Travel Tales!

Our journey to Idaho for our final training begins in South Georgia on Valentine’s Day…

Packed Tight!

I think that’s it!

Grandpa helps tie on the trunk.

On Valentine’s Day we pack the car with everything that we have left that is not in our crates and head toward Idaho.  We head toward Kentucky to stay the night and take a tour through Mammoth Caves!

Watch out for Bats!

In the Caves.

After Mammoth Caves we made our way to Chicago where we stayed with some good friends and supporters, the O’Youngs.  We stayed a few days and had a wonderful time!

Jeanette & Joy

Double Date Night with Jeanette & Jason.

Reagan, Kylie Joy, Caleb & Bryce.

Ripley was Reagan’s new best friend!

Bryce and Caleb are Lego Buddies!

After Chicago we headed to Nebraska where we were blessed to visit with another family that are friends and supporters.  On our way, we had to stop at the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Illinois.

Just like my Great Papaw!

Caleb Harvesting Soy Beans

Hanging out.

Taking a break in the tractor tire.

In Nebraska we woke up to 5 degree weather and were shocked when our friend, Molly, suggested we go to the zoo!  Since it warmed up to 11 degrees by the time the zoo opened, we decided to go for it!  Fortunately, all the sights were in indoor pavilions.  I guess they were used to cold weather!

Fun Times!

Reagan makes a new friend!

The kids were amazed by the frozen water falls! Water doesn’t freeze in GA & TX!

We were able to have a couple of extra days with the Gaviolas.  Our car cracked a radiator and had to be repaired and a snow storm decided to dump 10″ of snow on us the day we were to leave.  After digging our car out, we finally got on the road.  The conditions were pretty good until we got to the Rockies.  We hit another storm and made it through.  It didn’t help much when Caleb threw up across the state of Nebraska and Reagan joined in and threw up across the state of Wyoming!  It took us an extra day to travel it.

Holding Baby Elijah.

Playing in the snow instead of traveling!

Hanging out with Isaac.

On the road through the Rockies.

We finally made it to Idaho, 3 days later than we originally planned, but on time for Luke to start training on Monday morning.  This was a trip that we will never forget!!

At the apartments at MAF headquarters.

Travel Worn

Relaxing in front of the fire.

Everyone’s wiped out!

 

 

Packing Up

How do you categorize your life?  What things in your home can you not live without?  What toys will fit in my trunk?  These are all questions we had to ask ourselves as we started packing up for good.  We needed to fit everything we owned into three 4×4 crates and our suitcases.  It is pretty tough for a 5 year old to decide what toys will go with them on the airplane and what they can do without for a year and a half.

Filling in holes with books!

Joy’s Mom & Grandma drove from TX to GA to help pack the crates.

Finally Closed Up!

Caleb moving crates into position for the fork lift.

Caleb moved the crates himself!

Reagan helps…notice the shorts and bare feet in January…

Caleb works the fork lift.

Ready for Storage!

 

Unreached People in Indonesia

I was surprised and excited to find out how many missionaries were headed to Indonesia with MAF.  To me it seemed like a lot, until I started reading about the country.  Indonesia has over 17,000 islands and is the 4th most populated country in the world!  Eighty percent Muslim, largely mountainous and full of jungle, this country has hundreds of unreached people groups.  MAF has 9 bases scattered over Indonesia and provides crucial transportation for God’s people to share His love.  I found a story that gripped my heart and showed me just how important it is to reach these people that were considered “unreachable” until the small airplane came flying onto the scene. If you would like to be a part of this amazing endeavor go to our website at http://www.maf.org/bryant and join our team by becoming a financial partner.

Click to watch “Unreached People”

So What is our Schedule?

• January 21-26 – We pack our crate and have our last yard sale!
• February 14 – We leave Georgia to drive to Idaho for our final training.
• End of April – We finish our training and head to Texas
• 2nd week of May – We leave for Indonesia from DFW!
• May 25 – Language School Orientation

 

Changing Course!

