Flight or Fright

The Kodiak brought co-workers and cargo — lots of it!

 Are you afraid to fly? What situation would entice you to fly despite your fears?

“It was a busy day for the plane early this month,” wrote Grace Downing, a church planter on an island surrounded by open ocean in Asia-Pacific. “The Kodiak brought in our coworkers from their trip to the city and brought a few other Taliabo folks home.”

Some background: “We've had a string of deaths during childbirth over the past year (some mothers and some babies). Because of that, the local clinic has told everyone that they have to give birth down at the coast, which is a 40-minute truck ride – if the river isn't flooded. It's a very messy, complex situation, full of a lot of fear on all sides.”

“All that to say, two days before the [previously mentioned] incoming flight,” continued Grace, “Elon came and asked if there was still room on the [outgoing] flight for his very pregnant wife. They wanted to go to the city to have their baby. Thankfully, they were able to take the Kodiak on its return flight and get the healthcare they needed.”

Suited up for the over-ocean flight, despite their fears. 

“Almost all the seats were full as my former language helper and her husband (Iki Nina and Iki Nama) decided that he needed a checkup in the city after a very severe bout of illness. He's suffered from seizures and unexplained symptoms for a while. Finally, they felt like it was time to go to the city after the clinic on the coast wasn't able to do much for him. I think he's been fearful, whether it is because of the travel or just unsure of what they will find, or maybe fearful of it all being a big waste of time and money. I know his kids are afraid after his last bout of illness. We're hoping he is able to get the help he needs.”

These Taliabo people cannot begin to afford to use the Kodiak. But your participation as a with Missionary Flight Sponsorship makes aviation service possible for those who greatly need it. What a way to show the love of Jesus Christ to these believers – and to unbelievers also! By the way, two of the children of the man with seizures are currently studying at the National Bible/Mission Training Center on a larger island over 200 miles away! For them, traveling by air sure beats the hair-raising trip by ocean.

“There are hundreds of kids like this in villages all over Taliabo, waiting to hear!” wrote Grace.

Of course, the Kodiak also makes it possible for the church planters to live on such an isolated island – and have what they need to dedicate their time to what they came for. As Grace says, “The Kodiak ... keeps meat in our freezer. ... It provides access to medical care that's really hard to find around here, especially when it's rainy season and travel across rivers and over oceans is sketchy at best.” And it just helps in daily living: “It also has kept clothes on our backs! Our washing machine went on the fritz, and the pilots were able to bring us a new one!”

So, both in sustaining a church planting team in a remote area and in showing the Body of Christ in action to those who need flights but may be afraid, your donations to Missionary FLight Sponsorship are impacting the Taliabo people group.  God is building His church!  As Grace says, “[We’re] very thankful for our flight team, pilots, and the crew back in the USA who keeps the programs up and running! You are part of the team. Thank you!