It has been a busy week

 

Hi Folks,

 

     It has been a really busy week for us here in Nicaragua.  As you most likely have already heard, the airplane is HERE NOW.  We have also been given permission to fly it in Nicaragua (a BIG worry for us), and many other blessings have flowed from our Heavenly Father.

 

     I now have my residency permit, and a visa to come and go, in and out of the country as many times as I need to, thanks to a patient wait in some very long lines at immigration today.

 

     My good friend Steven Nix, a fellow missionary (cross denominational friend) and pilot, is back in Nica and we were VERY GLAD to see his smiling face.  He was tired when we saw him and our job was to put a smile on his face...so we took the Aztec up for a necessary "shake-down flight", with Steve onboard.  Like most pilots, Steve can't help but smile when we are in the air.

 

     Julia Hess from Wings of Faith Fellowship is spear-heading a food drive/collection for the La Miskitia area in the coming few weeks.  We know that you will join us in prayer that her efforts will please our Lord.  I know that the people here in La Miskitia CERTAINLY will be pleased. 

 

     There is a conference of Church of God Pastors (local) in Puerto Cabezas in March (28-30).  Please keep their needs in prayer, and ask that God will bless these pastors mightily for making the sometimes long and hazardous journey to get here.  Please come if you can.

 

     More next week...it has been a long and tiresome week, full of GOOD ACTIVITY.  We are blessed, as we pray that YOU are blessed.

 

Richard

Richard Becton
011 505 613-5824 (telephone in Nicaragua)
1135 Ponderosa Drive
Cleveland, TN 37312
210 392-9574 (telephone for US dialing, for messages)

flight@flash.net

Well I got my cedula yesterday!

That means I am now an OFFICIAL resident of Nicargua. It was a long and difficult process to get it, but it's done now.

Carolyn and I are still waiting in Managua for our new passports to be ready (possibly today), so it will be a day, or two before we continue our journey on out to Puerto Cabezas.

I am pleased that I got the cotton-pickin' thing!

Richard

What a day!

I am almost NEVER at a loss for words when it comes to singing the praises of our Lord...but the things that happened today have (almost) left me speechless.

The day started with a meeting with Ramon Canales (Lomberto Campbell's assistant). Ramon was ill however and didn't show up. When Senor Campbell heard that Ramon couldn't make the meeting, he came to meet us himself! I know that most of you do not know what A BIG DEAL that is, but believe me when I say IT IS!

Senor Campbell made a couple of phone calls for us, to smooth the way for the "inception" of the AVIATION aspect of our ministry. He arranged a meeting with the Director of the Managua airport, and the Director of the entire countries aviation system.

God blessed us mightily in these meetings, and we received WRITTEN permission to fly our little airplane anywhere in Nicaragua that we needed to fly it. This is unheard of in Nicaragua, so I KNOW God is in this (not that there was any doubt, of course). The permission is for FIVE YEARS, and is renewable. Wow!

In addition to permission to fly this United States Registered airplane ANYWHERE in Nicaragua ANYTIME we desired too, we received the NUMBER ONE parking space on the international ramp at Managua as our permanent parking space (free). (They actually asked a Learjet owner to move his jet so we could park there!).

We also received permission to park at ANY AIRPORT IN NICARAGUA for free! They have agreed to provide security at any and all airports which we go to as well. I can't describe how absolutely FLOORED I am by all these blessings from God (and through God, the Nicaraguan government).

As for the gasoline to fly...Senor Campbell said that it made very litle sense to have us constantly flying back and forth to Managua to refuel the airplane, so he put Ramon Canales in charge of making sure that AvGas is available in Puerto Cabezas!

I don't know how long it will take to get the gasoline there, and arranged on a permanent basis, but we are decidedly encouraged that they are GOING TO DO IT.

We feel blessed BEYOND DESCRIPTION, we really DO!

