My debut blog post - Kristi

We realize we haven’t been consistent with our blog updates this year, so we are resolving to have a post for you every week again.  We have had many of you ask for more family posts, so we’ll start there.  And people have also requested to hear from me (Kristi).  Please give me some feedback on my debut post – I don’t really care for writing or blogging, but will do my best to fill you in on some family life. (Be sure to find us on Facebook – Adelsbergers in Aviation – to see even more pictures and everyday life here at MMS and at home.)

 Noah has had a pretty exciting 2016 – some good exciting, some bad…  You already know about his emergency appendectomy in April.  He has recovered fine.  We appreciated your prayers through that ordeal.  Will you please continue to pray with us as we start to see our medical bills?  Our insurance plan has a deductible of $10,000 that we will have to pay.  (A huge thank you to GLBC who has already given towards it!) 

You also know that he was able to spend the summer in Ecuador with Teen Missions.  Thank you to everyone who donated so generously!  As parents, we can’t endorse Teen Missions enough.  It is just wonderful to have your child come home so on fire for God!  Here are a couple pictures of the building site his team worked on.  It is at the site for the new Teen Missions base and will house the new Missionary Bible and Work school for Ecuador youth. We'll try to get him to write a more in-depth post, but for now here are a couple pictures.

 

When Noah returned, he had a week before classes began.  This year he is doing a full time dual-enrollment program at Ohio State University Newark.  As a high school junior, he is taking all college classes that will be credit for high school and college.  It is mostly funded through the state with only a fraction of out of pocket cost that would normally be incurred when starting college.  Please pray for him as he thinks about the direction he would like to head. 

 And back to the bad-exciting category… last weekend Noah was in a car accident. He missed a bridge at 50mph, jumped 30ft into a concrete embankment...and he wasn’t seriously hurt.  Scared to death and banged up, but no serious injuries. We are so, so thankful God protected him and kept him safe!

We’re honestly hoping Noah has a much duller conclusion to 2016.  I don’t think our nerves can handle too much more excitement like we’ve had :)  But we can report that God has been faithful!

Kristi

Teen Missions Trip

Hello friends, family, and supporters,

 Through your donations, God has provided $4,205.20 out of the $4890.00 required by Teen Missions International! We are 86% of the way there! With only $684.80 left to go. Would you continue praying with me for the remaining needed support. With most of my Teen Missions funds taken care of, we have also started to look to the funds that are going to be needed for my traveling to Florida and outfitting. There is a need for proper clothing, safety equipment, tools and other necessities for this trip. Teen Missions provides some things and expects us to bring the rest. So I ask for your prayers and support here as well! I am so excited about what God is doing  and will be doing in me and through me with this trip! Thank you for your prayers and thank you for your support.

I have embedded a video from 2013 about the first weeks of my mission trip.  On Merritt Island in Florida I will join with my other Australia trip teem members and spend my first two weeks building teem unity and learning the needed construction and evangelism skills.  The video is about a half hour long, enjoy.

If you know of anyone in their teens that you think would enjoy this kind of activity please share with them: http://www.teenmissions.org/.  

Noah

Noah's next mission trip

Hello,

My name is Noah Adelsberger, I am the oldest son of Josh and Kristi Adelsberger, missionaries with MMS Aviation.  I want to share with you what God has been doing in my life since our return from Zambia.  Before our family went to Africa, I did not realize there could be a place for me in missions.  But after our time with Missionary Flight Service in Zambia, I saw immediately that there was plenty of things I could do to contribute.  When I returned home I started looking for another opportunity to serve the mission community.  Mom and Dad pointed me to Teen Missions International, mom is a Teen Missions alumni, having gone on the 1991 Kenya Teen Missions trip. 

Teen Missions is dedicated to sending teens on short mission trips to various parts of the world.  They first train the teens at a two week long intense boot camp that equips them with the necessary construction and evangelism skills for going out onto the mission field.  After the boot camp the teens are sent out in teams to various parts of the world.  A list of their mission trips can be found here.  After some time spent in prayer, I signed up for a Teen Missions Australia trip in the summer of 2015.  On the trip I will help Teen Missions Australia Bible, Missionary & Work Training Center by continuing construction work that the 2014 team started.  While there we will have the opportunity to minister and evangelize in local schools and churches.

One of the faith building exercises Teen Missions requires is that the teen has to raise ALL of the money necessary for the trip.  This expense covers training, equipment, tickets, transportation, building materials, food, and other necessary items.  The Australia Mission Trip cost is from $4990 – $5190, an incredible sum to raise for me.  But when we decided to go to Africa, I was amazed at how God provided for our trip.  I believe that He can do it again.

