Obarows in Mission Aviation

2010-04-05T19:57:00.000-04:00

Three years ago a very tired Cessna 206 arrived from Honduras for a 1000 hour inspection. It had logged over 10,000 hours of operation in a very corrosive environment. We replaced so much of the airframe that the log entry is 14 pages long! Last week the Honduran Civil Aviation Authority issued a temporary Airworthiness Certificate so that the plane could be flown back to Honduras for the inspection that will result in the issuance of the permanent Airworthiness Certificate, and the aircraft's return to mission service.

Below is a video remembering the restoration, and commemorating the return to service flight! The woman in black in the prayer circle is Michele.

2010-04-05T19:47:00.002-04:00

2010-02-22T08:43:00.000-05:00

Up and down the east coast, people are experiencing a "real" winter. Our corner of Ohio is no exception. Efforts are underway to raise funds for MMS to replace the roof of the original portion of our hangar, which is 30+ years old. The need for replacement is graphically represented by the picture of the bucket collecting water from the snow on the roof melting through to the inside of the hangar. The bucket in the picture was one of ten vessels collecting water on the side of the hangar where my office is located. There are additional water catching devices on the other side of the hanger.

The snow is also making our parking lot and taxiways smaller as the snow depth exceeds our plow height. Our maintenance man, Dave Shelly, has been diligently plowing us open after each snow event, but he's doing it with a glorified garden tractor. A tractor with a bucket on it would allow him to hoist the snow over fences and knock down the tops of snowbanks that line our taxiway. We'd appreciate if you would join us in asking the Lord to provide the resources to upgrade these items and replace some other aging equipment as well (like our 1954 forklift).

2010-01-21T14:26:00.000-05:00

January 21, 2010

No picture, just an update. When the earthquake hit Haiti last week, the calls for help began coming in. Requests to MMS were not for food or clothing, but for mechanics. You can't just drive out to Haiti to help, you must go by air or sea. There are many mission and relief agencies based in Florida, and they became the first responders.

MMS Aviation has worked with Missionary Flights International for several decades. They operate a fleet of DC-3 aircraft, which can haul a seven thousand pound load, and they have been flying to Haiti and the Dominican Republic since 1964. If you've been following the news on Haiti you have probably seen MFI in action, since the bulk of the airlift has been done by the U.S. government and MFI. Check out their website:

http://www.missionaryflights.org/

Every mission agency that I know of is staffed with the minimum number of people necessary to do the work, so when disaster strikes, they are immediately short-handed. MFI is receiving many donated goods and lots of volunteer labor to sort and load supplies. What volunteers can't do is work on their aircraft to keep them flying. In response to that need, MMS is sending two teams on alternating weeks, to maintain the aircraft flying, and assist in repairs to one that is grounded for maintenance.

At the same time, I received a call from a new Director of Maintenance for another Florida based ministry, Agape Flights. His arrival at Agape coincided with the earthquake in Haiti. Now he is faced with the prospect of maintaining a multiengine turboprop that is rapidly flying off the hours to it's next inspection, alone. I know this man, he used to volunteer at MMS on his days off from work in the Dayton area. I want to help him, so I made some calls, but everyone is tapped out. Check their website at:

http://www.agapeflights.com/

The very same day another missionary friend operating in the Bahama islands called to say that he had an engine failure on take-off. The Lord was good to him. He had just spent four days flying in Haiti, loaded with passengers and supplies. On the day of the engine failure he was at his home base, empty. Halleluia! He landed safely, but now he needs a new engine and help changing it.

At the MMS hangar in Coshocton we have customers that need their planes for ministry just as urgently as any other mission, so we are obliged to stay open and keep working, despite the many needs elsewhere. If nothing else, this recent disaster has once again shone a spotlight on the need for aircraft maintenance technicians in missions. There will be other disasters. There will always be need. If you, or someone you know feels a desire to serve the Lord in full time ministry, please consider putting the talents God has given you to use, especially in a practical trade.

