Candidate Evaluation & Partnership Orientation: Aaron and Mary Richards

Evaluation Season Arrives at MMS Aviation

We're in "eval" season right now. In fact, Karen and I just returned from MMS Aviation where we assisted with the evaluation and subsequent partnership orientation of MMS's newest approved candidates: Aaron & Mary Richards.

Here we are with Aaron & Mary after their acceptance for service with MMS Aviation. 

Aaron is an engineer for a railroad and Mary is a medical assistant.

After we walked the Richards' through ten months of mobilization and application, MMS invited them to participate in our In-Hangar Evaluation. Evaluation is where MMS makes the final determination of suitability for service as an apprentice in our ministry.

Evaluation week is a challenging time where applicants are placed under the microscopes of hangar operations and missionary life for 72 hours straight. It's intense as we closely examine the applicants and the applicants closely evaluate us with God's gifting, God's will, and God's calling in mind.

Director of Maintenance, Tim Obarow (left), supervises Aaron through an aviation maintenance project.

Aaron works with Apprentice Josh Snader to disassemble an engine for overhaul.

Project Supervisor Chris Jutte (right) talks Aaron through a bore-scope inspection of the inside of a turbine engine.

Aaron and I talk through earlier repairs he made to this Bearhawk, soon to be back in missionary service in Haiti.

While all this was going on in the hangar, Mary was interacting with several MMS spouses as they went "thrifting" in Amish country, enjoyed "non-technical time" together, and explored the realities of home management in Coshocton County.

Coshocton County: "A friendly place with a slower pace."

Our Specialty is Helping Others Raise Their Support

Once accepted, Approved Candidates like Aaron and Mary are oriented for the initial phase of their ministry: Team Building (partnership development). To serve as part of missionary aviation, each family must build a team of financial investors and prayer partners to send them into service. 

Karen and I have the privilege of training, coaching, resourcing, and encouraging each of our approved candidates through this process. We meet weekly with each family by computer, and mentor them over the next 12-18 months as they raise the relationships necessary to meet the physical and spiritual costs of missionary service.

Through your gifts and prayers, you are as much a member of MMS Aviation's mobilization process as we are!

Mobilization Update

• A family we just finished coaching to full financial support will soon move to Coshocton to begin ministry.

• We're currently coaching two Approved Candidates through the Team Building process.

• There are three more Candidate Evaluations scheduled this year.

• We are very close to opening two new applications.

Your "Kingdom Investment" in this ministry

sends others into ministry! 

Thank You!