growing. I'll add additional photos in future posts as progress continues.

Please pray for Dale, Gertjan, and David as they forge ahead so this airplane can be quickly and safely returned to missionary service in Chad, Africa.

Engine Run-ups: Cessna 210, Cessna 172

While I'm upstairs working on the people side of our ministry, there are a bunch of guys downstairs focused on the airplane side. Two airplane projects underway today are pictured here.

First is a Cessna 210 that is here for annual inspection. As your car needs an annual inspection to meet EPA regulations, airplanes need an annual inspection to meet FAA regulations. With the annual inspection nearly complete, the airplane was taken outside for a "run-up" of the engine before being returned to service by the team leader.

The second is a Cessna 172 operated by Gospel Carrier International. It was flown in this morning for an oil change. The pastor/pilot is waiting for the service to be completed so he can immediately return to ministry. I took this picture during the "leak-check" engine run-up. If no leaks are found, the airplane will be cowled-up, log book entries will be made, and it will be returned to the pastor/pilot. It shouldn't be long before I hear the airplane start up, taxi to the runway, and then take-off.

I wish you were hear to hear it as well. It's a satisfying sound. Thank you for helping make all this possible through your gifts and prayers.

Back In The Saddle

Greetings from my office at MMS Aviation. I'm finally back in the saddle after wrapping-up our two month support development trip to California. It's good to be back at the shop, the hangar is full of airplanes, and they didn't change the lock or empty out my office while I was gone. I take that as a good sign.

My immediate focus is on recruiting and candidate development. I'm currently working with thirty-seven people who've expressed an interest in serving as apprentice mechanics with us. I'm also supervising two approved candidates raising their support. We have an in-hangar evaluation of a candidate couple from Missouri scheduled for next month.

Policy updates related to our training partnership with Mission Aviation Fellowship United Kingdom are on my desk and it looks like contact will open today with a possible candidate from their scholarship program.

I look forward to including you in the excitement of all the different things God is doing through the people and airplane projects here at MMS Aviation.

Domestic Tranquility

We're having something of a domestic day today.

I've run errands and stopped by the lumber yard for some insight into a small home project we're considering. Karen's already baked cookies, put a roast in the oven to share with a guest this evening, and is now finishing up the laundry. Our washer and dryer are in the basement and that's where I caught Karen ironing my shirts.

I was much more wrinkled as a bachelor.

Straw Report and Coshocton Flyer Update

Well the rain finally came and the straw in the dog's yard stayed in the dog's yard! Those are both good things.

Karen is up in Cleveland today taking part in a women's conference with one of her friends. I'm home taking part in getting our Coshocton Flyer newsletter ready to mail. Producing and mailing the Coshocton Flyer is a team effort between Karen, the dogs, and me. I write the first page, Tanner usually writes the second page, and I make the photo copies. Karen prepares each of the 500 envelopes with return address, mailing label, and a postage stamp. Then she and I work together to place the newsletters into the envelopes while the dogs take care of any mistakes we make.

Logistically, publishing the Coshocton Flyer is like sending Christmas cards three times a year, every year. Personally, it's one of the best methods we have to keep you involved in our lives and involved with our ministry (in addition to blogging!).

Look for the latest Coshocton Flyer coming soon to a mailbox near you.

Nice flowers, eh? They're for Karen.

Seeds and Straw

So much for the five days of rain. We've enjoyed two days of absolutely wonderful weather. After returning home from MMS this afternoon, I thought I'd take advantage of this weather window and conduct an experiment in the dog's yard. The experiment is to see if we can grow grass in the yard at the same time dogs are using it. In the past we'd shift the fence over and move them to "new pasture." Then we'd seed the worn areas of the old "pasture" for a season of rest and growth.

However with Hope's hips being so bad, negotiating deck steps aren't an option. It's better for her to use the dog-ramp instead.

Consequently, the experiment is two-fold: 1) to see if grass can actually grow in a four-legged traffic pattern, and 2) to determine how much straw is going to find its way into the house. I did half of the dog's yard this evening. Lord willing, and weather permitting, I'll finish the other half tomorrow.

After I scraped, raked, Wild-Weaseled, and spread the grass seed, Tucker came out to supervise the straw distribution from a safe spot on the dog ramp. She was very interested in the process.

If we wake up tomorrow to find happy dogs romping around with more straw inside the house than outside, we may need to rethink our methodology.

It's Handy Having a Handy Wife

I am totally blessed by Karen's being handy.

Not only does she wash windows--she repairs them. Guys, is that too cool or what? She's amazing when it comes to home repair, maintenance, and management. I'm not handy at all. Oh, I can paint and I can mow and I can trim roses...but when it comes to home repair projects my approach is to pray and walk away. My level of contentment equals my level of ability. If I can't fix it, I learn to be content with it as it is.

Not so with my Sweetie-Pie. She's not afraid to tackle a task she's never attempted before and to learn as she goes. The photo is of Karen repairing the windows in our bedroom. She'd already repaired the living room and dining room windows. The windows were difficult to open and/or wouldn't stay open because the counterbalance weight & rope assemblies needed repair and replacement. So she grabbed her tools, opened the window frames, and made several trips to the hardware store. She's even adjusting the window tracking so they don't rattle when the wind blows anymore.

I'm astounded. Not that she can do it, as after five years of marriage I know she can do anything she sets her mind to do, I'm astounded that God chose to bring her into my life so it'd be my windows she'd ultimately fix.

Amen? Amen!

First Mow

Well, I stirred up the neighborhood this afternoon by being the first person to mow their yard in 2008. It's not like I laid awake last night unable to sleep from the sheer excitement of knowing I might be first, or that I had a grand plan to be first, it just worked out that way. In some neighborhoods around here great offense is taken if someone cuts their grass before the traditional "First Mower" cuts their grass. Seriously. Some people take great pride in being First Mower. Not so on McClain Avenue.

