Spring Family Update 2019

It’s Spring again! The snow is melting, daylight lasts longer, and everything whispers new life.  It’s a time of promise and new beginning, of change and growth. 

Garry and I have done a lot of traveling this semester and have been blessed by the people we’ve met, the ones we’ve reconnected with, and the things we’ve been able to be a part of. After this week in Florida we look forward to being home in Spokane for a couple months, enjoying being with our people there and investing in the things God has given us to do at Moody Aviation. At the beginning of June we plan to join my family in celebrating my parents’ 50^th wedding anniversary before heading to Manitoba at the end of the month.

Kevin is thankful for the things he’s been a part of over the past few months: training at Gao Badminton in Calgary, competing for the first time since his injury at Canadian Nationals, working hard at off-court training with Sweaty Training in Manitoba, competing in Jamaica, coaching at OCN reserve in Manitoba, and joining a small tournament in Thunder Bay, Ontario. More friends have pledged financial support, enabling him to focus more on training and allowing him to continue competing.

Kaleb is busy with school, youth ministry, and work. He loves the courses he is taking this semester and continues to grow and learn. He has been blessed with great opportunities to practice what he’s learning as he invests in youth at our church and in the neighborhood. God continues to open doors for Kaleb to love people and speak truth. He is also spending a lot of time doing stop motion animation, which is currently paying the bills for him. 

We are so thankful for God’s idea of family and for the way He continues to grow and bless the four of us, our extended family, and our family in Christ. Thanks for being part of that group!

Visit to Mission Aviation Fellowship

This year our friends at Mission Aviation Fellowship invited us to join their Safety and Quality Assurance seminar in February. This seminar is really for their safety managers and program managers from all over the world, but we joined them to learn from their experience and expertise, and we are so glad we did!

Garry enjoyed the technical information at the conference and got some good ideas for how to make some simple improvements here at Moody Aviation. We were impressed by the improvement in safety that MAF has seen since they began implementing their Safety Management System. Garry was also able to share things that we've done here and talk with various people about the underlying values he tries to teach students at Moody.

While at MAF we stayed with good friends from our Venezuela years. Rolland and Jessica are great hosts and invited us into their lives with generous hospitality. It was super fun to catch up with them and see what God is doing in and through their lives. We also met up with a number of other friends, both newer and older. It was incredible to hear how God has orchestrated the path of each family and how they have grown and changed in the process. It was also fun to share what God has done in our lives and how He continues to change us.

During our time we were also able to chat with a number of people and learn what is going on in various MAF programs around the world. We continue to be amazed at the many varied ways God is using mission aviation to spread His Good News around the world. We are challenged by the obstacles in mission aviation and the need for more pilots and mechanics all over the world.

On either side of the time at MAF was a beautiful drive and great conversations in the car, sort of day-long dates. God gives good gifts, and we find ourselves continually amazed that we as a couple are on this incredible journey together and with our grown sons. And beyond that, we are on this journey with you all, people who are invested in what God is doing in our lives personally and in the calling God has our lives. Truly, following Him wholeheartedly is ALWAYS the best decision we can make!

Peering ahead

Hope is a beautiful thing, a gift of God. We begin 2019 with hearts full of hope and numbers of questions about what this year will bring. It's easy to look ahead and wonder what will happen, where we will be next, and what God has in mind. It's equally easy to look back and see the faithfulness of God and the many unexpected turns life has taken. With those two things in mind, we look ahead with anticipation, expecting God to work in this year, to continue to complete His good work in us and to do through us the good works He prepared for us before the foundation of the world.

We have seen God build many things at Moody Aviation over the past years and we look forward to those things growing. Since last summer's fatal crash we have seen God open many doors for new and deeper relationships, relationships we look forward to continuing to invest in this year. We are encouraged by the many questions that we as a community are asking and the way God answers. God continues to confirm that He has plans for each of us and that He wants to use mission aviation to help spread His Good News around the world.

