4 Dec 2007   Jay is off new pilot status! He flew two teams to Kurungu the last two weeks, and on the way up to Lodwar on Monday acquired the required hours. Just in time. He stayed with the Middletons Monday night, and Walt knocked on the door at 6:30am to ask "How much fuel do you have?" Why? "Can you take a gunshot victim to the hospital at Gatab?" Gatab, being a special procedure airstrip requires a special checkout, and the pilot to not be on new pilot status to operate solo there. So, off to Gatab.

24 Aug 2007   The backordered tools are coming in, so I get to hand out toys, errrr tools, to the guys at the hangar. Yay!  Started overhaul on Mr Zebra's engine.  Got rust in #1 and #2 cylinders, so possibly cracks there. Bleah.  Kids started school last week, and are enjoying it greatly. Yay!  I flew to Lewa Downs and Merti last week, delivering a short term team there doing a medical clinic. 

4 Aug 2007   We're in our house!  We finally moved into our permanant house.  Our house in Golf Course 2 (where the pictures in the photo gallery are from) was a temporary, just until a permanant house became available. Well, one did, so we're now in it!  Yay!  it's a bit bigger than the other house, with some decent storage space. 

24 Jun 2007:  We're done with orientation!  We just returned from our upcountry orientation in Kurungu, yesterday.  We spent nearly 2 weeks with Walt and Monica Middleton, and their three teenagers.  The Middletons are working on discipling the Samburu people.  We had a great time! 

1 March 2007:   We're in our own house!  The kids have started school!  Jay has started work at the hangar! 

22 Feb 2007:    We finished ABO and are mostly through our homestay. We've found a vehicle, a 1999 HJ80 Toyota Landcruiser VX Limited.  We've gotten our E Permits (work permits)! 

 
We're out of Omaha and actually on the road!  We hope you've had a great Christmas and will have a fine New Year.

Jay passed the technical evaluation at Jungle Aviation and Radio Service (JAARS)! 

We have flight reservations! We leave from Newark, on British Airways on 5 Jan 07 and arrive in Nairobi on 7 Jan 07.

 
The team from Faith Westwood made it to Marion, IN.  Over the week, the 6 of them removed 6 layers of shingles, the old siding, the old carpet, and then reroofed the house, built a new front porch, rebuilt the back porch, re-sheathed the house, wrapped it, and put up vinyl siding on the front and sides. 

22 Dec 2007 We're off to Gatab for 2 weeks over Christmas. One reason is to have a bit of a vacation, away from Nairobi. The other purpose is for Susan and the kids to check out Gatab with an eye to filling in for the Barnetts for a while. Jeff & Nicole Barnett are in the process of joining AIM (they were with Samaratin's Purse). If everyone likes Gatab we will go back in January or February for we're not sure how long.

24 Aug 2007  More flying.  Next week I'm to Gatab again, and Kisumu, and Korr. 

4 Aug 2007  More flying.  Next week is Lodwar, taking a short term team up there to work with the Turkana people.  Then later in the week over to Ileret and Loiyangalani, bringing some folks back to Nairobi.  Then next Saturday over to Mfangano island on Lake Victoria.  Also coming up, on August 12th, Alex and Beth start school again. 

24 Jun 2007:  Jay starts flying this week! He has all his pilot's licenses and has completed AIM Air's base check.  He still has route checks to work on,but those will happen quickly. Jay is looking at a very busy summer, as 7 pilots will be on furlough this summer.  In July he'll be one of 2 pilots for the C-206, and in September he'll be the only 206 pilot in Nairobi.  Lots of flying coming!  Alex and Beth will probably be going to camp later in July, but other wise the kids and Susan have a quiet summer planned.  Susan will be busy, though, running the 10-12 year olds' Sunday school at the church we attend (Mamlaka Hills Chapel, a plant from Nairobi Chapel). 

1 March 2007:  Jay will be working on getting a Kenyan pilot's license and completing the maintenance and flight orientation as a new pilot/mechanic.  Alex and Beth will be getting settled in at West Nairobi School.  Susan and Samantha will be getting the house in order.   All of us will be getting acquainted with our neighbors.  We will be finishing off immigration paperwork, registering as aliens with Kenyan immigration and as US citizens with the Embassy here in Nairobi.  Susan and Jay will be getting Kenyan drivers' licenses, and learning how to drive here in Kenya.  The road rules appear to be very loosely applied