Would you prayerfully consider joining me, ministering in Australia as a financial partner? You can donate online here, select US or Canada, in the category box select the “Team Member” option and put Noah Adelsberger in the comment section.  If you are not comfortable donating online I can get you a packet with the necessary info, contact me at noah.adelsberger@gmail.com. 

Thank you for your prayers and consideration, please check back here and see how the support raising is progressing.

Noah Adelsberger

Sakaji School

We have almost reached the half way point on our stay here in Zambia. I am really pleases with what we have gotten done so far.  The kids are all active in the work here and will be able to remember the contributions they have made.  In the hangar we are preparing for the next round of inspections on the two airplanes.

John is flying to Lusaka today for mission business and we are re-leaved.  The closest grocery store in 200+ miles away and while there is some food available locally we really needed a trip to town.  Staples like butter, cheese and ground beef are not available locally.  The list we put together is quite large because it has to last us for the next two months.  Imagine trying to do all your shopping at once for two months and anything you forget you will most likely have to do without.

 Noah gets more sun than all of us because he spends several hours a day on the mower.  While on the mower he has seen and killed several snakes including the very deadly puff adder and a cobra that had hooded up and was striking at the mower as he passed.  Just this week a boy on the compound was spit at by a cobra, it hit him in one eye and the cheek.  He never saw the snake but went right home and got medical attention, he was fine by the next day.  I know it sounds weird but thank God they snake spit as a warning before it bit or it could have been alot worse.  Because of spitting cobras Noah wears sunglasses all the time while he is mowing.

 We visited CMML's boarding school at Sakaji about a 40 minute drive from the hangar.   It was raining on the drive over, the roads were a river, muddy and treacherous.  We had to cross moving water more than a foot deep and 30 to 40 feet long.  There was a long steep uphill section that was like trying to drive up a stair case made out of mud with a waterfall flowing down it.  The jostling and bumping and bouncing just about beat you to death.  We all had muscle aches the next day.

As we neared the school the rain stopped and the clouds lightened up a bit and it was nice the rest of the day.  We had a very nice tour and met some of the 80 students 1st-8th grade and teachers.  The school is very beautiful, lots of flowers nicely cut grass and brick buildings.  A snack was served in the new dining hall and kitchen.

The trip home was not as bad, no rain but the roads were still slippery.  Most of the standing water was gone and it is easier to drive down a staircase than up.  We arrived home just as it was getting dark, popped some popcorn and settled in to watch a movie.

Josh

This week on the farm...

Just wanted to put in a update of our family life right now.  With spring here we are very busy with our farm work.  Grass is growing and the garden is being planted.  These are the survivors of our first pin or chickens.  I say survivors because free range birds are difficult to protect from nightly coon and possum visitors.  Electrified nets and live traps keep them at bay for the most part, but not entirely.  We raise our birds GMO free and free range.  

 The newest member of our farm was born a week ago.  He is a small but very health Jersey/Milking Short Horn cross.

 Monday our kids marched in the Memorial day parade, Noah and Luke with the scouts and Hannah and Joanna with 4-H.

 Last week as well Noah, Luke and I raised Noah's amateur radio tower.  He is seen here putting the radials on his 10 meter vertical antenna.  Luke was running him tools and pieces up and down the tower.  His call sign is KD8TIU.

Just wrapping up the engine for New mercy Ministries this week.  Paper work and forms for transporting it back across the boarder to Canada.  It should be headed that way next week.  I have started the next engine, it is for Missionary flights international's 206.  Thanks for checking in, Josh

Took the boys camping this weekend.  We had a great time at MVSR.  Ranger Ron's edible plant class and nature walk were top notch.  We also took time on Sat. to visit a near by cemetery and decorate the graves of the veterans with flags.  After putting out about a hundred flags you could look over the cemetery and see  how much sacrifice it takes for us to keep our freedom.

May God bless you all on this upcoming Memorial weekend.  If you enjoy your freedom, be sure to thank a veterans.  Josh

Klondike

It has been a bit since I last updated my blog and I have alot to write about, so instead of doing one large post I thought I'd cover it all over the next few days.

 Noah and I had a great time at the Klondike this weekend.  The weather was warm, in the 50's, dry and blue skies were all around.  The sled we've been working on worked great and everyone stopped to admire it at least once.  I made sure that everyone new that Noah did all the brazing and helped with the design.  He was quite proud of his work.  Building the sled has given him an interest in welding so tonight I'll start teaching him how to gas weld steel.  Expect pictures later

 The whole troop enjoyed taking turns pushing and pulling the sleds and as we passed other troops with much heavier sleds our boys were thankful for the wheels on our sled and its light weight.  We had the smallest troop there, that I saw, 5 boys.  The largest was a "Crew" that had 11.

