We intended to spend this section of our update sharing with you a little bit of how our finances work (being members of a faith-based mission). But before we got the first line typed, something happened that re-directed our thoughts.
One of our pilots-in-training, Jon Leedahl, was in a severe motorcycle accident that required him to be medevaced outside of Papua New Guinea to northern Australia (Cairns). His left leg has several torn ligaments and broken bones in his foot. Unfortunately his right leg sustained more damage and had to be amputated just above the knee.
You might recall that we mentioned the Leedahl family in a previous update. Jon has been training to fly the new Kodiak airplane here in country with Wycliffe/SIL.
Many of you have been praying and we ask that you keep it up. He still has several surgeries and a long road of recovery ahead of him. Please also pray for his wife, Adie, and their three boys as they face this major re-direct in their lives. We are thanking God for sparing Jon’s life and looking to Him for comfort and direction.
At this point, we dare to not even speculate all the ways this will affect our flight program here in PNG. Jon was to be our first trained pilot in the Kodiak and we were looking to him to train our next pilots. Recently we had another two NEW pilot families arrive on the field. Praise the Lord. But at this moment we just don’t know what the next step is. We sure would appreciate your prayers!
Just a few weeks before Jon’s accident, we got some exciting news from our aviation leadership in the US: God has supplied ANOTHER Kodiak airplane for PNG! The first one is currently being outfitted for PNG and will eventually be ferried over.
God is at work! We are continually reminded that we can’t do this in our own strength. We make plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Please pray for us as we provide aviation support to our tribal locations. Pray for wisdom as we plan for the future. Nothing takes God by surprise and NOTHING is too big for Him to accomplish!
In Their Own Hands
Have you ever held your Bible and thought about how we’ve come to have God’s Word in our own language? Maybe you have studied the history of our English Bible and those who sacrificed (many with their lives) to translate God’s message.
For years the missionaries (Woodard and Holmquist families) have toiled: learning the Bagwido language and culture, reducing it to it’s written form, literacy, beginning Bible translation and then teaching God’s wonderful redemption story. A church was born and translation continued as the Bagwido church began to grow in size and maturity.
Earlier this month they received their first ever New Testament in their own language!! Please join us in praising God for preserving His Word and bringing it to the Bagwido people of PNG.
Praise & Prayer Requests
- Praise — Bagwido New Testament Dedication.
- Praise — God’s supplying of a second Kodiak airplane for PNG.
- Pray — Grace, mercy, wisdom, comfort for the Leedahl family as Jon recovers.
- Pray — Guidance for NTM aviation here in PNG. In November we have a necessary audit from the governing authority to renew our operating licenses.
- Pray — Paul’s allergies have flared up again. We are looking for direction as it appears his current diet (and lack of allergy shots) might not be helping as much as we would like.