Today in the AWA mission field
of Guyana our team has an early
00:00:51.57\00:00:55.55
start to the day.
Jud and Karen Wickwire
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received an early morning call
that there was a local woman
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who urgently needed to be
transported to the hospital in
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Georgetown. She is
pregnant with twins and
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is having
complications with her delivery.
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So the AWA team
will transport her
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to Georgetown today.
However since the patient has
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already in early stages of
labor, she will be accompanied
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by a nurse to assist, should
anything happen during transport
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The patient arrives in the local
hospital van, which doubles as
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an ambulance and
transportation to and from
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the Mabaruma airstrip.
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However she waits in
the van while Jud finishes
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his pre flight inspection.
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He must inspect the entire
airplane and and make sure
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it is functioning
at optimal performance.
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This is routine before every
flight and especially important
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since the aircraft is not
kept in a hanger and is exposed
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in the open Guyana elements.
Once Jud finishes his inspection
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the patient emerges from
the ambulance. She moves slowly,
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since she is in a
great deal of pain.
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However her face and composure
remains stoic and solemn,
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showing very little emotion.
She walks slowly towards
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the plane with
the help of her nurse.
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Now for the hard part,
climbing into the plane.
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Karen shows the mother to-be
where she can step to hoist
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herself into the plane. However,
it's easier said than done.
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The patient takes a few
moments to gather herself
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before she attempts.
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She musters up enough strength
to pull herself into the plane.
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Once in, Karen and Jud carefully
strap her in and try to make her
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as comfortable as possible.
She has a two hour flight ahead
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of her, and for this patient,
it's not going to be an easy one
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Next the nurse climbs in the
back seat next to the patient.
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She will be beside her for the
entire transportation process.
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It's still early, 6 am, but even
still, curious young village
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children
congregate around the plane.
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We've got a maternity case,
which is pretty common here.
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Usually they like to send the
high risk patients out for their
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deliveries usually it's because
they've had over a certain
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number of children or past a
certain age or they have high
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blood pressure is one of the
factors. So it's pretty common.
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She would like to know
the exact time we would reach?
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Now that they reached
the doctor in Georgetown,
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and everyone is loaded in
the plane, Pilot Jud can begin
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begin the journey.
However before they go anywhere,
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Jud offers a word of
prayer for their safe journey.
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We ask that the baby will
be safely delivered and back to
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join the families
in Jesus name, Amen.
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Before every flight, there
are many check lists and Jud is
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always very thorough before
he takes off into the skies.
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The entire team's focus here
is to save lives, so safety is
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always a top priority for all
the AWA pilots. Flying in the
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remote bush country of Guyana
can be even more challenging
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then flying in North America,
however Jud has been flying
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here for 5 years now, and he is
very skilled and knowledgeable
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about how to safely
navigate these skies.
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As Jud takes off into the early
morning ski, they pass over
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Mabaruma, their home town.
The remainder of the trip they
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will be flying over rural
jungle tree tops and canopy.
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Yet another reason why
Jud must be so thorough.
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There is nowhere to make
any emergency landings here.
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Only jungle and river
from here to Georgetown.
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The patient's face begins to
look anxious. No doubt she is
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in pain and worried.
Only women with birthing
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complications get
transported to Georgetown,
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so the expectant
mother already knows,
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this isn't going to
be an easy delivery.
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Jud received a call
about another woman that needs
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to be taken to the
hospital in Georgetown as well.
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She lives in another village
that is just slightly off course
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In an effort to help as
many people as possible and be
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efficient with fuel
funds, Jud deviates off course
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and heads towards Baramita
to pick up his second patient.
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Jud informs his expectant
passenger of the detour
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and she graciously understands
and agrees they should pick up
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the additional passenger.
She is aware of how difficult
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it is to get out of the
rural jungle to the capital city
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and agrees to share her
ride with the new patient.
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Village members don't
often have much of a choice for
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transportation options.
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Besides the flights that AWA
offer for medical emergencies,
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the only other option is to make
a twenty-four hour boat trip
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to and from their village.
