In January 2014, Aaron began serving as a missionary airplane mechanic with MMS Aviation in preparation for future service as a pilot/mechanic. Upon completing thirty months of missionary service with MMS, he passed his examinations for the Federal Aviation Administration Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic certificate.

With Aaron's A&P certificate in hand, we moved to Burlington, North Carolina for a two-year assignment to further prepare us for overseas service. In North Carolina Aaron worked with Missionary Air Group, helping maintain MAG's airplanes while gaining the flight experience necessary to serve on the field. Because missionary pilots typically serve in remote areas (supporting medical missions, delivering supplies, and transporting missionaries for example), it is helpful to be a qualified A&P mechanic as well as a skilled pilot.

In November 2018, Aaron finished his apprenticeship by spending three weeks in Mexico, flying with UIM Aviation in the Sierra Madre. He completed the apprenticeship with more than 400 flight hours and 50 hours of high performance time, which meets the initial requirements of most missionary aviation organizations.

In 2019, we joined International Tribal Ministries and moved to Cochabamba, Bolivia, where we used aviation to support the ministries of ITM. Aaron loved everything about being a missionary pilot! It is so much more than flying airplanes. Missionary pilots have the privilege of encouraging missionaries on the front lines, working with short-term teams, helping people in physical need, transporting teachers and doctors, and witnessing the many ways that the Lord is at work in remote communities.

We returned to the United States in 2023 for an extended home assignment with the intention of returning to Bolivia in late 2024. During our home assignment, we were "on loan" to another ministry where Aaron served as a pilot, mechanic, mentor, and flight instructor. Aaron loved flight instructing and mentoring, and Tara was involved in women's ministry through our local church.

During this time, the Lord confirmed and clarified the areas in which He has gifted us, and in which we are passionate about serving. It also became clear that to move forward in roles that aligned with these areas of passion and gifting, we would need to seek out a new place to serve. While we continue in aviation ministry, airplanes were never intended to be the main focus. As we sharpen and clarify our ministry focus, these are some areas where we are most passionate, and where we feel that God has gifted us:

• Teaching and mentoring. Aaron has always enjoyed teaching, and flight instructing was no exception. Aaron would like to be in a role where he can teach technical subjects, while also being a spiritual mentor to others who are headed to the mission field. Students, parents, and peers have recently affirmed Aaron's gift in these areas, which further fueled his desire to be in a teaching and mentoring role.
• Encouraging other believers. Wherever we have lived, Tara has connected with other women and been a support and encouragement to them. Sometimes this has been in an "official" ministry role, and other times it has been through natural relationships that she has developed through the church or community. As for Aaron, one of his favorite things about being a pilot was supporting and encouraging other missionaries. Wherever we are, we want our family to be a source of life and light to the people around us.
• Cross-cultural and international missions. Even though our current role will keep us in the United States, we continue to be passionate about reaching the nations with the Gospel. Even as we live in the USA, we will seek out ways to be personally involved in going, as well as preparing and sending others to the world.

Our desire is to continue serving with Compass Aviation, and we are trusting the Lord for the housing and financial support we will need in order to do that. We are grateful to be a part of what the Lord is doing right now, and there are some exciting new opportunities on the horizon!

Working on Mission Aviation Fellowship's Cessna 206 during my initial evaluation at MMS Aviation.

This is one of the airstrips Aaron visited in Mexico. His experience in Mexico helped to prepare him for the flying in Bolivia.

The Cessna TU206 that Aaron flew into the remote jungles of Bolivia.