Relief for Haiti Continues

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This is a quick update to let you see a little of what has been going on at MFI. They are better about daily posts on their website than I am. Please check there for more information or to find out ways you can help. I do know that we are receiving more goods than funds to get it there. Please pass this on to people you know who are interested in helping financially. Thank you so much! http://missionaryflights.org

Helping Haiti on a Large...and Small Scale

There is so much going on it is hard to know where to begin. It has only been 4 days since the devastating earthquake hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti. But in those 4 days MFI has gone into overdrive. As I (Terah) write this, Brian is sleeping in between shifts. We are humbled to be a part of what is going on here. I am having a hard time finding the words to describe the feelings I get when I go to the hangar and see what is happening there. I am choked up every time. The first day Samaritan's Purse had a truck here filled with water purification systems to be sent. Then they decided they wanted to help get more stuff there even faster so they chartered a DC-6 plane for cargo and our plane was able to take a load of rescue workers and cargo. We have had donations flooding into our hangar. We now have the Hendricks (NASCAR) plane, with 7 crew members to use to transport people so our planes can take the cargo. We are amazed at the generosity we are seeing all around us.

The donation sorting area set up inside our hangar.

People getting ready to leave today.

All three of the planes that left for Haiti today.

On a more personal note, we had been talking about how we as a family could help. The kids and I were able to go in and help sort donations on the first day but it has become so busy and fast paced now it is hard to have the kids there. We decided since we had a direct link to getting actual goods to Haiti that instead of giving money we would take our kids out and shop for Haiti. We filled 2 shopping carts at WalMart and the kids carried all the bags in to MFI.

The kids with their donation to Haiti.

The kids and I helping with donation sorting.

This is the DC-6 being loaded.

One more amazing part to the story is that right now the only planes being let into Port-au-Prince are US Military and MFI. Our reputation goes before us and our God is a mighty God. May He be glorified through this tragedy.

So, from the large organizations pitching in down to the small WalMart shopping trips we are so thankful that we can be a part of what is happening to help the nation of Haiti as they are hurting and devastated.

She Returns

For 6 months, one of our DC-3's was broken down on the island of Nassau in the Bahamas. In mid January our crew was returning from a cargo flight to Haiti when they experienced engine problems. We praise God they landed safely in Nassau. Because of delays at the overhaul shop and no definite date of when we would receive the engine, we were forced to purchase another overhauled engine. Hurricane season officially began June 1st and we did not want to have the plane exposed on the island as it was. This past Monday we flew with the new engine and all our tools to Nassau in one of our other DC-3's. Four of us worked two full days installing the new engine. We flew home Wednesday and returned to Nassau on Friday to complete a couple repairs before flying her home. The flight went well and since we were in two planes I was able to get some good photos of the plane in flight. We now have all three DC-3's in the hangar again.

God Provides Parts

On Monday June 8th I traveled to Panama City, Florida with 3 other guys from MFI to pick up some parts that MFI purchased at an auction. The State of Florida had shut down a mosquito spraying operation that used a DC-3, the same plane that we use. We flew over in the Cessna 206 which took about 3 hours. We were told that everything should fit in a 26 foot moving truck but when we arrived we knew it wouldn't be enough. A list of parts was presented from the auctioneer but fortunately for us there ended up being more, much more than was on the list. So much more that we ended up with two 26 foot moving trucks and a trailer. For just over $6000 we received tens of thousands of dollars in parts. God is good. Pictured above are just a few of the parts being off loaded at the hangar.

Sierra's First Date

Friday night, March 13th Sierra went on her first date...with her dad. Terah dressed her in a beautiful dress and did her hair. We went to dinner at TGI Fridays where I enjoyed a salad because I'm on a diet and Sierra ordered the mac & cheese. She probably won't be ordering that when she goes on her first real date. The restaruant is by the mall so we went shopping after dinner. I took her into Claire's and I got her a butterfly necklace and bracelet. Terah was jealous when she found out. I never take her to the mall. Needless to say the mall is not my favorite place. It has been over a years since I was last there. But I would go just about anywhere just to see the look on her face as she got to hang out with dad by herself. We later went to Target and picked out a present for Evan's birthday. Nerf Basketball.

Two weeks of Visitors.

The last couple weeks we have had several visitors which is always a treat. First, Norm & Kitty Jones, friends from California visited for a couple days. Taking people to the beach is always a highlight. The top photo is of Norm & Kitty. A few days later we had two friends, Chuck & David from MMS Aviation in Ohio, stay as they were helping with a major inspection at the hangar. Another couple days went by & the Hengst family, also friends from MMS stayed with us a night. Most recently, Josiah Feeney whose family are missionaries in Argentina, visited for 5 days. Josiah has recently received his private pilots license in Argentina and is interested in mission aviation someday. When I saw him in December in California I invited him to come and Check out MFI. Today Josiah traveled to Haiti as a flight attendant on one of our flights. His flight is about to arrive so we'll see how is day went. The lower photo is of Josiah yesterday when we went fishing.

Back to it.

It has been way to long since our last post. It seems with the Holidays some things get put on the back burner. So it is with our blog. We made it to Ohio for Thanksgiving to visit many friends for a week. Shortly after returning, Dave Gould, a friend from California came to visit. Just before we headed to California for a couple weeks at Christmas, Terah's sisters family came for a visit. We all flew out to California on the same flight. Life is settling down again which we are all thankful for.

Photos (Top: Every moment captured on camera at the Lites Christmas, Evan and Sierra with Grandma, Cousins at the beach in Florida and at our house for an early Christmas, Bottom: Having dinner with friends from MMS Aviation in Ohio.)