The boat is quite costly,
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and offers no accommodations,
making it nearly impossible for
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sick villagers to travel on it.
As soon as the plane is parked,
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the new passenger is
loaded. She doesn't need urgent
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medical care so she is able to
climb in the plane on her own.
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Once she is buckled in,
the yellow AWA plane is off
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with no time to waste.
The mother of twins is growing
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more and more
uncomfortable and anxious.
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She shifts in her seat as
waves of pain roll over her.
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This isn't an easy trip
for women in labor to make,
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however today's patient
doesn't make a single sound.
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She quietly endures the pain
and tries to distract herself
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by peering out the window.
Thankfully however, today the
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skies are smooth and clear.
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There is very
little turbulence or winds.
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In the past, the AWA team has
had mothers give birth in the
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plane while in
transit to the hospital.
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However due to the mother's
complications, everyone hopes
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and prays that this isn't
going to be the case today.
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Should that happen
however, the nurse is ready
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to assist the mother,
while the pilot concentrates
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on his mission, to safely get
all passengers to Georgetown.
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Soon enough, their tires touch
down on the runway. Pilots and
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patients all breathe a sigh of
relief and a prayer of thanks.
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They have safely reached their
destination and they are still
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on time to meet the ambulance
that should be awaiting them.
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However, it seems like
their haste was in vain.
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As they look around, there is no
ambulance to be found anywhere.
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Ambulance rides are arranged
before they leave their home
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in Mabaruma and they are
given an estimated arrival time
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The goal is to have an
ambulance waiting for them at
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airport when they
arrive so they can quickly
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hand over the patient.
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This is especially
important in flights like today
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or other emergency cases
where patients are in a great
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deal of pain and don't
have much time to waste.
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Today however, it seems as if
the ambulance is running behind.
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The expectant mother is no
longer able to hide her pain
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and it is written
all over her face.
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She is hurting and very
anxious for her ride to arrive.
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Jud calls the hospital to
see where the ambulance is
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and possibly get an
estimated arrival time.
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This situation is very
frustrating for all involved.
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The Cessna 182 is
parked on a busy airport
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and cannot sit there very long.
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Finally the word comes,
that the ambulance has arrived.
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It's now time to move
the patient. She is having
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great difficulty because
her pain level has escalated.
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She musters up enough strength
to slowly dismount the plane.
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Even in labor
these Guyanese women show
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great amounts of strength.
This plane trip is no small feat
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for any patient, much
less a woman in labor.
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And she has to do all
this alone without her family.
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However, this story has a tragic
end. They were able to reach
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the hospital in
time for her to deliver.
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Unfortunately her twin
babies did not survive.
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Upon this news, her
husband and daughter
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came to be with
her in Georgetown.
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That's the interesting thing
about being here for the longer
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term and developing
relationships with people,
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and that all
comes down to trust.
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And they know that we've
been here for this many years
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and we're still going to be here
when they need us in the future
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so that when you have someone
with say a chronic condition
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that needs treatment and we
can take them back and forth
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so they don't have to
spend month and months living
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away from their families.
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And trust to know that
sometimes things go wrong,
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and people... people sometimes
go out for treatment and they
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die. And that's a
fear that people have.
00:10:05.12\00:10:07.98
Of course, their fear is such,
that they may not send their
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family members out for
treatment because they may die,
00:10:12.34\00:10:16.85
and if they die,
they may not come back.
00:10:16.88\00:10:18.38
Or if they go for treatment
they may not even be able to
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come back for months at a time.
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So knowing that we've been here
and that we've taken people out
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and we bring them back
and sometimes we bring back
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people that have died.
00:10:27.87\00:10:29.24
But even that gives them
confidence in us because it
00:10:29.27\00:10:31.66
shows that we care enough
to bring back even the people
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who've died so that they
can have a proper burial with
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their families. And
that...that's a very meaningful
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thing to people out here.
Something that they don't get
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from anywhere else.
