Shop Foreman, Piston Fleet Supervisor

I guess I haven’t taken any pictures the last two weeks to post. And I didn’t post last week, so let me think what we have been up to. Last Wednesday Ryan and I had a 3 hour conversation with Ryan’s Manager that was very useful for me. We talked about Uganda and what course we need to take to get there.

It boils down to two things that management would like Ryan to have more experience with. One, more training in maintenance. We found that communication had broken down because people use training and experience interchangeably. But not Ryan. When he hears training, he thinks classroom. So he is frustrated with the lack of training that AIM AIR offers. But experience is what they really offer. Also Ryan feels like he has gained enough experience and his managers would like him to have some more. Two, experience being the Shop Forman, piston fleet supervisor. Ryan has had this role informally for several months our last term and feels he understands the job and has confidence he can do it. But it would severely cut into our family time. The thinking is that Ryan will be managing personal in Uganda. Which is true, but here again management thinks he needs more experience and Ryan doesn’t. I have a lot of confidence that Ryan can do it.

I want to support him but know my own limits with three little boys at home. I can do it for 6-12 months, that is manage the long hours. But not more than that. We fear we will be exhausted after this one year and too burnt out to make the move to Uganda and than still be effective.

But at least I feel like I have a better sense of what we call the AIM AIR mentality. Ryan thinks it really boils down to that they need him here in Nairobi this next year more than in Uganda. That may be true but I think a year of being the shop foreman etc. would make him more effective in any ministry. Its just not his gifting so will be a stretch for him. My gifting is not to be a single mom so this next year will be a stretch for the boys and me.

Other news, we participated in a yard sale. We had 12 foot lockers full of stuff to sell and came home with 3 I think. We made $175 by selling stuff for less than a dollar. We went out for Ethiopian with two other families to celebrate and because we didn’t feel like cooking.

We have a volunteer staying with us for one week. Joel is from LeTourneau where Ryan went to school. He is going into his senior year and doing the flight program. His hidden talent is media. He’s great at making videos for missionaries to use for presentations. He first went to Zambia for 2 weeks to record another work teams stuff and than flew here to see AIM AIR for one week. He is having a good experience. Went flying Tuesday to Tanzania and flew over Amboseli Game Park and saw elephants up close. Went out for Ethiopian with us. Has met two other pilots who are starting a media department. He is asking very good questions and is very helpful man.

The boys are enjoying Mr. Joel and not getting to bed on time. Joel is learning a lot about family life and what it means to have 3 boys to come home to at night. He can’t believe what Ryan does working all day and than having some energy left for family. He also has been nice about complimenting me on my cooking and thinks our house is wonderful to come ‘home’ too. That is my goal for Ryan. To have a haven for him to come home too.

Levi’s Bday is coming up soon. We might go to the game park this Saturday. I will write more later if I remember more but Seth is not sleeping through the night. He had the stomache flu last week and I think now he is making up for not eating and is hungry at night. So I feel a little wifty and tired. I wouldn’t trade it for the world!