January is when planning for our annual Safety Seminar really takes off. This year we are taking a break from technical subjects and focusing on how God calls us to both work and rest. Dr. Mike Kibbe is our main speaker, and his sessions will be followed by breakout sessions regarding various aspects of both work and rest. We are excited about what God has in mind for this year's Safety Seminar at the end of February!

Kaleb has registered for classes for this semester and is excited about continuing to study the Old Testament and taking a photography course. His finance course is less exciting, but should prove helpful both in ministry and work. Kaleb is also working at a local studio, Mortimore Productions, where he interned during high school. His focus during vacation has been producing a short paper animation, a passion project of his own. It's amazing to see the ways God is allowing Kaleb to invest in youth as well as grow in his media skills, and we are excited to see how these continue to work together for the Kingdom.

This weekend Kevin is on his way to Thompson and points further north as he invests in young people through coaching. Rehab has been going well, and he should be ready for badminton nationals at the end of the month, just over 3 months after his high ankle break. His progress is a gracious gift and due hugely to the expertise of Dr. Blatz at Eastman Therapy Centre and a new sponsorship from Sweaty Training. He is ready to hit the international circuit again as he pursues God's call to him in badminton.

We are so thankful to be a family and to see how God is leading each of us in various ways. And we are incredibly thankful for the team God has given us on this journey to grow and see His Gospel shared all over the world!

Fall 2018

I'm loving the fall colors this year. There's something about the beauty that refreshes my soul, reminding me that God is a God of seasons and beauty. He is here and He cares. He is sending us fall in the same way He sent summer. This season, like preceding ones, is likely to have some unexpected joys and unexpected sorrows. This season has had a beginning and it will have an ending. It is good and right for this time, but it will not last forever. Fall turns to winter, spring, summer, and then a new fall. It's hauntingly beautiful.

This summer we were thankful for a visit from Kevin after the Canadian Open, a great drive to Manitoba, a good week at camp, the privilege of attending EAA AirVenture in OshKosh, a visit from our pastor couple from Manitoba, my parents safe arrival from Venezuela, and a visit from my aunt and uncle. So many good and fun things.

The enjoyable was interrupted by disbelief and grief as we had a fatal accident at Moody Aviation on July 13. Three amazing young men moved to heaven that day, leaving behind three widows and six young children as well as many grieving family members and friends. Things shift when we look so closely at eternity. Our values come into focus and our deep beliefs are uncovered. We ask new questions and experience new things. The community changes and our relationships change.

Tragedy opens a sacred space for a period of time. We have been in that time. A time when honesty is easier and raw emotions are expressed. A time when we remember and celebrate. A time when we hold friends a little closer and savor family. A time when we grieve together for this loss and the losses that came before this one. A time when we reflect on the goodness and grace of God. A time when we experience grace in deeper ways as we choose to trust God. A time for growing faith and learning together. A good time, despite the pain.

In this sacred space we have seen God in new ways and learned new lessons. We've taken time to drive around and see the fall colors. We've spent time talking about what is important. We have asked hard questions and chosen faith. We have seen God answer some questions and leave other unanswered.

This time has opened conversations with different people. We've learned a lot about grief and community. We've seen the community work together in amazing ways to comfort and protect one another. We've seen renewed resolve to serve God and to work together. We've seen prayers offered and answered. We've felt the support of the global Church. We've seen how grief and fear are intertwined.

Obviously, the past 3 months are deeply colored by the fatal accident. Yet, it is not all we have experienced or thought about. And the many things that have happened cannot fit in this limited space. So, this is a fly-by view....

May your fall be blessed by beauty and blessings also. May you experience God in the everyday of your life.

