Pictures from Flight Standardization

Approach to Moriah. Slope in the touchdown area: 10%

Turning toward Smith Prairie Airstrip. Elevation of Airport: 5000' ASL
Practicing High Density Take off and Landings at gross weight
and aft center of gravity

Short Final at Wilson Bar

Taking Off at Deadwood. Downslope: 10%

Approach to Deadwood

Setting Abort Points.  Yes, that stack of sage brush is my abort point.

Inside the cockpit

ZY Ranch Airstrip

Gross Weight  with aft Center of Gravity

This runway was as wide as the span of my wheels.  Wilson Bar.

Helmet Hair at Allison Ranch

Gorgeous place to spend the day

My trusty horse!

Looking down the runway at Allison Ranch

Recap

Gosh it's been too long!  Sorry that I was MIA for a while here.  Instead of catching you up since the last post, I'll just share with what I'm up to at the moment.

I am back in Idaho for the last part of flight training with MAF.  I have been here for almost a month and just about to start the final week.  It's been great to be reunited with friends who are on the same path as I am, preparing to head overseas.  We are all living on "campus" and get to hang out every day. This community of friends has been so wonderful to be a part of as we all process through life and leaving.

My first week here had me in ground school from 8am-5pm.  This course taught us about the airplane we were flying and the way that MAF wants us to fly and operate.  There were basic things like checklist usage and then more specific things about dropping packages onto a target from 50 feet.  There was a big review on aerodynamics and how to assess a new airstrip (Wind, Length, Altitude, Surface, Slope, Obstacles), and how to determine the last point in which you can safely stop the airplane or reject the take off or landing....and so much more.

There are 5 other guys going through the course with me.  Once we started week 2, four of the guys went on to their maintenance training, while myself and another guy started the flight portion of the training.  My instructor pilot and I started going to long, flat, dirt air strips.  Each time practicing the techniques taught in ground school.  As the days went on, he would bring me to more challenging airstrips.  Some would have a bit of a slope, sometimes trees or towers on the ends, or they were located in valleys with rising terrain all around them.  These ones can be tricky if you're not familiar with the illusions that rising and falling terrain can give you as you no longer have a true horizon to base your attitudes on for flying.  The more practice, the more familiar it would get.  Week 3 of flying took us into more airstrips...each day a new one to discover.  I think the hardest part of this training is that we never go to the same place twice, so although the skills aren't necessarily "new"...you are always in a new environment.  I would prefer to feel confident that I'm nailing the exercise before moving on, but the instructor is just looking to see that you're moving towards that direction.

It has been close to a year and a half since I last flew an airplane and I can tell you that it has been a steep learning curve.  It's really my expectations that are getting in the way, I think.  I know how I felt in the airplane when I stopped flying at the end of 2011.  I felt "one" with the airplane - an extension of me....and as I get back into it, I'm not quite there yet.  So not only am I getting used to a new airplane, new procedures and a new environment, I am trying to get this brain of mine to be thinking like a pilot would - something that came really natural before, but is out of practice.  Slowly as the days go on, it is coming back - but I just wish it was faster....

I am about to start the last week here.  Thankfully it is the long weekend here and I have 2 more days to relax and rest.  Starting Tuesday, I will be flying into the real mountain airstrips that are short, dog-legged, trees tight on the sides, "blind" approaches, 10-15% slope grass airstrips.  I am praying that the information that I have learned will settle and click into my brain and I can perform in the way I know I can.  The wind has been very gusty here last week which has prevented us in going to the airstrips that we needed to use.  Would you pray for calm conditions this week?

Pictures to come soon....

Thanks for being a part of this journey,
April :)

A heart update

Preparation, I'm finding, is more than crossing off a to-do list.  It is more than changing addresses and cancelling your cell phone contract; more than shopping for items and clothing you will need; more than keeping your aviation licenses current and building a support team.  It has proved to be more than what I expected.  I wish I could write a list composed of items like faith, courage, making wise choices, discipline, love, single-mindedness, contentment, etc.  And then after some time, cross each one off the list in completion.  Oh wouldn't that be wonderful?!

