Bongolo Baptism!!!

 aka. The Lord's Love in the Louetsi!!!

Just prior to departing for our spiritual direction training and retreat in France, I was asked to officiate a baptism in the Louetsi River, just below the falls and the hydro-electric plant (originally built by missionaries!). 

Those being baptized were from the group of international
worker families at the mission station.

After our time of singing in prayer, we headed into the 
chilly (but refreshing!) waters of the Louetsi.

As the group gathered proclaimed "DEAD TO SIN!", the 
baptisms started. As the "baptizand" was raised out of
the water they shouted "ALIVE IN CHRIST!"

The service was finishing, BUT WAIT! Moved by the Holy 
Spirit, a visitor from the US stated his desire to be baptized!
After some words of testimony affirming his decision, it
was back in the river! 

In Gabon, I enjoy all that I do, but have rarely been 
able to do much pastoral work as I have in the past.
I miss this aspect of my equipping and love when 
I have the opportunity.

As we mentioned, after the baptisms, we returned back to our home in Libreville and then, soon after, were off to France. There, we would have the last of our in-person training events (3 total) from this academic year (1 year to go!), for our spiritual direction course. In consultation with our sending church (York Alliance, PA) and mission leaders, we decided to add time to this event for our own spiritual retreat (aka. sabbatical). (Note: Pilot Rob Peterson is keeping the aviation program moving along. Thanks Rob!!!)

It has been some time since our last extended spiritual retreat and much has happened. We ask for your prayers in this time as we seek to relax, refresh, and refocus. We sense the Lord stirring in our hearts for some course adjustments that lie ahead and anticipate more clarity from the Spirit. 

Thank you so much for these prayers, now and over the many years! We are on year TWENTY of being connected to ministry in Gabon in one form or another. WOW!

OPTIONS TO CONTRIBUTE:

DONATE THROUGH THE ALLIANCE (C&MA) (click here)

OR:

PAYPAL THROUGH THINGS ABOVE PROJECT (click below)

Video Tour - Bongolo Hospital

Bongolo Hospital is our primary point of service with the aviation operations for the Alliance churches in Gabon. There are many ways that this hospital is supported and one growing source of support is from Christian Health Service Corps! Not long ago, their CEO, Greg, visited and produced this video where Doctors Josie and David Skavdahl gave a tour. Enjoy!!!

Henrica- Bending Metal!

 Normally, when you think of airplanes, 

"Bending Metal" is not a happy term, 

but in Henrica's case... 

She's been doing a lot of it in her 

aircraft sheet metal course!

She was given technical plans, tools, some sheets
of aircraft aluminum, and, after instruction, she
was on her way to fabricating a sample of an 
aircraft control surface!

Her classroom in the aircraft hangars of Blue Ridge
Community College located at the Shenandoah
Regional Airport in Virginia.

VOILA!

Henrica's skills are blossoming! 
Thank you for your support that keeps our program
thriving and supporting efforts like our aviation internship.
We can't do it without your teamwork.

OPTIONS TO CONTRIBUTE:

DONATE THROUGH THE ALLIANCE (C&MA) (click here)

OR:

PAYPAL THROUGH THINGS ABOVE PROJECT (click below)

Around the Patch in 2024!

After an Annual Inspection with our visiting
friend, Dan, our Cessna 207 is back, hard
at work! In terms of flight hours, 2024
was our SECOND busiest since 
starting the service in 2009!

 

257 passengers got to their destinations
and over 16,000 pounds of cargo
was delivered!

Our most popular route, hands down, 
continues to be linking the Bongolo 
Hospital with the capital city
of Libreville

A regular part of our regimen is pilot recurrency
training. Above is the flight tracking route for 
one such training event over the skies of 
Bongolo.

Your support of these efforts results in people 
having a tangible encounter with Jesus, 
the one true HOPE for the world. Here
is a scene from one of the waiting
areas at Bongolo- raised hands 
indicating decisions to 
follow Jesus!

Your support also helps in the training programs
at Bongolo! Here are the newest graduates of 
the nursing assistant program, with our boss, 
Pastor Serge B., in the middle. Other training 
programs- Adult Medicine, Aviation, Surgery, 
Ophthalmology, Anesthesiology, and more!

This is why we press on, with your partnership!

Thank you for joining us for this adventure!