Tim

2009-12-27T16:42:00.002-05:00

Today the blue skies have returned to Williamsburg. Yesterday was cloudy, foggy, and occassionally drizzly. We wandered around some shops, but nothing picture worthy. In the end of the day we visited Jamestown and decided it was worth another trip today, so that's where we went.

There are two places to visit at Jamestown, a recreated settlement, manned with re-enactors, and the original site, which is largely preserved as an archealogical site. The pictures above and below are from the settlement. An interpreter showed how a 17th century soldier loaded and fired his rifle. The first attempt was a dud, which was more realistic, I thought.

There are four replica ships which may be toured, docked at the James River. They give a sobering idea of what transatlantic travel was like 400 years ago. It also instills a deep respect for the abilities and vision of the men who risked their lives for the prospects of a life in the New World.

This last picture is of the church tower at the original Jamestown site. It is the only original structure still standing that dates back to the early 1600's. There's something wondrous looking at brick that haven't been touched since they were laid by men 400 years ago. I guess that's why we visit places like this. Anyway, we had another great day and will be sad to leave tomorrow. It's been a great vacation, thanks for tagging along!

2009-12-26T09:29:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was Christmas. Michele's knees were bothering her, but we still managed to take in a walking tour of the holiday decorations, in between raindrops. Pictured below is a sampling of what we saw, our favorite being the gingerbread kitty being tied up with string by the gingerbread mice. Too cute!

We also made way for a team of huge oxen following their master. When he stopped, they stopped. When he walked, they walked. It's fascinating to see so much strength under such pastoral control.

In the end, the rain won out, and we spent the afternoon in our room watching a video on the restoration of Williamsburg. Then we had dinner at a local restaurant. Still a great day, despite the poor weather. We hope yours was joyous as well.

2009-12-24T20:58:00.005-05:00

Today we cruised the shops of Williamsburg and then took a carriage ride with a gentleman named Tom and two horses named Captain and Ranger. It was another beautiful day with crisp air and blue skies.

As the sun set on Bruton Parish we headed to the Court House for the ceremonial firing of the guns and some caroling prior to the lighting of the Christmas tree.

The crescents were lit for illumination and a bonfire was lit for warmth. We sang some carols, after which the tree was lit with 5000 lights. There was a huge crowd present and a warm sense of community permeated the event even though we were all technically strangers.

From the Court House, we headed back to Bruton Parish for a Christmas Eve service. It always moves us to think that George Washington and other founding fathers sat in this very sanctuary over two hundred years ago, trusting in God to direct their paths as they planned and accomplished events that would change world history forever.

Have a Glorious Christmas!

2009-12-23T21:11:00.002-05:00

Several months ago we decided to take an honest-to-goodness vacation at the Christmas holiday, so we made reservations for a week at Colonial Williamsburg. On Tuesday we loaded the van and headed for Virginia. The drive was one beautiful snow scape after another, but the roads were clear. We checked into our hotel, a beautiful room in a newly refurbished Hampton Inn, and had a lovely dinner at a local restaurant. Then we headed to the Governor's Palace for a candlelit concert. Five musicians in period attire played period instruments, and a soprano sang several arias. It was a great start to our holiday.

This morning we got up when we felt like it, had a monster breakfast at Cracker Barrel, then headed to the restored area. If you've never been here, I highly recommend that you visit at least once in your life. There's something for everyone, whether you like architecture, history, horses, crafts, trades, guns, or just a relaxed atmosphere, it's all here.

In the photo below, we are standing in front of the Governor's Palace just prior to touring it. Later in the day we attended an "Irish Christmas" musical presentation which was also very excellent. You meet the nicest people at these activities, and it's good to see families with small children. The kids really seem to enjoy the whole experience, despite the absence of electronic diversions.

We'll keep taking pictures and try to post a little something each day. Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

2009-12-19T14:34:00.002-05:00

This morning we woke up to a coating of wet snow that enrobed every branch and twig. For us, this really makes it feel like Christmas time. If you live in an area where you might play volley ball in your shirtsleeves on Christmas, you might not understand. Weird as it sounds, we prefer snuggling by the fire to grilling over a fire this time of year. May you have a Merry Christmas, where ever you are!

