The Straws in Gabon - StrawBucks Cafe

Strawbucks Café is a weekly blog by the Straw family. We invite you to sit down, enjoy the

conversation and consider "picking up the bill" through a donation to our Medical Aviation

Program in Africa. Visit http://aircalvary.com/contribute.html to join the effort.

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Older "strawbucks" entries are below

11 February 2009 "Strawbucks" Cafe

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20 October 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe

"Unpacking Rabies"
GO PENN STATE!!! WOW! I read the report of the Michigan game over the internet... what a pounding! I hope they keep it up against Ohio State.

We are still getting all of our stuff into storage space and getting creative. We also bought some "rutan" shelves on the side of the road. This is how the Gabonese sell there things. These shelves really helped us. We're also still making use of all the shelving space in the bedrooms as well. I think we'll be in fine shape soon. The guest house doesnt' offer much more room for storage (to answer your question), so it's good that we learn how to make it all fit now.

I'm doing better with the drinking of water and staying healthy. We have so many large water bottles in the fridge. Everytime that we use one up, we have to use our filter (a stainless steel thing with filters inside) to run our tap water through and refill the bottles from the tap at the bottom. This makes for a good chore for the kids.

We are going through some more vaccinations- this time it's Rabies. The missionaries are all getting this- apparently there have been some deaths in other countries. We actually had a little bit of a scare. The day that we were unloading the large 40 foot container, we had just begun when Joey walked up saying that a dog had just bit him. He pulled up his shirt (which I noticed had a hole in it) to reveal a nice scratch on his stomach. The dog had not punctured his skin, but had scraped some skin. It was a dog that lived at the Bible School campus that was previously owned by Al Stombaugh. They were surprised that it was acting up like this. So... needless to say... we have been having people keep an eye on the dog, just in case. The dog has shown no signs of rabies- it has become mad due to the change in environment and living conditions since its' former owners have left.

I started using a new pillow and that has helped my sleeping. I like the idea of ear plugs- that could help as well. Also, taking showers right before bed has been helpful. That seems to be the way to go here- sweat all day and clean it off prior to laying down. Also, the water seems to come back on in the evening, making it one of the only times to shower anyway.

I'm headed to the airport to go flying with Egmont today! A short 1/2 day trip to a couple stops down south in the country.

11 October 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe

...When the landing gear doesn’t work...

So, on the first Saturday of every month, Egmont, my German pilot friend, delivers the payroll to the employees of the palm tree & rubber tree plantations that his company operates in Gabon. He asked me to come along and learn about the airstrips that he uses for this trip. This is great for two reasons: first, when Egmont goes on vacation, I will be his fill-in and will need to know as much as I can about every airport he uses- some of which are his company's private airstrips located right at their palm tree plantations. Secondly, the airports that Egmont and I visit will most likely may be some of the same ones that we use in the future when flying medical emergencies.

The morning of our flight, I arrived at the airport around 7:45am. Egmont was just getting out to the airplane, so I joined him and we conducted the preflight of the airplane. Since the payroll money is transported in 3 large footlockers (1 footlocker per location), we had to remove the two seats at the rear of the airplane. This left 4 seats- in the very front were two seats, one for the pilot and co-pilot, and then, in the back, two passenger seats. After the preflight checked out normal, it was time for a cup of coffee at the "Aero Club" for 1,000 central African francs (about $2.20). Then, we filed the flight plan, said a "bon jour" to the regional air traffic controllers at the airport control tower, and then made it back to the airplane.

At the airplane, we were met by a fellow employee of Egmont's company who assists in the payroll flights. Soon, another, rather sizeable, employee arrived. This gentleman was returning from being out of the country and was catching a lift to his home and our first destination of the day, Bitam. Just as we were getting to know each other (thankfully they were speaking English!), the money arrived.

There was no mistaking the arrival of the money! A small truck with a large metal bin drove up to the airplane. The cab of the truck had three men and there were four more men hanging off the back- each with a shotgun! As the truck came to a stop, the guys on the back sprinted into a perimeter position around the airplane. These guys were serious! I was thinking about asking one of them what type of shotgun they had, but a quick look at his face told me he was all business. The men in the cab of the truck jumped out and unlocked the large bin in the back. This revealed an inner chamber that they unlocked and then pulled out the three footlockers. These were put in the back of the airplane, Egmont signed some forms, and then we jumped in the airplane for departure. It was only when we taxied for takeoff that these men stopped providing security for us- they finally got back in the truck and took off.

I flew the airplane from Libreville to Bitam at 9,000 feet- up where the air is nice and cool. After about an hour, we were descending to the Bitam airport and Egmont took over the controls to show me how he handles the landing at this airport that features a dirt runway that has an "upslope". Another interesting feature is that it is located directly in the center of the town with no fences! So, it's used as a road and walking path! YIKES!

Egmont started through the "before landing checklist" by putting the gear selector in the "down" position. Normally, this action is followed by a distinct sound of the electric landing gear motor operating and the sound of buffeting air around the three extending wheels. However, none of these things happened this time!