00:10:45.10\00:10:46.47
The reason we flew here today is
we've brought in a family that,
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is ready to go back into the
interior. The mother delivered
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twins that passed away and we're
here to take that family and the
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twins back to the interior,
so that the family can have a
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funeral there and have
closure in this experience
00:11:10.79\00:11:17.82
with the pregnancy. Even
though the babies haven't
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been around very long, there's
expectations that the family
00:11:20.19\00:11:23.15
develops and those
aren't met, so there's a loss,
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that has occurred.
00:11:27.06\00:11:28.43
Earlier today AWA pilot
Greg had some deliveries to make
00:11:28.46\00:11:31.72
to Georgetown. Whenever this
occurs, they fill up their empty
00:11:31.75\00:11:34.85
seats with passengers to take
back to the village on their
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return trip home.
00:11:38.49\00:11:39.86
Today, Greg will be
flying the family home,
00:11:40.38\00:11:43.02
who lost their twins, but
he will also be taking back
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the deceased babies to be buried
in their family's village.
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A family may have a family
member that gets sick or injured
00:11:50.49\00:11:54.10
they come into Georgetown and
the family may never see them
00:11:54.13\00:11:58.67
again and they don't have
closure and that's what we
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try to accommodate. We'll bring
the body back into the interior,
00:12:03.20\00:12:08.23
the family can then grieve the
loss of the loved one and that
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they are able to have the
closure with the relationship
00:12:14.51\00:12:19.59
with that person that they had.
Otherwise they can't experience
00:12:19.62\00:12:23.05
that and there is always that
hurt there that perhaps they
00:12:23.08\00:12:26.76
haven't really finished
out. So they carry it with them.
00:12:26.79\00:12:30.34
The family emerges
from the airport security.
00:12:30.37\00:12:32.77
Sadly they will now begin
their journey back to Mabaruama,
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only the three of them.
00:12:36.27\00:12:37.64
It's a very painful
and difficult situation
00:12:40.95\00:12:43.79
for all involved.
00:12:43.82\00:12:45.19
It's difficult for the
family to cope with their loss.
00:12:45.22\00:12:47.94
They seem to emotionally detach
from the situation, as well as
00:12:47.97\00:12:52.39
what the blue
plastic bag contains.
00:12:52.42\00:12:54.79
When asked, they preferred
to keep the bag in the back
00:12:54.82\00:12:58.13
of the plane rather
then hold it with them.
00:12:58.16\00:13:00.36
The babies were
delivered in this discrete bag,
00:13:01.47\00:13:04.41
to be
transported back to Mabaruma
00:13:04.44\00:13:06.88
Interestingly enough, this is
common practice here in Guyana
00:13:07.39\00:13:11.00
since it is
difficult to transport caskets.
00:13:11.03\00:13:13.40
Bodies are wrapped and concealed
transported and then placed in
00:13:13.43\00:13:17.47
caskets to be buried once they
arrive back in their village.
00:13:17.50\00:13:21.10
However AWA missionaries do have
to face this on a regular basis.
00:13:21.13\00:13:25.40
Transporting deceased
loved ones has become a part
00:13:25.43\00:13:28.12
of meaningful services
that they offer the Guyanese.
00:13:28.15\00:13:31.73
Through this act alone,
many doors have been opened and
00:13:31.76\00:13:35.26
many villages have become
receptive to the AWA ministry.
00:13:35.29\00:13:39.34
While it might seem morbid at
first glance, it's made a huge
00:13:39.37\00:13:43.36
impact in the acceptance
of the AWA mission field.
00:13:43.39\00:13:46.97
I would like to pray
before we go. Yes Pastor.
00:13:51.30\00:13:54.72
Father in heaven, thank
You for this day, thank You
00:13:54.75\00:13:57.73
for Your Son Jesus, Who
has come to save us and we ask
00:13:57.76\00:14:02.85
that You be with
us now as we travel.
00:14:02.88\00:14:04.71
Be with this family, who is
experiencing the loss of hopes
00:14:04.74\00:14:09.13
with having lost a couple of
children. We ask that You send
00:14:09.17\00:14:13.13
Your Spirit to comfort
them, and please give us
00:14:13.16\00:14:16.54
a safe flight now, Amen!