2009-12-19T14:25:00.002-05:00

Have you ever seen a herd of reindeer cupcakes? Well, feast your eyes on these seasonal creatures that Michele made for the kids at Coshocton Christian School! They were such a big hit that Tim didn't even get any leftovers.

2009-12-19T14:08:00.003-05:00

Recently Michele had the opportunity

to help make costumes for a local theater group. She made two bonnets and two vests for a production of "The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge". We attended the opening night show and enjoyed seeing the actors wearing her handiwork. During the intermission she was taken backstage to meet the cast. It was a great night!

2009-12-04T10:16:00.003-05:00

Thank you for your perseverance to continue to check this blog despite the infrequent posts! We intend to do better, but the pace of life just keeps pushing the blog to the bottom of the list of things to do.

Speaking of things to do, we are in process of mailing out our recent newsletter. If you're not on our mailing list, or want to get a jump on things, here it is...

2009-10-21T10:58:00.002-04:00

One of the recently completed projects at MMS is a Cessna R182, owned by Moody Aviation for pilot training. It had a nose gear collapse on landing and was trucked to us for repair. When the repairs were complete, Moody's director of flight training traveled to MMS to fly the plane back to Spokane, Washinton. Here is a video of the plane's departure prepared by Paul Jones, one of the men who worked to restore the plane to service.

#22 The Moody Bible Institute Cessna 182 Returns to Service from Paul Jones on Vimeo.

2009-08-17T11:29:00.002-04:00

We have been back from Wisconsin for two weeks now, where we represented MMS Aviation as part of the Missions and Humanitarian Flying feature of Airventure 2009. We went early to assist in the setup operations and remained to the final disassembly 12 days later. Michele worked as a dining room supervisor for MASA (Mission Aviation Support Association), from 7AM to 8PM nearly every day. I rotated shifts at the MMS display table in the IAMA (International Association of Missionary Aviation) tent with 32 other missions.

A separate tent located near show center was known as the 'Life Tent', and bore the banner, "We Fly 4 Life". Inside the Life tent were a series of 9' x 7' pictorial banners that told stories relative to the missions theme. Missionaries with field experience worked shifts inside the tent to elaborate on the banner stories and answer questions that visitors had.

There was also a mission presence at the Seaplane Base in the form of Edgar and Geisella Schreiber and Karl Neilson from Canada. They flew in from Canada in the Cessna 185 that MMS had restored three years ago. Edgar's plane was newly mounted on the amphibious floats that had also been restored at MMS. He took the opportunity to make several flights with other mission pilots who had thousands of hours of floatplane experience and made some great connections in the process. I even got my first floatplane ride!

Too many things happened to chronicle here, but our photo album is posted for your perusal. Enjoy! -Tim

Photoshop.com Album

2009-08-17T11:26:00.001-04:00

2009-07-12T15:02:00.003-04:00

For the past two and a half years MMS has been restoring a Cessna 206 operated by a mission in Honduras. The airframe was so corroded that a large portion of it has been replaced with new parts. That project is nearing completion, with new paint, and reassembly of the major components, it looks like a new airplane.

From this................

To this..............................

Stay tuned for the final wrap of this project and the airplane's return to service in Honduras!

2009-07-12T14:38:00.003-04:00

As many of you know, one of our cats, Red, died suddenly the day before our departure for California. Our remaining cat, Frankie, walked around looking for Red for awhile after our return, so we thought we'd better get her a companion before too much time passed. The local Tractor Supply Company keeps animals from the local shelter in their store, so we went to look.

Sure enough, they not only had kittens, but a brother and sister who had been rescued from a busy highway. We couldn't seperate them, so we took them both. Frankie now has two playmates, Lucy and Herbie. They are the perfect kittens for us, although Frankie is still adjusting to the idea.

They play hard and sleep hard! It's tough to get much done with the entertainment they provide.