Egmont and I shared a startled look for a moment and then did what comes naturally to pilots- check the circuit breakers. Egmont found the breaker, pulled it out and then reinserted it. Then, "Viola", the landing gear extended! We shared another started look that said, "hmm- that was interesting", and then continued with the landing.

Egmont was right. As we landed, people cleared to the sides of the dirt runway- a sight I had only seen in videos until now. We taxied off of the runway to the terminal where, once more, we found ourselves surrounded by another security detail. We said a goodbye to the one employee, one footlocker of money, and we took off on our way to stop number two.

Stop number two was a private airstrip called "Mitzic", at one of their company's plantation. It was only about a 25 minute flight to the South and I piloted this leg of the journey as well. Once more, I turned the controls over to Egmont as we were arriving near the airport, and, once more, the landing gear motor failed to work- even after we tried the trick with the circuit breaker! Now Egmont and I really shared a startled look!

Now, let me put your mind at ease- especially all of you who travel frequently by airplane. Almost all critical systems on an aircraft are "redundant"- meaning, there is more than one way to operate them. So, in the case that, say, your landing gear motor fails, there is another way to get your wheels down and ready so that you can land the airplane.

The aircraft we were flying, the Beechcraft Baron 58, has a hand crank system, located under the rug behind the co-pilot's seat, for times when the landing gear motor fails. Knowing that this system is difficult to use and something you only want to do once before getting the landing gear motor fixed, we decided to head back to Libreville where there were mechanics who could assist. This decision meant that the payroll money would have to be delivered some other way to the remaining destinations, but that was not our issue to worry about.

We changed our course, climbed to 10,000 feet and, about an hour later, were approaching Libreville. We descended for the airport and, while I flew the airplane, Egmont reached back and cranked, and cranked, and cranked until the gear was down. It was about a 8 minute ordeal and Egmont told me he felt like his hand was going to break! While all this was going on, the remaining passenger was in the back of the airplane, trying to figure out what was going on!

Thankfully, we landed, back at our home airport, without incident. Just another day at the office!

You'll all be happy to hear that the airplane that we are raising funds for has landing gear that is permanently in the landing position- it does not retract, so there's no motor that will fail. Good news, right!?!

Also, we have just found out that the aircraft has ended its' contract with the parachute jump team and is now ready for sale. Please pray that we are able to discuss terms with the seller and we don't lose this opportunity to obtain an aircraft that is so well suited for our needs.

Thank you for your prayers and teamwork!

23 August 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe

Strawbucks Café is a weekly blog by the Straw family. We invite you to sit down, enjoy the conversation, and consider “picking up the bill” through a donation in to our air ambulance program. Visit http://aircalvary.com/contribute.html to join the effort.

As I write this, I'm struck with a rush of emotion- excitement, sadness, gratefulness, nervousness, anticipation, and more.

At 6:15pm (Eastern US) tomorrow (Friday, August 22) my precious family and I will board the first of 5 flights that will take us to our new home in Libreville, the capital city of GABON. At 6:30pm (Eastern US) on Monday, we will climb out of our last flight and enter into a new chapter of our lives.

Will you please pray for us as we take this journey? The LORD has graciously gone before us as we have moved through our time of preparation that has lasted over 2 and 1/2 years! Psychological evaluations, interviews, paperwork, over 90 formal ministry presentations, countless miles on the road and in the air, pilot & mechanic evaluations, cross-cultural training, 10 months of language school abroad, and more! We've been blessed to have you on this journey with us, supporting us and lifting us up in your prayers. Our family has been blessed and strengthened as a result. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

DETAILS...

DID YOU GET OUR SUMMER NEWSLETTER? We hope that you all got our summer newsletter in your mailbox. However, we know that many of you have only given us your email. We have many newsletters that still need to find a home, so PLEASE email me (Straw@aircalvary.com) your "snail mail" address and my associates (aka. my parents) will gladly put one in the mail for you.

AIRPLANE UPDATE: Airplane or no airplane, we begin our time in Gabon with faith that our Great Provider will accomplish the task in HIS timing. HE is always faithful. We still have our eye on an aircraft (C207 Turboprop) that is currently in the state of Washington, under contract doing for parachute jumping. As the contract ends this fall, please pray that the Lord would provide the remaining needed funds so that a purchase can happen. These aircraft are rare and in high demand. We need about $200,000 more raised. Those funds will then be matched, by a very generous donor, and we'll have the $630,000 needed. At that point, I will return to the US for pilot and mechanic training before crating the aircraft on a shipping container bound for Africa.

OUR NEW HOME: Arnie and Cheryl Solvig have been working hard to find just the right place for our family and they've done it! We'll be living in a home just a 1/2 block from the Libreville guest house that their family of 5 currently administrate! WOW! The Lord graciously provided a 3 bedroom, 2 and 1/2 bath home! Being close to the Solvig crew is great- our kids are homeschooling together, Alace is learning to run the guesthouse, and they'll be helping us "new-bees" in our new community! We are so thankful. The Brokopp's, Sovig's, and others have already started to do some prep work on the house to be more liveable by our arrival... THANKS GUYS!

