August 2023

above; My beloved “Shark Tank”

“Bryan, could you park in the back corner, I don’t wanna be seen in that thing.” This is what my true love said about the mechanized contraption that I have grown so fond of. This hurtful statement was uttered on our way to church in Ohio one summer morning. “Why?” I asked somewhat confused and hurt. She replied through clenched teeth, “It’s ugly!” Inside I knew she was right, but there are things you shouldn’t say. Like when supper is burnt and tastes like charcoal, you are still expected to say it “tastes like manna from heaven”, even though it looks like it came from the other place.

What these hurtful and cutting words were aimed at, was my 2002 Mazda Protégé, affectionately known as “Shark Tank”, so labeled by the son of the chief instructor here at Missionary Air Group. The reason behind its moniker, and the reason for my wife’s lack of fondness for it, was because I painted two giant shark teeth on both sides of the front doors. It looked AWESOME!! I am currently 17 years older than 15-year-old Bryan, but I think if young Bryan saw what old Bryan did to that car, he’d be proud. The reason I did this in the first place and really the reason for “Shark Tank’s” demise altogether, was one and the same, RUST.

Where I live here in NC, rust is a distant and foreign thought. For the majority of the South, rust is viewed as some Yankee problem, similar to Yankee’s inability to make proper sweet tea, grits, or pecan pie. Unfortunately, the origin of “Shark Tank” was far from the land that flows with sweet tea and pecan pie, it traveled with me on this pilgrimage first from PA and then to Ohio, and now to North Carolina, ultimately leading to her demise.

Ohio being a place originally settled by mostly outlaws, kinda like a US version of Australia, did not see the need for vehicle inspection, which led to Shark Tank flourishing in the “Buckeye state”. But the cracked windshield and wholly rusted-out frame components would not pass North Carolina’s “safety/money grab” inspection. The frame rails having the tensional strength of tissue paper did concern me slightly, but I made sure my soul was ready to journey heavenward before entering “Shark Tank”, and to Shark Tank’s credit, it did help me to remain twice daily vigilant to the fragility of life.

Matthew 6:19 tells us not to “lay up treasures for yourself here on earth, where moth and rust destroy”. These words were written 2000 years before my beloved Mazda was manufactured and are as true now as they were then. We know these words are true, but like female fireflies, we are attracted to shiny things. The Lantern Fish lights a small light right in front of its scissor-sharp teeth, to lure dumb fish to their demise. We are only slightly smarter and better smelling than deep-sea fish, but if we spend our time chasing shiny things instead of pursuing our relationship with Christ, I fear we will meet a similar eternal demise. I have seen what true heavenly treasure looks like when looking into the tear-filled eyes of someone that has just lost a believing loved one. Those eyes look towards the blinding splendor of heaven, which in turn makes this world a lot dimmer. Please, Lord, give me those eyes to see the beauty and love that is beyond. And please Lord, allow that to dim the shiny things.

But I will still miss you “Shark Tank”, no matter what Maria says.

Here is a quick update from the end of May – till the beginning of August.

We have been blessed to have a lot of visitors in the last few months. Our pastor Tim Stauffer and his family came from our home church, Living Waters Mennonite Church. I was able to give them a ride in trusty old 1MG and I was even able to give Tim a chance at flying. He did a really great job and he was grinning from ear to ear. My fellow apprentice from MMS, Matthew Woods, and his family stopped by as well. We were able to reminisce on old times at MMS, and in doing so, made my heart homesick for that little town in mid-Ohio.

We love our home here in North Carolina. Siloam Missionary Homes has all the outside space I have ever wanted, ever. We have a creek, a campground, and all manner of deer and barnyard fowl walking in our backyard at all times. The chickens make working under your car interesting though, as from time to time they peck at your legs for no apparent reason. But when such things happen I say in a deep and determined voice, “You can peck me now, but soon you’ll taste great with hot sauce”. These chickens are a little out of control, and whenever we leave any door open, house, or car, they walk on in like an overly aggressive encyclopedia salesman. Once, a chicken was stuck in our van for a 1/2 hour unbeknownst to us!

Recently when at the cabin with my in-laws we hiked to a 41-year-old plane crash. My father-in-law’s best friend was aboard this flight in 1982 when it crashed into the mountains in rural PA, killing all aboard. My father-in-law has wanted to visit this site for 41 years, and it was an honor to share this sober moment. Flying has risks, and I know that no matter how careful a pilot can be, you will never know when it will be your last takeoff. But we know the One that holds our hearts, and we rest that those aboard this flight did too. Walking and seeing the loose pieces of scattered aluminum the plane has become reminded me that things have no lasting value. We didn’t hike there to see chunks of aluminum, we hiked there to mourn the lost of a friend, and to celebrate where he is today.

We as a family made every pilot’s required pilgrimage to Kitty Hawk, NC. It was interesting to see just how short the historic flights were, and walking the distance of the first flights did not take long at all! If you would’ve told the Wright bros that day that in the future 300+ people would be in one of these machines at 30,000 feet cruising nearly the speed of sound for 13 hours, they would’ve laughed at you.

Speaking of flying for 13 hours… Our trip to Africa is fast approaching! Maria and I will be investigating two ministries on the African continent that God has brought to my mind often in recent years. We will start our trip in Kenya and will spend time with the fine folks at African Inland Mission’s aviation branch “AIM Air”. Then after a week we will fly to Zambia and visit the smiling folks at “Flying Mission Zambia”. Please pray for us during this trip. Pray that God will make it clear where He would like us to serve, and that Maria and I will both have peace about our next steps. We fly out Sep 16th and return Oct 4th.

Till next time,