Well, after two months on the road, three states, and 6,600 miles, we are finally back in McNeal, AZ. 

McNeal is located 20 miles north of the Mexican border in the Sonoran Desert, close to both  Bisbee and Tombstone.  Before we went to Missouri for language and Culture training, we lived in this town for over three years and we consider it our home.

The border town of Douglas offers a unique blend of American and Mexican culture, set against a rugged and mountainous desert landscape.  It truly is a beautiful part of our country and we love the people who live here.

• Due to recent changes in school funding, Sean and Haley are not able to attend the school where all their old friends are going, so they have to adjust to yet another different school.
• That we will know God’s leading as we continue to build our ministry partner team.
• Wisdom as we start thinking about a ministry field.
• Daily encouragement.  We are striving to finish our training well after such a long road.
• Health for our family this summer.
• Safety as we start bush flying training in August of this year.

Like any endeavor, success involves the participation of a dedicated team.  Seeing tribal people come to know their Creator and understand "God’s talk" is no different.  However, this task, of which God has allowed us to be a part, is perhaps the most important and exciting endeavor of our lifetimes, and it does take a large team.

We need a team of prayer partners, dedicated to lifting up the ministry and its participants to the Lord, and we need a financial team, dedicated to providing for the financial burden involved in overseas ministry in today’s world.

Currently, as I type this we are traveling between Idaho, Oregon, California, and Arizona, challenging and encouraging people to look beyond our culture and see a bigger picture, and a larger worldwide need.  Pray as we seek to build this team, that we can not only provide a challenge, but that we can also be an encouragement to those we meet.  Pray also for safety as we travel thousands of miles.  We will have a lot of windshield time, and we will see a lot of highway like the picture above.

August of 2009…this is the start date of our first assignment with New Tribes Mission Aviation!  What does this mean?  Well, it means first of all that we are now members of New Tribes Mission, but more importantly we now start the intense bush flying training offered by NTMA, located in the beautiful Sonoran desert of Southeast Arizona.  This training also includes maintenance practices on the type of aircraft used overseas.

The training is inherantly dangerous, and we covet your prayers as we start this pre-field assignment.