COMMUNICATION: No doubt, we will experience a "blackout" period as we get settled in Libreville. As soon as possible, we'll have a vonage phone, email, and more set up and running. Be patient as we "find our feet" in Gabon. If it's anything like France, it may be a month or more... YIKES! We'll provide new contact info as it becomes available. Until then, you'll find me making frequent trips down the street to borrow the Solvig's computer... get ready Arnie! HA!

SUMMER WRAP-UP: This summer has been a mix of excitement and frustration as we have had time to meet with many, but not enough to meet with all. We've been taken care of so well by our family and home church, York Alliance Church. They have all gone "over the top" for us. I can't tell you all of the times that people thoughtfully had taken care of our needs, paid bills for us, provided fun events and sleepovers for the kids, and much much more. In fact, I'm writing this in the tranquil environment of Tim and Margaret Shuey's back yard in York, using their "wifi" connection... or maybe it's their neighbors... I can't be sure... THanks to all! You've blessed our socks off!

We'll talk to you soon! Please stay in touch and come visit anytime!

16 August 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe

Dear Loved Ones,

This summer has been so so so so wonderful and crazy and hectic and great all rolled into one! Here are some highlights…

6/27- we were met at JFK airport (New York) by Brock Barrett (Air Calvary director) and my parents, Dick & Mabel Straw. What a welcome sight after all the hassles of our trans-Atlantic voyage!

6/29- Worship with York Alliance church (York, PA) and a family picnic at my sister Jane’s home.

7/3- Family eye appointments with our favorite opthomologist, JIM! He and his staff at Wheatlyn Eye Care are so fun to hang out with and they are very generous… they wouldn’t take our money!!! Thanks JIM & crew!

7/4- Fireworks in State College with friends from my youth… Laura (& her fun family), Dan H., Scott B. and more. A lot of fun talking about the old days!

7/5- My 20year high school reunion. I can’t believe it! I had a great time seeing so many of my old friends and introducing them to my hot wife, Alace! I’m pictured here with my good buddy Dirk.

7/9 – 7/13- Joey and Megan participate with York Alliance Church’s S.M.A.S.H. city outreach with the other Jr. High youth.

7/13- Alace, Sammy and I visit with the Coalport Alliance Church (PA). We met so many wonderful folks and saw some relatives.

7/26 – 8/3- OSHKOSH AIRSHOW- In one word… “WOW!”. We were so blessed to take part in the airshow. It was a great opportunity to touch base with many new friends as well as the other faith-based aviation ministries presenting there. It truly is one big family of Godly people on the same team. An organization called MASA serves this group with meals, housing and speaking engagements. They served us in such a Christ-like manner. We were blessed to be welcomed into the home of Bobbie and Keith Thompson. They were such a great example to us of servanthood.

Here’s our booth.

Here are some of the wonderful people that we met: Steve and Ginny Saint- Steve is the son Nate Saint, a martyred mission aviator that was featured in the film “End of the Spear”.

Oshkosh is one of the worlds’ largest airshows. Many people come to camp right under the wing of their aircraft.

Here we are enjoying some great Thai food with our hosts, Bobbie and Keith Thompson.

8/5- Dentist appointment! We met with our favorite doctor of pain, Paul Kruth! Actually, he was very gentle with each of us and only one of us left with the bad news of a cavity! I’ll let you guess who that was…

8/8 – 8/10 State College Alliance church’s “Pig Roast” weekend. We had a great time at my hometown church. We were loved on and treated so well. Each of our children’s sponsor church’s were represented- Sam (State College), Megan (Paintersville) and Joe (Lewistown). It was a lot of fun.

Friday night’s gathering… the family VonStraw!

Megan’s interview compliments of Alace.

Grandpa Straw sporting some extra-terrestrial body parts!

Grandma Straw with Megan and I as we prepare for our overnight camping time at the State College Alliance church.

Megan, Alace and I sporting some African threads compliments of Jane Robeson’s wardrobe. Thanks Jane!!!

Some of our biggest supporters!

Could it be? YES! Steve with Craig, original members of the hit rock band “The BananaHeads”!

So…. It’s been a very busy summer… there are so many more pictures to post. We’ll give you some additional links soon to see some more photos… probably more photos than you may want to see!

We love you all and are so thankful for all your support.

Love,

Steve and Alace and the kids

07 August 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe

Dear Loved ones, we are on the road in Wisconsin having a fabulous time at the Oshkosh airshow. We're meeting wonderful people, connecting with other organizations, speaking at churches, and getting to know our wonderful hosts, Bobbie and Keith Thompson.

We will be posting many photos soon. We are once again in the "no internet" zone, where our access to internet has been very limited.

Thank you all for praying. We know that many of you have received our newsletter in the mail or are about to. If you are not on our mailing list, please drop us a line at Straw@aircalvary.com.

Blessings,

Steve and Alace

19 July 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe- Sam (finally)

Strawbucks Café is a weekly blog by the Straw family. We invite you to sit down, enjoy the conversation, and consider “picking up the bill” through a donation to our air ambulance program. Visit http://aircalvary.com/contribute.html to join the effort.

Sam, Last week's Strawbucks wasn't saved correctly..

are you ready to do it again?

