Modern Day Nehemiahs

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Karen Rispin

Karen and I were faced with a problem that needed to be addressed.

Through Karen’s work with a wheelchair research project over the past decade, she has become aware of many available wheelchair resources that haven’t connected to faith-based hospitals in Africa. Part of this realization is that many children and adults with disabilities are often isolated and in pain. Instead of an “unreached people group,” one could consider this group to be the “overlooked people group.” I just want to get these kids up off the floor so they could grow socially, intellectually, physically, and spiritually.

I am a pilot by trade, and I’ve been working in the aviation industry for nearly 30 years. As pilots, we are taught to make decisions about a flight in procedural ways. And as with everything else in aviation, we’ve developed acronyms to help us with the process. Even the process has an acronym: PDM or “Pilot Decision Making,” a description of the process. The act of decision making itself uses the acronym “DECIDE” which means:

  • Detect a change needing attention.
  • Estimate the need to respond to the change. Is it an emergency that requires immediate action, or can you just carry on and mention the problem to the mechanics when you get on the ground?
  • Choose the most desirable outcome for the flight. Obviously, a safe landing where the aircraft can be used again is preferable.
  • Identify actions. In the cockpit, this usually means consulting a check list.
  • Do something. Implement the series of items on the check list.
  • Evaluate. Did my actions fix or control the problem?

Having followed the acronym “DECIDE,” you may find yourself needing to return to item “C” and start all over again if you don’t get the desired outcome.

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