In the early 90s,
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mission aviation
within the Adventist Church
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was on the decline.
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Adventist training
facilities were closing
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and mission
pilots were retiring,
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with no one to take their
place in the mission field.
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The need for mission pilots
in remote parts of the world
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was still very great.
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But fewer and fewer pilots
stepped up to answer the call.
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Yes, mission
aviation within the church
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was in big trouble.
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But God had a plan.
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A big problem we
faced was for legal reasons,
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Adventist schools and
academies were being forced
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to close their
aviation programs.
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Without these programs,
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very few new
pilots were being trained
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for mission service.
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All the while,
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more and more
requests for mission aircraft
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and pilots were pouring in.
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There was a great imbalance
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and many opportunities
to spread the gospel
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were not being met.
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Even in our day without aircraft
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and well-trained pilots,
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thousands of
people will not hear
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the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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So in the early 90s,
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church leaders got together
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and under God's guidance
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devised a plan to
reach precious souls
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in the remote
corners of the world.
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The solution
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was the establishment of
Adventist World Aviation.
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And it was that
need that drove me
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after thinking
about it for some time
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while at the
General Conference to say,
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"Let me bring people together
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who have been involved at
the General Conference side
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with aviation initiatives."
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They had done it in
other parts of the world.
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Now they're in Washington,
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and brought
those people together
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as well as others
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who were involved in
aviation here in the first world
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and said, "What can we do?"
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And that's where the concept
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of Adventist
World Aviation was born.
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Elder Folkenburg was wise.
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He's an evangelist at heart
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and he saw the losing of lives
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both physically
and for eternity.
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And so, basically
an emergency meeting
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was correlated.
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Well, what they came up with
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was development of
Adventist World Aviation.
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And as they developed
Adventist World Aviation,
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a separate Board of
Directors was set up.
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Now, Adventist World
Aviation wasn't set up
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to be an independent ministry.
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It was set up to
mirror conference policy
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in terms of its infrastructure,
it's a ministry outlook.
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It doesn't have
independent theology,
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but it's there to
support the church,
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but it's also there to reach out
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into the communities as well,
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both medically and
physically and educationally.
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As they started
selecting Board of Directors,
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they selected a president,
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Don Starlin was
selected to be president
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for Adventist World Aviation.
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And it was an exciting
day for the aviation industry
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because inside
the church that is,
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because it seemed
that there was concern
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inside the
leadership of the church
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to preserve this
tremendous mission outreach
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to be able to save lives
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that under normal circumstances
we just couldn't do.
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So it was a new day,
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we were very excited about that.
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It breathed new life
into mission aviation
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for the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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by creating a
self-supporting ministry.
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Mission aviation could
continue to grow and thrive,
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reaching remote
areas around the world.
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So young, energetic,
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mission minded
electrician and pilot,
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a layman by the
name of Don Starlin
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was chosen president.
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It was his dream.
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It was in 1995,
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Adventist World
Aviation was legally established
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and ready to begin operations.
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Adventist World
Aviation was founded in 1995
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for the purpose of providing air
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and
communications infrastructures
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to those who are
serving the physical,
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mental and spiritual
needs of the forgotten peoples
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of the earth.
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Adventist World
Aviation was now ready to make
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a great impact on
mission outreach ministry.
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The first location
leaders look to establish
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a mission outpost
was in the Philippines.
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Within a few short years,
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AWA leaders
commissioned Clifton Brooks
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to establish a mission
based on the island of Palawan.
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This island is centrally located
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within the Philippines
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and can easily reach
some of the smaller islands
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with a small aircraft.
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Their first mission
project that was launched
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was for the Philippines
and Clifton Brooks was,
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you know, spearheading that.
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We were able to get
an aircraft over there.
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We had a
specially outfitted 182.
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The creation of AWA Philippines
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is in response to a request
from frontier missionaries
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working in some
of the most hostile
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and rugged environments
in the 7,107 islands
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of the Philippines.
