Road Trip To North Dakota

The summer schedule is here and the Schmidt family is about to go on another journey.  What started out as a family vacation has escalated into a month and a half trip.  We are doing a deputation (missionary term for raising a support team) trip for Proclaim Aviation in North Dakota where many of our friends and family are. I have an opportunity to work a booth at AirVenture the worlds worlds largest airshow on behalf of Spokane Turbine Center, and then go on the Kodiak tour.

Vacation in Rugby ND: July 16^th – 24^th 

Airshow at OshKosh WI: July 25^th -Aug 1^st  

Deputation in ND: Aug 2^nd -11^th

Spokane Turbine Center Kodiak Tour: Aug 12^th -23^rd

Return to ND: Aug 23^rd

Return to Spokane WA:  Aug 26^th ???

There are still a lot of details that need to be filled in, but if you could pray for us as we begin this journey for: 

• Safety while we are on the road for 3,000+ miles
• Caleb (and us) since this is his first long road trip confined to a tiny car-seat
• For people to join support team 

Thank you to all that are already apart of our support team and help keep us going through prayer everyday.

Kodiak Tour

I (Tyler) just accepted to go along on part of the Spokane Turbine Center Kodiak Tour that is starting on August 13th in Grand Rapids Michigan and ending (for me) in Smoketown Pennsylvania on August 23rd. I am VERY excited to be able to fly the Kodiak while in route to the different destinations and get some turbine flight time. Some of my other responsibility on the tour will be to coordinate loading of passengers on flight tours in the Kodiak and manning a booth answering any questions about Spokane Turbine Center or about its wonderful yellow aircraft. This is a great opportunity for me but also means that I will be away from Renae and Caleb for about 10 days, which will be hard. The plan is for them to stay in ND with family till I return and then we will make our trek back to Spokane.

Today Caleb and Renae got to go and pick strawberries at one of our local fruit farms.  Although most of what Renae picked did make it home there were a few that were tasted for "quality" control by our "little man." Green Bluff  is a group of farms that in the summer and fall grow cherry's, peaches, apples, strawberries, pumpkins and all sorts of different fruit and vegetables that you can go out and pick yourself.  There is something special about going out into the field and selecting what you want fresh from the brush or tree. We have been coming here for almost three years and this is where we get our fruit that lasts us throughout the winter in the form of smoothies and homemade jam. Now that we have the fruit all that is left is washing, cutting, cooking and packaging the fruit into jams or freezing it for later.

Renae and Caleb: A Day at STC

Caleb and I just got to spend an entire day helping out at STC!  We braved the long day away from our normal routine in order to give the secretary a break, and also to be a part of a safety seminar that the STC staff are going through.  Most of the day was spent in the classroom for Tyler and the other staff, learning about emotional and mental safety for flying and living on the mission field.  The information was also helpful for me, what little I was able to sit in on!  There are so many ways that we need to prepare ourselves for that kind of service.  Often in every situation and relationship on the mission field, emotions, stress, challenges, trails, etc... are heightened.  For this reason we have to be even more prepared, especially our pilots, to have control over our minds and emotions to be able to deal safely with our situations and relationships.  The number one relationship with Christ has to be our priority to be able continue to serve others and not burn out.  We praise God that He is the one that gives us the strength and wisdom to deal with all this when the time comes!  Caleb enjoyed crawling the long halls of STC, rolling and chasing after his ball, while I answered phones, played with him, and listened to some of the classes.  We are so grateful to be a part of the ministry and training that STC is offering to missionary pilots and mechanics.  The men being trained here are already using these new tools where they are at overseas.  I am so thankful to have observed some of the things that they do here at STC! Although I will say...Caleb and I are BOTH ready to return to our normal routine at home tomorrow.  Whew!