OPTIONS TO CONTRIBUTE:

DONATE THROUGH THE ALLIANCE (C&MA) (click here)

OR:

PAYPAL THROUGH THINGS ABOVE PROJECT (click below)

Which type of STRAW's do YOU prefer?!?

 We don't live in the US, but we have heard rumblings...

But, we know which STRAW's you REALLY prefer...

(L to R): Joe, Alace, Henrica, Sam, Steve, Gram, John & Megan

A short "Straw" family update

We were so thankful to be able to spend Christmas and New Year's

with family. My sister has a beach house in NC which gave us 

a great setting for enjoying one another.

Sam (on the left): Getting his master's in international relations in Taiwan

Joe (in the back): Works in I.T. security in Chicago; active in his Alliance church and community group

Megan (on the right): Freelance content writer- staying busy with a growing client list!

John (Meg's hubby pictured above): Now working with a boutique soccer agency! A dream job!

Henrica (middle): She has become like family! My children have known her since 2008!

Sam had time, before getting back to Taiwan, to go with Alace 
and I to Pennsylvania and visit my (Steve's) father (93 years old!).

Sunrise on 2025!
We send you our love!
"Cheers" to a Wonderful New Year!

How to Move an Airplane from Africa to the USA

 You may recall that we BORROWED an airplane from our good friends at JAARS Cameroon. It served us very well but our own airplane has been on site for some time and JAARS has finally decided that the best thing to do with the airplane would be to move it back to the USA for refurbishment and redeployment!

HOW DO YOU MOVE AN AIRPLANE

FROM AFRICA 

TO THE USA?

... call up some friends!

Our friends from JAARS Cameroon, Grant, Jess and
Emmanual (NASA suit) were joined by local friend,
Bah (in the back)

They were also joined by our good friend, whom you've 
seen on this blog many times before, Dan S. from JAARS USA!

Simply put, to move an airplane from Africa to the USA...
You might think, "Hey- just fly it there!" However, the 
alternative is to pull it apart into much small parts
and then...

... take a break!  ...well, yes, but then...

You put it in a shipping Container... then on a big boat...
then across the Atlantic Ocean... and there you go. Done.

Much, much, much easier said then done...
We are so thankful for this team.
We are a small operation in the middle 
of the Central African Rainforest and 
CANNOT do these tasks without a great amount of teamwork.

Thank you for being part of the journey and standing with us!

And... p.s.  ....

During the visit of the Cameroon team, Dr. Bintou, 

pilot Rob's better half, was able to give 

Emmanuel an eye exam at the 

Bongolo Eye Clinic!

OPTIONS TO CONTRIBUTE:

DONATE THROUGH THE ALLIANCE (C&MA) (click here)

OR:

PAYPAL THROUGH THINGS ABOVE PROJECT (click below)

Henrica- 1st Snow EVER!!!

 Share in Henrica's Joy of experiencing 

her first flakes of Snow in her Life!

(Henrica is our first Gabonese aviation intern who, 

with your help, is being sponsored as a student at

Blue Ridge Community College (Virginia) to

receive her FAA Airframe & Powerplant 

aviation mechanic's license!)

A Gabonese Snow Man!

By contrast, here is one of her favorite places in the world...

Her home village and her grandma...

Henrica with our family for Christmas!
(L to R): Sam, Henrica, Joe, Megan

Thank you for joining with us to support those who are 

called and are following the path of Expressing God's 

Love and Care through aviation!!!

OPTIONS TO CONTRIBUTE:

DONATE THROUGH THE ALLIANCE (C&MA) (click here)

OR:

PAYPAL THROUGH THINGS ABOVE PROJECT (click below)

Featured In ALLIANCE Annual Impact Report!

As you may know, I am an ordained minister with the Alliance (Christian & MissionaryAlliance- C&MA) and the work that we do in Gabon partners with local Alliance work. In my passport country of the USA, annually, the Alliance sends out an "Impact" report and, this year, they made mention of our work!  on Page 18 you see this...

It's always nice to get a bit of recognition. It's not why we do it, but we appreciate people taking notice. We enjoy the connection to the larger body of believers who, along with us, have this audacious idea that the Creator God has in mind to bring each one of us deeper towards are greatest Joy as we journey closer to HIS heart... and we want to make that know to all Nations!

>OPTIONS TO CONTRIBUTE:

DONATE THROUGH THE ALLIANCE (C&MA) (click here)

OR:

PAYPAL THROUGH THINGS ABOVE PROJECT (click below)