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My wife and I first came
to the Philippines in 1999
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and spent two months
here doing survey work,
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determining the
needs of the missions
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of Adventist
Church and its local work
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in different areas,
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finding out
exactly what it would take
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to bring an
airplane here to the islands.
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In late 2002, we came
back to the Philippines
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as full-time missionaries
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to serve with
Adventist World Aviation.
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We spent the next 10 months
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of preparing to
import the small airplane
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in order to develop and start
the small aviation ministry
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that's now existing today.
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The primary focus of
the Philippines project
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is ministry based.
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The Brooks devoted their efforts
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to spreading the
Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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This included flying
pastors and evangelists
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to remote areas
and holding meetings
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for many unreached souls.
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As a result over the years,
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many have given their
lives to Jesus Christ.
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God's vision for
reaching His people
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in the Philippines includes AWA.
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At the moment AWA is
following God's leading,
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developing a base
frontier island of Palawan.
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Future bases
include Northern Luzon
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and possibly Mindanao.
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We've always known
that in order to serve
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the missionaries
efficiently and effectively,
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we would need
an airbase location
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much closer to their projects.
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Our plan is to build an airstrip
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about 3,000 feet long,
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a hangar and
housing for the personnel
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who will operate
the small airplane
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serving from the borderland.
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Most of the mission
stations will be an average
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of about a 45-minute
flight from the base location.
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And some will be even closer,
maybe only 10 or 15 minutes.
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You can see how this
will drastically improve
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our response time
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especially in time
of a medevac emergency
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or a time of need for
critical medical supplies.
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The community around the airbase
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in Sagpangan is a great place
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for mission
ministry opportunity as well.
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Specifically
needs in the community
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are for medical
health and education.
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There are 7,000
islands in the Philippines.
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Some of them just
cannot be reached by,
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you know, by boat
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during some of the
periods of the season,
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when the monsoon
season or hurricane season,
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whatever you want to call it,
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when the bad
weather season will roll in,
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there's no way
to get there by boat
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and so the only way to
get it in is by aviation.
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We needed
especially outfitted aircraft
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to be able to reach
some of these islands
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because the
runways were very short.
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We had a 182 that was donated.
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We outfitted that
especially to be able to reach
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some of these islands.
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But we were able to
establish flight operations
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in the Philippines.
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And we've had a couple
of different missionaries
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that have come and
gone out of the Philippines.
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And it's, you know,
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we're excited about that project
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because I
believe the Philippines
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has some of the broadest areas
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of expansion.
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Yes, so we just
finished our baptism,
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69 souls were just baptized here
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in Cagayan De Oro.
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And we are
standing beside the airport
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by which we were
able to come here.
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We are transported by
Adventist World Aviation.
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If not for the transportation,
we would not be coming here.
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Shortly after the
Philippines project
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was up and operational,
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leaders started
redirecting their attention
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to another remote
area in the world,
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which also desperately
needed mission aviation,
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Guyana, South America.
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This country is full of lush,
seemingly impenetrable jungles
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with thousands of
Amerindians living in isolation.
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This was an ideal location
that needed both medical aid
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and the opportunity
to receive the gospel.
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In Guyana,
Adventist World Aviation
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researched the
needs in the interior.
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Surveyed seven villages
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throughout the length
and breadth of the country.
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The call came from
a number of tribes,
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come and help us.
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Fifty six villages
in Guyana's interior
00:11:06.96\00:11:09.96
have never heard of
our soon coming Savior.
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Now, it was Jesus Himself
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who modeled the way
to reach these people.
00:11:15.27\00:11:18.41
As He traveled
from village to village,
00:11:18.44\00:11:21.58
we're told in Scripture
that oftentimes He left
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with everyone in
the village healed.
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So it is that AWA is
responding to the request
00:11:26.85\00:11:29.95
of these
villages to provide an air
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and
communications infrastructure
00:11:33.52\00:11:35.76
that will allow
for medical personnel
00:11:35.79\00:11:38.79
to meet the needs of
these people where they are.