DAD!!!

I know... I'm sorry... Anyway- Let's get it started with a good icebreaker question: "If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Hawaii- I've never been there before and people say that it's cool.

If you could have a super power, what would it be and why?

To fly- that way I could see the whole world.

In the picture above, who are you walking with?

His name is Neil (pronounced "Nel"). He was another student from my class at my public school in Albertville.

How did you like being in that school?

It was OK. I didn't have any friends at first, but math was very easy. My teacher was nice and I had a tutor too. By the end of the school year I made some friends.

What are you holding in the picture above?

It's my report card- I got A's. I had to memorize poetry for school. I also did judo, cross-country skiing, and swimming for gym class

What did you like best about living in France?

I liked learning a new language.

What was your favorite place that we visited?

Marseille- because I saw a soccer match there and they are my favorite soccer team.

Are you excited to be back in the US? Why?

Yes- I can see my friends and family.

Are you looking forward to home-schooling?

Not really- it's school!

What are you looking forward to about moving to Gabon in a month?

I'll be in Africa and we'll see our good friends Tim and Meredith Brokopp. We'll make new friends too.

Thanks Sam. Merci beaucoup!

De rien.

05 July 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe...rain check

Please enjoy your hot beverage and say a prayer for our family! We're enjoying a beautiful farm house that our home church (York Alliance Church, PA) has provided for our 8 weeks in the states. However, we are having to access the internet off-site. We'll have a full "STRAWBUCKS Cafe" on the 12th. Also, we're planning a large mailing to our supporters by the end of July, so be looking for that in your mailbox. If you know of anyone that would like to link to this crucial effort in Gabon, please email their contact information to us at "Straw@aircalvary.com".

See you next week!

28 June 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe...En Route

This week we are "en route" to our new home in PA for the next several weeks before deploying to Gabon. We'll have to take a "rain check" from our normal rendez-vous and meet up with you next week for a longer visit. Until then, here's a peek at our summer schedule:

Here's our summer schedule:

7/5: 8pm Steve's 20th High School reunion (State College, PA)
7/7 - 7/11: Alace travels with her mom to Texas for family visit (Dallas area)
7/9 - 7/12: Joey & Megan participate in city missions trip (York, PA)
7/13: Speaking at C&MA church (Coalport, PA)
7/17: Deliver family effects to port in Virginia for shipping to Gabon
7/26 - 8/3: Attending Airshow as an exhibitor (Oshkosh, WI)
7/27: Presentation at a C&MA church (Appleton, WI)
8/8-8/10: Weekend Mission activities at C&MA church (State College, PA)
8/9: Radio interview, "RevFM" WRXV (State College, PA)
8/11-8/16: Family beach trip
8/17: Speaking at C&MA church (York, PA)
8/17: 4pm Family gathering (Leutchford's- Harrisburg, PA)
8/22: DEPART JFK
8/24: Family day in Paris!
8/25: Samuel's birthday in Casablanca!
8/25: 11:30pm (local) arrive in Libreville, Gabon

21 June 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe with Joey

/files/PHOTOS Family/Strawbucks- Joey 001a.jpg

If you could describe yourself as an animal, what would it be and why?

I would be a black lab. Because, I'm mellow when I need to be, but I can adapt to things when I need to be. I'm able to be fun when it's time to be fun. I know this because we used to have a black lab, Kaiser, that we adored. We raised Kaiser for the seeing eye organization.

/files/PHOTOS Family/Kaiser 5a.JPG

Is there a song that describes you pretty well?

"One World" by Toby Mac. It's a fun song and it challenges me to use my one life well.

What are some of your "high's" of being in France?

Making French friends pretty quickly, having other American kids to go through the experience with, our camping/hiking trip at the Gorges du Verdon (see pictures here http://picasaweb.google.com/Gabon.Pilot/ExcursionGorgesDuVerdon ), and the Marseille soccer match!

What are some of your "low's" of being in France?

Some of my friends dropped out of classes at my French public school right as I was going through a hard time, also seeing some of my friends getting bullied at school and not having anything to do about it, and being away from all my friends and family.

Did you have any bizarre or strange moments here in France?

There's been nothing really bizarre, but it was fun to be in Geneva under the "Jet d'eau" (see video here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=CX5KpAzByXk ).

What are you looking forward to the most about our visit to the states in July and August?

Obviously seeing all my friends and having time to just talk with people that are close to me, also playing soccer with friends and showing them my new moves, and the jr. high event at our church - S.M.A.S.H.

What are you looking forward to most about making a new life in Gabon?

Starting over in a new place and having a new way to do things that is NOT FRENCH! Also, going to the beach, hanging out with Tim & Meredith Brokopp, learning more soccer skills, and making new friends.

What are your biggest fears about going to Gabon?

Not making friends right away, the heat being overwhelming, and not being able to see my friends for a long long time.

Are you afraid of getting sick?

No... in fact, I welcome it!

What have you learned about yourself in your time in France?

I think that I might be a little more patient than the average American now. I think that I've learned to be more flexible and to learn another language.

What will you miss most?

I'll miss my French friends at school, like Luka and Arthur.

