December 2024

above: A picture of the radar right when Isabella was born

Overdue

Much like the unreturned books I borrowed in the eighth grade, this newsletter is overdue. If you receive this newsletter and know my elementary school librarian, then please tell her I’m sorry… and I think my dog ate my books.

I apologize for how long this newsletter took to come out. But I’m hoping it still arrives during deer season so you can use it as target practice to sight in for that nineteen-and-a-half-point buck.

What has happened in the last several months you may ask?

We had a baby!

Isabella Grace Martin joined the family on August 8th amid tropical storm Debby. In the middle of the night when the wind was a howling Maria told me “I think we should go to the hospital”. As the heavens poured down outside, Isabella greeted us with a sweet cry. Just to prove how overdue this newsletter is… She is already almost 4 months old! We are so thankful for everyone who helped us after her birth!

Then in September we spent a week at MMS Aviation for JAARS TE prep. During the week I practiced maintenance-related items to prepare for the big test ahead. The MMS staff beat me over the head repeatedly with aviation maintenance textbooks in vain hope that anything would stick. Though my memory was hazy from head trauma, one of my highlights was spending time with our church family and friends in Ohio.

Then at the end of September we drove down to JAARS to begin my two-week technical evaluation. What is a “technical evaluation” you ask? It is simply a two-week-long test designed to determine all your skills, knowledge, and personal attributes. This was hard. I was on an emotional roller coaster from thinking I was failing horribly, to possibly passing meagerly. I would come back to our apartment every night convinced that I failed, and my cheerleader Maria would do her best and point out all my positive attributes. She would say things like “You are the best mechanic I know named Bryan, aged 34, from PA”. I would summon whatever strength I had and returned the next day feeling as if I was a turkey in November.

The results? After nearly two weeks of testing that concluded on Thursday, Oct 3rd, we waited all day Oct 4th for their conclusion. While waiting, my brain conveniently replayed in beautiful 4k resolution all the mistakes I made over the last two weeks. From 8 AM on I knew that any moment they would call us over and pronounce their findings. Then at 6 PM we were called as a family over to discuss their conclusions.

Results; Pass maintenance, Failed flight.

Ouch! I was keeping it together okay until Freddie with full childhood pride in his eyes looked up at me and said, “daddy you passed!” Then I lost it, and the tears flowed freely. The results of this test are permanent, as JAARS would not reopen this test to me to try again in the foreseeable future..

So now what? On October 5th, Bryan had no answers. We always prayed that God would open and close doors to direct us to the plan He has for us. The door to fly at AIM Air had been permanently slammed and welded shut. Where do we go from here? After counsel from trusted individuals, we were encouraged that maybe God is using this closed door to change our path. Maybe we should rethink our steps and look elsewhere.

Considering that, we reached out to Flying Mission Zambia (click on the link to go to FMZ website). They were the other ministry that we visited while on the African continent in 2023. We LOVED our time at Flying Mission, and they have always been on our short list. They encouraged us to apply as a pilot/mechanic family and are walking beside us as we continue to seek the right path ahead.

Currently I do not have definite information. Other than we are currently in application with Flying Mission Zambia, and things look promising. What will my days look like until we move from PA? I am currently working for a ministry called “Kingdom Air Corp” in Shippensburg, PA. Kingdom Air Corp is based in Alaska, but during the hard Alaskan winters they relocate to balmy Pennsylvania. K.A.C trains future missionary mechanics and pilots and that is what I’ll be doing this winter, while working on various ministry aircraft.

So for the winter, at least our address is 4610 Stiegal Pike, Newmanstown, PA. We will be living in my in laws basement until we move to our field assignment. This will give us time to connect with folks that we haven’t seen for way too long. Stop by sometime and we will send you home with a gift/junk we need to get rid of.
Maybe even an overdue book.

Prayer

Please pray that God will continue to guide our path. We feel a little off-centered post-TE, but we know that God has a plan, and we long to serve in the role He has for us

Please remember our children as life has been changing a lot for them. Moving from NC to PA, meant new-to-them Sunday School, Friends, and home.

Praise

Praise for a safe move up to PA! No blown tires or engines, proving divine providence 😊

Praise for the opportunity to serve at Kingdom Air Corp over the winter. This will be an amazing opportunity to be able to help these brothers and sisters at least for the winter.

Peace and love,