00:11:38.83\00:11:41.56
Bill and Laura
LaBore answered the call
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to launch the
new mission outpost
00:11:44.83\00:11:46.77
in Guyana.
00:11:46.80\00:11:48.70
Laura is a pilot and a nurse,
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while Bill is a project manager.
00:11:51.47\00:11:54.38
My background and my career
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has been primarily in
business administration,
00:11:55.78\00:11:58.91
management sales,
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mostly people-oriented
types of positions.
00:12:00.85\00:12:02.98
And I always wondered
how I could use my skills
00:12:03.02\00:12:05.25
for God in missions.
00:12:05.29\00:12:06.99
And it really never expected
for an opportunity like this
00:12:07.02\00:12:10.46
to come along.
00:12:10.49\00:12:11.83
September, 2005, we
launched the Guyana.
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And we got
there, all we really had
00:12:14.50\00:12:15.93
was the paperwork indicating
that we had a corporation
00:12:15.96\00:12:18.33
and there's nothing established
00:12:18.37\00:12:19.70
and nobody in
the country in Guyana
00:12:19.73\00:12:21.60
had ever done
something quite like this before
00:12:21.64\00:12:23.51
and so we had to kind of
start from the beginning.
00:12:23.54\00:12:26.11
The conference
didn't know how to do it,
00:12:26.14\00:12:28.34
nobody seemed to
be able to refer us
00:12:28.38\00:12:29.84
to the right ministry.
00:12:29.88\00:12:31.65
The government
organization and so,
00:12:31.68\00:12:34.55
it was a process
of a year and a half
00:12:34.58\00:12:36.28
of just going
down different roads
00:12:36.32\00:12:38.52
to find the right
person to work with.
00:12:38.55\00:12:41.22
But finally, in July
of 2007, we got through,
00:12:41.26\00:12:44.46
we got what we call
the security clearance.
00:12:44.49\00:12:46.59
We got our work permits.
00:12:46.63\00:12:49.10
During that
first year and a half,
00:12:49.13\00:12:50.47
I remember being interrogated
for what we were doing
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because nobody could understand
why we'd be coming to a country
00:12:52.40\00:12:54.80
that everybody else
there is trying to get out of,
00:12:54.84\00:12:57.14
and we're coming in
to offer free assistance
00:12:57.17\00:12:59.27
and without understanding
what God does in the heart
00:12:59.31\00:13:02.41
and how He changes us,
00:13:02.44\00:13:03.98
I'm sure from a
worldly perspective,
00:13:04.01\00:13:05.35
it seems impossible and
why would anybody do that?
00:13:05.38\00:13:08.38
But when Jesus is in your heart,
00:13:08.42\00:13:09.92
this is what He leads us to do,
00:13:09.95\00:13:11.29
He leads us to share
His love with others.
00:13:11.32\00:13:13.79
Wings for Humanity was started
by Adventist World Aviation.
00:13:13.82\00:13:17.13
Its purpose is to
provide a transportation
00:13:17.16\00:13:19.53
and communication infrastructure
00:13:19.56\00:13:21.56
that will facilitate
medical and gospel ministry
00:13:21.60\00:13:24.40
here in Guyana.
00:13:24.43\00:13:25.83
We're located in Region One,
00:13:25.87\00:13:27.70
the Northwest
area of the country,
00:13:27.74\00:13:29.34
and this is where
we focus our efforts.
00:13:29.37\00:13:31.77
We provide medical evacuation
00:13:31.81\00:13:34.04
for patients
located out in the jungle,
00:13:34.08\00:13:36.44
we coordinate
volunteer operations
00:13:36.48\00:13:38.61
to assist with medical needs.
00:13:38.65\00:13:40.35
And we provide a
conduit for gospel ministry.
00:13:40.38\00:13:44.09
Working with the
Regional District pastor
00:13:44.12\00:13:45.92
here Andre Williams,
00:13:45.95\00:13:47.49
who works for
the Guyana Conference
00:13:47.52\00:13:48.86
of Seventh-Day Adventists.
