TECH Conference, Honduras, and Guatemala

TECH Conference
Karen and I just returned from representing MAG at the Spring 2014 TECH Conference (April 26-28) in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. TECH stands for: Technical Exchange for Christian Healthcare. TECH is a missionary networking organization formed to: "...improve the quality of healthcare equipment and supplies in the developing world..." You can visit their website by clicking here.

 In Blowing Rock, NC outside the Samaritan's Purse Training & Conference Center

As MAG's ministry continues to grow, it's a blessing to have such organizational resources available to us. 80 people from nearly 40 organizations gathered together at the Samaritan's Purse Training & Conference Center for two amazing days of worship, networking, education, and field reports about what God is doing around the world through medical missions.

Karen and I came away from the conference with a much greater understanding of the medical missions community and the knowledge that--though MAG is a small mission--we're not alone in the battle!

February's Health Clinic In Rus Rus
Though weather prevented Karen from participating in February's health clinic at our mission base in Rus Rus, Honduras, the rest of the IHS Brigade did make it into the village. At the end of the six day clinic, our missionary staff, the medical team, and local volunteers treated a record number of patients from the surrounding villages! In all, 1522 villagers were treated and 3737 prescriptions were filled!

Here are some of the 1522 patients waiting to see the doctor and dentist at our clinic in Rus Rus.

Lord willing, Karen and I will travel to Rus Rus later this year as part of a medical team being assembled from a church here in Burlington.

Scott's In Guatemala
Scott Grote, MAG's Director of Aviation Maintenance, traveled to Guatemala today to help Paul Jones, our Pilot-Mechanic, make some repairs and install new landing gear legs on "44 Quebec". "44 Quebec" is the Cessna 206 we're putting into operation to expand Hospital Shalom's medical and evangelical outreach deep into the remote northern region of Guatemala. Scott should be down there for two weeks. 

Scott Grote

44 Quebec

Thanks for your continued interest and involvement in our ministry with Missionary Air Group! We couldn't be here doing what we're doing without each one of you there doing what you're doing. Your partnership is key in reaching these remote peoples with medical help and spiritual hope.

"He Has Risen From The Dead..."

Visitors, Elephants, and Spring

Lord willing, we've just had our last frost warning for the next eight or nine months. The grass is growing, trees are leafing, and flowers are blooming. And now that our latest Coshocton Flyer is out, we thought it'd be fun to bring you up to speed on the personal side of things.

Visitors
Over the past two weeks, we've been blessed by visits from Karen's brother and sister-in-law (PA) and from my mom (CA).

Cindy & Steve in our hangar.

Karen, Mom, and me in our backyard.

Feeding Elephants in North Carolina
Some friends recently sent us a special donation with specific instructions to do something fun with it...so we did! We bought "Back Stage Passes" to the North Carolina Zoo's Elephant Barn and were introduced to, and allowed to feed, the local elephants! It was totally fun. You haven't LIVED until an elephant blows his trunk on you. Believe me...it's kind of a warm, wet, aromatic, somewhat sticky, slimy, windy, very memorable experience. Sorry, no photos of THAT moment...

A "handler" introduces us to one of the elephants inside the elephant barn.

Karen feeds a slice of sweet potato to a young (11 years old) elephant.

A portrait of one of our newly-met tusked friends.

Spring Arrives
Shortly after we moved in last fall, Karen planted some bulbs in preparation for our first southern spring. There was a lot of excitement and anticipation as she watched and waited for the first blooms in the midst of surviving one of the coldest winters in NC history. 

 Daffodils

 Tulips

Missionary Air Group

We'll get back on the blog track over the next few weeks. We have reports from Honduras to share, news from Burlington to pass along, and updates from our flight program in Guatemala.

Thanks for your prayers and your gifts which make it possible for us to transform lives in the most remote regions of Honduras and Guatemala (and also feed a few elephants in NC)!

Coshocton Flyer: April 2014

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