00:14:16.57\00:14:18.10
All the pilots pray
before they begin every flight.
00:14:18.13\00:14:21.13
Not only do they pray for
safety, but they also pray
00:14:21.16\00:14:24.68
for blessing on
their passengers.
00:14:24.71\00:14:26.90
Greg now sets his GPS.
Their entire journey is over
00:14:26.93\00:14:30.14
undeveloped jungle with no
land marks so the only option is
00:14:30.17\00:14:33.67
that the pilots
follow their instruments
00:14:33.70\00:14:35.51
to find their way home.
00:14:35.54\00:14:36.95
November 8-1-7-0-8
is at the terminal ready
00:14:39.17\00:14:41.82
to taxi for takeoff.
00:14:41.85\00:14:43.22
7-0-8 Standing by.
00:14:47.31\00:14:48.85
Since this is a fairly
busy airport, Greg must be in
00:14:48.88\00:14:52.80
constant communication
with the control tower.
00:14:52.83\00:14:55.06
He waits for instructions
on when to leave, which
00:14:55.09\00:14:57.96
runway to use, in what order
and which direction to take off.
00:14:57.99\00:15:02.22
All the procedures demand
a very systematic approach
00:15:02.25\00:15:05.92
to avoid any kind of collision.
00:15:05.95\00:15:08.35
November
8-1-7-0-8 Runway departure
00:15:08.38\00:15:13.79
November 8-1-7-0-8 clear to
Mabaruma flight level 4 to 5 VFR
00:15:14.92\00:15:20.38
7-0-8 Clear direct
Mabaruma flight level 4-5 VFR
00:15:20.41\00:15:24.53
Before he can leave, Greg
must inform them of where he is
00:15:25.06\00:15:28.61
headed, and how high he will
be flying. Greg informs them
00:15:28.64\00:15:32.39
that he will be going straight
to Mabaruma, and he will be
00:15:32.42\00:15:35.18
flying at 4500 feet.
00:15:35.21\00:15:37.40
7-0-8 clear for
takeoff. 7-0-8 left turn out
00:15:41.52\00:15:45.24
Now that he has his clearance
from the control tower,
00:15:46.59\00:15:49.49
Greg is ready to take off.
00:15:49.52\00:15:51.17
He follows his instructions
and begins his take off.
00:15:51.20\00:15:54.42
Greg has done this hundreds
of times but it still requires
00:15:54.45\00:15:58.16
his full
attention and concentration.
00:15:58.19\00:16:00.16
Soon enough they
are air borne and headed
00:16:18.55\00:16:20.98
towards their destination.
00:16:21.01\00:16:22.49
As they fly west toward
the interior, the homes and
00:16:22.90\00:16:26.27
civilization slowly begins
to dissipate and lush green
00:16:26.30\00:16:30.79
landscapes replace
the modern construction.
00:16:30.97\00:16:34.18
Greg is still in
Georgetown controlled airspace.
00:16:34.21\00:16:37.33
So he remains in
contact with them.
00:16:37.36\00:16:39.48
He also gets information
about oncoming traffic.
00:16:40.83\00:16:43.56
That's affirmative can
you give me their altitude?
00:16:47.78\00:16:50.30
7-0-8 thank you.
00:16:56.07\00:16:57.79
He needs to verify that they are
flying at a different altitude
00:16:57.82\00:17:01.02
then he is in order to avoid
a collision. So now that he has
00:17:01.05\00:17:05.08
a clearer idea where they
are flying, Greg can set his
00:17:05.11\00:17:08.89
altitude at a lower
level to avoid intersection.
00:17:08.92\00:17:11.77
He must keep a very
watchful eye as to how high
00:17:11.80\00:17:14.76
he is flying the entire journey.
00:17:14.79\00:17:16.60
They are at 9500ft coming
the opposite direction from
00:17:16.64\00:17:19.68
Mabaruma and they are on
the other side of the border
00:17:19.71\00:17:25.00
of the controlled airspace.
00:17:25.03\00:17:28.94
The altimeter indicates
just how high he is flying.
