Traveling Together

Garry and I both enjoy traveling, at least sometimes. Over the past few weeks we've been blessed to do a couple of trips together. At the end of October we went to Safety Standdown, a large industry event provided by Bombardier. The week we spent in Wichita was full of learning and inspiration as we attended sessions that centered around the theme for this year, "Learn. Apply. Share." Presenters focused on things like values, judgement, change, health, and standards. Even though I'm not an aviator, I learned a lot about what makes a safe program and the way values impact safety. For Garry, sessions reinforced what he's been learning and teaching as well as good information to continue building safety at Moody Aviation.

Safety Standdown also provided a great networking opportunity. We both heard and shared information and stories with others in mission aviation as well as those in the industry. It was great to spend time between sessions discussing how what we'd learned applies to our various programs. God is at work all over the world, and it was great to hear stories about what He is doing through aviation.

Between learning and networking we also had some time to enjoy walking along the river, eating Mexican food, and simply being together. It was a great and profitable week!

Last week we were at home in Spokane, engaged in the normal routines of our lives-- working, teaching, mentoring, and just living. Things got shaken up a bit when Moody Global announced last Wednesday that they are closing the Biblical Studies campus in Spokane. While the aviation program in Spokane will continue, the closing of Biblical Studies effects all of us. Many of our students are losing cherished friends as well as wondering how things will change for them. 

For us personally, beyond our involvement in Moody Aviation, both Kevin and Kaleb currently attend Moody Bible in Spokane. They are each considering next steps and where God is leading them from here. Our friends who work at the Biblical studies campus are out of work as of the end of the school year (June 2018).

This week we are Prairie College in Three Hills, Alberta helping with an Mission Safety International  safety audit. It is really more of a consultation than an audit, but more about that next time!