Participants:
Series Code: OTG
Program Code: OTG000021
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01:06 Adventist World Aviation has an airbase
01:08 on the Philippine Island of Palawan. 01:10 However, up until this point, the operations here have only 01:14 consisted of aviation support with fixed-wing aircraft. 01:18 Recently, there has been talk about expanding this airbase 01:22 and placing a helicopter here to service the island, 01:25 specifically the mountainous regions of the island, where 01:28 airplanes cannot reach. The mountain range that runs 01:32 through the center of the island is very steep 01:34 and very rugged. 01:36 There is simply no place for airplanes to take off or land 01:40 making these areas impossible to reach. 01:42 Within these mountains live the Palawano people, 01:46 the indigenous people of this area. 01:48 For the past 18 years, Adventist Frontier Missions 01:52 have lived and worked with these people. 01:54 The Palawanos are isolated in the mountains because there 01:57 is simply no way to reach them, except by hiking for 02:01 hours up and down the jungle mountainside. 02:04 This hike takes an enormous amount of strength and 02:07 is very dangerous. 02:08 Very often people die on the trail, simply because they 02:12 could not reach medical aid fast enough. 02:15 Adventist World Aviation wants to help AFM 02:19 bringing aid to this unreached group of people. 02:21 By placing a helicopter in this area, they could fly in 02:25 medical supplies, food, and transport 02:29 emergency critically ill patients. 02:31 Adventist World Aviation was founded as an aviation ministry 02:35 to support the work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 02:38 And humanitarian work as well in the course of that. 02:42 So what we really want to do, is do aviation well, we want to 02:48 do it safely, we want to do it effectively and efficiently. 02:52 We have other ministries that are on the ground and doing 02:56 close in work like the AFM mission missionaries 03:00 are doing here on the island of Palawan. 03:02 And for us to be able to come in and support the work, 03:04 that they are already doing and make what they do better. 03:07 Make what they do more effective and safer, 03:10 is what we are really trying to do best. 03:12 The support that Adventist World Aviation will be providing 03:15 for this mission here on the island of Palawan and 03:19 in some surrounding areas as well, is a combination of 03:21 helicopter, and fixed-wing. Of course we traditionally 03:25 we've been about airplanes and they are still many great needs 03:29 that can be met with an airplane. 03:30 The unique needs of this particular project here in 03:33 Kamantian the island of many Mountains. 03:37 is the need for helicopter. But again a helicopter is designed 03:41 for close end support. 03:42 It is not really designed for long distant flying. 03:44 And so this island for example, the center section where the 03:49 mountains are steep is where we need to have a helicopter 03:51 available. However the helicopter needs to be supported 03:54 by an airplane as well. There is on the low lands on both sides 03:58 of the island will be reached by airplane. 04:01 And we can provide the support to those places, 04:04 so that the helicopter doesn't have to fly as far. 04:07 And so it's a comprehensive support that we'll be offering 04:11 of aviation including helicopters and airplanes. 04:14 Jud Wickwire, the director of operations for Adventist 04:18 World Aviation has come to visit the current project, 04:21 and to scout out and see what type of an impact a helicopter 04:25 could really have in this area. 04:27 But in order to reach this mission field, he must make 04:31 the grueling hike into the mountains himself. 04:33 As Jud makes the hike it becomes clear that the term "trail" 04:38 is a bit of an over statement. 04:40 For a large majority of the hike, the path is less than 6 04:44 inches wide, with steep drop offs right along the edge of 04:48 the mountain. 04:49 The path goes up steep mountainsides, through rivers 04:53 and over jungle vegetation. 04:55 As Jud makes this hike, he can very quickly see why so 04:59 many people do not make it to medical care in time 05:03 and die along the path. 05:04 This hike is a challenging one for a healthy person to make, 05:08 let alone someone who needs medical attention. 05:11 With each slippery step, the reason for placing a helicopter 05:15 here in Palawan, becomes more and more clear to Jud. 05:19 As Jud reaches the village, he takes a look around. 05:23 AFM has a very impressive mission post set up here 05:27 to service the indigenous mountain people. 05:29 There is a clinic, a church, a school, and missionary 05:33 housing to lodge the team of student missionary nurses. 05:37 The operation seems to be running very smoothly 05:40 and efficiently, except for the difficulty of travel 05:43 in and out of the village. 05:45 Jud has a candid conversation with Kent George, 05:48 the director of this project. 05:50 So, of course Adventist World Aviation is about aviation. 