2009-07-11T20:48:00.005-04:00

The week following our return from California, our daughter-in law Jessica, her mom Dee, and grand-daughter Sophia drove out from PA for a weekend visit. We had a great time! Of course, we toured Longaberger and Dresden, but also rode the Canal boat and had some fun with a tee-pee Michele made.

Sophia celebrated her 5th birthday just before coming to Ohio, so we extended the celebration with one of Michele's custom birthday cakes.

The weekend sure went fast, but grandpa got to play, and grandma got her nails painted!

Slide show-Relay for Life, 2009

2009-06-16T13:19:00.003-04:00

Cheryl and her husband Paul came up with a great way to honor our loved ones, that of a slide show that ran continuously showing their pictures. This was a very moving experience, especially to walk into the camp and see my dad's at his and my mom's 50th wedding anniversary party, the year before he died. This impacted others as well and gave us great encouragement to keep walking and praying.

CMA Relay for Life Headquarters

2009-06-16T13:12:00.002-04:00

Inside of our tent, you see Cheryl W. and Jim P. They spend countless hours attending meetings and planning for the event. Jim's personal goal is to have some one from our church walking the track the entire 24 hours. I'm happy to report that we accomplished this goal, again! Thank you Jim and Cheryl for all that you do to make this a huge success!

Chapel

2009-06-16T13:07:00.002-04:00

Here is the inside of our "chapel'. This was donated for use by one of our church members for the weekend. Hanging on the wall are pictures of friends and loved ones who either have cancer or have died from the disease.

The chapel was a first for Relay for Life here in Coshochton.

Thanks Bill and Shirley!

Luminaries

2009-06-16T13:02:00.002-04:00

Here are 2 of the luminaries that we had at our camp site. They have sand and then a candel is placed inside and lit at 9 PM and remain until the morning.
While we walk, we have a "baton" if you would that we carry, it is actually cards with people's name printed on them that we can pray for while we walk.

Relay For Life- May 2009

2009-06-16T12:53:00.002-04:00

The past 4 years our church has participted in the American Cancer Society's "Relay For Life". Our team captin is Jim P. and co-captin, Cheryl W. Each year the fair grounds become a "camp" for 24 hours. This year our church provided a mobil chapel for prayer and meditation for those who desired to do so. We raise money by selling luminaries, candy bars and walking the track. Each organization can choose a fundraiser of their choice. This year's theme was "Celebrate Hope". Tim sold candy bars, walked and I sold luminaries, walked and did the graphic's for our church and camp site.

Meet Ruth

2009-06-16T12:39:00.002-04:00

As you can see, Ruth has a beautiful smile like Hee-Ran.
Ruth has a beautiful singing voice and sang with her school's chior, having the lead vocal voice.

We miss the girls already, they left a beautiful mark on our hearts.

Meet Hee-Ran

2009-06-16T12:33:00.002-04:00

As you can see from her beautful fun smile that she was fun to be with. She blessed us with her beautiful singing voice before leaving for home last week. It was great to watch and see her and Ruth make friends, do well in school and to hear their English and comprehension improve in such a short time. We will miss both girls very much!

"Bear claws"

2009-06-16T12:26:00.002-04:00

This past school year we've been blessed to have 2 young women live with one of our church family members. Hee-Ran orginates from South Korea and Ruth from Indonesia. Both girls attended Riverview High School, and you've probably gussed that the school mascot is a bear. For their graduation party at church I made 50 cupcakes for them. We were in CA, so we had to miss the party, but I'm told they were delicious!

Cupcakes

2009-06-16T12:19:00.002-04:00

Each month during this past school year, I would theme out cupcakes. I ended the year with "Everybody's Birthday" cupcake. I found a great web site that carries a large extensive candy mold inventory, so I've been able to purchase assorted molds.

Meet "Frankie"

2009-06-16T12:13:00.002-04:00

Frankie, joined our family last July. She has beautiful blue eyes, so she's named after Frank Sinatra. She loves to flop down and roll around, enjoys "watching" the birds from the windows or screen doors. Running up and down the stairs and across funiture are some of her fun activities.