00:13:48.89\00:13:50.23
The project in
Guyana launched in 2005
00:13:50.26\00:13:54.03
with one family
and one airplane,
00:13:54.06\00:13:56.56
and that was the LaBore's.
00:13:56.60\00:13:58.20
And our family
the Wickwire's came
00:13:58.23\00:13:59.97
in shortly after,
00:14:00.00\00:14:01.60
and we've operated there with.
00:14:01.64\00:14:03.07
We lived in a small
village in the interior.
00:14:03.10\00:14:06.17
And we just slowly
built the relationships,
00:14:06.21\00:14:08.54
found the ways
that we could help
00:14:08.58\00:14:10.41
most in the community,
00:14:10.45\00:14:12.61
obviously with the airplane,
but also other ways too,
00:14:12.65\00:14:14.25
we were involved
00:14:14.28\00:14:15.62
in many other
areas of the community
00:14:15.65\00:14:16.99
and health and church work,
00:14:17.02\00:14:19.52
of course, and finding
00:14:19.55\00:14:21.79
other church
planting opportunities there,
00:14:21.82\00:14:26.06
just serving the needs
wherever that was possible.
00:14:26.09\00:14:29.20
We soon became quite busy
with the aviation program there
00:14:29.23\00:14:33.03
and serving the small villages.
00:14:33.07\00:14:35.27
Within a matter
of a few short years,
00:14:35.30\00:14:37.84
the project in Guyana
00:14:37.87\00:14:39.77
was reaching its
maximum capabilities
00:14:39.81\00:14:42.44
with what could be
done with a single aircraft.
00:14:42.48\00:14:47.18
There was a great
need for a second airplane
00:14:47.22\00:14:49.62
here in the region.
00:14:49.65\00:14:51.49
And it quickly became apparent
00:14:51.52\00:14:52.85
that we needed
a second airplane,
00:14:52.89\00:14:54.22
and two years after
the launch of the program,
00:14:54.26\00:14:56.26
we received Cessna 206 donation.
00:14:56.29\00:15:00.33
Last year, AWA was blessed
with this new Cessna 206.
00:15:00.36\00:15:04.03
It's been
modified for jungle use.
00:15:04.07\00:15:07.47
In June of 2009,
00:15:07.50\00:15:09.44
Greg Van Fawson and I
were able to ferry it down
00:15:09.47\00:15:11.67
here to Guyana, it
went to immediate work,
00:15:11.71\00:15:13.98
but what a blessing it's been.
00:15:14.01\00:15:18.08
Or just this week, in fact,
00:15:18.11\00:15:19.51
Jud had to fly
out several doctors
00:15:19.55\00:15:21.75
that had come into Maboroma
here to provide medical care.
00:15:21.78\00:15:24.95
So he took the 206 and
flew them back to town.
00:15:24.99\00:15:27.92
At the same time, I
took the yellow airplane
00:15:27.96\00:15:29.79
and headed in that direction,
00:15:29.82\00:15:31.39
and picked up some people
that needed to go to town.
00:15:31.43\00:15:33.93
And at the same
time, when Jud was flying,
00:15:33.96\00:15:36.50
he got a call for a medevac,
00:15:36.53\00:15:37.87
so he is able to come back
in and take care of the medevac
00:15:37.90\00:15:40.80
and fly them into town.
00:15:40.84\00:15:42.44
And so, it's
just been really great
00:15:42.47\00:15:45.34
having both of these aircrafts,
00:15:45.37\00:15:46.71
we were getting
twice as much work done.
00:15:46.74\00:15:48.51
It was amazing how
much that increased
00:15:48.54\00:15:50.18
our capability and reliability
00:15:50.21\00:15:52.11
because of course that gave
us not just a bigger airplane,
00:15:52.15\00:15:54.05
but also two airplanes
00:15:54.08\00:15:55.42
and so we could
always have a backup
00:15:55.45\00:15:57.69
and sometimes you have
airplanes down for repairs.