Any final words of wisdom to pass along to your crew?

Be thankful for the time that you have with your friends and family. I'd also like to give a "shout out" to:

Andrew M.- I'm looking forward to more spicy cheetos!

14 June 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe with Steve

Another Bizarre event for Steve while in France…

About a week ago, Alace and I decided we

would do the healthy thing and walk to

school in the morning, then back home for

lunch. Roundtrip, it’s about 3 miles, so it’s

not too far and it us a great time to chat

and get a little cardio in by keeping up the

pace. The “bizarre-ness” of it all began on

the way home after the morning class.

About half way to our apartment complex

is Sam’s school. Behind the school is a

rather large community park that offers a great short cut. Most of the student’s

from Sam’s school also walk through the park on their way home for lunch. As we

neared the park, we heard a lot of noise- more noise than the usual, “I-just-got-

out-of-school-and-I’m-letting-off-some-steam” noise that is an everyday

occurrence. Jokingly, I said to Alace that there must be a fight.

As it turned out, this was a rare moment of “right-ness” for me. As the location of

all the hub- bub came into view, we saw that it was indeed a group of about

fifteen or sixteen preteens circled around, watching two or three others pushing,

shoving, and kicking. Step #1: Make sure your kid is not involved… check. Step

#2: Make sure your kid is not “egging” them on… check. Step #3: Scan the area

to find if your kid is around… check. We saw Sam watching from a distance of

about 20 yards. He seemed to lose interest and set out in the direction of our

home, not noticing his mom and dad approaching.

Ok… so everything is going well up to this point. It appeared that Alace and I,

along with the other mom and dads in the area, had run through the mental

checklist (see “steps 1, 2, & 3” above) and all was well. Until…

It would seem to me that after a parent has completed the immediate checklist in

such a situation (see “steps 1, 2, & 3” above), that they would move on to the

logical next steps as follows: Step #4: Monitor and qualify the scuffle- is this just

a “boys being boys” situation or is a more serious like a bully getting the best of

another, making it a clear mismatch needing adult intervention… Check. It

appeared to me that this indeed was a mismatch scenario however, looking

around, I noticed no other parents stepping in. I don’t care what country you're

from, this step is universally correct, in my mind. Step #5: Step in and break up

the fight… check… well… let’s not “check” this one off the list so quick…

As I approach the mob, I clearly expected the following scenario to play out, in the

same way that it had when I was a kid- Adult shows up, fight ends. Simple,

straight-forward, no one gets hurt. So, without saying a word to Alace, I made a

beeline for the mob. As I approached, I noticed a couple of the kids on the

exterior rings of the circle take notice of me, the adult, and their fervor seemed to

die off. All was going according to plan. Then, I remembered. Usually the adult

should say something… something important that would bring everything to a

screaming halt. Time was of the essence here. Hmmm… what to say… what to

say… And then, it came to me! Of course! It was lunch time! Everyone in France

knows what to say to disperse a crowd and get them moving home at meal time!

“Bon appétit”!

Now, let me just say a word here about my communication skills in French. I’ve

been known to mess up words that are very similar, like the words for

"needs” (besoins) and “drink” (boisson) and the words for “horses” (chevaux) and

“hair” (cheveux). However, I know for sure that the words that came out of my

mouth that afternoon were correct. So, when I said “Bon appétit” in a loud

booming voice, I had all the confidence in the world that, like Pavlov’s dogs, these

young, impressionable youths would snap back to reality and begin their

pilgrimage to their homes where they would find refreshment and nourishment.

However, what happened next sent me into another dimension altogether.

As the words “Bon appétit!” left my mouth, the world seemed to snap into slow-

motion. A simultaneous roar went up from this crowd of preteens and they went

into a jumping tizzy! 3 or 4 of the screaming, yelling pre-teens came right around

me and started pushing me! I kid you not! It was one of the most surreal

moments of my life. With all the deftness of a foreigner, I stuck to my guns and

yelled out again “bon appétit!”, thinking that maybe they had not read the script

correctly and just needed another chance. No luck. The tizzy continued and one

boy said something that resembled, as best as I could tell, “we already tried to

stop them”. However, translating this sentence took me a couple moments and,

by that time, the mob had morphed and had started shifting behind me. Having

only one or two kids left in my immediate view and, not wanting to admit defeat

in my course of action, I said, one last time, “Bon appétit!” to which, one of them

replied, smiling, “bon appétit!” Then, he moved right past me and joined back into

the mob.

I wondered why he smiled at me, and it was then that I noticed that I had been

smiling! I’m not sure when it happened, but sometime in the 15-20 seconds in

which this bizarre confrontation was taking place, the utter “bizarrity” of the

situation had stupefied me into a smiling idiot! No wonder these kids couldn’t

take me seriously! I had forgotten the part of “Step 5” that included the adult

breaking up the fight being firm and having something more imposing to say

rather than “HAVE A NICE MEAL!!!”