"Red" our beloved cat

2009-06-16T12:00:00.002-04:00

Tim and I love our cats. We've had many over 31 years of marriage. All sizes, colors and temperments. Red came to our home and hearts from a nephew who had one too many, 12 years ago. He was a "Garfield" type personality. Laid back and cool. One of our vet's told us that he liked orange cats the best because they were "so cool". Red had many redeeming qualities. He liked to play "ball", throw a wad of rolled up paper and he would some times catch it in his paw, then bat it around, and then bring it back to one of us to throw again. He would often wake Tim up 5 minutes before his alarm would go off, he would gently paw at Tim's mouth. He would lay next to me and let me put my arm around him and he would then fall asleep. He even learned to "love" our newest cat, Frankie. Unfourtenly, Red retured to his Creator May 27, the day we were to leave for vacation. He appeared well the night before and then in the morning, was unresponsive, a quick ride to the vet and 2 hours later he was gone. No one is sure what caused his death, doctor did feel a lump on his liver. We sure do miss him, Frankie too.

2009-06-04T21:05:00.003-04:00

On Saturday, May 30th, our niece Elizabeth Stogner was wed to David Wainright in a beautiful outdoor ceremony by Canyon Lake in California. Elizabeth's bridesmaids were her sisters, Emily and Laura, and cousin Lia.
Parents of the bride, Gregory and Angela Stogner, were as calm as they were elegant. A wonderful reception followed, bringing their special day to a close. We were so thrilled to be able to share the event with them!

2009-05-25T14:57:00.002-04:00

This is a Cessna 337 owned by LAMP (Luthren Asssociation of Missionary Pilots). This bright red aircraft had been operated in Canada where the color would greatly enhance visibility in snow. It is at MMS for a dual engine overhaul and various airframe work. The unique arrangement of front and rear engines gives the power and reliability of a traditional twin engine aircraft without the assymetrical thrust experienced with an engine failure. In other words, if you lose an engine in a 337, the remaining engine won't try to pull you to the left or right.

Here is the rear engine mounted vertically by the crankshaft flange. This position allows access to every part of the engine for disassembly.

Notice the shrinking size of the engine as Paul Jones (left) and Scott Grote (right) remove components from the engine assembly until it is nothing but individual parts. Some of the subassemblies and critical parts are shipped out to specialized subcontractors for overhaul or inspections that look for defects beneath the surface.

This is Paul's first engine overhaul so he's getting great experience for his next engine, which will be the one on the front of this same airplane!

2009-05-10T18:25:00.004-04:00

I just completed the Annual Inspection on the Cessna T310R operated by Gospel Carrier International. Fortunately I had the help of several men who volunteer in the hangar. Logan and Doug help out one day a week. Gary and his wife are from Pennsylvania and travel to Ohio for several weeks each year to help out at MMS. These folks make it possible for a one man team to get something done in a reasonable amount of time.

Annual Inspections are an FAA requirement for an aircraft to be considered airworthy. Everything on the plane is looked at and tested for proper operation to assure the safety of the crew and passengers. It takes a few days work just to remove all the panels and open up the interior for the inspection. Problems that are discovered during the inspection are then fixed, and the aircraft is returned to service. Fortunately, all the discrepancies on this inspection were minor, so we were able to keep on schedule.

Friends from a far

2009-05-05T22:39:00.002-04:00

Last month our friend Karen from PA arrived for a visit. This was her second visit with us.

We spent a day in Dresden, the birthplace of Longaberger baskets. Enjoyed the stores and the sales.
Ate lunch at a local resturant, shopped some more and then headed home.

Karen was a real blessing, she assisted me in designing and installing our church's Relay For Life display.

We look forward to seeing her again next fall when we are home for a Missions Conference at our sending church.

This is Karen standing in front of our beautiful County Court House on Main street.

