Who We Are
We are family that has experienced and is experiencing Gods amazing love and grace through the gospel of Jesus the Christ and the outpouring of His Spirit. Through this grace we are endeavoring to grow into our salvation (1 peter 2:2) and to run the race laid out before us (Hebrews 12:1). We feel very privileged to serve Bible translation efforts as we know that He will continue to reveal Himself to others through His life changing Word
Courtney's History
Cessna 206 on floats at Island Air, Kodiak Alaska in 2002
Courtney was raised in Jefferson, Oregon. He was introduced to a relationship with God at a young age through his family and church. After graduating High School in 1994, Courtney decided to become a professional pilot and attended Hesston College in Kansas. He returned to Oregon and worked as a flight instructor in 1996 while earning his bachelors degree in Art. In 1999 he got a job as a pilot at Island Air Service in Kodiak Alaska with. It was during this time in Alaska that Courtney points back to where God touched his life with the passion for Bible translation. “God totally changed me with the power of His Word like I had never experience before. At times, as I read the Bible, it was as if He was reading it to me! He became more than my belief, He became my Lord.” Soon after this experience he heard about how millions of people don’t have access to this life changing Word; and Pilots were needed to help get the Bible to them. “I felt God put his finger on my heart and say, “this is what I want you to do”. After receiving this calling in the year 2000 he returned to college again to receive an aircraft mechanic license which then qualified him for serving bible translation through Wycliffe Bible Translators.
Beth’s History
Beth grew up in Spokane, Washington. At the age of five she remembers hearing the gospel preached in an evening church service and knew God was asking her to respond. After graduating Northwest Christian high school, she enrolled in a 1 year discipleship program at her church called the Master’s Commission. She then served for two more years as an intern before moving on to Jefferson, Oregon. Beth ministered full time as the children’s ministry director and church secretary there from 1998-2003 at Abundant Life Center (this is the church that Courtney grew up at). Her experience of coming to the Lord at a young age has always encouraged her to present the Gospel to children. She has been on several short term missions trips and often desired stay longer to serve more needs. In 2001, she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and was treated for 7 months with chemotherapy and radiation. The tumor found in front of her heart was the size of a softball, but she is cancer free today. Praise be to God! During that time, Beth says she remembers “having such a great sense of the grace of God and He was so near to me. There was no anger, no questioning, ‘why me, God?’ His peace was so wonderful during a troubling time that I wanted those around me who did not yet know God to see for themselves that He really is good!” Beth continues to share this testimony knowing God has a great plan with it. She gladly supports her husband in his role as a pilot and frequently utilizes her gifts and skills supporting translation teams in our community.
Marriage and Family
After five years of friendship God changed our hearts towards each other beyond just friendship. We were married in September 2003 and Courtney returned to aviation mechanic school. We both felt strongly that we were to continue to work towards joining Wycliffe Bible Translators but not right away. We spent our first five years of marriage serving in our local church as missions team leaders and Courtney worked for at a local airport getting some aviation mechanic experience and giving more flight instruction. Although Courtney met the technical requirements God had some other ways that we still needed to grow and mature in. We have also been blessed with 3 active healthy children. Anne, Adelaide, and David.
Joining Wycliffe Bible Translator
After successfully passing a two week evaluation of Courtney’s Pilot and Mechanic skills at JAARS we were able to apply with Wycliffe. We became members in 2007 and then completed more training to prepare us for overseas ministry. During that year God also provided financial and prayer partners that have enabled us in this work. We have been so blessed by many faithful churches and individuals that have enabled us to do this ministry. Several of the relationships that we had built during the "waiting time" became faithful partners.
My JAARS Orientation Group 2008
Coming To Indonesia
Once our partnership team was in place we were able to come to Indonesia in June of 2009. When we departed our kids where 3 years, 18 months and Beth was pregnant with David. We spent 10 months in Bandung Indonesia learning culture and language before moving 3,000 miles to Papua Indonesia. We lived in Sentani, Papua which is the home base for all of YAJASI flights for 11 years. Our Children attended the Hillcrest International School and we are so grateful to all the dedicated teachers. Besides flying airplanes to support isolated people we also served several years leading the efforts to train national in piloting and aviation maintenance. We also ran orientation for new members as they arrived in Indonesia and served in several other ways as needed through the years that we were blessed to serve in Indonesia.
Transition to US based ministry
In 2020 we felt God call us back to the US. We continued to serve through Wycliffe on loan to Moody Aviation in Spokane Washington. Here we are involved with student services, mentoring and discipling future missionary pilots and thus expanding our reach by enabling others to fill the vital aviation roles needed to advance Gods Kingdom in isolated areas.
Starting our Business
With higher expenses in the US we need to work part time to supplement our ministry income. Courtney worked for a while as a pilot but the time away on top of our ministry was difficult on our family. So in 2021 we launched Zehr Designs and converted our garage to a work shop. We sell leather patch hats and custom laser cut and engraved products. Check it out at www.zehrdesigns.com
In the three years of being back in the US God has led us to a new vision for the future of our ministry. Sustainable agriculture and Biblical stewardship is our new focus. God brought us partners in launching into this ministry and provided and existing non profit in Legacy Builders Ministries. After 16 years of serving through Wycliffe we felt led to resign and join Legacy builders ministries. Courtney serves on the board as vice president and as the executive director. We are continuing to serve at moody aviation and will still be a part of JAARS as we also build up Legacy Builders Ministries. Check out our website at www.legacybuild.org