I knew I'd catch some verbal abuse for my bold act, and I did. Most of it good natured and meant in fun. Everyone else planned to wait out the storm that's predicted to arrive tonight and then have kind of a neighborhood First Mow Day late next week.

I guess I ruined that party.

But with the rain showers forecast for the next three days followed by a rain & snow mix over the weekend, there were sections of our yard that really couldn't wait another week to get mowed. So I bit the bullet, yanked the starter rope, and tried to be finished with the job before everyone else came home from work to minimize the scowls and growls.

I almost got away with it.

A Better Finish Than Start

Today finished much better than it started. My day started pre-dawn with a stack of receipts on my right and Federal Tax Form 1040, Schedule C, and Schedule SE on my left. Jolly. It seemed as if the sun would never rise. It was a battle between my brain, IRS written instructions, too many numbers and a calculator that was smarter than my fingers.

Mid-day was a mental blur but this afternoon...our day brightened when we were blessed by a surprise visit by close friends and ministry teammates, Doug and Colleen. Doug & Colleen were returning to Pennsylvania from an extended RV trip through the South. This was their first trip through Coshocton and we're really thankful they chose to stop in. We caught up with each other's lives, enjoyed a spaghetti meal together, toured MMS, and returned home to settle in with ice cream to close out the evening.

What a contrast between my AM and PM. Ice cream and friends are so much better than the IRS and daylight nightmares.

A Saturday Hint of Spring

We woke up this morning to bright sun and clear blue sky. How unusual. It seemed strange, but the temps hit the high 50's today with a forecast into the 60's later this week. The sun is warm and the air is cool and it seemed like everyone was outside sweeping, raking, cutting, trimming, and otherwise getting their "Spring" on. Karen and I were no exception.

After spending a few hours at MMS taking care of some mission stuff, we stopped at our local Wal-Mart Super Center to pick up envelopes and paper for our next Coshocton Flyer newsletter. While we were there, we too got caught up in the frenzy and bought grass seed, rose spray, and some plastic edging for a new flower bed Karen's considering. It's crazy how crazy everything gets around here when the snow and rain actually stop long enough for the sun to shine for a few hours. After this year's winter, a few hours of sun seems like a week's worth.

Karen has all the doors and windows open, the dogs are lying on the front porch watching the neighborhood come to life, and I was even able to put a quick trim on our climbing roses. Wait until you see our trellis later in the season. This is our third year of growing the roses and we're hoping for spectacular blooms and foliage this season.

Have a great weekend!

Taking Care of Business

Karen's up at the mission receipting donations today. I'm in my home office wrapping up some of the final paperwork related to our trip, updating records, and getting my head back into the normal routine of ministry again. It's overcast with rain right now (We're not in California anymore, Toto) . Tucker and Tanner are asleep together over on the dog bed nearby. Hope's sleeping in the living room waiting for Karen to come home.

There are hints of Spring about. We were concerned our climbing roses might not survive the winter but they're starting to bud, Daffodils are pushing up, and the grass is green though not yet needing a mow. That'll change quickly once the sun actually comes out.

This afternoon Karen and I are headed to Zanesville to pick the April GroundCrew up from the print shop and deliver it to MMS. The MMS ladies will get together over the next week or so to stuff envelopes and finalize the mailing. This was the first of the 33 issues I've written to be produced while I was away from the hangar. I depended on Scott Grote (MMS Production Mechanic) for photos and on Tim Obarow (MMS Production Manager) for hangar information. With the photos and facts in hand, I wrote the copy, organized the concept, and sent the project components to Tammy Farrell of TNT Graphics, who did another amazing job on the layout. Be watching for the April GroundCrew coming soon to a mailbox near you.

It's Good To Be Home

After two uneventful flights, I walked through the Terminal B security gate at Port Columbus Airport and into Karen's arms about 9:50 last night. I was ready for that hug. It was a good hug. It was a wonderful hug. Once we stopped hugging, we went downstairs, collected my bags, and headed back to Coshocton arriving at 11:30 to three very excited dogs. While it was wonderful being out in California for an extended time, it's sure nice to be home.

The highlight of my layover in Minneapolis, was eating dinner at the Maui Taco and Salsa Bar in Terminal C. I've eaten my share of burritos over the years but the steak & chicken, wet, combo meal I ordered at MT&SB rated right up there with some of the best...and this from an airport outlet. The black beans were better than most. The restaurant is done up in surf/tropical decor which is always a plus from my perspective. The meal wasn't cheap, but what airport food is? However, since I'm still tasting the burrito today...you could say I got my money's worth. There were killer onions in the salsa! Pass the breath mints please.

Thanks for your prayers for both the trip and for my travel.

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane (Tomorrow)

Another "Good Morning" to you from Grass Valley, California. This will the final GM from GV this trip as this evening I'll stay with friends in PV (Penn Valley) and then head to Sacramento Airport in the morning (Thanks, Rod & Jane).

This time tomorrow I'll be on the road toward the airport. I'm scheduled to depart on Northwest's noon flight to Minneapolis and then hop the 6:40 to Columbus arriving back in Karen's arms (she'll be waiting for me at the security gate) somewhere around 9:30 PM. That will make my canine reunion with the missionary mutts sometime between 11-11:30. Coshocton is about 70 miles East, and a bit north, of Columbus, Ohio.

Things are going to get busy for me as soon as I upload this post and I'm unsure if I'll be able to post again until after I'm home. It'll depend on wi-fi connections, computer configuration issues, and time. I'll see what I can do.

Thanks for hanging-out with me. Stay tuned.