When we first joined MAF as a Missionary Pilot Family, we told everyone that we did not feel called to a specific place.  We knew God was preparing us for the job He wanted us to do, and He would reveal to us where He wanted us to go.   For some time now we believed that the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa was that place.  We embraced that assignment and we prepared our hearts for that position.  In the last couple of weeks MAF started looking closely at the programs in Africa.  After prayer and many meetings with program directors, we have been asked to move assignments from Africa to Indonesia.  This was quite a surprise for us, but we have seen God’s hand moving in the process and have come to believe that this move is the best decision for our family.

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world and some very isolated and rugged conditions, including the area devastated by the Tsunami several years ago.  As part of our preparation for this new assignment we will receive specialized training in how to minister to Muslims in Indonesia.  This assignment will provide different challenges than we would have faced in Africa, but we are confident that the Lord will use us to bring His light to the darkness invading these islands in Southeast Asia.

We know that many of you have been following our journey from the very beginning and we are so grateful for your faithful prayers and support.  We are learning more and more how flexible we need to be as we open ourselves up to serving on the Mission Field.  We pray that each of you who have been supporting us financially to go to Africa will also see the great need in Indonesia and be willing to continue your support.  We cannot do this alone!  Your prayers and financial support have sustained us in so many ways.  Click on the link below to see a new video about what our ministry to Muslim Indonesia will be like!

Overcoming Isolation in Indonesia

 

Lessons from the Young

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”  1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)

It was prayer time before bed, and the children cuddled in close.  Caleb prayed first thanking God for all those things that are important to an 8 year old boy.  When it was Reagan’s turn, she frowned and announced that she didn’t know what to pray for.  I assured her that God wanted to hear whatever was on her mind and encouraged her to just talk to God and tell him anything she wanted.  This was her prayer:

“Dear God, Please be with the people in Africa.  Help them to not get hurt.  Help them to not be scared because Jesus is with them.  Help the ones who have to go to the hospital to get better.  In Jesus Name, Amen.”

I teared up at the sweet simplicity and beauty of her heartfelt prayer.  From the beginning of our journey I have been praying that God would work on my children’s hearts to prepare them to live overseas.  This prayer confirmed to me that God has a plan for my children in the Congo.  It also made me wonder if I was spending enough time praying for the people that we would soon be living with.  Her prayer set an example for me to follow as well.  Are you spending time praying for those who are hurting and need the Lord?  Join our family in prayer for the Congolese people in Africa!

 

Taking Baby Steps

I have to confess that I am a planner.  I like to know things ahead of time and plan what to do with my time.  It gives me a lot of joy to be prepared for what is coming.  As I reflect on the last few years, I have to think about the baby steps that God has used to reveal Himself to us.  Four years ago if God told me at that moment to sell EVERYTHING that I owned, pick up and move to the Congo, I would have run the other direction as hard as I could.  Instead, He prepared me a little at a time, one yard sale at a time.  Yes, it was still hard to watch my baby bed go, but at the same time I was able to release my “things” into God’s hands.  Maybe I just made room for more blessings!  Walk with me as I reminisce on the baby steps we have taken.

1^st Baby Step – We put our house on the market in 2008.  It sold in 1 week in a crashing market.  One house on our street had been on the market for 13 months already.

2^nd Baby Step – We agonized over whether or not I should work while Luke was in training.  We knew we needed the money, but we felt strongly that the children needed their Mommy at home.  This was going to be a big transition time for them and the dynamics of our family needed some continuity.  We made the choice for me to stay home and the Lord worked out the rest!  Luke was able to find a very flexible job and the Lord provided everything we needed.

3^rd Baby Step – Luke needed to finish his training and the part-time job was becoming a little too much for him to continue.  We felt like the Lord was telling us it was time to let it go and trust Him fully.  Tough decision, but God kept us in His hands and provided for our every need.  This included all the funds needed for His training.

