Lincoln and I getting back in the groove of flying!
Greetings from Alaska! For those who might not have heard, I passed my private pilot check ride in June, and finally made it to Alaska the last week of August! It’s super exciting to be in Alaska engaged in mission aviation work after working towards this goal for the last several years! So far I’ve had a busy first few weeks working on everything from engines and plumbing to airport flying and beach landings!
When I first arrived in Alaska, I hadn’t flown since I passed my checkride in June. Needless to say, my aviation skills had become rusty! Thankfully, Mr Downs (the local mission pilot we’re working with) got us right out to practice the day after we arrived. It was super fun to fly a new aircraft, and the larger bush style tires really improved the landing performance!
Now what really messed me up is that this airplane has an airspeed indicator in miles an hour instead of knots. If I mistake the airspeed for knots, I could potentially takeoff almost 10-15 miles an hour too slow! That weekend we also had the opportunity to practice off-airport landings at Picnic Beach. Flying planes in Alaska off-airport is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time so it was super exciting! This reminds me of Psalms 37:4 which talks about how when we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our hearts. If I hadn’t chosen to become a missionary, I may have never had this opportunity!
Today I’m preparing to help fly a friend to Clark’s Point airport. Mr Downs has a friend named Issac and we’ve been working to find ways to share Christ with him. One way is to offer him flights to see his family in Clark’s Point! It’s a short flight of 15 minutes but makes a big difference for Issac as it gives him the opportunity to spend much more time with his family. On Sunday, we’ll fly back to pick Issac up and do a Bible study with his family. Then, later in the week, Lincoln and I plan to help him replace the brakes on his car. It so exciting to see my practical skills like aviation and mechanics turn into ways to share Christ’s love with others! Please pray that we will be able to make a positive impact in Isaac’s life and share Christ’s love with him.
We have several other ministry opportunities here. The local pastor has been called to pastor in the Idaho conference, leaving a vacancy in the church. This will result in Lincoln and I having more responsibilities in the church. It’s exciting to be able to step up and help lead out in the local church. We’re planning to start a youth Sabbath School class, help with pathfinders, preach, and work with Bible study contacts. Our aviation ministry will also become vital to support the church in the neighboring village of Togiak. The pastor generally flys out on a bush airline once a month, but now we will probably routinely make the trip in the Cessna to hold church services.
As you can see, God has blessed us with many ministry opportunities. Please pray that we will be able to faithfully do the work God has called us to do and reach many souls for Him. Thank you for being part of my team and helping send me to Alaska to share the gospel! As always, please feel free to share any ways we could pray for you!
In service together,
Micah
Prayer Requests:
For us to be able to share Christ with Issac.
Safety while flying!
For God to bless us as we pursue our many ministry projects in Dillingham and the surrounding areas.
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