00:15:57.72\00:16:00.59
And you couldn't do that,
00:16:00.62\00:16:02.42
do those repairs as needed
00:16:02.46\00:16:04.49
knowing that you still
had a second airplane there
00:16:04.53\00:16:06.09
that you could
always keep flying
00:16:06.13\00:16:07.46
and keep that
00:16:07.50\00:16:08.83
when we had those
emergency calls come in,
00:16:08.86\00:16:10.20
you just, you
don't want to say no,
00:16:10.23\00:16:11.83
you do everything you
can to make it possible.
00:16:11.87\00:16:13.87
And if you don't have an
airplane, you can't do it.
00:16:13.90\00:16:15.24
And so, having the
reliability of two airplanes
00:16:15.27\00:16:17.81
on the project was incredible
in terms of the amount of work
00:16:17.84\00:16:21.14
that we could do and
again our reliability.
00:16:21.18\00:16:24.41
I'm Jud
Wickwire, the chief pilot
00:16:24.45\00:16:26.05
for Wings for
Humanity here in Guyana.
00:16:26.08\00:16:27.45
It's my wife, Karen.
00:16:27.48\00:16:28.82
We've been here for
just three years now.
00:16:28.85\00:16:30.19
And I wanted to share with you
some of what Wings for Humanity
00:16:30.22\00:16:32.59
has been able to
accomplish here in Guyana
00:16:32.62\00:16:34.56
in that short period of time.
00:16:34.59\00:16:36.22
With mostly one airplane or
more recently two airplanes,
00:16:36.26\00:16:38.56
we've carried
almost 4,000 passengers
00:16:38.59\00:16:41.76
of those over 300
with critical medical cases
00:16:41.80\00:16:44.90
that had to be flown out
for life-saving treatment.
00:16:44.93\00:16:48.24
And then another
830 or so passengers
00:16:48.27\00:16:51.57
that were patients
that needed medical care
00:16:51.61\00:16:54.18
that was not
necessarily emergency
00:16:54.21\00:16:55.71
but they needed to get out,
00:16:55.74\00:16:57.08
and also family
members who travel with them.
00:16:57.11\00:16:59.05
We've also taken
over 1,000 patients
00:16:59.08\00:17:01.42
back to their home
villages after treatment.
00:17:01.45\00:17:03.49
And again, something
that's very important
00:17:03.52\00:17:05.55
for increasing
people's confidence
00:17:05.59\00:17:07.02
in the system
00:17:07.06\00:17:08.39
knowing that if they
go out for treatment,
00:17:08.42\00:17:09.76
they're likely to
be able to get back,
00:17:09.79\00:17:11.29
of course, medical
care, relieving people's pain
00:17:11.33\00:17:13.96
and suffering is
the most important thing
00:17:14.00\00:17:16.83
that people need to hear.
00:17:16.87\00:17:18.20
And, of course,
that prepares the way
00:17:18.23\00:17:20.00
for gospel ministry.
00:17:20.04\00:17:21.37
In other words,
we just look forward
00:17:21.40\00:17:22.74
to many opportunities
here in the future.
00:17:22.77\00:17:24.41
It was clear to
us from the beginning
00:17:24.44\00:17:25.77
that the enemy was
not happy with AWA.
00:17:25.81\00:17:28.74
I mean, I think
because of the fact
00:17:28.78\00:17:30.21
that we are providing a way
00:17:30.25\00:17:32.91
to get into areas of the world
00:17:32.95\00:17:34.48
that are unreached
with the gospel message,
00:17:34.52\00:17:36.25
and we know that
that has to happen
00:17:36.28\00:17:37.99
before Jesus comes back.
00:17:38.02\00:17:39.65
That's exciting to see
that we are part of that
00:17:39.69\00:17:42.22
in a small way perhaps,
00:17:42.26\00:17:43.59
but in a way that we
can open up the doors
00:17:43.63\00:17:45.23
into these unreached areas.