When the competition was over and the points tallied we ranked in the to 1/3.  That might be a far cry from winning but considering the number of boys we had and the fact that for most of them it was their first Klondike, they did great!

Getting ready for Klondike

My 3rd engine showed up last week in the back of a Volkswagen.  It had been driven down from the Montreal area.  It does not need overhauled but repaired.  We will disassemble the engine send out various parts for inspection and repair.  The parts we keep will be inspected and serviced.  Then the engine will be reassembled, tested and returned to the customer.

 The engine I am currently working on has just been installed on the engine test stand.  It is my plan to have the test run and break in done next week.  Then begin tearing down the engine above.

 Noah is working on his Patrol's Klondike sled.  We bent, cut, ground and beat 5/8" steel conduit tubing into a sled shape.  I showed him how to braze one joint and he was off.  He has brazed almost the whole sled together by himself.  We will hopefully be finishing the fabrication off tonight and then it will be off to the paint booth for the final step.  The Klondike derby is next weekend!  The old scout sled weighed over 100lbs.  The new one will weigh in the 20lb area.  A big difference to the 5 or 6 boys who have to push and drag the sled all over camp for a whole weekend.

Thanks for checking in,  Josh

Noah painting

I don't really have alot to say this week.  The engine overhaul is progressing and if there was anything to take pictures of I would but most of the pieces of the engine are out being serviced.

Noah turned 13 last week...  it is hard to even imagine.  He spent some of his time last week helping me with the repairs on the van.  I took the opportunity to introduce him to painting.    

The hood and bumper cam out fine and I hope to get them put on today or tomorrow, with Noah's help.

Josh

October in a nutshell

Well I am always glad when I can report to you that MMS has released another airplane into the Lord's service.  If you have been following you will know of Ethan's homebuilt Zenoth 801.  MMS's part was mainly space to work and all the technical help he needed.  My samll part in it was the paint job.  It now has to be flown for 40 hours in the local area before Ethan can move it down to Mexico, where it will be used in church planting and support.

After finishing the paint on MAF's 206  I have been assigned to overhaul 3 engines in succession   The first is for "LAMP" a mission that operates in Canada.  We've just got the engine torn down and shipped out for inspection/repair.  When it all arrives back I will begin assembly.

 It was a beautiful fall day this last Tuesday and what more could a girl ask for... Sunshine and a horse.  Hannah loves her ridding lessons and looks forward to the all week.  I'd like to get her one of her own but it is cheaper to let her ride someone else's.

 Noah and I finished our "HAM" radio class this week and passed the written test.  Noah passed with a perfect score!  We should have our call signs by next Friday.  We currently have 2m radios but I think we might get a kit for a 60m CW radio to build over the winter.

Thanks again for checking in,  God has been taking good care of us.  Kristi's Dr. bills are getting paid, the firewood pile is stacked deep for the coming winter and we are planting the greenhouse full of lettuce.

Thanks to the many of you who pray for us or support us financially.  We couldn't do it without you.

Josh

Last week

Last week I worked on several different projects as we are trying to tie up some loose ends here in the hangar before we start another big project. I worked with Ben Fisher, one of MMS's newest apprentices. We installed two new antennas on top of Gospel Carrier Internationals King Air 200. Anytime you are working overhead you undoubtedly end up in a position like this. Ben is looking for a dropped screw. We ended up taking the center console loose and vacuuming the area. Not only did we find our missing screws but several other small pieces of this and that.

Noah has been working on his family life merit badge at home. We are having family meetings to discuss faith, drugs, money and other such topics. He had to also complete a project for the good of the family. I decided to let him put the upstairs bathroom back into service, It had mostly been a storage closet. So he is painting, caulking and cleaning.
It was harder than I thought it would be to see my tractor leave on the back of someone else's trailer, but it was necessary. I did not have the time or money to fix it or a suitable place to store it and it was just rotting in the field. So I let it go.
We are getting ready for the syrup season to start. The stove is ready as is my tank and filter/pump. I still need to finish my trailer and a bridge. I am hoping to maybe start tapping this weekend if the 10 day says that the weather will work with us. This year has been crazy for the weather. I don't even know if we'll get any syrup this year. I think the trees need to be frozen for it to work? Check back in a week or two to see how were doing. Josh

Klondike 2012

Noah and I went camping with the Boy Scouts this weekend at the annual Klondike. I think 15 different troops showed up. The weather was much more cooperative this year than it was last. Just cold enough not to be muddy, just enough snow to help the sled run smoothly and warm enough to be comfortable , outside, all day and night and day and night and the next morning.

