Radio Classes

The past few days I've been getting training on how to use Asas's radio system.  Here we use it to communicate with the planes while they are in route (since they are out of reach of towers) and to communicate with the missionaries in each of the villages each morning.  Once Jeyson starts flying, I will eventually be responsible to follow his flights and communicate with him on the radio.  I will warn him of weather problems and track his progress to make sure he is safe.  Each wife follows their own husband...what a huge responsibility!  But flight following is much more advanced and Jeyson isn't on his own in the plane yet, so for now I just am getting trained in checking in on the villages.

Here's how it's done.  At 6:45 am each day you simply turn on the radio and call out to each one of the village posts.  We tell them about any flights that will be happening that day, and check in to see if they have any messages or anything urgent happening and they also relay back how the weather is there, just in case an emergency landing is needed by chance.

It's really pretty easy....in theory!  The major problem is that it's VERY VERY hard to hear!  Lots of static and weird screechy noises blast through at random.  Not to mention I'm doing this in Portuguese! But the ladies who have been doing it for a while say that your ear adjusts over time and soon I'll be able to understand.  I was amazed at how our "teacher" could understand so much!  So hopefully soon I"ll be proficient in yet another language....radio-static-ese!

Aside from ear training and it being an early morning duty,  it really is a neat job.  The missionaries are very isolated and the radio call is often a big moment of encouragement from the outside world that they look forward to.  My friend Rose, left who is also being trained, lived in a village for 6 months.  She said that she and the missionary she lived with really looked forward to the radio contact.  So it's neat to have this long distance ministry with the missionaries we admire and serve.  It's also fun to already know a few of them so it's a special way to get to say hi to new friends we are made but haven't seen since they went to their villages.  After all, it's not like they can say hi to us on facebook :)