Fragile Component for Congo & Prayer for MAG Meetings

Delicate Aircraft Component Delivered
Karen and I had the privilege of being part of the solution to a recent, five month old, "How do we get this hand-carried to Congo, Africa?" question.

No, we didn't have the chance to hand-carry the delicate aircraft instrument to the Congo ourselves, but we did have the opportunity to hand-carry it to the volunteer who IS hand-carrying it to the Congo!

We were contacted by missionary friends of ours because of our proximity to Charlotte, NC (90 minutes SW of here). They were in central PA and had spent the last five months working to have this component delicately "land" at their field facility in Congo, Africa. They had a volunteer in Charlotte who was leaving for Congo and they wondered if we could work out some way to get it to him. The aircraft instrument was too valuable (nearly irreplaceable if damaged) to send via UPS, USPS, and/or Fed-Ex.

It turned out I was actually in eastern PA for a mobilization conference when they called and they were headed right by my location on their way into New Jersey for a missions conference. It couldn't have worked out better. They dropped the instrument by the conference on Thursday, I carried it back to Graham on Friday, and then Karen and I drove it down to the Charlotte area Sunday and delivered it to the volunteer heading to Congo. Totally cool. Thanks for being part of changing lives and eternities in Congo, Africa by being part of our ministry in North Carolina!

Here I am delivering the part from Pennsylvania, to the volunteer in North Carolina, who'll deliver the part to a mission aviation program in Congo, Africa.

Prayer for This Week's MAG Staff Meeting & Aviation Summit, June 4-6
This is an exciting week for Missionary Air Group as Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday our administrative, operational, and aviation personnel will gather in Burlington for three days of reports, meetings, and fellowship.

Our Program Directors from Honduras (Wes) and Guatemala (Paul) are already on their way up. Our Director of Aviation Maintenance (Scott) is coming down from Ohio. Of course Sean, Karen, and I are already here, and our Director of Pastoral Ministries (Carlos) will join us by video conference as he will have just returned to New Hampshire late Tuesday night after nearly a month in Rus Rus, Honduras.

On Wednesday our meetings will center around organizational topics. Thursday and Friday our aviation staff will focus their efforts on updating our Aviation Operations Manual.

We would greatly appreciate your prayers as we meet.

A Quick Caption From Tanner

"Thanks for taking such good care of our humans!"

Snapshots Away From Ministry

Sometimes you need to go for a walk and just sit and enjoy being who God created you to be.

 Sometimes you need to harvest food. Tucker helps with the leaf lettuce.

Radishes to go with the lettuce!

 Sometimes you need to go to the beach...

 ...and bask in being alone.

Or enjoy the weather with friends of a feather.

Sometimes you just need to fish. It doesn't matter whether you catch.

And sometimes we just need to disconnect from what we're doing in order to reconnect with WHOM we're serving. Thank you for giving us the freedom to rest in order to give God our best.

Three Medical Flights, A Construction Team, Evangelism, And A Wildfire

There's a lot happening at our air/medical base down in Rus Rus, Honduras. Special thanks to Westley and Denise Wiles, our missionaries in the village who do a wonderful job of loving and serving people in a remote and challenging location.

Three Medical Flights
Wes recently made three medical flights in our 206.

The first flight was to transport a set of twin infants.The babies were brought to our clinic in a malnourished condition and weren't doing well at all. Geraldina Coleman, our indigenous Head Nurse was able to start an IV in one of the babies but was unable to locate a vein in the other. Wes flew them to Puerto Lempira to be cared for at House of Hope which is a ministry which specializes in treating malnourished children.

Malnourished twin infants at our clinic prior to being airlifted to House of Hope.

The second flight was to transport a man from Rus Rus up to the mission hospital in the village of Ahuas to provide blood for a transfusion for a patient with a rare blood type.

Blood transfusion in Ahuas

The third flight was the next day as Wes flew back to Ahaus in order to to airlift the sick man from there to the hospital in Puerto Lempira.