00:17:45.26\00:17:47.40
The project in
Guyana quickly flourished
00:17:47.43\00:17:49.83
and became an intricate part
00:17:49.86\00:17:51.83
of the local
Guyanese health system.
00:17:51.87\00:17:56.17
The local medical
facilities partnered with AWA,
00:17:56.20\00:18:00.24
depending on them to transport
00:18:00.28\00:18:02.04
critical care patients
from remote jungle areas.
00:18:02.08\00:18:06.78
Without these
flights provided by AWA,
00:18:06.82\00:18:10.25
patients must take
a 24-hour boat ride
00:18:10.29\00:18:14.62
to the nearest road system
to get them to Georgetown,
00:18:14.66\00:18:19.09
the capital for
needed medical care.
00:18:19.13\00:18:23.00
Now, to make matters worse,
00:18:23.03\00:18:24.53
the boat only
comes to the region
00:18:24.57\00:18:26.50
once every two weeks.
00:18:26.53\00:18:29.04
But with aircraft available,
00:18:29.07\00:18:31.17
Adventist World
Aviation is able to evacuate
00:18:31.21\00:18:34.01
emergency patients
within just an hour or two.
00:18:34.04\00:18:38.91
The difference of a few hours
00:18:38.95\00:18:40.65
can often be the difference
between life and death
00:18:40.68\00:18:44.32
for these patients.
00:18:44.35\00:18:46.15
My name is Patricia Singh.
00:18:46.19\00:18:47.96
I'm the coordinator
for the ministry of health
00:18:47.99\00:18:51.19
in the indigenous communities.
00:18:51.23\00:18:53.40
I want to extend
gratitude to Wings for Humanity
00:18:53.43\00:18:56.97
for the tremendous support
00:18:57.00\00:18:58.33
that they've given to
the ministry of health,
00:18:58.37\00:19:00.90
specifically Region One.
00:19:00.94\00:19:03.51
We've had over 100
medevacs done from Region One.
00:19:03.54\00:19:08.91
Had it not been
for Wings for Humanity,
00:19:08.94\00:19:10.85
we would have lost more lives.
00:19:10.88\00:19:12.81
We are presently at Baramita,
00:19:12.85\00:19:15.45
which is a remote
area in Region One.
00:19:15.48\00:19:18.95
And presently the air strip
is close to commercial flights
00:19:18.99\00:19:24.49
and that's
specific to the islanders,
00:19:24.53\00:19:27.16
and had it not been
for Wings for Humanity,
00:19:27.20\00:19:30.10
we would not have been
able to come into Baramita
00:19:30.13\00:19:33.50
to foster faster support
00:19:33.54\00:19:35.60
and implement projects to
help the community of Baramita.
00:19:35.64\00:19:41.21
I'm thankful for the
support that Wings for Humanity
00:19:41.24\00:19:43.75
is given to us.
00:19:43.78\00:19:45.11
And I look forward
00:19:45.15\00:19:46.48
to a much more
stronger working relationship
00:19:46.51\00:19:50.02
with this organization.
00:19:50.05\00:19:52.45
You may wonder
what kind of impact
00:19:52.49\00:19:54.09
is AWA making in Guyana?
00:19:54.12\00:19:55.89
Is it making a difference?
00:19:55.92\00:19:57.26
Are we changing people's
lives and I believe that we are.
00:19:57.29\00:20:00.66
From medevacs,
00:20:00.70\00:20:02.03
if a person is
in the deep jungle,
00:20:02.06\00:20:04.33
sometimes you
have to canoe for hours
00:20:04.37\00:20:05.87
before they can even
get to the closest strip.
00:20:05.90\00:20:08.07
And then we're able to
respond to them much quicker
00:20:08.10\00:20:10.21
then if a plane were to
come in from Georgetown.
00:20:10.24\00:20:12.71
And that has not
only saved lives,
00:20:12.74\00:20:14.58
but also decrease
the amount of suffering
00:20:14.61\00:20:16.41
that a person has to go through.