Moments later, another parent had apparently joined me in “Step #5” and

proceeded to demonstrate to me that way in which this step is carried out. The

parent, a father, appeared out of nowhere (note to self: element of surprise is

essential). Then, he moved right to the middle of the circle and grabbed the two

main combatants (note to self: demonstrate your physical prowess). Then, he

proceeded to give them all a tongue-lashing that everyone in the park and the

surrounding apartments could clearly hear (note to self: have something to say

that produces desired results).

Step #5… CHECK!

07 June 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe with Megan

Strawbucks Café is a weekly blog by the Straw family. We invite you to sit down, enjoy the conversation, and consider “picking up the bill” through a donation in to our air ambulance program. Visit http://aircalvary.com/contribute.html to join the effort.

If you could describe yourself as a piece of fruit, which would it be and why?

A Kiwi, because they’re green (my favorite color) and sometimes people don’t eat them, which is good- maybe I won’t be eaten. Also, they’re good, like me!

If aliens came from outer space and took you back to their planet, would you rather be placed in a zoo where they would look at you, or be a performer in a traveling carnival on their planet?

A traveling carnival because there would be more chance for escape.

Ok, seriously… What are some of your “high” points of being in France?

The views, skiing, Tip-Top (a store like Claires here), new friends, and, sometimes, the food- tartiflette is my favorite.

What are some of your “low” points of being in France?

Going to the hospital, people that are not nice to foreigners, not a lot of Mexican food places, and missing my friends.

Do you have any “bizarre” moments to share about?

Obviously, going to the hospital was a big one.

What are you looking forward to the most about our visit to the states in July and August?

Seeing my friends, eating Mexican food, going to a movie theater where you can get popcorn (with extra butter, of course!), seeing family, visiting Ohio to see Gram & Gramps, and feeling “at home.”

What are you looking forward to most about making a new home in Gabon?

I’m excited to do homeschooling, meeting new people, hanging out with the Tim & Meredith Brokopp, and going to the beach.

What are your biggest fears about going to Gabon?

Snakes and hippos! Meredith said that she got a drink, one time, that had a cockroach in it! I’m worried about getting malaria too.

What have you learned about yourself in your time in France?

I’m not so good at learning new languages, but I can speak a little French now. I learned to ride my bike with no hands! I learned that I can babysit… and I love it! I learned that our family can get through hard times.

We only have 20 more days in France. What will you miss most?

I made some French friends here- so I’ll miss them. I also made American friends here- I’ll miss them too. I’ll miss tartiflette too. C’est tout!

Any final words of wisdom to pass along to all your peeps?

Um… I miss you all! If anyone needs a babysitter, let me know… my rates are reasonable. ;^) I’d like to give a “shout out” to my cousin JJ (by the way, can you please bring a bag of Swedish Fish and a root beer to the airport when you come pick us up? Thanks!)

31 May 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe with Alace

Strawbucks Café is a weekly blog by the Straw family. We invite you to sit down, enjoy the conversation, and consider “picking up the bill” through a donation in to our air ambulance program. Visit http://aircalvary.com/contribute.html to join the effort.

I have been re-reading one of my favorite books lately. "When Crickets Cry" is a book I would gladly crawl inside, befriend the characters and breathe in the fragrant waters of the Tallulah River that runs dead center through the novel. This book attempts to blur the line between the biological mechanics of the heart and the poetry of human emotion that springs forth from the very center of our being. "While it (the human heart) pumps more than a hundred thousand times a day without stopping, funneling hundreds of gallons of fluid around the body, it derives no benefit from the blood it pumps, making it the most unselfish of organs." Charles Martin, the author, put forth the thought that if anything in this universe has the fingerprint of God it is the human heart.

I have never given much thought to my heart before reading this book. I have never given any thought to the temperature of my blood, the color of it before and after being sent to the lungs to be reoxygenated, the flow through the three main arteries and how miraculous it is to be able to suffer an attack and even when half dead, the human heart will still pump. It is not only the most unselfish but the most faithful and courageous of organs.

The book follows a brilliant heart surgeon's broken and battered life. He has retreated deep within himself, turned his back on his prolific career and lives a nearly solitary life next to the Tellulah River in Georgia. His life collides with a young brave girl in need of a heart transplant. The story unfolds from there. I highly recommend it.

All this talk of the human heart reminds me of a friend of mine who's son had a heart transplant when he was just a toddler. He is now in high school. Everyday since receiving his new heart he takes dozens of different medications daily at just the right times to keep his body from rejecting the new heart. He has to pay attention to every cough, cold, cut and sore. He isn't tall, in fact his is quite short due to all the medications hampering his growth. He possesses a bravery and bravado I have rarely seen. He has an uncanny understanding of his existence and God and life. He lives unapologetically and with passion. His new heart has forever changed the way in which he lives his life.

It makes me think of God and scripture. God promises all who call on Him through His Son a new heart. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26 He is the ultimate heart surgeon. He takes my flinty hard heart and softens it, melting it into flesh and blood. Just as my friend, who's human heart was transplanted, has to take specific medications at specific times so do I. I need a myriad of daily intervening medications spiritually infused into my transplanted heart. My body is constantly trying to reject this new heart. This caustic environment in which I live is forever at war with my heart of flesh. There is an epic battle fought day and night for all that pours forth from the center of my being.

