OK wow. A lot has happened in the past month. Christmas in Indiana was good. While I was home I was offered a job as a flight instructor at the Columbus, Indiana airport. Ken is a friend of mine from Purdue who had been flying since graduation in Columbus. He has now moved to flying Cargo in the Caribbean and I have his position as a flight instructor. This has required me to move out of Michigan just after Christmas and start a new job. Talk about a lot going on. Stress in involved with any out of state move and job change, but his has all happened very fast. I have completed a weeks work at Rhoades Aviation and find the environment to be relaxed and enjoyable. Due to a foggy week I have not been in the air yet teaching, but I hope to soon.

I'm back living at home which is not what most people would want to do at 24 but it is good to be back and I don't think I'll be there permanently. I'm hoping my dad and I can get some flying done together. Maybe this will be the summer he can get his pilots license.

Speaking of my dad, he was just days away from a missions trip to Haiti when the earthquake struck there. I'm very glad that the church team was not there when disaster struck. However, everyone is in a scramble to get as much help as they can to the Capital now. As I said before, my company flys cargo in the Caribbean and they are going to try to lend a hand. Also, several Churches in the area are getting together supplies to be sent down. Missionary Flights International specializes in flying from Florida to Haiti. I've tried to put some people in contact with them and Missionary Aviation Fellowship to see what help can be offered.

Just after I left Michigan a very sad story unfolded involving a former SMAT pilot and missionary.
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/01/allegan_county_plane_crash_und.html

The aviation community is small and any loss is a tragedy, but this crash involved an alumni of SMAT which makes it all the worse. He was receiving training so that he could return to Kenya and fly missionaries there in support of Africa Inland Mission. The weather looks to have played a roll in the crash.

More to come soon about relief efforts and the new job.

Now from Indiana!
JMG