05:55 We want to be able to do aviation. Do it well! 05:59 Make that the thing that we do best. 06:01 You are with Adventist Frontier Missions 06:04 tell us what you do best. 06:08 Well, our big thing is on the ground. We are here working. 06:13 But when you work in an area like this, it's like an army. 06:17 An army going forward. They may be winning battles, 06:20 but if logistically they can't keep the supplies coming, 06:23 you can't keep going. And that is one of our big hassles. 06:27 Yeah, we have the possibilities here, but logistically 06:31 it is so difficult, that we can't take advantage 06:34 of some of the possibilities. So if we had somebody involved 06:39 in the logistical support, in the delivery and transportation 06:43 things like that, that makes more things happen. 06:47 Just looking around here and having hiked in on the trail, 06:52 just seeing what you do here in the community, the logistics 06:59 of the terrain what is the thing that you need the most here? 07:04 Well, there are a lot of things we need, but when it come to 07:08 hiking and transportation, a faster mode of transportation 07:13 is helpful, especially when there is a medical emergency, 07:17 things like that. It can mean the difference 07:19 between life and death. You get a lot of people, who die 07:23 Just because they weren't able to get to medical care in time. 07:27 And also for going into new areas. It's very very difficult 07:31 to go into new areas, because logistically the trails 07:36 is just very bad. The farthest place that we are trying to 07:41 open up is 12 hours hike away. We had missionaries there, 07:44 but right now we don't, because logistically it just has not 07:47 been worked out. We can't supervise it, 07:50 we can't keep an eye on things. 07:52 A method for better transportation would be 07:55 very helpful. I could tell you story after story about people 07:59 who have died because there was no way to get out quickly. 08:04 Right down here, behind us on a trail, where you hiked, 08:09 there is a young lady in her twenties, we were trying to 08:14 bring her to the clinic and she died on the trail. 08:17 Her grave is right there. 08:18 Almost within sight... 08:20 oh yeah, the grave is right there by the trail. 08:23 And I can tell you a lot of stories about people that 08:26 it was just too late. It was not enough time to get there. 08:30 One minute in the helicopter is equal to about one hour on foot. 08:36 Jud sees the very great needs that are present here, and he 08:40 strongly feels Adventist World Aviation can be 08:43 of great assistance - here. 08:52 The Georges have reached their limit to what they can 08:54 logistically accomplish with their mission. 08:57 Even though the neighboring villages are just 08:59 a few miles away, they simply do not have the ability 09:02 to reach these locations. 09:04 It is their prayer and dream to expand their ministry 09:08 to surrounding villages. 09:10 Their first and most important goal is to continue 09:13 to spread the gospel to the villages just beyond their reach 09:17 This can be easily accomplished with the vehicle of a helicopter 09:21 With a dependable aircraft, we can establish work 09:28 in further away areas, where we can establish schools, 09:33 and branch clinics and do gospel work as well. 09:38 So we are very - very eager to have reliable air support. 09:46 We believe that this is what will enhance and speed 09:51 taking the gospel to all the Palawano tribe. 09:55 The village in the mountains has undergone a tremendous 09:57 transformation since the Georges began working here 18 years ago. 10:02 When they first arrived, the villagers were heavily involved 10:06 with demonic worship and animism. 10:08 In these communities by nature animism is very - very strong. 10:14 Demonic worship, spirits, and really what it is 10:19 is all of these things are evil. 10:22 And they spend their entire life, they focus on ways to 10:28 protect them selves from one layer of evil by adding 10:32 another layer of evil. It's a life of fear. 10:36 When you can bring the hope of Jesus into their lives 10:39 they can put that aside and they can focus on living. 10:44 Living happy, productive lives. Lives with good family support. 10:50 education, they are more effective in what they do 10:58 for work. It just improves the entire society that they live in 11:04 I think the greatest transformation I can see, 11:08 is the eradication of the demonic forces, that 11:14 controlled them in the past. 11:17 I know that some people like to say, oh that just somebody's 11:20 imagination. It's not true. When they are talking about demonic 11:24 beings, they are talking about reality. And they said before 11:28 the missionaries came, it was very - very common to see 11:32 demonic apparitions all these kind of things. 11:34 Even after the missionaries had come, 11:38 we still struggled with that. 11:40 A major - major problem is that the devil does his best 11:44 to do things to make people fear just to cause no end of trouble. 11:51 But the neat thing is for them to learn that, through Christ, 11:54 that Christ is stronger than the devil and he is subservient 12:00 to Jesus, so you are no longer controlled by the devil 12:05 and his activity. 