00:17:31.42\00:17:34.70
After he leaves the perimeter
of Georgetown airspace,
00:17:34.73\00:17:38.21
Greg switches to
another frequency.
00:17:38.24\00:17:40.69
In a little while I'll have to
go to another frequency so I'll
00:17:45.87\00:17:49.35
just go ahead and put that
in. So that way when I get there
00:17:49.38\00:17:53.02
all I've got to do it
hit a button, one button
00:17:53.05\00:17:55.78
to change the frequencies.
00:17:55.81\00:17:57.48
This is the one I
listen and transmit on.
00:18:00.34\00:18:02.60
It's important that he keep an
eye on the horizon, the clouds,
00:18:02.63\00:18:06.69
and be on the constant look out
for any other aircraft flying
00:18:06.72\00:18:09.97
above or below him.
00:18:10.00\00:18:11.86
Actually a couple days
ago, we flew in a woman that was
00:18:12.19\00:18:16.99
pregnant and she delivered
twins and apparently there was
00:18:17.02\00:18:21.94
a fetal demise with them.
The babies died. And we are
00:18:21.97\00:18:26.33
now bringing the
family back to Mabaruma
00:18:26.36\00:18:29.55
with the deceased bodies.
00:18:29.58\00:18:33.15
They would otherwise have
a twenty four hour boat ride
00:18:37.53\00:18:42.40
if they got to the
dock at the right time.
00:18:42.43\00:18:45.11
The boat comes out
about every two weeks.
00:18:45.14\00:18:48.71
I don't know
what that schedule is.
00:18:48.74\00:18:51.67
That would take a lot
longer for them. And it's a very
00:18:56.24\00:18:59.60
uncomfortable and hot one
and it's not a good environment
00:18:59.63\00:19:02.67
to try and
transport bodies in either.
00:19:02.70\00:19:05.32
I was a little bit surprised,
the bodies are basically
00:19:06.98\00:19:09.80
they put them in a
shopping bag you would normally
00:19:09.83\00:19:15.86
get at the store.
Which actually made it better
00:19:15.89\00:19:18.11
for coming through security
and a lot of other passengers
00:19:18.14\00:19:21.42
were boarding.
00:19:21.45\00:19:22.82
Normally when an adult body
will come through the gate in a
00:19:25.90\00:19:28.87
hearse but these babies
of course are like the size
00:19:28.90\00:19:34.34
of a loaf of bread so we
didn't need to bring a vehicle
00:19:34.38\00:19:37.31
around where the airplanes are.
00:19:37.34\00:19:38.93
So I carried them. The security
personnel didn't want me to
00:19:43.29\00:19:47.16
bring them through the security
area, because they didn't want
00:19:47.19\00:19:52.33
other people to see them.
00:19:52.36\00:19:54.02
But they didn't know what
the babies were going to be in.
00:19:55.72\00:19:58.72
I didn't either.
00:19:58.75\00:20:00.12
Safety is the number one
priority of Greg's concerns
00:20:00.15\00:20:03.50
and transporting his
passengers without incident.
00:20:03.53\00:20:06.32
However these passengers
are in very capable hands.
00:20:06.35\00:20:09.87
There are many instruments,
gauges and meters one needs
00:20:09.90\00:20:12.93
to be familiar with
when flying a plane.
00:20:12.96\00:20:15.24
At first sight, it
might look overwhelming, but
00:20:15.27\00:20:18.53
to the trained eye, each
serves a purpose and usefulness.
00:20:18.56\00:20:22.73
Greg has finally reached
the altitude for his flight.
00:20:22.76\00:20:25.81
He must make adjustments
so he does not continue to
00:20:25.84\00:20:28.40
climb higher, but rather
stay at his current level.
00:20:28.43\00:20:31.61
Just fine tune things.
Get things set approximately
00:20:32.84\00:20:35.68
where they're at and as
their airplane settles in,
00:20:35.71\00:20:39.03
fine tune, make
some adjustments so that,
00:20:39.06\00:20:42.94
you don't have to work as hard.
