Although our missionary aviation journey began in 2022, our story begins about a decade before that.
Loren and I grew up in Southern California around the Orange County area. We grew up in the same church, and we started dating in 2012, during Junior and Senior year of high school. At the time, high school for me was more about having fun rather than planning for my future. This meant that college was not going to be an option for me, so off to the military recruiter's office I went. A few months after graduating high school, I signed on the dotted line and joined the United States Air Force, leaving for basic training in February of 2014. During this time, Loren finished high school and began college.
After graduating from basic training and technical training for my career field, the Air Force thought it would be a good idea to send this SoCal kid to Rapid City, South Dakota. Going from 70°F and sunny weather to -10°F and snowing weather was a big shock, but I met a lot of great people, I learned a lot about my career field and got my first deployment under my belt. From South Dakota, I was sent to Kunsan AB, South Korea for a short tour (one year). After my time in Korea, Loren and I decided it was time to tie the knot. I was about to be stationed in the U.K. and we had dated long distance for about 2 years at this point. We got married in December of 2016 and from there we went to the U.K. I was stationed in England for 3 years. While in England, we met a lot of great people, had our daughter, and I got another deployment under my belt.
From England, the military took us to South Carolina in 2020. While were not thrilled to be moving to South Carolina as it was not where we had hoped to go, God would later use this move to further his plans by introducing me to missionary aviation. In 2021, I went on my last deployment and after returning we decided that it was best for me and my family for me to get out of the military. We felt that God was calling us to something more. In July of 2022, I was able to switch from Active Duty to Reserves and we moved so that I could go to school at Charleston Southern University (CSU) for all of my flight training. God led us to CSU, and a big reason we chose this school was for their missionary aviation track. Over the next 3 years we continued on this path, following wherever God saw fit, all the while knowing that He started me on this path for the sole purpose of serving Him.
During my last year at CSU, I began researching different missionary aviation organizations to get an idea of the minimum flight hour requirements I would need. Most organizations required a minimum of 400-500 hours, and with me graduating with roughly 220 hours, I was going to need to find a way to gain the next 200 hours. However, God would continue to provide for us and open doors. At the next career fair, there would be representatives for an organization called JAARS (Jungle Aviation and Relay Services). I attended solely to speak to them, and I was able to get information on the JAARS apprenticeship program, where they take low hour commercial pilots and provide them with the training they would need to become a missionary pilot, all the while building up to the 500 total flight hours required to be a certified JAARS pilot. After a long interview process that lasted from February to October of 2025, God would again provide for us when I was accepted into the Apprenticeship Program.
The Apprenticeship Program is a 6 year total program, with 2 years of training where they not only train me as a pilot, but also train us as a family to be prepared for life as missionaries in a new country and a new culture. Beginning in January 2026 and ending in December 2027, we will live at the JAARS base in North Carolina. After those two years of training, we will be sent out into the mission field to one of the several countries that JAARS helps support (to what is the Green Belt/ countries surrounding the Equator) for 3 years. After that we will return to North Carolina for 1 year.
We are extremely grateful and humbled by this opportunity that God has given to us. We have felt His never-ending grace throughout our journey. Thank you for showing interest and support in our family as we follow God's call. We ask that you pray for us as we remain obedient to God's plan.