00:20:16.44\00:20:18.08
This airplane here in Guyana
deeply affects people's lives.
00:20:18.11\00:20:21.35
We've seen it
happen many times already
00:20:21.38\00:20:24.69
in this brief time
we've already been here.
00:20:24.72\00:20:27.46
It impacts them physically
00:20:27.49\00:20:30.53
in terms of
their physical health.
00:20:30.56\00:20:32.39
It impacts them spiritually
in terms of they see us
00:20:32.43\00:20:37.27
come here with this airplane
00:20:37.30\00:20:39.10
and are reaching
out and helping them
00:20:39.13\00:20:41.84
and they want to know why.
00:20:41.87\00:20:43.67
It's a pretty busy
aviation program there.
00:20:43.71\00:20:46.57
The communities,
the ministry of health,
00:20:46.61\00:20:48.61
the church has come to
rely quite heavily on AWA
00:20:48.64\00:20:53.62
there to provide
service to the communities.
00:20:53.65\00:20:56.35
And the airplanes fly
three to four times a week.
00:20:56.38\00:21:00.22
Usually a couple
of emergency medevacs
00:21:00.26\00:21:02.82
and when we have an emergency,
00:21:02.86\00:21:04.19
then we usually try
and put some other people
00:21:04.23\00:21:06.63
on that need to go for
treatment or bring some,
00:21:06.66\00:21:08.93
you know, Bible workers,
church workers in or out,
00:21:08.96\00:21:11.17
health workers
00:21:11.20\00:21:12.63
and return
people to their homes.
00:21:12.67\00:21:14.00
That's something
very important thing we do
00:21:14.04\00:21:15.87
is return people
back to their homes
00:21:15.90\00:21:17.27
after their treatment.
00:21:17.31\00:21:18.94
Within a few years,
00:21:18.97\00:21:21.01
the team
expanded to three families
00:21:21.04\00:21:23.88
as the Van Fawson's
join the mission post.
00:21:23.91\00:21:28.22
Having three families to
share the responsibility,
00:21:28.25\00:21:31.79
the project not only focuses
on life saving medevac flights,
00:21:31.82\00:21:37.39
but also is heavily concentrated
00:21:37.43\00:21:39.59
on spreading the gospel
00:21:39.63\00:21:41.86
and sharing the love of
Jesus with the Amerindians.
00:21:41.90\00:21:45.87
I think it's amazing to
me is in the 21st century,
00:21:45.90\00:21:50.14
a lot of people in
the Christian church feel
00:21:50.17\00:21:53.21
that the work is almost
done and that, you know,
00:21:53.24\00:21:55.64
we're almost ready to go home
00:21:55.68\00:21:57.01
and I do believe that
Jesus is coming very soon.
00:21:57.05\00:21:58.71
I have no doubt about that.
00:21:58.75\00:22:00.45
But there is a God sized problem
00:22:00.48\00:22:01.82
before us
00:22:01.85\00:22:03.18
and that is that somewhere
between 30 to 35% of the world
00:22:03.22\00:22:06.55
is still
considered unreached today,
00:22:06.59\00:22:08.89
planet earth is
7 billion people.
00:22:08.92\00:22:11.33
And a third of that group
00:22:11.36\00:22:14.00
that haven't been reached
live beyond geographic barriers
00:22:14.03\00:22:16.77
that the only way
that they will ever hear
00:22:16.80\00:22:18.27
about the gospel messages
00:22:18.30\00:22:19.63
if someone
actually goes in there
00:22:19.67\00:22:21.00
and shares it with them.
00:22:21.04\00:22:22.37
They don't have electricity,
00:22:22.40\00:22:23.74
they don't have
internet or computers
00:22:23.77\00:22:25.14
or any such thing.
00:22:25.17\00:22:26.51
Many cases,
00:22:26.54\00:22:27.88
they don't even
have electricity.