Well the trim makes it so I
00:20:42.97\00:20:48.00
don't have to pull them back
hard and the rudder paddles help
00:20:48.03\00:20:53.11
There are some control surfaces
on the parts that control the
00:20:53.14\00:20:56.98
flight and it makes it so I
don't have to constantly push
00:20:57.01\00:21:00.73
on one rudder pedal or the
other more, or pull back or push
00:21:00.76\00:21:04.69
forward on the yoke as much.
And that depends on what my
00:21:04.72\00:21:06.92
power settings
are, so I adjust that.
00:21:06.95\00:21:09.44
Any time you change the
power setting, you got to change
00:21:09.47\00:21:11.83
everything else.
00:21:11.86\00:21:13.23
And I'm still
setting it a little bit.
00:21:16.55\00:21:19.38
And adjust here. Adjust for
fuel performance. And monitor
00:21:20.51\00:21:25.63
the engine temperature
while I'm doing that.
00:21:25.66\00:21:28.32
And you'll change the engine
temperature with the cowl flaps
00:21:31.96\00:21:35.61
and my mixture control;
how much fuel is going in.
00:21:35.94\00:21:40.60
Once all of his adjustments are
made, Greg can concentrate on
00:21:40.63\00:21:44.62
staying on course with his GPS.
00:21:44.65\00:21:47.07
It's very important he
doesn't deviate from his path.
00:21:47.10\00:21:50.38
As he looks out the window he
sees a river below, but because
00:21:50.41\00:21:54.62
it twist, turns and winds,
he cannot use it as a compass
00:21:54.65\00:21:59.18
and instead must
rely on his instruments.
00:21:59.21\00:22:01.43
Finally, they can
begin their slow descent.
00:22:02.06\00:22:04.60
They are within a
few miles of Mabauruma.
00:22:04.63\00:22:07.68
Traffic advisory November
8-1- 7-0-8 is two miles out,
00:22:07.71\00:22:10.31
landing Mabaruma.
00:22:10.34\00:22:12.62
It's important to make a
slow decline in altitude as they
00:22:13.72\00:22:16.96
approach their air strip,
especially with passengers,
00:22:16.99\00:22:19.88
who are not frequent flyers.
Pretty soon they see their
00:22:19.91\00:22:23.39
familiar hometown
as they circle around.
00:22:23.42\00:22:26.36
It's important that
Greg circle the run way once,
00:22:26.39\00:22:29.46
before he goes in
for his final approach.
00:22:29.49\00:22:31.80
Often there are people, animals
or vehicles on the runway
00:22:31.83\00:22:35.89
so this circle gives
Greg a chance to glance at the
00:22:35.92\00:22:38.58
runway to make
sure it's all clear.
00:22:38.61\00:22:41.15
We look at the runway;
make sure nobody is on it.
00:22:42.20\00:22:44.92
I like to look and see
if any cars are coming.
00:22:44.95\00:22:47.71
A lot of times people
will drive across the runway.
00:22:47.74\00:22:50.61
It appears now that they are
clear to land. There is no one
00:22:51.04\00:22:54.44
on the runway and they
can safely land the plane.
00:22:54.47\00:22:57.34
At last they are on the
ground and this tough journey
00:23:04.76\00:23:07.76
for the family in
the back is finally over.
00:23:07.79\00:23:10.53
It's been a very difficult past
few days for them and they are
00:23:12.63\00:23:16.09
very relieved to be
home, in a familiar place
00:23:16.12\00:23:19.46
to regain some normalcy.
00:23:19.49\00:23:21.53
Greg however is quite
surprised. Typically when a
00:23:21.56\00:23:25.55
death occurs, and a
family returns there is a large
00:23:25.58\00:23:29.25
congregation of
mourners from the village.
00:23:29.28\00:23:31.53
Today however, it seems there is
nobody awaiting their arrival.
00:23:32.03\00:23:35.85
The family
collects their belongings
00:23:35.88\00:23:38.33
and begins to walk home.