Family Update, Summer 2018

One of the things I love about family is that the family is a cultural microcosm. In our family we learn what to value, how to interact, how to interpret life, and so much  more. It seems this is the primary seed of culture. The second place we learn culture as believers should be the Church-- the slightly larger community that we interact with and from, meant to reinforce the values at home and teach us to invest and reach out. From there we expand to our neighborhood, our town, our country, and the world. It's amazing, really, the way God has arranged things to be. And we are incredibly blessed by both sides of our family that have passed on godly legacy to Garry and I, which we have tried to pass on to our boys and they eventually will have opportunity to pass on to their families.

Enough philosophy: what's up with the 4 of us? Life at work has been going well for Garry, and I've shared about his trip to IAMA, progress on the Safety Management System, and interactions at school. Life at home has been full of projects for Garry, which he actually enjoys as it gives him opportunity to work with his hands. He's also amazing at keeping up with our vehicles which are in the "needing more maintenance" stage, fixing issues with the house, and otherwise keeping things in order.

Kaleb finished school a few weeks ago, thankful to be done studying for the year but sad to say goodbye to friends who are moving away. Since then he has been pulling long days animating and editing for Stikbots, the toy company that he contracted with for an animation. (If you'd like to check them out, their YouTube channel gives an idea who they are-- an animation toy company.) He has learned a lot in the process and is just beginning what should be his final edit. In just under two weeks he heads to Manitoba for the summer, planning to counsel at Eagle Lake Bible Camp for five weeks. He's also looking forward to his friend Luke coming to Manitoba for a visit and to work at camp for week.

Kevin is currently driving to Calgary to compete in the Canada Open badminton tournament as he continues to pursue international badminton competition. (Draws and results here.) He is also going to do exhibition games and a clinic at Gao Badminton, a great opportunity. It has been amazing to watch God provide and open doors as Kevin follows the things God has called him to. After the Open he is heading our way to do a badminton summer camp before returning to Manitoba. Kevin is also planning to serve with us for a week at camp this summer.

I've enjoyed planting a small garden this year (which I may not be doing great with keeping up with). I've also been investing in Venezuela through a venture providing soup and sandwiches to some of the neediest people through some friends of mine. Overall it seems the days go quickly with office work, cleaning and cooking, and investing in relationships.

We truly are blessed by our family. This isn't just our sons but also our extended family, but the stories of siblings and parents really can't be shared on this blog!

IAMA

Last week Garry attended the annual IAMA (International Association of Missionary Aviation) conference and presented on Safety Management Systems (SMS) and the Argus Prism software we have been using here at Moody Aviation. Garry's presentation focused on the fact that SMS makes sense. He spent time explaining that just as we do preventative maintenance, we can do preventative risk management, catching problems before they cause catastrophes. He also offered other organizations an opportunity to use the same software we are using, which would allow us all to better share information and prevent incidents. Various people agreed that sharing the software makes sense, evidenced by the number who have written expressing interest in joining us on the Prism Argus software plan.

IAMA is a great community of people who collaborate to see the Gospel spread. Their annual conference is an opportunity for schools, mission aviation organizations, and individuals to get together to learn, share, and network. This year provided a lot of networking opportunities as quite a few of the smaller organizations presented what God is doing in their worlds. One particularly inspiring update was by Marcio Rempel, a Mennonite from Brazil. His passion is to help mission aviation in Brazil network well. Amazonas, Brazil their current focus, an area the size of two-thirds of the USA with very little infrastructure for travel. It was encouraging to hear how God continues to work, grow, and build in so many ways in so many places.

Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia hosted this year's IAMA conference. This was Garry's first time at Liberty and he was impressed by what God is doing there. Liberty focuses on teaching students to impact their culture as "Champions for Christ". One chance encounter was with a grace-filled bus driver who understands the value of ministering to the many students who ride his bus each day. A tour of the facilities was also impressive as they continue to expand.

Another blessing of attending IAMA was time with co-workers. Garry enjoyed traveling with Jim & Ian and attending the conference together. They shared meals and got to know one another in a way that doesn't happen quickly during work hours. In fact, Garry and Ian had a rather long, exciting trip home with many delays and a drive to Charlotte in place of the planned flight.

