Kodiak Moment

I was enjoying breakfast at the Jackson County Airport restaurant last week with Mark, a friend from church.  We had seats by a window overlooking the runway.  It was surprisingly busy for such a small airport.  While we ate and talked we watched a number of small, single engine planes take off and land.  I related to Mark how many memories I have of trips out over the jungle in little planes just like the ones we were watching. 

Mark and I were discussing our upcoming move to Papua New Guinea and the unique challenges my family will face living in an isolated jungle location when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a plane land.  It caught my attention right away because it was bright yellow and bigger than the other planes I had seen.  As it taxied closer to the diner I thought that it looked a lot like the new Kodiak plane developed by Quest Aircraft Company. 

This specially designed aircraft is the perfect tool for servicing missionaries in remote locations.  It was purposefully designed, by Quest, to handle the low air speed required to land on small, grass airstrips.  Its huge turbo engine gives it the power necessary to haul more people and cargo than any plane NTM uses for these locations and, to top it all off, it uses the most economical fuel on the market. 

As the plane came to a stop right out-side the restaurant I couldn’t believe my eyes!  It was a Kodiak!!  Paul Maeder and his wife got out of the newly purchased flying machine and came into the diner and sat a few tables away from Mark and me.  I tried to explain to Mark the significance of this “Kodiak” moment.  Like a star struck teenager I went over and introduced myself.  The Maeders were very gracious to put up with my antics and seemed pleased to meet someone who recognized the beautiful aircraft and understood its significance. 

It was a privilege to be able to shake Paul’s hand and personally thank him for his part in getting one of these magnificent aircraft to the foreign field and in service with NTM.  For every ten Kodiak planes sold to private owners, like Mr. Maeder, one Kodiak is made available for missions organizations at a special price.  Mark was good enough to take a few pictures for me on his phone.  For the rest of the morning we talked about how cool it was that out of all the places we could have had breakfast, we ended up at the airport, and of all the planes that could have landed it was the Kodiak.  What a moment.

In the next year or two we may have the joy of climbing out of a Kodiak, but it won’t be for a pit stop breakfast.  We’ll be stepping out into the darkness of an unreached world, and we will be bringing the food on this visit; eternal food, the Bread of Life.  Watching that Kodiak drop out of the sky and land on the very runway that I happened to be sitting at this morning was just too cool for words. 

I am so thankful we are on this journey to PNG, and a part of something that will last for all eternity as a testimony to God’s grace.  I was glad Mark got to be a part of this “Kodiak” moment too.  He isn’t heading off to Papua New Guinea with us, but he and his wife are standing behind us in support of what we are doing.  Without their help, and the help of many others like them, we couldn’t even think about going. 

You can be a part of our team and invest in something eternal.  We really need your help.  Find out how you can give financially by following this link.  Or contact Missy or myself and we will be glad to sit down with you and talk further about how you can be a ministry partner with us.