12:07 The Georges built a house and began living with the people. 12:11 They made a commitment for the long haul. 12:14 They learned the local language, became friends with the people. 12:18 and most importantly they shared the love of Jesus Christ. 12:22 Establishing a church in this area has completely 12:25 transformed the lives of those in this region. 12:28 Each week they come together for church in a simple bamboo hut. 12:33 and listen attentively, as the simple Bible truths 12:36 are explained to them. 12:38 Most of them had never heard any Biblical principles before. 12:41 The power of the word of God completely changed this village. 12:45 You are also working with people who really have to go far - far 12:51 back to the beginning of what salvation really is. 12:54 That takes a long time, because it's so sharply different. 12:59 They have no history what so ever of knowing Jesus in any way 13:05 And so teaching them just the basic information 13:12 about Jesus' love for them. And where they can place their faith 13:17 where they can learn to put aside their spirits and 13:23 devil worship and those things that keep them captive now. 13:30 Hold their lives in hostage with these things. And now 13:33 it just takes a long time to transform someone from 13:38 that state into really understanding Jesus' love and 13:41 and how they can be saved by accepting that salvation. 13:46 So we just have to look at different methods, 13:48 and different places that work effectively. 13:52 It really takes a long time, long term process in these 13:56 in these remote communities. 13:58 You see religion is the very foundation of everything. 14:02 It's your world view, it's your view of the universe. 14:04 And so when you change that world view from demon worship 14:09 to Christianity, to true Christianity, worshiping God, 14:13 it changes every aspect. It changes the way you think, 14:18 the way you eat, the way you dress, the way you relate with 14:23 other human beings. It is just totally transformational. 14:29 Most of the people in the mountains are unable 14:31 to read and write. 14:32 This greatly hinders them and keeps them separated from 14:35 the rest of the world. 14:37 The Georges have started a literacy program for both 14:40 children and adults. 14:41 These weekly classes are not only teaching them the basics 14:45 of mathematics and reading, but they are offering them 14:48 so much more. 14:49 If the Palawano people can learn to read, then they are 14:53 empowered to read the Bible for themselves. 14:56 The ability to read scripture has and will continue 14:59 to positively transform lives here. 15:03 AFM here, has been here for many years. The work that they are 15:07 doing, is transforming the communities over the long term. 15:13 It's not something that happens quickly, it takes years to make 15:16 the changes that they see in this community here. 15:18 I find it when you come in, you learn to speak the language 15:22 of the people, you become one with the people, it's like they 15:25 just become your family you are truly learning to love them. 15:28 You are not doing it just because it's a job, it's a 15:32 vacation option, or something like that. 15:35 When you truly, truly care about people, that's when 15:39 the changes really start taking place. 15:41 If it is just something just superficial, the results 15:48 will be superficial. I'd like to see something that will 15:54 change things for the long-haul. If it just changes it for the 15:57 moment, and when you come back in a year, it's all gone. 16:00 To me it's not worth doing that. For me, if I spend the rest of 16:06 my life here. I want to know that when eternity comes, 16:10 I will be able to see that I made a big difference. 16:13 People say, what do you come in here for? Is it baptism? 16:18 Is it to start churches? I struggled with that for 16:21 a long time. And finally I distilled it down to the most 16:25 important thing to me is to see people in the kingdom of Heaven. 16:30 If I baptize them, If I start churches, but those people 16:33 never make it to Heaven, what good have I done. 16:36 Nothing what so ever. 16:37 So I am here, because I want to see people in the Kingdom. 16:41 The reach of the Bible message is unfortunately limited 16:44 to as far as the Georges are able to walk. 16:47 There are hundreds of neighboring villages across 16:50 the valley that are unreached simple because of the terrain. 16:54 Sadly, there are thousands of lives, that have not yet been 16:58 touched by the love of God in these mountains. 17:01 Going on foot, is so far, it's so laborious and so slow. 17:06 There are some areas, that are just impossible 17:08 to get into those areas. Right now it is impossible 17:13 to really sustain a work there, because its just so difficult 17:17 to get there. 17:18 With a helicopter, it may get possible to put somebody 17:23 in there and then keep them supported as they work there. 17:28 And to check up on them, see what's going on. 17:31 It just gives all sorts of great possibilities. 