I think it's fair to say that I am generally a happy, optimistic person.  In the last few months though, I have found myself all over the place.  In August & September, I was feeling the changes in friendships as others pull away - preparing for my departure perhaps, and me trying to hold on with all that I had - not ready to say goodbye.  It felt like bandaids were being pulled off left ,right and center. I found that others were more ready for me to leave than I was.  It was hard.

In October, after moving to Ontario, I felt God had given me a space to breathe and regroup.  There is something about my parent's house that always makes me feel relaxed and sleepy.  Don't worry, the batteries in the carbon monoxide detectors have been checked:)  I took time to rest and see my good friends & spend time with family.  Contrary to popular belief, it really was a time of refreshment.  With all the traveling and speaking at churches this fall, it was wonderful to just be home.

Just the other day I realized there has been a shift in my heart's posture- if that makes sense.  Instead of leaning back, trying to slow things down so my heart & mind can catch up, I have found myself straining forward.  I have become more and more ready to meet my new country & city.  More ready to get settled in and start this new chapter of my life.

I am realizing though in all of this preparation that I will not be as fully prepared as I would like to be before heading overseas.  God really does choose to use people who don't have it all together and I'm realizing that that will be me.  That IS me.  I want to do my very best and wish I could have my lists crossed off in completion, but these kinds of lists go on and on until I meet Him face to face.

So with that knowledge, I am looking forward to moving on to the next steps and joining my team overseas.

Are you "fireman ready"?

Hi dear friends,

I just realized it's been 2 years since I began writing this blog and so much has happened in that frame of time.  From deciding which organization to join, to being accepted with MAF, and now over half way through ministry partnership/support raising with a departure date in sight.  This past year was full of traveling and sharing about the ministry of MAF.  I am thankful to be in one place for a record 3 months!  Oh to settle into normal life again.  I yearn for that day - crazy I know.  Support has been coming in slowly but steadily over these last 8 months and now I'm up to 54% monthly & 59% outgoing.  I've hit a plateau for the last 3 weeks, so you can definitely pray that more people will want to be a part of the work of MAF.  If I break it down, 40 people at $50/month (or 80 people at $25/month, etc.) would reach my ongoing monthly target and $8100 in individual gifts.  So all to say - it's very doable and we're very close!  My goal is to be at 100% support in both monthly & outgoing by Christmas.  This will give me the capacity to finish up my last bit of training with MAF before heading overseas in April.  If it doesn't come in before Christmas, well...then my training will be pushed back to the 2nd class of the year which I believe is in April, therefore pushing my departure date back till summer... which pushes back my language training in-country, causing a delay in when I start teaching...a bit of a domino effect.  So do pray with me that despite the pause in giving, we'll reach our target for Christmas!

On to another topic....

I had an adventure a few weeks ago.  I came home in the late evening to find that my house smelled of natural gas.  The boiler had just been replaced 5 days before and the installer had come the day before to fix it again as we had smelled gas then as well.  So after trying to get a hold of the installer to no avail, I called the gas company who immediately had me evacuate the house.  When asked if I had any symptoms, I said I had a headache, but was sure it was just from the strong smell.  The agent told me she was going to patch me over to the fire dept. ( I didn't know why honestly, but figured it was protocol). I gave my name to the dispatcher and they confirmed my address and said a truck would be on its way.  So here I am, standing on my front lawn waiting for everyone to arrive.  I am honestly picturing the gas van and possibly one fire truck for backup for whatever reason.  To my horror, I hear sirens...many sirens...getting closer and closer...Oh Lord, please don't let that be for me....and sure enough, THREE ladder fire trucks round the corner with lights and sirens ablazing.  THREE!!  They block off the road...there were FLARES.  There had to be at least 20 firemen.  It was crazy.  I was escorted to the neighbours driveway where after a series of questions they turned to me and said because I had said I had a headache, EMS was on their way too.  I had a choice of taking oxygen from them or waiting for the paramedics to arrive and go to the hospital with them.  Well I certainly was not going to pay for an ambulance to take me to the hospital for nothing, so reluctantly I said I would take the oxygen from them.  Four firemen come over with a duffle bag of oxygen.  So there I am, standing in the neighbours driveway with an oxygen mask on - breathing...(so embarrassing).  When the paramedics arrive, I am escorted into the ambulance where they hook me up to a variety of machines checking my oxygen levels, etc.  They were friendly, however the one kept on giving me "facts" on carbon monoxide and how it is odourless...therefore you can't SMELL it.  I told him I was aware.  It was honestly the most bizarre interaction as they treated me like I was ill and I felt fine and was trying to talk to them normally but they wouldn't believe it.  Finally a fireman popped his head in and said there was no carbon monoxide and they were evacuating the house due to the strong smell of natural gas.  I was then released from the care of the paramedics (my choice) and back onto the street I go.  Now by this time, the neighbours are in their driveways deducing to each other what had happened.  No one knows me, so they're just chatting around me.  I am absolutely freezing as we wait for the gas company to arrive.  As I tried to control my physical convulsions of shivers, a fireman offered a fire truck for me to sit in and warm up.  So up I climbed into the front seat.  They're tall!  I briefly thought to myself that if I had to go up and down into the truck, there was a good chance I would injure myself on more than one occasion....Moments later, the chief fireman on scene let me know they were heading out and had turned off the gas.  The gas company said there was a major leak inside the home and had tagged the boiler.  After he left,  the boiler installer was called and when asked to come out and fix it that night, he said "well, I guess I have to put my pants back on..."  ?!!!??!!!  "Yes", I replied, "this is a PANTS-ON residence." :)