ADDITIONALLY, Carolyn dropped by the immigration office and handed over her application for residency and the entire file of paperwork which is necessary to attain that status, and EVERYTHING WAS ACCEPTED! Her appointment to receive her residency is on February the 22nd, and so we expect that we will BOTH have residency status by then. I should receive mine on Monday.



One last GREAT THING happened today...Carolyn finally got her Nicaraguan pilots license renovacioned (renewed).
Steve Nix, our GOOD FRIEND and fellow missionary (also a great pilot) in Nicaragua will be especially pleased to hear about THIS bit of news.

What a day!
Richard


Dios le bendiga grandemente a su familia y ministerio.

Casa de Servicio, International
Missionary Aviation, Medical Evacuation
Church of God, World Missions Project #: 065-0497
http://www.casadeservicio.org/

Richard & Carolyn Becton


210 392-9574 (for dialing from the US, and for messages)
011 505 613-5824 (Our number in Nicaragua)

http://www.myspace.com/rbecton
http://www.casadeservicio.org/blog/




Richard Becton
011 505 613-5824 (telephone in Nicaragua)
1135 Ponderosa Drive
Cleveland, TN 37312
210 392-9574 (telephone for US dialing, for messages)

flight@flash.net

We have arrived safely!

We have arrived safely in Nicaragua!

We actually had a LOT less "headaches" than we thought we would have. Everything seemed to go smooth as silk, it goes to show you that God deserves the glory for each of our successes.

The flight from Key West to Cancun went very well, and customs at the Cancun/ASUR airport ramp was extraordinarily easy. There was a guy there that walked us through the whole "process" of immigration and customs. Of course we prepared SO MUCH for the flight that we had everything we needed...but it went very well, and we thank God for THAT!

The flight from Cancun to Managua took four hours (as expected). All went well, although we encountered quite a few clouds (we were flying under Instrument Flight Rules, so no problem) and some weather. We flew at 11,000 feet for most of the trip to Managua, due to the heighth of the terrain in Honduras and Nicaragua. We passed through customs and immigration in Managua in a matter of minutes, and got some chicken (y'all remember how much we brag about the chicken in Nicaragua?) at the airport terminal.

All is well, and we expect to continue the journey to Puerto Cabezas either tomorrow afternoon or the following day.

Thank you for all your prayers.

Richard

Dios le bendiga grandemente a su familia y ministerio.

Casa de Servicio, International

Missionary Aviation, Medical Evacuation

Church of God, World Missions Project #: 065-0497

http://www.casadeservicio.org/

Richard & Carolyn Becton

210 392-9574 (for dialing from the US, and for messages)

011 505 613-5824 (Our number in Nicaragua)

http://www.myspace.com/rbecton

http://www.casadeservicio.org/blog/

Hi Folks,

We made it to Key West with no problems today. After overnighting here, we're departing for Cancun, and then Managua in the morning.

Please keep our flight in your prayers, and keep our mission in your hearts.

Richard

Dios le bendiga grandemente a su familia y ministerio.

Casa de Servicio, International

Missionary Aviation, Medical Evacuation

Church of God, World Missions Project #: 065-0497

http://www.casadeservicio.org/

Richard & Carolyn Becton

210 392-9574 (for dialing from the US, and for messages)

011 505 613-5824 (Our number in Nicaragua)

http://www.myspace.com/rbecton

http://www.casadeservicio.org/blog/

itinerary for the Aztec trip to Managua

Hi Folks,

For those of you that are interested, Carolyn and I are making the trip to Managua on Wednesday the 9th of January.

We will be staying overnight in Key West, Florida on Tuesday (01-08-08 ) night at the Holiday Inn.

Holiday Inn
3850 N ROOSEVELT BLVD
KEY WEST, FL 33040
1-305-2946681

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We will be leaving Spring Hill, Florida tomorrow afternoon right after church services. We will get a ride to "Pilot Country Airport (X05)" around 1:00pm and after preflighting and verifying weather information we'll fly down to Key West, Florida.