17:37 As Judd's trip comes to an end, it's become very, very clear 17:42 to him, that a helicopter is desperately needed here. 17:46 If Adventist World Aviation were able to place a 17:49 helicopter in this mission field the opportunities to provide 17:53 logistical support to this area would be endless. 17:56 As a result of my own field survey here. Just seeing 18:00 first hand, just really how rugged the mountains are. 18:08 Getting in here is uphill, down hill, or side hill. 18:11 there is virtually no flat ground what so ever. 18:16 Which just leaves no place for airplanes to land 18:19 and the only solution to reach these communities to support 18:24 the AFM missionaries here, is with a helicopter. 18:27 What makes a helicopter particularly effective 18:29 in this area, is that the distances are so short. 18:33 The time to walk between the communities is hours and hours. 18:38 But the distance in a straight line, straight across the valley 18:41 or around the mountain, is just a very few miles 18:45 and it just takes a few minutes in a helicopter. 18:47 I mean helicopters are designed for close end support. 18:50 They are not designed for flying long distances. 18:52 We have airplanes, that fly hundreds of miles. 18:54 We have helicopters to fly - in this case 5-10-20 miles 18:59 the distance that we are looking at, which is really the close 19:03 end support the helicopters are best designed for. 19:06 After hearing all of the logistical challenges, that 19:08 this mission faces on a daily basis. Jud is impressed to call 19:13 Ric Swaningson, president of Adventist World Aviation. 19:16 Hi Jud 19:17 Hey Ric. Yeah I am here in the Philippines. I've been 19:21 up in the mountains and to Kamantian. 19:24 I had a look around the project there. 19:28 Just looking for ways, that we can continue to support them. 19:33 Well, tell me about our operations there and how you 19:40 feel we can be best serving our Philippino brothers and sisters. 19:46 Well, really the only thing we can do here is a helicopter. 19:49 A helicopter? 19:51 There is just no place, that we can use an airplane up here. 19:56 Wow, of course as you know we are about aviation, but that 20:02 kind of stretches our faith a little bit because helicopters 20:07 are a little bit expensive to maintain and the initial cost 20:11 of helicopters also quite high as well. 20:16 Yeah, I know that they are, but you know what's different here 20:21 is that we are looking at very - very short distances. 20:26 I mean the total range of the project is only 20 or 30 miles 20:30 at the very, very most. We can with careful organization 20:36 and planning. We can in just an hour's worth of flying with 20:40 a helicopter we can do really a lot of work. 20:41 We've reached the limit of what they can do on foot. 20:44 And the only way to expand, the only way for them to plan 20:47 on their expansion, is to know that they'll have 20:52 helicopter support to do so. 20:54 Well Jud, it sounds like we need to be thinking about 20:58 a helicopter in the Philippines. If we are going to be able 21:01 to service our northern Palawan area, 21:04 in the mountainous regions. 21:05 Having helicopter here would not only enhance what they do here 21:12 in a tremendous way, but it will also allow them to expand 21:17 into areas that are beyond where they can currently travel to, 21:22 and do so safely. 21:26 That's exciting Jud! 21:27 Well listen, let's have prayer about it. And you know I think 21:32 it sounds like that's the direction we need to go. 21:35 So I think as the president, I have to agree 21:38 with my director of operation. 21:40 The conversation ends in consensus. 21:42 Adventist World Aviation is greatly needed here to help 21:45 provide logistical support to this existing ministry. 21:48 And a helicopter is just the tool they need. 21:51 It is always the goal of AWA to support the world wide 21:55 Adventist Church and work in partnership together 21:58 to grow the kingdom of God. 22:07 After receiving Judd's report, President Ric Swaningson 22:10 sets out to do his own field survey. 22:12 He is going to inspect and get more information about the 22:16 Robinson 44 helicopter, to see if it will be a good fit 22:20 in the mission field. 22:21 We are standing here in front of a Robinson 44. 22:24 This is the aircraft that we would like to see 22:27 in the Philippines. It's a 4 passenger aircraft. 22:31 A 4 passenger helicopter, with the light coming engine. 22:34 2,000 hour TBO on most of the maintenance items, or all of the 22:38 maintenance items, if I understand correctly. 22:40 It's an incredible aircraft. Very inexpensive to operate 22:47 as aircrafts go. Typically the cost of running these are just 22:54 It's cost prohibitive, you just can't even talk about it. 22:56 But on this particular one. the Robinson 44 and Robinson 22 23:00 low cost on maintenance. So we are very excited about it! 23:04 Not only that, but the fuel burn is also equivalent to that which 23:09 we fly on a fixed wing aircraft. Like a 182, which is flying the 23:13 yellow bird, the pathfinder bird in Guyana. 23:16 Or the 206. About 15 gallons an hour. Somewhere in that 23:19 neighborhood. It's incredible the fuel burn on these things. 