WANDERING WITH THE WRIGHTS

DECEMBER 30, 2018

The day after Thanksgiving we moved from Benson, AZ to McNeal, AZ (only about an hour south-east) to do a 3-week SOWERS Project.  We were serving a group called Ethnos 360 Aviation, formerly New Tribes Mission Aviation.  Their Mission Statement is to spread the gospel through aviation to see a thriving church for every people.

They serve pioneer church planting teams in the remote regions of Brazil, Asia Pacific, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines.  These teams spend 10 to 20 years immersing themselves in the language and culture of the people.  The goal is to establish thriving groups of trained believers, Scripture in hand, who can in turn reach neighboring villages and beyond with the gospel.

The plane or helicopter brings food and supplies.  It transports translation and church planting consultants and takes children back and forth to school.  The aircraft act as the ambulance for medical emergencies.  Flights carry goods and commodities for the village people.  

Our Team: Wayne and Gail - Jerry and I

Most every morning during our devotion time one of the men or couples came and shared their stories with us.  These people dedicate their entire lives to serving others and one story after another just amazed us.  How they heard God's call and followed it.  

When pilots come to Ethnos 360 they already know how to fly but have to learn how to land on short grassy runways.  Some of the pilots switch from planes to helicopters as they can land in such a small amount of space and it saves the maintenance money for a runway - even a grassy one.

Every project we have done we have felt so blessed by what we learned and experienced on this one was truly amazing

They offered to take us up in a helicopter!!!

Any of you who know Jerry know he was a very happy man - we even let him sit upfront

Gail and I in the back seat

An aerial view from the helicopter of the Ethnos campus

A huge bolder sticking out of the desert floor.  They actually landed the helicopter, not on this bolder, to show us how they locate a good spot to land when landing in a new area.

Our coach on the far right

It isn't all play and no work.  The guys tore down an old porch that was literally falling apart

The almost finished porch Wayne and Jerry built.  They also spent a lot of time in a home putting up all new baseboard and trimming doors in a 3 bedroom 1800 square foot house.  Lots of time on their knees.

Gail & I, with Teddy supervising. scraped, painted and numbered the 20 posts in the campground area of Ethnos.  Teddy is not normally allowed at the work area but since we were in the camp area and it was only us we let him be outside with us.

Lot's of knee work for us too

They looked great when we were done!  We also did a lot of work in what they call the Mission Barrel.  Many people donate clothes, linens, cookware, etc. for the missionaries to take with them when they go overseas.  I also worked in the office one day.

Saw several Road Runners

Arizona has beautiful sunsets

One of the mission wives giving us cooking lessons 

The meal was delicious

Nothing to do with our mission work, but had to show you a picture of Vincent getting his hair cut

Makes him look more like a little man (he will be 2 in February)

While in McNeal we worshipped at a small church in a neighboring town.  They had a ladies craft night that Gail and I attended.  The women were so friendly and welcoming.  We had a wonderful evening.  The pastors wife had different crafts on 8 different tables and you could do as many as you wished.

Some of the ladies hard at work

My two projects

Another church held their annual Christmas Tea at Ethnos while we were there and insisted Gail and I attend.  One woman volunteered from each table to decorate it so each one was different and they were all lovely.

Just two pictures of about 12 tables

There was a children's time

Entertainment- this is a mother and son - both former overseas missionaries
 

Gail, Pat and I  In the next few pictures I will share the story of Pat and her husband.

Paul and Pat Dye were one of the missionary couples I mentioned earlier that came to share with us during devotion time.
They were with us for two hours and we had only gotten up to where Paul was 18.  At the age of 3 he went with his family into the mission field and to make a long fascinating story short his father and several other men were captured and killed. His mother refused to leave the bush and stayed with other missionaries to spread the gospel.  Because we were so curious to hear the rest of the story they invited us to dinner one night.

Paul and Pat met and became missionaries and another long fascinating story condensed is that Paul was captured by guerrillas in 1985.  They kept Paul alive because they needed him to fly the plane that they had also taken.  His entire story centers on how God saved him.  He had his bible with him and God would put a verse in his head and when he would read the verses it gave him the courage to finally try to escape.  Which of course he was successful in doing.  Jerry and I have a video and a book if any of you are interested in reading it when we see you we would be glad to share with you.  I think you will be as fascinated as we were.

One weekend we drove to Douglas, AZ to visit The Gadsden Hotel built in 1907.  It is still a functioning hotel and it has a delicious restaurant we had lunch in

Not a very good picture but it has a beautiful staircase

Beautiful art work

Some of the famous people who have stayed at the Gadsden

More famous visitors

Sometimes prize bull also stayed!!

We also visited Bisbee, AZ and toured a copper mine

Jerry, Wayne and I ready to go down - Gail didn't like the idea so waited up top for us

We straddled these boards to ride into the mine

Entering the mine

Our guide who worked in this mine for almost 20 years explaining about setting explosives

The containers full of copper they originally pushed out but eventually had donkeys pull out

Several people had recommended we go to the Bisbee Breakfast Club to eat.  The food was delicious but you will see from the next few pictures it was located on a block that was like taking a step back in time about 60 years

Visited the Slaughter Ranch right on the Mexican border.  John Slaughter purchased the land in the late 1800's and was a successful rancher and lawman.

The Ranch House

As we left this cow was saying his farewell to us

The ranch is in the middle of nowhere down a long dirt road - but someone has a sense of humor

Last but not least we visited Whitewater Draw the summer home of thousands and thousands of Sand Hilt Cranes

We have entertainment here at the RV Park - this gentlemen played an 18 string guitar and was fantastic

Granted we are in warmer weather but people still decorate for Christmas

Keeping the cactus warm at night

In the clubhouse Christmas day there were 8 tables of 22 people - each table is decorated differently - this was ours

Santa paid a visit

My cousin Lauri & her husband Shaun took my mom out to dinner to celebrate the holiday

Our four awesome godchildren wearing the tops we gave them for Christmas

Our oldest grandson Calvin

His little sister Jeana

Our grandson Adrian

Vincent, Lily and Bella

Daisy

Nayeli

As this year comes to an end we know that we are blessed far beyond what we deserve.  We pray that your 2018 holds many wonderful memories and that 2019 is filled with love, health and blessings for each of you.