The routing (for pilots) is:

X05 LAL V7 RSW V225 EYW KEYW

We expect the flight to Key West, Florida to take about one hour and forty two (01:42) minutes.

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On Wednesday morning at 7:00am local time we'll fly from Key West, Florida to Cancun, Mexico.

The routing (again, for pilots) is:

KEYW EYW B646 VINKA B879 CUN MMUN

We expect the flight to Cancun, Mexico to take about two hours and thirty five (02:35) minutes.

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After refueling in Cancun, Mexico we will continue our flight, same day, to Managua, Nicaragua.

The routing (again....for pilots) is:

MMUN CUN B881 BTO A754 TNT A502 MGA MNMG

We expect the flight to take about three hours and fifty eight (03:58) minutes.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a day, or two in Managua...we will continue our journey to it's final destination of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua.

The routing (again...for pilots) is:

MNMG MGA KAVLO PZA MNPC

We expect the flight to take about one hour and twenty five minutes (01:25).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We expect to burn 60 gallons of AvGas on the way to Key West.

We expect to burn 91 gallons of AvGas on the way to Cancun.

We expect to burn 139 gallons of AvGas on the way to Managua.

We expect to burn 49 gallons of AvGas on the way to Puerto Cabezas.

The fuel in Key West costs $5.64 per gallon.....the AvGas in Mexico and Nicaragua is more expensive.

Please join us in thanking God for the help from the Nicaraguan government which has paid for the fuel to make this trip.

We are also pleading with God to expedite future expenditures from the Nicaraguan government for fuel to operate in Nicaragua. There was a LONG delay in the governments ability to get the funds for this trip to us, and we pray that the delays will become nonexistent in the future as we surge forward in this God-Given mission.

In His Service!

Dios le bendiga grandemente a su familia y ministerio.

Casa de Servicio, International
Missionary Aviation, Medical Evacuation
Church of God, World Missions Project #: 065-0497
http://www.casadeservicio.org/

Richard & Carolyn Becton

1135 Ponderosa Dr
Cleveland, TN 37312
210 392-9574 (for dialing from the US, and for messages)
011 505 613-5824 (Our number in Nicaragua)

http://www.myspace.com/rbecton
http://www.casadeservicio.org/blog/

request for funds...help with the Aztec annual

    The annual is completed on the Aztec, and the cost was $1,934.78.  We have had a donation that was specifically designated towards the cost of the annual, and we thought we would let everyone know that more help would be appreciated.

 

     Send donations to:

 

    Casa de Servicio

    1135 Ponderosa Drive

    Cleveland, TN 37312

 

    Drop me an email if you send a donation, please.

 

Thanks,

Richard

Dios le bendiga grandemente a su familia y ministerio.
 
Casa de Servicio, International
Missionary Aviation, Medical Evacuation
Church of God, World Missions Project #: 065-0497
http://www.casadeservicio.org
 
Richard & Carolyn Becton

210 392-9574 (for dialing from the US, and for messages)
011 505 613-5824 (Our number in Nicaragua)

http://www.myspace.com/rbecton
http://www.casadeservicio.org/blog/

 

 

an answered prayer!

We just heard from the mechanic that is working on the annual for the Aztec...he says that it is COMPLETE. The previous maintenance that was performed on the airplane in the past has stood it in GOOD STEAD.

A lot of you were praying with us for a timely inspection...so MANY THANKS for those powerful and effective prayers.

We expect to be leaving for Managua on either Monday, or perhaps this Friday. Depending upon the status of various countries customs facilities in Mexico, etc.

God bless you all!

Richard and Carolyn

Dios le bendiga grandemente a su familia y ministerio.

Casa de Servicio, International
Missionary Aviation, Medical Evacuation
Church of God, World Missions Project #: 065-0497
http://www.casadeservicio.org/

Richard & Carolyn Becton

210 392-9574 (for dialing from the US, and for messages)
011 505 613-5824 (Our number in Nicaragua)

http://www.myspace.com/rbecton
http://www.casadeservicio.org/blog/