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23

18 April 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe!

It's incredible! Since last July, our funding team has been providing our family's stipend- food, tuition, travel, etc. We are so thankful!

We encourage giving in $50 monthly units called "Bongolo Bonds"- our needs represent 115 Bonds monthly. However, the 1st quarter of '08, we averaged 96 bonds. Aprils' trend is also downward- 87.

Strawbucks! Our family would love to have you as a teammate and would also like to propose some team "huddles". Every Saturday at the "Strawbucks" cafe (our website's blog- RIGHT HERE!), one of our family will bring the conversation piece as you invest in some "fru-fru" coffee for us (roughly $50/mo.).

Please pray with us and consider supporting this worthy effort to be the hands and feet of Jesus? http://aircalvary.com/contribute.html (cut & paste to your browser).

12 April 2008 Prayer Update

TESTS- We just finished another round of testing at the end of our second trimester. This round of testing has been much more difficult, but we got our results yesterday and... WE PASSED! Praise the Lord! It's hard not to stress in the face of them, but we're doing our best to continually reminding ourselves how far that we've come in such a short time. We meet regularly with our language partners and we are understanding and being understood more. This is the results that we're praying for. So we're praising the Lord for this progress.

LIFE IN ALBERTVILLE- We were so blessed to have the opportunity to lead our little French Assembley of God church on Easter Sunday in singing "In Christ Alone"... in English! I played the guitar, Joey on bass, and Megan sang! The people politely smiled and some actually knew the song and followed along. We've been praying that we could be used to bless others and we've seen this start to happen more and more. We are so thankful.

LIFE AT SCHOOL- We were also able to bless the other C&MA students by hosting an Easter dinner at the community room of our appartment complex. We had a meal together, played some games, and worshipped our Risen Savior in song! We broke out the guitars again for this.

KIDS- Megan has really picked up on this whole "being a blessing" thing and has done some babysitting gigs for some other families for free and even when the parents were at home, just so they could get some more things done or study or whatever. Joey and Sam have been reaching out to kids at the local soccer fields with mixed results. Some of the other boys want to establish their dominance physically, so they've run in to some tough situations where they just had to walk away. Through it all, they've stayed positive and haven't given up trying.

SUMMER- We're back in the states on the 27th of June. We're gonna be packing up stuff, making some church visits, a visit to one of the biggest airshows in the world (Oshkosh, Wisc.), and touching base with as many friends as possible! Joey and Meg's are really looking forward a 4-day jr. high event at our home church- York Alliance.

AIRPLANE- We're still in the midst of our fundraising where the businessman from California is matching every dollar raised up to $300,000!!! We are seeing people step up to donate- especially a lot of other missionaries, of all people! We've had two gifts of over $18,000 each and a bunch of other sized donations. I think we're up to about $100,000 raised and with the match, that's $200,000. How cool! About a 1/3 of the way there! Please pray for wisdom concerning our aircraft choice. After some additional prayer and discussion, we've thought it best not to put a downpayment for the preferred aircraft in Germany until after I pay them a visit in May. We want to make sure that everything lives up to what we've investigated it all to be.

SCHOOL IN AFRICA- We have felt confirmation to homeschool our children along with another family (The Solvig's) whose children are about the same age as ours. They have felt the same level of confirmation, so we are praising the Lord for this decision in unity! YES! It's funny that this was one of those conditions that we put on the Lord when this part of the journey started... "Lord, we'll answer this call as long as we don't have to homeschool". HA! How the Lord works to form us and change us! We are also praying for wisdom concerning a person coming and assisting us in getting started down this road of home schooling. We hope that a young person, just out of college, may want to come and lend a hand with the homeschooling as we'll have our hands full with getting settled into a new environment. Please pray for us as we concider those that are expressing interest in joining us for this purpose.

GOD-SIZED PRAYERS-

1. Blessing people in practical ways: We pray for a successful launch of the air ambulance ministry in Gabon in September. There are so many logistics to work out- hard not to get overwhelmed some days. Also, we pray for a successful hand over of the guest house duties by the end of the first 9 months of our time in Africa as the family doing this now (the Solvig's) will be leaving at that time. Also, the local churches of Gabon have asked the Office of Short Term Ministries to consider ways to launch small enterprises to assist the unemployed men of their churches (16 churches in the city of Libreville- population 650,000). There is an idea brewing in my heart to mentor aircraft mechanics through our program and, further down the road, pilots! How cool would it be to work ourselves out of a job someday!

2. Blessing people in WORD: We pray for the times when we are able to speak to francophone people with clarity. We pray that we are able to change from conversations about education in a language to being able to conversations about Jesus! We are starting to memorize scripture in the French language and pray for opportunities to use this knowledge.

3. Local Church Ministry in Gabon?: This thought runs through my mind every now and then. There is a group of anglophones that meet weekly for Bible study in Libreville. In the past, they have looked for direction and leadership to form more of a faith community. Wouldn't it be so cool to see this group equipped to reach the people of thier city and those that come and go there? We're committing this idea to the Lord, knowing that we're going to have our hands filled initially in Gabon.

