After spending 7 weeks in the USA for both flight and maintenance training with the Robinson R66 helicopter we are back in the Philippines working with our team to get the R66 up and running in our region. It is going really well so far and it is already clear that the extra payload and passenger capacity of this helicopter are going to make a big difference in the church planting, translation and discipleship efforts that we are supporting.
So much time, sweat and money go into getting a machine like this functioning in a flight program that it is easy to get tunnel vision and only see the next task we have to accomplish in a long chain of technical tasks. This is all important stuff, but it’s not the point of what we’re doing. We’re simply trying to use the best tools available today to do the most important job in the World – telling the World that they have a Savior!
In the months and years ahead this R66 will be used to support both indigenous missionaries and expatriate missionaries in the jungle in a safe and efficient manner. It’s fairly obvious that it will make their work more efficient and safer which are both a big deal. However, the main thing is that it makes it possible to work in such rugged and remote areas in the first place. We are expanding into new outreaches all the time which have been without access to the Gospel for all these years. The helicopter is providing access and we’re thrilled to be a link in the chain that brings these dear people one step closer to knowing their Savior.
Thank you for partnering with our ministry. It is a very technical ministry, but it is one of the many necessary moving parts that is allowing access to the most challenging places in the Philippines.