Transporting the sick patient from Ahaus to Puerto Lempira.

MAG/Common Ground Construction Team
We currently have a construction team on the ground in Rus Rus. Their main tasks are to build the garage for the 4 wheel-drive truck we're trusting the Lord to provide and to re-roof the guesthouse.

Starting construction of the garage adjacent to our hangar

New roof on the guesthouse.

Evangelism and Bible Teaching: A Report By Carlos Paz
"The (construction) materials arrived just as we needed them and we are making good progress. We are well cared for, making good progress in our projects, and beginning to establish a good plan with the locals for Bible study and in preparation for a Sunday service together. Tomorrow night we will gather as a group at the community center to begin a study of First John with all adults who committed to attend, 8 or so new soldiers in the village, and with several youth. Pray that as we study that the Spirit of God will bless our time in the Word together. I have the necessary literature in Spanish for those attending."

 Pastor Carlos Paz, MAG's Director of Evangelism in Rus Rus.

"I met the officer in charge of the soldiers presently in the village. They are very open to studying with us. We have plans to attend a neighboring village on Sunday named Mahbita to enjoy worship, testimony and biblical preaching with them. Most of the residents of Rus Rus will make the one hour walk with us so that we can encourage the brothers and sisters in Mahbita. We then plan to have lunch with them and then enter into a time of volleyball with them and against them. It should be great fun. But at the same time, pray that God's word will be received as God's word, with open, humble, and repentant hearts."

Oh Yes, And A Wildfire
In the midst of the medical flights, construction projects, and evangelism, a brush fire broke out after dinner one evening. It was a blessing the construction crew was there as all the men needed to go cut a fire break to save one of the village homes as well as prevent the fire from crossing the grass air strip and into our compound. The fire hit the fire break and eventually burned itself out. Everyone was okay and the house wasn't damaged.

Fire lights up the night sky in Rus Rus.

Thank You
Karen and I thank you so much for making this mission possible through your gifts, your encouragement, your love for the Miskito people of Honduras, and of course your prayers. There are many exciting things happening right now so be watching our blog for updates! And don't forget to visit and like/follow MAG's Facebook page to keep up with breaking news: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Missionary-Air-Group/122539857765655

Action Shots of Stateside Mission Administration & Future Salsa!

Almost any missionary in the field with a camera and an internet connection can post inspirational photos...but it takes a special breed to capture the breathtaking excitement, thrills and spills, of Stateside mission administration in action. "Hold onto your hats, boys..."

Here I am in the midst of a scanning project related to fund raising, non-profit management, and board governance. (MAG's Pepperstone Annex)

Here we are preparing our reports summarizing the contacts we made, opportunities we pursued, and resources we discovered at last month's TECH Conference. Tucker and Tanner are making sure we remain undisturbed. (MAG's Pepperstone Annex)

Sean and Karen take a break from outlining dates, tasks, and roles for a medical team being organized from a local church here in Burlington. Tentative dates for the trip to Rus Rus, Honduras are September 25-October 4. Lord willing, Karen and I will both be part of that team. (MAG Headquarters)

Sean and I discuss a communications project for digital and print distribution. (MAG Headquarters)

Here we are with Sean at a recent Pastor's luncheon hosted by a local church. We're scheduled to take part in another luncheon next week.

 Karen prepares the MAG conference room for our monthly staff and volunteers meeting.

And if that's not enough action-packed adventure to rock your socks...the bonus photo is...

OF OUR FIRST SOUTHERN SALSA GARDEN!!!! That's right, ladies and gentlemen, the tomatoes, jalapenos, banana peppers, and green peppers are in the ground and sprouting up. Stay tuned for the Southern Salsa Saga!

Southern Salsa on the South Side of Pepperstone Annex.

Stay tuned for reports from Honduras, Guatemala, Burlington, NC and Coshocton, OH!

If you're looking for administrative excitement, you've come to the right place. Tell your friends, share our link...there's more missionary drama here than in Downton Abbey and NCIS combined...remember to breathe...