 We came to Australia in November of 2008 due to an invitation to serve with Avserve, a project launched by the Mission Aviation Center. Neal is an aircraft mechanic instructor and the project involves building an airplane which will be used to train aircraft maintenance students. The Mission Aviation Center trains future missionary pilots and mechanics.
With a background in social work, Lois has been seeking out opportunities to serve persons in need. She began volunteering at the Mustard Tree, a ministry of a Baptist church. It is a thrift store that funds the social  service outreach to the poor in the area. In addition, she was able to connect with a Sudanese refugee family, new to Australia. Their background was one of flight from the Muslim jihad declared upon Christians and others in Sudan. Several of their own family members had been murdered and their own flight to safety extended over 10 years. Outreach to this family has included friendship, help with English, and help with discovering and connecting to needed resources, and so on.
 Some men love sports, some building fast cars and racing, I love flying and aviation. God wired me a special way so I don't get air sick. I have no fear of take offs or landings or bumpy flights that give others white knuckles. I also have a gift for working with my hands. To me it's amazing that God can use my love for aviation to spread the gospel.
If we don't train the next generations of aircraft mechanics there are going to be a lot of airplanes that won't be ready to fly, and a lot of unhappy pilots. But worst of all missionaries on the field will be left waiting days or weeks to get where the lost souls are. God has called me to help train the next generation of missionary aviators who will give their lives in His special air force to reach the ends of the earth with the gospel.
 God's call has led us to Melbourne, Australia. I know it is tough place to be but we can't always choose where God wants us to go, we have to just follow Him.
I was invited by the Mission Aviation Center to take management of a program called AvServe. Basically, these young men and women need hands on experience with real airplanes, so we are going to show them how to build one from scratch, under close supervision of course. The advanced students will be required to apply all that they have learned in their engineering courses to complete the assembly to gain credit toward their certificate.
Once this plane is finished it will be sold and the profits will go to buy the next kit, and the process will continue.
Like the craftsman who built the tabernacle for Moses pray that God will fill me with His spirit in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship.
Exodus 35:31
I hope I get to see a kangaroo in the wild while I'm here.
Neal
  
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