23:24 The payload is wonderful. You can fit 4 passengers in here 23:28 very easily. And not worry about over grossing it. 23:31 The safety factor on the R44 is at the top of the chain. 23:35 So we are very pleased with the possibility of obtaining 23:38 a Robinson 44. We are really looking at this one here for the 23:43 for the Philippines. 23:44 After much research and prayer, Adventist World 23:49 Aviation has in faith decided to move forward 23:52 with obtaining a Robinson 44, to be placed in the Philippines. 23:56 Please keep Adventist World Aviation in your prayers, 24:00 as they embark on this exciting endeavor. 24:03 Adding a helicopter to their fleet is both an expensive 24:06 and challenging part of growth. 24:08 However, this does not detour the AWA leadership. 24:12 They are sure that God will provide a way for His work. 24:16 So Adventist World Aviation is proud to support 24:19 Adventist Frontier Missionaries. 24:21 You know, we are not just about Adventist World Aviation. 24:23 We don't have to be the star of the program, or show if you will 24:26 But we are happy to support AFM and ministries like AFM. 24:30 They have been here on the main island of southern Palawan 24:35 for I guess over 20 years now. We've been scratching our heads 24:40 wondering. How can we help them? Well, just recently we sent 24:43 our director of operations up in the mountains to take a look 24:46 and see what we could do. The answer comes back - helicopters. 24:50 And so we're happy to be able to support them. 24:53 Again, we are about logistics, we are about 24:54 getting the work done! 24:56 Sometimes we're involved in getting work done, 24:58 sometimes we're about helping others to get the work done. 25:02 The important thing is, that this work gets done. 25:05 The message of Jesus Christ. 25:07 The Gospel message of Matthew 28:19-20. 25:10 The Three Angels Message of Revelation 14 chapters 6 thru 12 25:13 how do we get that out? 25:15 Unless we deliver a messenger to do just that. 25:19 I believe that God has told each of us as believers as Christians 25:26 to spread the gospel, to all the world, that's our mandate 25:33 from Matthew, but I believe that God has given each of us 25:39 different gifts and different talents and different resources. 25:43 It takes all of us, in all the various ways that we can work 25:47 for the Lord, working together we'll be able to eventually 25:52 realize the Gospel to all the world. 25:54 We know, that not everyone can go into a remote tribe 26:00 like we have, and live there. 26:02 But we do know, that God has many more people on His heart, 26:08 that He would love to send people to and we just trust that 26:14 God will impress your hearts on how you can be a part of this 26:17 work, or may be part of God's work, no matter where it is. 26:20 What I find is the more you give the more you love. 26:23 But if you give a little bit, you love a little bit. 26:27 If you give a whole lot, you learn to love a whole lot. 26:30 That's what Christianity is truly all about. 26:32 It's about loving people and caring for people. 26:34 You know the doctrines and all those things are very important 26:37 in their own place, but the very heart of it, is people. 26:42 And caring about people and saying these are my people. 26:46 This is my family, and I want to spend eternity with them. 26:51 And so for me, I say when we get to Heaven... 26:54 You know in the new earth, they are talking about geographic 26:59 places. They are talking about the Mount of Olives, 27:01 and a place like that. You know in the new earth if there is 27:04 a Mount of Olives. That means in the new earth there is 27:06 very likely a Palawan. So I am looking forward to living 27:10 in the new Palawan with my family there. 27:13 Because, if I get to Heaven and there is no Palawanos there, 27:16 Believe me, that would be a very - very sad day for me. 27:19 I am looking forward to that day! 27:22 Jesus said in the great Gospel commission of Matthew 28:19-20 27:28 that we are to go into all the world. 27:30 Well Adventist World Aviation is dedicated to doing just that. 27:35 There are now over 7 billion people that live on planet earth 27:39 2 billion of them have never heard of Jesus Christ. 27:43 Out of that 2 billion, 800 million of them 27:47 are only accessible by means like aircraft, 27:50 or through aviation support. 27:52 Adventist World Aviation goes into those unreached areas 27:55 of the world, bringing the good news of Jesus Christ. 27:59 Through aviation we are able to bring health, hope 28:03 and life eternal. 28:06 Through aviation we can spread the Gospel message 28:09 to the far corners of the world. And show them the love of Jesus. 28:13 The message that we bring them is absolute hope. 28:17 We do not do this alone. 28:18 Jesus calls everyone of us to be a part of this great work 28:22 Of reaching the unreached of this world. 28:24 We desperately need your prayers! 28:27 If you would like to get involved, or find out more 28:30 information about Adventist World Aviation 28:33 Please call Three Angels Broadcasting Network 28:36 and ask for Adventist World Aviation! |
Revised 2015-07-29