The Klondike is a competition between the troops with prizes and awards. In most Scouting competitions skills are whats being tested. So our boys were ready with knots, lashing, first aid, fire building, ect... but not this time. It was mostly races and boy did we have a heavy sled!
Between the races was lunch, a good time to sit down and enjoy a warm meal and a well earned rest.
Then back to the races. When it was all said and done we did not place, everyone was a little disappointed. We had placed in the last 4 competitions and had a streak going. But we are already planning for next year. I was talking around and got a set of snow ski's donated and Noah and I will be building a new sled this summer. I was hoping for an all composite, carbon fiber sled but that would end up costing over a thousand. So, back to reality and I'll search the web for some other light weight ideas.

520 wrap up

Paul and I completed the test run on the engine with only a few minor adjustments. I am confident it made all 285 hp. It is hard for me to convey the feeling of pure, raw, power, that the engine produces, it is a beast.

While Paul wrapped the engine up for shipment I worked on paperwork. Trying to get all the necessary information off of our records and into the engine logbook took me two days on the computer and three different revisions. The owner picked up his engine, prop and accessories on Wensday.
Here the kids are unloading the trailer into our wood pile. All this wood is to be burned in the syrup stove over the length of a month or so. I'm guessing there is 8 cords or so and we'll burn it all and probably anything else we can find. I hope I have enough, but i doubt it. Keep watching syrup season starts next month.

Noah built this model of the Bismark for a home school project.

Thanks for checking in, God bless and stay warm. Josh

"Pain"t ball

It was Noah's birthday earlier this week and he got a Tippman A5 paintball gun. I set up a get together for Saturday and some friends were able to come.

Getting all the equipment out and set up to play is the first order of business. Guns are checked and tested. Safety equipment inspected for cracks and to make sure it fits right. Then the hoppers are loaded and the game is on. We play on our hill side so dominating the high ground is always the first part of any plan.This is Noah on the top of the hill looking down onto the playing field. Noah had a great time, his gun function flawlessly and he got to shoot his brother more that once which is a reward in and of itself.
Here's Luke, at 8 he is our youngest player. He sports a full helmet, body armor and gloves. His weapon of choice is a Tippman 98 custom. He more than holds his own on the field and even the older kids show him his dew respect. He is not afraid to empty his gun in your direction.
Micheal and Brian are brothers and practice together at home as a team. They get more playtime than my boys so they tend to win a few more of the rounds than Noah and Luke. This part of the field is the low section and is divided in two by the creek. When you play at our house you need to come ready to get wet and muddy. Micheal and Brian both have the A5 markers.

In the end everyone lost count of who won what, but keeping score was never that important, having fun was and fun was had by everyone. Josh

Yesterday

Yesterday was one of those days where alot happens in a very short amount of time.

Noah and Rowan were promoted to First Class and received the patch and neckerchief denoting their rank. After the Court of Honor the Boy Scouts preformed a flag retiring ceremony and invited Luke to help them since he was in uniform.
Before all awards and ceremony the kids and I were working in the garden digging sweet potatoes. They were the largest we have ever grown. Some of them could be entire meals in and of themselves.

Kristi's back is doing better now that she is going in regularly for traction. We continue to hope and pray that surgery can be avoided.

Thanks for checking in, Josh

Last week

I'm sitting outside the paint booth waiting for my first coat to dry enough so I can put on the 2nd. During my break I thought I'd fill you in on last week.

Last week we took our family vacation to Williamsburg, VA. The kids had a great time seeing and hearing about our history. We spent 4 days exploring and learning the town, I think everyone's favorite part was the big meeting that would be held each day towards evening. Being able to hear Martha and George Washington speak or Thomas Jefferson.

We also had time to visit the beach one day just long enough to get really burnt. The kids picked up sea shells and "other" interesting things they found on our walk.
On Saturday, in the rain we visited Jamestown, I was amazed at the size of ships that were used in crossing the ocean. I would't have wanted go in a boat that small. As we toured the boats the 20 or so visitors kept bumping into each other and getting in each others way and that was only a small fraction of the people that would have been crammed into those boats. Think of an average sized living room, with 40 people in it.
Hannah also celebrated her 10th birthday last week. So, after we got back home she took her birthday money and bought herself a puppy. Her name is Lady and she is a Yorkie. When Lady and Bree are nose to nose, Lady is about the size of Bree's head.
Thanks for checking in, Josh