00:23:38.36\00:23:40.29
Undoubtedly for this mother,
this is not how she expected
00:24:00.24\00:24:03.81
to be bringing home her babies.
00:24:03.84\00:24:05.76
A solemn and
saddening air sweeps the field.
00:24:05.79\00:24:09.08
Yet through out the entire
experience, this family was
00:24:09.11\00:24:12.14
shown the love of
God from the AWA team.
00:24:12.17\00:24:16.05
And they are very appreciative
and touched from the services
00:24:16.08\00:24:19.52
provided from AWA.
00:24:19.55\00:24:21.39
This is little different.
00:24:22.65\00:24:24.35
Usually when we
bring a body back,
00:24:24.38\00:24:26.61
there is a crowd of
people around and somebody comes
00:24:26.64\00:24:29.86
up with a truck and
they get a casket out
00:24:29.89\00:24:33.03
and set it on the ground.
00:24:33.06\00:24:34.63
We don't transport
caskets because we don't have
00:24:34.66\00:24:37.42
enough room in the airplane
to get the caskets in there.
00:24:37.45\00:24:42.91
So they'll come in a body
bag and some family members will
00:24:44.10\00:24:49.39
pull the body out, and
take them out of the body bag
00:24:49.42\00:24:52.40
and put them in the casket. And
they go off on a truck out to,
00:24:52.43\00:24:57.02
whether it's to the church or
a home, or out to the cemetery.
00:24:57.05\00:25:01.34
Before I came here, I never
would have thought that I'd be
00:25:13.98\00:25:17.33
flying dead people. But what
happens is that, if we fly them
00:25:17.36\00:25:21.84
to town, if there is a med-evac
and they go to the hospital and
00:25:21.87\00:25:24.89
they don't make it and they
don't survive then the body,
00:25:24.92\00:25:28.62
they don't... If we don't fly
the body back to the village,
00:25:28.75\00:25:32.45
they're just going to bury the
body there in Georgetown in some
00:25:32.48\00:25:35.54
unknown grave. And the
families here, will never get to
00:25:35.57\00:25:38.33
say goodbye. They never get
that closure. And so, we have
00:25:38.36\00:25:41.84
started flying them. Flying the
dead back to the village and it
00:25:41.87\00:25:46.58
has meant so
much to the families.
00:25:46.61\00:25:48.37
The airplane has broke
down many many barriers and the
00:25:48.50\00:25:52.08
impact we've had in individual
lives, like, just thinking about
00:25:52.11\00:25:54.82
a community such as Baramita
out in the middle of the jungle,
00:25:54.85\00:25:58.47
where they've never had a
funeral there for one of their
00:25:58.50\00:26:01.21
dead that came
back to the village.
00:26:01.24\00:26:02.82
If someone went to
Georgetown, they just assumed
00:26:02.85\00:26:05.73
they went there to die and they
never came back in many cases.
00:26:05.76\00:26:08.10
The loved ones never got to say
good-bye. And when we started
00:26:08.13\00:26:11.31
flying in there, that was one of
the things we did. For the first
00:26:11.34\00:26:13.58
time in the history of Baramita,
we brought a body back for
00:26:13.61\00:26:16.70
burial there.
00:26:16.73\00:26:18.10
And the reception, I
wasn't there, but Jud
00:26:18.13\00:26:19.69
Wickwire was there, and he
told me about it and it was such
00:26:19.72\00:26:21.82
a tearful event. Everybody was
so happy and so thrilled to be
00:26:21.85\00:26:24.68
able to have their loved
one come back for a funeral.
00:26:24.71\00:26:28.01
And we've been doing that ever
since. And that community has
00:26:28.04\00:26:30.54
just opened up to
us because of that.
00:26:30.57\00:26:32.09
In the past, people didn't even
want to be med-evaced out at all
00:27:02.88\00:27:07.04
Because they didn't want to
die in some... all alone in the
00:27:07.07\00:27:10.11
hospital and then never
be buried where their other
00:27:10.14\00:27:13.39
people were at,
00:27:13.42\00:27:14.79
so sometimes they
would even refuse med-evacs.