Spring in full bloom

2009-05-05T22:29:00.002-04:00

This is our beautiful backyard. When we lived in PA we tried to grow Dogwood trees, but to no avail. Here we are blessed with 2 dogwood trees, one pink and the other white. We planted a second flowering crab a few years ago. The Japanese Maple was already here. Our yard is a haven of rest here in town, most people are amazed that we have so many trees and it does not feel like town. We enjoy having coffee in the afternoon on our patio and on occasion a meal.

Almost home free!

2009-05-05T13:30:00.002-04:00

Here's Tim sitting next to the hole that he had dug before moving the Azalea. It took a few more grunts and groans and success at last! The Azalea is now happily adjusting to its new locations amongst Daffodils and Day Lillies! In case you are wondering, the other 3 Azaleas are doing well too.

Now what?

2009-05-05T13:24:00.002-04:00

So, how what? How does one move the thing? We managed to get the root ball onto a piece of heavy duty plastic, Tim wrapped rope around it, tied on the tines of a pitch fork to hold onto as we dragged it across the yard to its new resting spot! We did laugh at ourselves as we stopped to catch our breaths!

Moving day

2009-05-05T13:18:00.002-04:00

After using all the shovels, 2x4's, waterbed boards, we were finally able to free the Azalea from it home of 20 plus years! It took brute strength, physics and sheer determination, but we got it out of the ground.

"Hercules" aka Tim

2009-05-05T13:09:00.002-04:00

We are very blessed to have so many beautiful plants, trees and shurbs on residental property here in town. In front of our home is a row of Azaleas, white, pink, red, and a purple/pink. 4 of them had become overgrown, so we decided to move one. Tim and I (mainly Tim) spent an entire Saturday digging out and moving the one you see here. It had a tremendous rootball, Tim thought it was about 6oo pounds!

Cupcakes and more

2009-05-05T12:54:00.003-04:00

Lambs were my theme for April's cupcakes for the Christian school. The eyes and noses were all hand applied, coconut tinted green for grass. It takes a little time to do all this, but it is so much fun and the children love them!

Another way in which I can help the school is that of tutoring/volunteering once a week. I'm currently helping 2 brothers with their reading skills as well spelling and vocablulary words. Having had reading difficulties as a child I understand what the little guys struggles are. On a positive note, I love to read, I so appreciate all the help that I received along the way.

Friends near...

2009-05-05T12:34:00.003-04:00

We recently discovered that one of our local squirrels likes to lick our back door steps! I open our kitchen door to discover this little guy happily licking the steps, we think it is probably salt residue from the winter. He also likes our front door mat, its probably not as tasty as the back door steps.

Our latest newsletter. Click on it to enlarge.

2009-04-17T20:33:00.001-04:00

2009-04-17T11:24:00.003-04:00

Watch the cool time lapse video of the Chad 206 being disassembled for shipment!

MAF Chad 206 Dissasembly from Paul Jones on Vimeo.

Chainsaw and branches

2009-04-04T20:01:00.002-04:00

Tim was busy all day with his trusty chainsaw. What was to be a little yard work, turned into an all day job. Not pictured are large tree branches in 5 piles strewn about our yard. Tim was able to cut large chunks of wood into tidy 16 inch pieces for neighbor Keith for use in his and Karen's fireplace, next year. Tim tells me that he will need to start mowing next weekend, seems too early to me!

Our neighbor Keith started the yearly ritual of mowing today.

Easter Lamb

2009-04-04T19:48:00.004-04:00

Easter is next week, a very personal and joyous time for Tim and I. As born again believers in Christ Jesus, we are reminded of the work that Jesus came to do and accomplish on the cross for us all.

Easter for me is a time to do something extra special for my family and friends. This year I made candy in the shape of lambs. I bagged them in cellophane shaped like a cone, tied off with a green ribbon and gift tag. When it was finished, it resembled a carrot! Now I need to mail one to PA and deliver the others, so much fun for one person-).

Spring flowers, finally!

2009-04-04T19:34:00.002-04:00

Our spring flowers are finally blooming! Daffodils are blooming and brighten our yard. In our kitchen garden, blue and white hyacinth's are showing there unique florets and the fragrance is wonderful! Next will be the tulips, buds, but no color as of yet. We are delighted that the hail storm did not destroy the spring flowers!