July, August & September

Hi Friends,

I'm back with an update on the last two months! As a side note - sorry for the lack of pictures, I forget to take them when I'm with people:(

Summary~

We decided to move my departure date to April 2013 - this enables a more healthy departure pace and to give more time to have a full ministry partnership team before heading overseas.

If you read back in my posts, you will see a common denominator of travel. So much so that my travel tank is full for quite a while! I've had a few people ask if I'm on vacation when I travel....and the answer to that is no - besides a few days in July. I believe that meeting up with people and sharing about MAF and what God is doing around the world can be FUN - so yes, if it looks like I'm enjoying myself - it's because I am:)

July had me in Victoria & Vancouver BC. I was able to catch up with a lot of folks there and hear their hearts and the journeys the Lord has each of them on. I took a trip down to Oregon to visit a few more friends & supporters there. I was able to take a few days off to enjoy the Oregon coast with some friends - a much needed break from traveling.

August had me flying to Ontario, where I got to visit my home church and see good friends and family. Since my newsletter went out in August, my monthly support & outgoing funds each increased by 10% ! Praise the Lord! I'm now over a third of the way to each goal! Thank you to each of you who have come on as financial and prayer partners - go team:)

So what's next?

September.....

Well the time has come to start wrapping things up here. Honestly, I do not look forward to it. My life has been here for the last 9 years. My community. My friends. Three Hills is a very transitional town - everyone knows that. It's a college town and people come and go every 2-4 years. It's just how it is. My friendship group is ever rotating through people as they go or return. "They" being the operative word. I'm the one who stays and others go. This time it is my turn to go and leave my friends here. Not pleasant. It's sad to see this chapter of my life closing, even with the excitement of the new opportunities on the horizon, it still grieves my heart. It has been an honour to be a part of this community. Pray for me please as I try to say goodbye. It really is going to be difficult.

Thank you for praying and I look forward to hearing from you soon,

April

"Tiny, terrified space of being right"

Ahh the smell of sugar beets in the mornings; I can't say that I'm fond of that smell. There's a sugar beet mill down the road and for the last several days the air has been filled with a putrid aroma.

I'm down in Idaho at the moment and just finished up the first week of Cultural Orientation. The seminars have been really informative with practical tools to help in different scenarios. The first part of the week was quite heavy as we talked about stress, grief and other potential losses to anticipate as we head overseas. Yesterday we talked about embracing our new culture and what that may look like. We also discussed our own culture as Canadians & Americans and the learned patterns we have been taught.

One of the areas we focused on is the need to be right. I am not saying that this is a beneficial thought process, but one that does exist in me to which I am re-thinking. If I continue in this pattern, merging into another culture is going to be torturous, because I will ultimately do and say things wrong. I'm not sure about you but I've never really liked making mistakes. I learn from them but avoid them as much as possible. Some even suggest you don't really learn UNTIL you've made mistakes. (Shudder). Kathryn Schulz called it a "tiny, terrified space of being right". I wonder why I'm so afraid of being wrong. The more I think about it, the more I realize I must have attached meanings to it that don't necessarily belong. The funny thing is, there is no freedom in operating this way.

