Ethnos360 Aviation - History

ETHNOS360 AVIATION

McNeal, Arizona

( a long post - I hope my armchair travelers enjoy!😉)

Ethnos360 is a church planting organization for all the unreached tribes worldwide.

This campus serves pioneer church planting teams in the remotest regions of Brazil, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines by using aircraft to bring food, supplies, transportation and medical services to the villages.

I love the art work that the missionaries bring from the very remote villages.

This material is pretty to look at but very rough.  It is made from something like a pineapple leaf that has been scrubbed and scraped 

to make into a cloth that is serviceable.

It is a nice decoration.

I know a pilot who just about drools at the sight of this hangar.

They still use some airplanes, but most areas are transitioning to helicopters.

Not having to build a runway in the jungle is a big benefit.

This one will be painted in the  Red & White colors that identify Ethnos aircraft.

It helps the armies identify the 'good guys'

(instead of the drug dealers)

THE KIDNAPPED AIRPLANE

Paul Dye flew  from a remote Columbian village 

to help a sick missionary from New Tribes Mission in 1985 

They were captured by guerrillas who seized the single-engine Cessna 185.

After 5 days of being captured,  Paul slipped out of the hut where he was being held, moved the hijacked Cessna to a narrow jungle clearing and flew to safety.  

“It was pitch black, there was no moon, and he did not even know how much fuel he had left”

“Paul went until his fuel ran out, an he managed to just clear some tree tops and set down in a field.  The next morning he radioed some friends who flew in some more gas and he was able to take off and get back.”

THIS IS THE VERY AIRPLANE!

This one is close to Lou's heart - they are putting together a J-3 Cub --

the one he learned to fly in.

The rebuilding of this airplane is part of their mechanics training.

It was fun to watch one of the students in the simulator.

He was attempting to land on an aircraft carrier.

First try - not so good.

Second one - nailed it! 😅

HISTORY

Tribal Air Communication became New Tribes Mission Aviation, then that became Ethnos360 Aviation.  It is the aviation arm of the Ethnos360-a church planting mission and supports all aspects of the mission to have a church for all people groups, especially in the remotest parts of the world.

Transporting goods by air is so much easier and faster 

than going by boat or over trails in the jungles.

The Goal:

A Thriving Church for Every People Group.

Emergency medical care is so vital.

THE JOBS:

In addition to all the aircraft issues, Ethnos 360A teaches and trains the missionaries for the field.  That includes training in the cultural issues and language.  The families are housed here, children are either home-schooled or enrolled in the local schools.  

It is indeed a pleasure to serve here and observe all that God is doing to take His Gospel to the "Ends of the World"

First week at Ethnos360 Aviation

 Yes, the first week passes so quickly!

Caulking the new decks for 2 new homes was our first assignment.

Gail Schrock is becoming adept

 with the caulking gun, 

and Lou Scheideman has been sanding.

Ernie Schrock joins the foray,

our GL (Great Leader) Jenny Rassmussen  is the caulking expert,

and sometimes we manage to get all of us on the little deck!

Don Rasmussen (GL) building a door.

Refinishing a table

Jordan is one of the students from Frontier School of the Bible 

that came to volunteer for the week.

It was such a nice surprise to meet the folks from the Bible School in Wyoming that is supported by our home church!

We have enjoyed the singing of the birds

and this is a lovely new home.

You can see the need for a new/refurbished one. 

All the houses on campus have clotheslines 

and they were need of painting and re-stringing

Gail and Ernie - now that is togetherness!

How many SOWERS does it take to restring a clothesline???

Petroglyphs in the Sonoran Desert

Sears Point

Our 'day trip' from Wellton AZ  

Two miles of basalt cliff edges are filled with ancient art. There are more than 2,000 panels of rock art, with an estimated 10,000 petroglyphs elements. We were surprised to find so many in this expanse of desert with so few cliffs that became the records of the Native Americans ( and others)

(by the way, this trip is 'out of order' due to technology disasters!)

You can see part of the cliff edges that house the petroglyphs.

We were glad that our friends knew a trail 

that was easier than scrambling to the top. 

Thanks Jan and Harold for showing us the way!

I think this view looks like it was a huge amount of hiking to get here.

Yes, quite a bit of scrambling to get through all this!

Lots of animals.

Could this be a tally of conquests?

Harold wonders if this could have any connection to the Jewish Manorah.

Or could it just be a tree with roots?

On the right it looks like they are keeping a tally of something important.

(It looks like pretty jewelry to me)

Not all petroglyphs came from the Native Americans.

*****

Sears Point was home to many Native American tribes before the first Spanish explorers arrived in 1699. 

It was a noteworthy place on the Gila Trail throughout the Spanish and Mexican occupation of the Southwest.  500 Mormons  were recruited to the US army and they helped build a wagon road from Santa Fe to San Diego.

This passed along the Gila Trail through the Sears Point area.

It became an important travel route during the California Gold Rush of 1849-50

This route became part of the first transcontinental Buttterfield Stage and mail service.

Leaving Sears Point

Must stop to look at the crumbling structures

It seems the mud and straw bricks stand up pretty well,

not too sure about the roofing material.

A good day - will be glad to return!

RV Resort Life

"Livin' the life" in the "RV Resort

Signs in the park say

 "SLOW"

"Grandparents at play"

( I wonder if that means that the grandparents are slow?😉)

Lou enjoys rousing games of horseshoes

as well as shuffleboard.

Lots of crafts for the ladies.

This is "Swedish weaving" (yes, Susan, just like yours!)

Sue Mayer is learning the craft.

My knitting piece is piled up on the table - 

I hope the finished jacket won't take too long

Several are beading, others are quilting.

We certainly didn't enter this one, 

but we heard them from the other room as we try to learn new card games.

(Ya gotta give 'em credit for trying)

The resort has an Ice Cream Social every Sunday night.

(They have 3 huge portions for $2.00)

Many of the 'locals' complain about the price increase (from $1.00)

After all this exhilarating exercise, (and ice cream) we need a walk.

Wellton has SO many trains running through 

 

We get to see all sorts of goods being shipped!

Guess where.

Our "walk in the park"/desert sometimes has a bit of an oasis

Lou's cousin Russel has a park model with a terrific view!

We leave Wellton to go to McNeal - the Aviation training camp.