Peas from Heaven?

2009-04-04T19:26:00.002-04:00

Friday evening we were in the kitchen cooking, heard thunder in the distance and the next moment it starts raining, then pea size hail started pelting the ground, this lasted 2 minutes, it looked like it had snowed by the time it stopped!

Meet Andy and his parents

2009-03-24T15:52:00.002-04:00

Last Saturday afternoon, I hosted our newest MAF-I apprentice, Andy from the UK. Pictured sitting between him is his Mum and Dad. Andy provided the food, Isobel the punch and I the cupcakes. When MMS personnel get together there is always food and lots of laughter and fun!
Tim tells me Andy is doing well at the hangar and a blessing. Welcome Andy!

Cupcakes galore!

2009-03-24T15:41:00.002-04:00

Last week not only being LETU week, but it was time to bake cupcakes for the local Christian school, sorry no picture, but I did use gold foiled chocolate coins for decorations, heard back something about being "the B-E-S-T" from the senior high kids-). Because there are sometimes left over cupcakes, Sherry takes them up to the hangar, knowing that there would not be enough to go around, I baked 24 extra to be sure that our LETU guest would be sure to have one. The cupcakes pictured here are from Andy P. open house that I hosted last Saturday. All of us were invited from MMS not only to visit him, but to meet his Mum and Dad who just arrived from the UK for a visit. All total, I made 135 cupcakes and a 3 tiered wedding cake. The Lord allowed me to sharpen up my time management skills, will I be doing this on a regular basis, I think not.

A very special wedding

2009-03-24T15:30:00.002-04:00

Weddings. A wonderful time of celebration and joy for two people and their families. This is a picture of a wedding cake that I did last week for a very special couple. Valerie has cancer and wanted to marry her sweetheart Mike. Within one week, they had a minister, reception place and a cake. At the time, I did not know either the bride or groom. We were introduced to them as Tim and I assembled the cake. All this took place because of my dear sweet sister in the Lord, Suzie who only knew of one person who might be able to do the cake, me! What a privilege and joy it was to have a part in the lives of these two very special people.

Finished Project

2009-03-24T15:22:00.003-04:00

Tim completes the window, albeit with a modification to the window locks. We purchased the windows and door from a surplus business in PA, can't always trust what is marked on the merchandise, but it worked out well in the end!

Tim the Window Man

2009-03-24T15:14:00.002-04:00

Here is a picture of Tim making ready the instalation of the downstairs window. Window instulation 60 years ago was not very exact, local building codes were not as strict as today's standards are.

Back at the "Ranch"

2009-03-24T15:05:00.002-04:00

Back home on Vine Street, Tim has been replacing 60 year old windows in our garage. Last fall, strong winds blew out panes of class from the old windows. We purchased new windows and a "man" door last year while in PA for our sending church's missions conference. Tim replaced the upstairs window first, then the downstairs one and last weekend he installed the new man or utility door. I'm so amazed by Tim's talents and abilities!

Hands on Instruction

2009-03-24T14:39:00.004-04:00

Chief Inspector Dennis Satterthwaite discusses the procedures for reparing the engine on a 1941 Taylorcraft while LETU students look on. While at MMS, students are given opportunity to work on different aircraft in our 3 hangars.

MMS and LETU at Worship

2009-03-24T13:51:00.003-04:00

MMS is blessed to have a team of LeTourneau University aviation students come and serve with us over their spring break. The team is headed up by Matt Poleman, faculty advisor. Matt and the students make the 16 hour trip to Coshocton, they are hosted by an MMS family while they work in the hangar. The students work on various air craft with an MMS team leader. We as an mission are blessed by their willing hands and hearts. These young men and women have a deep desire to follow the Lord to the mission field, where ever that may lead.

The hangar is a little quieter and empty this week as they have returned to Texas. But our hearts have been blessed by their testimonies and sacrifice. For old missionaries like Tim and I, we are proud of the next generation that the Lord is calling to serve Him.

It's a bird, a plane, no its Tim!

2009-03-10T20:17:00.002-04:00

Tim rode his bike for the first time this year on Monday to work. It is about a 4 mile ride out of town, and then a half mile ride up a steep and winding hill to the airport. When Tim rides to work, I ride my bike to meet him on his return ride. We meet on the corner of Main and Burt Avenue streets, from their we have a short ride to our home. Tim will ride to work almost every day until November, this gives him an opportunity to exercise and relax before coming home. Also, an opportunity to save fuel cost for his car. I take advantage of riding whenever I can, you will see me pedaling up to my friend Jeanne's house every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to work out in her basement. I take advantage of being able to make the short ride into town almost every day to run errands or sightseeing. On Sunday evenings you might spot us riding our BBFT, otherwise known as our bicycle built for two going to church. We do get some fun attention, the younger crowd thinks our bike is really cool, and it is! The BBFT was a gift from dear friends from church a couple of years ago.

The First Signs of Spring

2009-03-10T20:02:00.003-04:00

Last week while outside, I noticed for the first time that the tulips in our kitchen garden had finally popped up! Up until now, I've been hearing and seeing the cardinals, jays, wrens, as well our yearly visits from the crows in our yard. I'm happy to finally see spring flowers making their appearance. I find it rather amusing that I forget from season to season what's in my garden only to be surprised when a flower shows up! Soon, it will be time for Tim to start the weekly summer mowing, sorry honey!

2009-03-10T19:55:00.000-04:00

Baby Abi aka, the little angel

2009-03-06T12:12:00.002-05:00

Tim took this picture of Abi sleeping in our living room. She is 6 months old and the apple of her mum and dad's eyes! She is an excellent traveler, inquisitive and friendly! I was able to keep my Grandmother skills fresh by providing "toys" from my kitchen, the "really expensive educational" toys that all children love the best. We look forward to spoiling Abi when she comes back with her Mum and Dad next Fall.

Friends, Far and Near

2009-03-06T11:58:00.002-05:00

We've had a very busy week here. Wednesday night we hosted our new friends, Mark and Jenny who are the proud parents of Abigail. They arrived in Coshocton from the UK last Saturday night. Our friend, Bat-Enkh from Mongolia arrived here in the wee hours Tuesday morning. Seated next to me on my left is our near and dear friend Karen, she's married to Keith, who had to leave right after dessert, to pratice the drums at church, so he says:-)! Fellowship with fellow believers is so precious, we enjoyed our evening with everyone very much.

Bible Study Ladies Group

2009-03-03T19:12:00.003-05:00

Since arriving here in Coshocton seven and a half years ago, I've been involved with a group of ladies who meet in a local church. What started out as a MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) group, evolved into Tuesday Morning Ladies Bible Study. Our group has varied in size, from 20 to 5. The reason being that our local economy has seen the loss of business, to the extreme of one large one who not only closed its doors, but had the building demolished.
What we lack in numbers, we are big in our love and concern for each other and our families as well our community here in Coshocton.
We study God and His Word, wanting to know Him on a deeper level, to encourage each other and lift each other up in prayer, all the while wanting to bring Glory to Him. In this picture, two have moved. Glenda, who took this picture is our newest attendee.

2009-02-25T14:41:00.003-05:00

Meet my friends (l-r) Shanya, Suzie and her daughter Katie.
One of the ways that I serve is through a cupcake ministry to the local Christian School. Once I month, I theme a cupcake, bake, decorate and deliver them.
I enjoy using the artistic gift that the Lord has given to me. This picture is from December, 08. I used candy melts and a Christmas light bulb candy mold.
Next month, I will be decorating cupcakes for St. Patrick's Day. I'm thinking about gold foil covered chocolates for the decoration.

2009-02-25T13:29:00.002-05:00

We at MMS are gearing up for the arrival of a group of students from LeTourneau Universtiy who will be spending their Spring vacation helping in the hangar.