I wonder if the need to be right smells like the air today.

Jesus is fully aware of my fallibility and loves me fully. His thoughts towards me don't change. He doesn't value me more when I'm right or value me less when I'm wrong. His love is steadfast towards me. His love for us was never based on our performance, for He loved us first, when our performance was poor.

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

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Ministry Partnership Update~

The Lord is Faithful! Every week I'm seeing a few more partners join the Team to which I am so thankful and encouraged. It is great to be a part of this faith journey with you - faith for me, to see how the Lord will provide partners, and faith for you to see how He will provide for your part as well.

Please continue to pray as I prepare spiritually and emotionally to live overseas.

Pray for safety as I travel again in another week.

Praise the Lord that I was able to meet my 2 co-workers last week and start to get to know one of the couples who is staying nearby.

Thank the Lord for unity among our team.

Thank Him for the Team He is bringing together in support for me.

Thanks friends:)

April:)

In like a lion, out like a....Lion

Many of us here in central Alberta are getting tired of the white stuff.  March started off with a blizzard giving us at least a foot of snow and ended with one too.  While other parts of Canada were experiencing unusual warm temperatures, we have been donning our heavy winter wear and dreaming of warmer places.

I spent all of March in the Three Hills area catching up with friends and together sharing stories of the future.

You know what though?  It's easy for me to share just the above sentence, but if I do that, I'm not telling the whole story.  March was probably the most difficult month this year.

I have been doing a study on Ephesians 6 and in verse 11 it says "Put on the whole armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."  What are his schemes you might ask?  Well he is described as an animal stalking his prey - waiting for a vulnerable moment and pouncing.  His goal is to consume.  He is called the father of lies, the slanderer, the accuser, the tempter and the prince of darkness.  I Peter 5:8 reads, "Be alert and of sober mind. your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

I hate fear.  It causes me to pick up the pace and scramble.  I can't think straight.  I start to believe lies.  There is no longer a filter in my brain.  When I scramble, I grab for the controls, and become ugly.  I no longer trust people.  I do my best to make everything happen in my timing.  My heart becomes sticky and gooey and slimy.  Ughhhhh.  Disgusting.  I hate what fear does to me! It brings death, not life!! Can you relate?

I knew that taking on this position would bring spiritual opposition at some point or another, but I didn't expect it to be a constant press nor in the areas it popped up.  I have experienced doubt, fear, anxiety, disappointment, and anger (for no reason) and I haven't even left Canada yet.  All of these emotions and concerns caused my mind to race and be a place of confusion.  It caused me to ask too many times, in my opinion, should I just stay and help here, or wait for another time?  I focused a lot on what I would be losing by going overseas, and could not imagine what I would be gaining.  As I write it out to you now and highlight the words, it can be plainly seen that these are not God-led words or how He operates.  The Bible says:

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7


"And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.  Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."  Luke 12:29-32


"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world."  John 16: 33


"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  John 14:27

The great thing is that we already know the end of the story - the evil one has already lost.  That's why we celebrated Easter this past weekend!  When Jesus went to the cross as a perfect sacrifice with no sin in His body, He took all of our sins on His shoulders and willingly took the punishment for me and you.  He was beaten and stabbed and hung on a tree until He died.  The devil rejoiced because He was dead and he thought he won.  But 3 days later, Jesus raised from the dead and came back to life! Death does not reign over Him, He conquered it!  And THAT is why Easter Sunday is SOOOO awesome!!!!!!  Jesus brought us LIFE!!!!  No more death!  No more condemnation!  No more accusations!!!  Jesus paid the price for all of us!  So when the devil accuses us before God - as he does - Jesus steps in and says -I already paid for that on the tree (cross).


Romans 8:1 "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.  And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins."  


1 John 4:9,10 "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."


So friends, the month started off with a lion seeking to devour and ended with an intense battle resulting in VICTORY & LIFE!


Please pray for me and each other as we continue in the battle, knowing that the end result is victory.  Let us put on the armour of God each day (Eph. 6:10-20) and fight well and victoriously!  For the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, is in us! (Rom. 8:11)