4. Short Term missions involvement: The STMO office of the C&MA will be establishing a program in Libreville. It is being run by our good friends Tim and Meredith Brokopp. It will be interesting to see how this works and what may develop out of that. They have already said that they'll be using my services to move people and resources to and from Bongolo Hospital. I'm praying for additional ways that this partnership could develop.

5. English training: We're seeing the TESOL language classes being used to expand Christ's Kingdom around the world. We'd like to pray about getting education in this area as well.

6. Deeper connection's with the churches that support us: We pray for meaningful ways to link to what the Lord is doing in the churches that are praying for us and supporting financially. Emails, newsletters, and personal visits are our current avenues of linking, but we're praying for fresh ideas for strengthening the ties. I have no idea what that would look like, but am praying that direction.

I think that's it for now!

Blessings,

Steve and Alace Straw

ps. Alace will be visiting C&MA missionary friends in Macedonia this coming week (Wendy Coons and Dave & Brenda Aderholdt). Also, in mid may, I'll be dropping in on other C&MA missionaries, Steve and Karen Mack, for a quick overnighter and worship service on my way to some aviation training about an our drive south of Berlin. Please pray for rich times of fellowship and encouragement to be shared among all during these visits.

18 March 2008 Prayer Update

Please continue praying for...

... schooling (kids, plus mom and dad)
... chances to bless others (other students and the locals)
... wisdom for the upcoming decisions (transition logistics/kids education/etc.)
... a single women who would come and get us started with our home schooling group (homeschooling seems to be where the Lord is guiding us and the other Gabon based families)
... finances- seems like there's no end to the weakness of the dollar and the strength of the euro.
... monthly supporters- we've had some key supporters drop off and we're praying for additional team mates on our funding team.

11 February 2008 Prayer Update

Here are some current items for us:

FINANCES: We're still getting hit hard by the unfavorable exchange rates. In the last week, the dollar has rebounded a little against the euro, but we're still dipping into our savings to make up a monthly shortfall. Our resources seem to be moving through our fingers faster and faster. Please pray that we can make God-honoring decisions as self-funded missionaries.

CHILDREN'S EDUCATION: We do have a new situation that has developed in regards to the kids education in Gabon. It appears that the new director of the Int'l school in Libreville is not very accepting of the missionary kids and the discounts that they have enjoyed. He is also teaching the children "T.M."- Transcendental meditation! WHOA! So, if he stays around, we'll have to come up with a new plan. We recently contacted another missionary family to discuss a possible "home-schooling" situation with all of our kids- 6 in all. Home schooling is not the first choice for either of our family's, but we're willing to go that way and we have seen others do it with great results. We are starting to pray together that maybe a single person (maybe right out of college) would be interested in coming to live with us for a year or so to help us get started on this program. Will you please pray that we carefully and wisely choose the best situation where our children are cared for and they are nurtured as Jesus followers?

AIRCRAFT FUND CHALLENGE: We are praising the Lord for his provisions! A Christian businessman from California is putting up about $325,000.00 toward the purchase of a new aircraft that will serve the medical needs of the Bongolo Hospital for years and years to come. He has asked others to join together in matching his generous gift. Please pray that this will happen by mid-May (July at the latest) and in a way that exalts Christ.

MORE PRAISES: We have started to see some response to the Aircraft fund challenge, however, the first two to respond were both missionaries! One missionary couple pledged $10,000 to the project! WOW! What an example it was to Alace and I for sacrificial, joyful giving from people that are living on a limited budget.

Thank you all for praying- your teamwork makes this all possible! -Steve & Alace

25 January 2008 Now Available...

AIRCRAFT SPECIFICATIONS : Click on the "Photos & Downloads" tab, scroll to & click on "Aircraft Info". Click on the image (.jpeg) that appears, then again to magnify the image. You'll see that the aircraft we plan to buy comes fully loaded!

LATEST EMAIL NEWSLETTER : Click on the "Photos & Downloads" tab, scroll to & click on "Our Newsletter Archives" to find a .jpeg file of our latest newsletter.

14 January 2008 Bonne Année!!!

We're about to email our supporters some terrific news. A generous businessman has agreed to put down 1/2 the cost of the preferred aircraft for our mission! This represents an investment of over $300,000! WOW! The Lord continues to provide this effort with momentum that overwhelms us. We are so thankful.

Since we're in our final 8 months prior to deploying to Gabon, we're going to ask everyone to pray with us that the other 1/2 come quickly. The aircraft is for sale in Germany at this time, but there's no garuntee that it'll stay available as long as we need it.

We feel strongly that the Lord is leading us this direction, so, I have set a date to attend a 3 day training session in Germany, for aircraft and engine familiarization. At that time (mid-May 08) we are hoping that the aircraft will be fully paid for and I'll be able to fly the airplane back here (to France) until we're ready to make the trip to Gabon.

This is really exciting to talk about, and even more awesome to praise the Lord for His provision. There has been no "slick" advertising or fund raising schemes, yet, our Faithful Father has seen to it that things are coming together in HIS way and in HIS time!

Our family really appreciate all your prayers. It means so much.