June 2019
Summer has arrived here in Missouri, with hot and humid weather, thunderstorms and some tornados here and there. It’s a lot different than home, but all has been good in Bolivar.
Just a few things I wanted to let you guys know about and would like to ask for your prayer.
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This is a lot of the people who make S.O.A.R. happen,from the staff, current students in the program, past students,volunter and all there families.
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Training
In my Flight training I have started to work on my Instrument Rating. This part of my flight training continues to build on the basics of flying I have already learned and focuses on flying by sole reference to the instruments in the airplane. By doing so, having the ability to fly in different weather conditions, and learning how to do specialized approaches into airports. I am enjoying the training, it is challenging and there is a lot of new information to learn and apply.
My Mechanics apprenticeship is going well, I am already half way through the 30 months of the apprenticeship required before I can test for my Mechanics license. It’s crazy to think I am half way through this part in my training, I have learned so much, but there is always so much more to learn in aviation!
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Recently we had the opportunity to help out another Missions organization that is in the area, and using our aviation resources to do so. North of Bolivar about an hour’s drive in Roach Missouri, Ethnos 360 (Formerly New Tribes Missions) has a missionary training center where their church planting, aviation, linguistics and other missionaries spend 1 to 2 years training before going out in to the field somewhere. As part of their training, they spend over 2 weeks doing “Simple Living”. Pretty much cut off from the world living and doing training in the woods for this time. As part of their training S.O.A.R was able to do an airdrop of mail and packages sent to them from friends and family. Simulating what it is like for the missionaries living in very remote places of the world, and how, often their only connection to the rest of the world comes from the airplanes and helicopters that bring in supplies for them. I had the opportunity to come along and be apart of the mail drop and it was a really great experience and was a reminder of why I am here and the reason behind it all.
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A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to travel with S.O.A.R to the annual International Association of Missions Aviation conference. During the conference I heard from many Missions organizations about who they are and how they are using Aviation to advance the gospel and provide aid all over the world. It was encouraging to see so many leaders working towards this goal, and working at finding ways they can better do it together
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The conference was hosted by Missionary Flights International, the main part of their ministry is flying 2, Douglas DC-3s, loaded with cargo, supplies, long term missionaries and short term teams that travel from Southern Florida into Haiti and other parts of the Caribbean and South America. At the end of the conference we got a tour of their base of operations and I got to go on a short flight in this DC-3
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If you would continue to pray for me. For guidance moving forward, one step at a time. And safety and the ability to soak up all I learn in the Shop and in my flight training.
It is always great to hear from all of you, I am greatly blessed by you all and your prayers. Thank you for being a part of my life and how God is directing me.
Blessings,
A.J.
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