For me, April and May passed by very quickly. They say time flies when you're having a good time and I think that's what happened.
April started out with a trip back home for Easter, which was swell!
Then, not long after I got back, SOAR had two flight days for its pilots. They flew all day and got to land on many different runways in many different locations. I was privileged to be able to tag along and see some awesome sites. Here's one of my pictures from the trip.
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The Cessna 206 we flew to Byrd's Creek in Ozark, AR
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Then at the beginning of May, I was able to take part in a mail drop SOAR did for a missionary training center (Ethnos360) up in Roach, MO. The mail drop simulated a situation where a missionary is located in an area where there is no airstrip, and all their supplies have to be dropped from a plane. In the video you can see the package of mail we delivered to the missionary trainees below.
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At the time of the mail drop, the missionary trainees were in the middle of "Simple Living". This is part of Ethnos' training where those in the training have to live off the grid for two weeks. This helps prepare them for what they might face on the mission field, and also helps them see the necessity of team work. Later that week we got to visit the people in "Simple Living" and get a taste of what they learned during their time of off-grid living. If I join Ethnos' aviation program, I'll be required to go through this "Simple Living" training as well. Here's a picture of one of my friends from Ethnos360 Bible Institute and the shelter he and his teammate constructed for their time in "Simple Living".
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Another exciting thing I got to do in May was take a ride in one of Ethnos' helicopters. That was my first time flying in a helicopter and I'm now a big fan.
It was very smooth, kind of what I'd expect riding in a bubble to feel like. Aside from being fun, these helicopters are very useful for the missionaries who live in areas without runways for planes (i.e. mountain sides, small islands, thick jungles).
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At the end of May, I got to go home for Memorial Day. Some of the highlights of being home were visiting with my family and being a part of their routine, visiting friends from church, and eating Mom's cooking again.
That's what I've been up to for the past couple of months. I'm learning more about aviation every week. My training is going very well.
I'm going to be moving out of the Sanderson's soon (they're about ready to head to Texas to begin their missionary training). So if you need to send me anything just send it to SOAR at 4460 Airport Drive Bolivar, MO 65613
I'll let you know where I'm staying in my next newsletter, there's still a few details to work out.
I'm still raising support. SOAR asked me to be at a certain amount of support by August and I'm not there yet. Once I get there, I'm going to need to buy a big toolbox and a lot of tools. The guys in the shop are great about letting me borrow their tools in the meantime.
Thank you for partnering with me to help get the Gospel to those who've never had a chance to hear it! I really appreciate your prayers, gifts, and notes of encouragement. I couldn't do this without your support.
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P.S. - If you want to see what missionary aviation looks like in Papua New Guinea, check out this video. The video is 20min long but very well done.
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After proofreading my letter, I thought I'd better throw in a picture of me working on a plane, lest you think all I do here is ride in planes and helicopters! ;)
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Copyright © Josh Hamilton 2021, all rights reserved
SOAR's mailing address is:
4460 Airport Drive Bolivar, MO 65613
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