Copy
The Knott's October/November 2018 Update
View this email in your browser

"Perfecting" Patience, Part 1

 

MORE BLESSED TO GIVE ...

It must have been the 23rd visit to DGAC (Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil). The traffic driving across town had especially exasperated me that morning. Why did I have to deal with this bureaucratic nonsense day after day?


I parked the car and got my visitor badge from the guard booth. Today it was the badge with the broken and re-tied lanyard that would barely fit over my head. Having the big gaudy tag just inches below my chin didn’t help me feel more generous.
Dirección General de Aeronautica Civil (DGAC)
This morning Millie was not at her the desk. Her assistant looked up reluctantly from a stack of papers she was sorting and answered my greeting guardedly.

“May I speak with Don Jairo please?” I asked. 

“Why?” she questioned suspiciously.
 
My mind flipped incredulously through the dozens of times she had heard me say the same words over the last two months. I forced a smile through my impatient thoughts.

“Well, you see, it's about my pilot’s license conversion,” I replied as casually as I could, not wanting to be sarcastic.
International Tribal Ministries' Cessna 206 in the central Bolivia lowlands. DJ's first landing as a Bolivian pilot.
“Well….” She said in a disapproving tone, looking up sharply. “Do you have all the requirements?” 
 
My mouth opened to snap back, but thankfully no intelligible Spanish words came out for a few seconds…

“Well, if there was a list of requirements…” I began a bit sharply and then tried to recover. “….That, er, ah, that would be great,” I finally stammered trying to fake a smile.

I immediately felt ashamed for what I had said and even more for what I had thought... If there was a written list of requirement for this stupid process, it would have saved me from seeing your grumpy face every day for the last month!!!
I took a seat for the obligatory twenty-minute wait to be called upstairs. Most times I resented it but today I needed to cool down. A thought from earlier that week came back to me:
It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). 
Landing Oromomo, an indigenous village with Tony Murrin in the ITM Cessna 206.
I certainly hadn’t received anything from DGAC, not even my rights! But could I be blessed by simply giving? Giving time, giving kindness, re-gifting Grace? Perhaps a little piece of heaven’s atmosphere could be brought into that lobby every day. What challenges did these people face outside of these walls? How would it be to shuffle reams of paper everyday? Where did they find meaning in life?
 
The twenty minutes flew by. When I was finally called upstairs for my 23rd visit, I felt as good as if Don Jairo had handed me a Bolivian pilot’s license.

THIS LITTLE LIGHT ...

The morning rain made a light patter on the roof of the jeep as a poncho-clad vehicle inspection officer worked her way down the line of cars. I hopped out of the jeep with what I’m sure was a relieved smile. My two-and-a-half-hour wait was over...


“Give me your ID card,” the officer demanded. After examining it, she handed it back. “We aren’t going to do your inspection; your address is in a different part of the city,” she said bruskly, turning to go.
“But ma’am, I’ve been waiting a long time….” I protested in the softest voice I could muster.

As she walked away I felt a surge of adrenaline. I won’t give in this time, I growled silently. It was my fourth time in a vehicle inspection line in two days. Threats were normal, excuses were common, anything to extract a bribe. Thankfully I knew the law enough to see through this latest ploy. I pondered going to the office to inform the boss of her legal obligations but decided against it. Bolivians always protest in groups. There is safety in numbers.
I must be a light, I thought, and started whistling the Negro Spiritual “This little light of mine.” Gradually the urge to yell in someone’s face subsided and the knot in my stomach loosened a bit. Why did I not feel any more patient than two months ago? Hadn’t I had lots of practice? In fact, practicing patience seemed like my full time job; I should be good at it by now. If the “little light” of the Negro song writer could shine in the darkest midnight of evil, injustice and oppression, my “little light” should be able to survive a few raindrops. 
__ __ __
 
Thanksgiving Day - Literally!

Don Ramiro (Pilot Examiner) on the left. Don Jairo (Licensing) on the right.
 
Epilogue: November 15, 2018 DJ passed the check ride for Commercial and Instrument Single Engine Land. A week later on Thanksgiving Day he received his long awaited Bolivian Pilot's License! 
 
The following week DJ started orientation training with Tony Murrin, Director of International Tribal Ministries, in ITM's Cessna TU206G. Tony has a lot of wisdom that he is willing to pass on, gained over several decades of experience as a mission pilot in Bolivia for which we are grateful.
 
-The Knott Family
We welcomed a little girl into our family at the end of November. More to come in the next update :).
Facebook: GMA Bolivia Highlands
GospelAviation.org
Super Cub

Very Close!

We've just got unofficial word that the Cub has a registration number assigned. The official certificate should arrive within a month!
Join our Prayer Team and see how God is answering your prayers on a weekly basis!

Sign up by clicking the link below:
Join the Prayer Circle
Ways God has Provided:

1. Megavoice Project: MP3 Bible stories in Aymara - $900

2. Bolivian Driver’s Licenses

3. DJ's Bolivian Passport

4. DJ's Bolivian Pilot License

5. Annual Vehicle Inspections Completed

6. Flight Checkout with Tony Murrin started this past week
Bolivian Gold
Practicing Patience on These:

1. Airport Security Pass (applied in July)

2. Bolivian Birth Certificate for our Baby

3. Super Cub Registration

4. Bolivian A&P Mechanic’s License
 
Needs From Here Forward:

1. B-SISA permission to buy airplane fuel - $1000

2. Megavoice Project: MP3 players with Children's Bible stories and the New Testament in Aymara. ~$600 needed to complete order of 40 units.

3. General Project Expenses
My plans to stay sane during all these paperwork difficulties included three medical trips, all of which were canceled by external factors. Since I was at the airport nearly every day visiting DGAC, I got a lot of work done on the Super Cub.  The original cooling system for the engine was not sufficient for high altitude so it got completely reworked. 
FUNNIES
 
Word: Mañana 
Literally: Tomorrow 
Translation: Maybe someday. 
Explanation: An illusive future event, that, if it ever came in its full force, would result in the bureaucratic meltdown of Bolivia.
 
Phrase: Directemente Mañana 
Literally: Directly Tomorrow
Translation: Maybe tomorrow, but certainly not today!
This non-profit is funded by donations.


If you’d like to be a part, you can send tax-deductible donations to our 501(c)3:

Gospel Mission Aviation, Inc.


Donate via:

     - PayPal: (donate2gma@gmail.com)

     - Check: P.O. Box 2358, Collegedale, TN 37315

Please include a note stating “Bolivia Highlands - Knott” or your project of choice.



unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences 






This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
Gospel Mission Aviation, Inc. · P.O. Box 2358 · Collegedale, TN 37315 · USA

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp