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Preparing the way

MTI Training: Paid!

We’re excited about what God is doing! First, we had a very generous partner pay for our entire language and culture training course at Mission Training International in Colorado. We’ll have an entire month of…

• Learning to speak Tok Pissin (the trade language used in Papua New Guinea).
• Learning how the PNG culture works and how they think.
• Learning how we’ll likely react to the stress of trying to fit in.
• Learning how to help mitigate and process the stress without ruining our testimony. This is important stuff! I know several people who went through the program before their missionary service and they all highly recommend the training at MTI. The training isn’t cheap and we weren’t sure how it was all going to work out but praise the Lord that the month of training is now entirely paid!

Alaska!

We’re also excited about how God has orchestrated events so our time in Alaska was made possible. The leadership at Samaritan Aviation wanted me to have more troubleshooting experience. MMS Aviation gave me great experience working on parts of airplanes that many mechanics haven’t seen, but I didn’t get much experience running out on the ramp to quickly fix a problem and get the plane going again. It was suggested that I go to an fast paced commercial environment so I could learn to handle those situations. I looked into many different airports where I had connections. After looking at the prices of temporary housing for two months in the Lower 48, I realized that it would cost the same to buy airplane tickets to Alaska where we had an offer to board for free in a beautiful log cabin. 

The Alaska option was great for three reasons. 

• One, my brother Matt, who has nine kids, will be our neighbor while we’re in Alaska and so both our families will have two months of quality time together before we leave for PNG. 
• Two, the work I’m doing will benefit mission work in the interior of Alaska. This way I can get training and help the Gospel advance at the same time. 
• Three, we get to stay in a beautiful log cabin in Alaska instead of a duplex in a crowded Pennsylvania suburb!

Meanwhile in Papua New Guinea…

  The following is a story from Samaritan Aviation’s website. It highlights the hope and access our ministry brings to this remote area of the world.

It was a cloudy Monday when we met little Pamela, a 4-year old girl from Kanduanam village that had been unconscious for three days.

As soon as Tracy Hamer, Chris Cooke, and Fred Holcomb had landed on the river to pick her up, our team was met by a familiar sight. Several dozen people from the village were standing on the bank to watch as our floatplane and team did everything they could to rescue one of their own. Little Pamela was carried out and loaded onto the plane before our team said a prayer and headed straight for Wewak. On the way back, Pamela began having seizures, which continued once she was transferred to the ambulance that brought her to Boram hospital. Pamela was diagnosed with cerebral malaria and it was unclear whether or not she would recover.

Over the next week and a half, Pamela began to regain consciousness and recover as our team visited her during her stay. On her last day in the hospital, Pamela was there with her dad when Chris Cooke came to say goodbye. To the surprise and delight of our team, Pamela ran up and gave Chris a huge hug! What an answered prayer it was to see the young girl regain her health with no lasting effects from the cerebral malaria or seizures!

Click here to read more real life stories on lives impacted by Samaritan Aviation.

THANK YOU to everyone out there who is praying for us, encouraging us, financially supporting us. The outpouring of love and support is overwhelming and appreciated!

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Our Schedule for the rest of the year…

July 23: Eric’s Wedding (Janice’s brother). We’re in Michigan right now preparing for this and hanging out with Janice’s sister Erleen who is home from Bangladesh.

July 24 – 31: Helping to man Samaritan Aviation’s booth at the Airventure Airshow in Oshkosh Wisconsin

July 29: Giving a presentation at a Men’s Campout near Oshkosh, WI

July 31: Speaking at a local church in Oshkosh, WI

August 5 – September 30: Volunteering at MARC in Soldotna, AK

October 24 – November 19: Language and Culture Training at Missionary Training Institute in Colorado. Completely paid for! Hallelujah!

Mid-November – New Years: Hanging out with relatives, saying goodbyes, and spending holidays with family.

January: Shipping out to PNG (Lord willing)

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