IAMA. It was a great place to be last week, a great opportunity to connect with others in mission aviation!

RISE

Soon after we arrived in Spokane I attended a Moody Aviation women's retreat where we began brainstorming about how to engage as a group of staff wives with the student wives and female students. We had a great time discussing goals and vision. We prayed for God's will to be done and wisdom in how to be a part of what He wanted to accomplish. We named our little group "RISE", reminded us that our goal was to Refresh in spirit, Ignite in passion, Strengthen in faith, & Equip for service, both students and ourselves. Since then we've hosted some events, gathered to pray, and wondered how it would all come to pass.

In reality, mostly we have prayed, seeking God's next steps. We have talked and brainstormed and wondered when we would feel more like a group, asking ourselves and one another how to move toward being who we wanted to be.

Over the past months we have seen investments budding into relationships, refreshment, passion, faith, and equipping. This growth hasn't happened overnight, but it is happening. Spontaneously. Women have begun getting together in smaller groups. Homes have been opened for play times with young children. Coffee shop gatherings have sprung up. Lunches have been shared. And slowly but surely, we have seen good things growing.
 
Not long ago we gathered for brunch-- a great spread of food and fellowship. The hostess had things set up beautifully, and so many ladies contributed. I loved watching the ladies mingle and chatting with different ones. I enjoyed the testimony of my friend who shared. I loved what happened as we broke into small groups to pray. I was thankful for the space and the time and each investment that was beginning to bear fruit.

This month our main event was a Ladies Tea to honor the wives of this year's graduates. A local business loaned us a beautiful space which some of us cleaned and decorated. Ladies brought fine china and plants to create beautiful tables, and we gathered for conversation and prayer. We enjoyed beautiful food and the quiet of the afternoon. We gave small gifts to the wives of graduates and had a short presentation on prayer. 

I love these women. I love what God has done in each of their lives and what He is doing in lives. I love their passion and their faith. I love the people we become when we are together and I am thrilled to be a part of RISE, investing in the generations in mission aviation here.

Alberta Adventures

It may have been my full heart when we came home, or it may simply be my poor memory. Whatever the case, I never posted about our March trip to Alberta. So, here goes-- nearly 2 months late, but better than never.


My original plan was to start with the top highlight, but I couldn't narrow it down to one-- was it the drive north with new friends, the amazing people we met, the stories we heard, or the families we visited?

We do not feel like gifted speakers, yet when the opportunity arose to go to the EMC Northern Alberta missions conference, we knew this was something we were supposed to do. We were excited about meeting the people there and the other missionaries we'd share the time with. And there was honestly nothing disappointing about the weekend, except saying goodbye at the end. It was amazing!

We shared at several services, some of them larger than others. We had brunch with a great group of people. We talked to people. We joined people in their homes for various  meals. We had tea most evenings with our host couple. We spent time with the other missionaries at the conference. And more than anything, God showed up. He showed up in people who are obviously passionate about following Jesus. He showed up when people shared their burden for their local community. He was there when people talked about world missions with emotion and personal connections.  He was there. And it was beautiful.

There are not just generalities that emerged over this weekend, but personal stories. However, those stories are not ours to share, so we are limited to generalities. Yet it was the individuals that impacted us, the stories that encouraged us, the people themselves that made the weekend memorable and encouraging. The impromptu invitations and the planned ones. The people who eagerly listened and those who passionately shared.

When Garry and I drove to High Level, we decided to go the long way around to check out the La Crete ice bridge. It was a fun experience, one I've never had before. The bridge was impressive, and I had to wonder who first started making ice bridges for public use. The drive was beautiful, a reminder of God's creativity.

Thank you, La Crete, Hillside, and High Level for loving Jesus, for being yourselves and for allowing us to be a part of this year's missions conference!