Phil and Ellen Koop
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NTM Aviation Welcomes Brand New Kodiak

July 2, 2014 by Phil and Ellen Koop

When things seem impossible . . . God makes them possible!

Larry Dye's Pictures 571

June 6, 2014 NTMA’s new Kodiak landed in McNeal, Arizona, at the operations center for NTM Aviation.

Though a Kodiak for Papua New Guinea still seemed an impossibe dream last year, it is now a reality!  Just six weeks ago, on April 24th, a couple of ministry partners chose to buy a Kodiak for NTM Aviation’s ministry in Papua New Guinea!

Now missionaries can breathe easier knowing that soon the Kodiak will be in PNG to sustain them as they bring Jesus to difficult remote settings and to provide medevac capabilities for them and their families—even to Australia.

In a ceremony June 5 in Sand Point, ID, the plane officially changed hands.  Quest Aircraft Corporation engineer Todd Harkins, a former NTMA colleague, handed the keys of the new Kodiak to Phil, executive director of NTMA.  Quest Aircraft personnel who have prayed over every part of this plane joined with NTM personnel and local believers to surround the aircraft with prayer.  Nels Pitotti, missions pastor of Valley Fourth Church in Spokane Valley, WA, led the whole group in giving thanks to God.

June 6 chief pilot Daren Spence and pilot Larry Dye flew it to McNeal.  They landed to a cheering crowd waving colorful balloons and posters bearing messages like “All things are possible with God.” “It was a beautiful day.  We could not have asked for better,” said Daren.  “The Kodiak is a true joy to fly.  It climbed smoothly to 19,000 feet and we stayed there for most of the 5-hour flight.”  He noted that the Kodiak’s ability to climb well is a great asset for navigating over the mountains of PNG to the most isolated areas.

IMG_5237Once the Kodiak rested safely out of the blistering sun, staff and visitors joined together as veteran pilot Paul Dye led in a prayer of thanks to God for this good gift.  He praised God that missionaries will be sustained in remote settings and tribal people will finally hear of Jesus, the Savior.

Even the lemonade stand set up in the hangar had a message of thanks.  A poster recalled the Kodiak Kids who, in 2005, put their faith to work, set up a lemonade stand, and reached the impossible goal of raising $375,000 for the down payment for NTMA’s first Kodiak, now serving in Asia-Pacific.  The Kodiak Kids started a chain of events that led quite directly to this present Kodiak, delivered today.

Filed Under: Ministry, News Article Tagged With: Kodiak, PNG

More Posts:

« This week we got a shot in the arm!
Kodiak #2 for Papua New Guinea! »

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Ellen Koop

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