The Kodiak has been getting a lot of attention lately, and rightfully so. However, it isn’t the only big and exciting way that God has been providing for our changing needs. Currently, we are looking into solutions for reaching areas that are too remote and rugged to build even the smallest airstrip. How do you do it without an airstrip? There is the hard way, and the hard way.One hard way is to take your family out to one of these remote jungle islands (think of the TV series, “Lost”) and try to build a home, educate your kids, care for their medical needs, without the handsome Dr. Jack there to help you. While trying to survive,throw in 6-10 hours of language study each day to learn an unwritten culture and language in order to teach effectively across cultural boundaries. Even with an airstrip, this process can take years to complete, and is nearly impossible without one.
The other hard way would be to clear out an airstrip on the top of the nearest mountain ridge (at least a 3 hour hike away from the tribal people you want to live with). This job can take over three years alone, before you can move in. What a pain! Imagine if we could clear a small area, in a week or two where a helicopter could land and bring in supplies. It would make life and long term ministry a possibility.
Until the last couple of years, flying helicopters overseas has been astronomically expensive. It is like comparing the cost of driving a Buick, or an Indy car for your daily commute. In most cases it is totally cost prohibitive. However, recently the Robinson Helicopter Company released the R-44 helicopter that can now run on the same fuel you put in your car which costs less than half of what aviation fuel costs. What this means, is that the helicopter can fly for nearly the same cost as an airplane, and eliminate the years of building airstrips with hand tools in some places.
We currently have one R44 Helicopter here in McNeal. We are preparing it for service in Indonesia.
The idea of flying a helicopter someday, no matter how ugly and awkward they look, is exciting for us. We don’t see it happening right away, but we are looking to the future and beginning to prepare our minds for how we may be a part of the solution. There are tribal groups in the Philippines who are still unreached and unless we come up with a good solution, they will remain unreached. The scenario above, is not hypothetical, but is actually the case with a couple of groups in the Philippines. It is our desire to do whatever it takes to enable missionaries to reach the last tribe in the Philippines in our lifetime. If this means learning to fly a helicopter some day, then we will do it.
For now we aren’t changing any of our plans. We are still heading for our goal of flying to the Philippines this summer. However, Brian has begun training one of our co-workers, Joel Davis, in a flight instructor course. If Joel can get his flight instructor rating, it will enable him down the road to build the hours he needs to one day fly the helicopter in the Philippines. Just like flying an airplane it takes hours of experience to be safe in such a demanding environment. Because of this experience requirement, NTMA pilots need a way to gain experience without having to pay for all the hours themselves. It is our hope that Joel will one day be able to get his helicopter license and use his flight instructor license to teach other helicopter pilots for NTMA. It is complicated, but for now our small part is utilizing the background of flight instructing God provided for Brian in Tennessee to prepare for the future. It is so exciting for us to see God meeting our technological needs in such a timely matter with the Kodiak and the R44 Helicopter.