00:27:14.82\00:27:17.03
And so then they would die for
sure, so this at least increases
00:27:17.06\00:27:20.58
their chances of survival
if we can med-evac them out,
00:27:20.61\00:27:23.08
knowing that if they don't make
it, that we will fly them back.
00:27:23.11\00:27:26.68
One of the things that I really
had my eyes opened to when I
00:27:26.71\00:27:30.38
first came to Guyana. I always
thought of missionaries as
00:27:30.41\00:27:32.99
being people that are out there,
pounding on doors and just
00:27:33.02\00:27:35.65
shoving Bibles down people's
throats and you know trying to
00:27:35.68\00:27:38.48
get their message and
their agendas across to them.
00:27:38.51\00:27:41.25
And after I got down here, I
really realized that that isn't
00:27:41.28\00:27:43.83
necessarily what
mission work is all about.
00:27:43.86\00:27:45.56
It is about sharing the gospel
message, but a lot of times
00:27:45.59\00:27:49.37
a sermon lived, is worth much
more than a sermon preached.
00:27:49.40\00:27:53.67
And when you go down and
you live among a people and you
00:27:53.70\00:27:55.82
show them love; you
will show them Jesus Christ.
00:27:55.85\00:27:59.72
By living among them, helping
them with their difficulties and
00:27:59.75\00:28:01.97
their problems. They will want
to know more about what you know
00:28:02.00\00:28:05.09
What makes you this way?
Why do you come here and do
00:28:05.12\00:28:07.20
these types of things for us?
00:28:07.23\00:28:08.60
And it gives you a chance to
tell them of the love of God.
00:28:08.98\00:28:11.14
And then Bible studies just
fallow naturally because they
00:28:11.17\00:28:14.02
want to understand
more about what you believe.
00:28:14.05\00:28:16.72
Jesus said in the great Gospel
Commission in Matther28:19-20
00:28:16.75\00:28:20.75
that we are to go
into all the world!
00:28:20.78\00:28:23.09
Well, Adventist World Aviation
is dedicated to doing just that!
00:28:23.48\00:28:27.00
There are between six and a
half and seven billion people
00:28:27.03\00:28:30.49
now living on planet earth.
00:28:30.52\00:28:31.89
And two billion of them
have never heard of Jesus.
00:28:31.92\00:28:35.05
Of the two billion,
eight hundred million
00:28:35.08\00:28:38.13
of them can only be reached
like means like aircraft.
00:28:38.16\00:28:41.33
or through aviation support.
00:28:41.36\00:28:43.37
We go into the
un-reached areas of the world.
00:28:43.40\00:28:47.18
What we find when
we go in there, we find
00:28:47.21\00:28:49.36
death and disease and despair.
00:28:49.39\00:28:51.81
What we bring them is
hope, health and life.
00:28:52.50\00:28:56.04
And a great Gospel
message that Jesus loves them.
00:28:56.08\00:28:58.69
That there is somebody
out there, who does care.
00:28:58.72\00:29:01.34
They often ask,
why do you do this?
00:29:02.07\00:29:04.23
We say, because Jesus loves you!
00:29:04.76\00:29:06.56
And so the message that we
bring them is absolute hope.
00:29:06.96\00:29:10.62
Since it's inception, 1995,
AWA, or Adventist World Aviation
00:29:10.95\00:29:15.66
has been able to relieve
over thirty five epidemics.
00:29:15.69\00:29:18.65
We've literally flown
millions of missionary miles.
00:29:18.68\00:29:22.08
We are relieving the pain
and suffering of those who live
00:29:22.11\00:29:24.49
in these remote parts
of the world. Helping them.
00:29:24.52\00:29:26.89
Will you pray for us! We need
prayer more than anything else!
00:29:27.39\00:29:30.77
If you like more information
please contact this station
00:29:30.80\00:29:34.52
3 Angels Broadcasting Network
Or call the number on the screen
00:29:34.55\00:29:38.12
Thanks for watching!
00:29:38.15\00:29:40.04
(Music)
00:29:40.15\00:29:41.52