4^th Baby Step – Training finished and we felt it was time to move again.  We moved to Texas to be close to Joy’s family, who had recently returned from the Philippines.  Luke needed a lot of experience before taking his evaluations with MAF.  Even though he didn’t have contacts and no idea how he was going to get the time, we again moved on faith.  God provided a job doing maintenance on airplanes as well as godly men that helped him get his flight time.  Joy was also able to be there to help her parents as they opened a coffee/ice cream shop.

5^th Baby Step – After passing evaluations with MAF we had to decide if that was the organization that the Lord wanted us to go with.  After much prayer and consideration we felt his leading in that direction.  We decided to trust God’s leading for an assignment and accepted the Democratic Republic of Congo, believing that God was again going to provide protection and grace to do that job.

6^th Baby Step – Raising financial support was a task that both of us were very nervous about.  In the few weeks that we have been speaking at churches and with many of you we have been surprised at how wonderful the experience is turning out to be.  God is the one in charge!  We get to share our story and God brings people into our path that will share our vision and want to be a part of that goal!  Even though we still have a long way to go, we know that God is going to provide.  If you wish to be a part of this team, please check out our website, www.maf.org/bryant.  We are in need of people who are willing to make a monthly commitment of any amount that the Lord lays on your heart.  Below is a chart showing our progress so far.

7^th Baby Step – This step is yet to come.  This will be when our monthly commitment goals have all been reached and we leave for Canada to learn French.  We will have to trust God completely to give us what we need to learn a new language.  Even through the excitement we get nervous about it.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “’I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ‘”  Each one of us has to choose daily to believe whether or not we trust what God has to say.  In her Bible study on James Beth Moore says, “What if we understood down to the marrow of our bones that His is the only plan that really does end up prospering us?”  I think our lives would look a lot different if we really understood and believed that truth.  What Baby Step is God asking you to make right now?  Rest in the assurance that God really does have plans for us, and His plans are GOOD!

 

Future MAF Pilots

We often wonder how our children are coping with all the pressures they are facing.  Do they really understand what is going on?  Will they resent the disruption of their lives?  It’s moments like the one below that warm our hearts and show us that God is working in their little hearts as well.  Click on the picture to see these future MAF pilots in action!

The Future of MAF!
(Click Here)

 

African Air Strips

MAF pilots have to fly on some very remote air strips.  Click on the picture below to see video footage of some  African Air Strips.

 

Many Hats of the Job

Many people want to know exactly what Luke will be doing in Africa with MAF.  There are many different hats that he will be wearing in this new job.  Here are some of them.

PILOT- He will be transporting goods, people, missionaries, doctors and humanitarian aid workers to remote villages to bring physical & spiritual healing.

DIPLOMAT - Luke will have the opportunity to work with city officials and workers at the air strips, negotiating taxes and fees.

AMBULANCE FLYER - Luke will be flying Medical Emergency Evacuations for some of the Medical Relief Groups in the area.

DADDY & HUSBAND - World's Greatest Dad & Hubby!

REPORTER - Luke is committed to sharing his stories and journey, fully realizing that he could not do this without YOU!

LIFEGUARD - Committed to seeking out those who are sinking to share the saving grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ!

MECHANIC - As an airplane mechanic, Luke will make sure the MAF airplanes are working smoothly and always return home in one piece!

 

Learning About Africa

When we got back from our trip to Idaho, we were surprised to find that our homeschool co-op was starting a new learning unit on Africa!  What a surprise!  We were so excited to jump in and find out about the continent that we would be moving to and we have not been disappointed.  We have seen video footage of Angel Falls, the Congo River and a myriad of African Animals.   Enjoy some of these amazing sites from Africa with us!

Click image to see video footage

Caleb and Reagan were able to try out some African musical instruments.  It was a lot of fun playing different instruments with friends and creating different sounds.

Click the instruments to hear an African instrument