00:22:27.91\00:22:29.38
And so, we strongly feel
that aviation is going to play
00:22:29.41\00:22:32.65
a role in the last days.
00:22:32.68\00:22:34.02
And that's why we do what we do.
00:22:34.05\00:22:36.08
We feel that these
areas have to be reached,
00:22:36.12\00:22:38.32
somehow the
message has to get in there
00:22:38.35\00:22:41.16
in order for the gospel message
00:22:41.19\00:22:42.66
to truly be
spread to every nation,
00:22:42.69\00:22:44.29
kindred, tongue and people.
00:22:44.33\00:22:46.29
So I believe aviation
is very valid in this time,
00:22:46.33\00:22:49.33
and it's going
to become more valid
00:22:49.36\00:22:51.03
as we draw closer
00:22:51.07\00:22:52.40
to the second
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:22:52.43\00:22:54.57
Nine and a half years
at Guyana is a long time.
00:22:54.60\00:22:58.51
During the time
that we were there,
00:22:58.54\00:22:59.87
we built a lot of relationships
with kids and adults alike
00:22:59.91\00:23:04.11
and spend a lot of time
just developing relationships
00:23:04.15\00:23:09.08
and going from
really no project at all
00:23:09.12\00:23:11.22
to a project that, you know,
developed into this robust,
00:23:11.25\00:23:16.93
very busy project 24/7.
00:23:16.96\00:23:19.09
In the compelling stories
00:23:19.13\00:23:20.46
that resulted
from lives being saved
00:23:20.50\00:23:23.63
and souls being baptized,
00:23:23.67\00:23:26.20
you know, you
saved their earthly life,
00:23:26.23\00:23:28.34
you know, that's huge,
00:23:28.37\00:23:30.14
but to save their eternal
life, it goes beyond measure.
00:23:30.17\00:23:35.51
The next Adventist
World Aviation mission
00:23:35.54\00:23:38.08
post launched
00:23:38.11\00:23:39.61
is right in our own
United States of America,
00:23:39.65\00:23:43.95
in the far
territories of northern Alaska.
00:23:43.99\00:23:48.66
Jim Kincaid, a retired pastor
00:23:48.69\00:23:51.89
and pilot began
working with AWA in 1999.
00:23:51.93\00:23:56.80
The dynamics of
the project in Alaska
00:23:56.83\00:23:59.90
differ greatly from
those in the first two outposts
00:23:59.93\00:24:03.51
in the Philippines and Guyana.
00:24:03.54\00:24:06.37
The central focus of
the flights in Alaska
00:24:06.41\00:24:09.74
are mission based,
00:24:09.78\00:24:11.48
delivering the
gospel to villages
00:24:11.51\00:24:14.02
that no road systems reach.
00:24:14.05\00:24:17.65
The areas in the world
00:24:17.69\00:24:19.05
where mission
aviation is most essential
00:24:19.09\00:24:22.82
is in the areas of the
world that are not developed
00:24:22.86\00:24:27.63
with roads and infrastructure.
00:24:27.66\00:24:31.33
Here in Alaska, we are located
00:24:31.37\00:24:34.40
approximately 500 miles
00:24:34.44\00:24:36.37
from the nearest
and of the road system
00:24:36.40\00:24:40.81
upon which you could travel
to any place in North America.
00:24:40.84\00:24:46.05
So that's 500 miles
of beautiful, pristine,
00:24:46.08\00:24:51.32
but very remote country.
00:24:51.35\00:24:55.76
And there are approximately
225 native villages scattered
00:24:55.79\00:24:59.96
across Alaska,
00:25:00.00\00:25:01.33
of which only about half a dozen
00:25:01.36\00:25:04.10
are connected
to the road system,
00:25:04.13\00:25:06.87
to the rest of
the world so to speak.
00:25:06.90\00:25:09.30
And aircrafts are
absolutely essential
00:25:09.34\00:25:12.37
to traveling to
or from these places
00:25:12.41\00:25:16.61
and providing support.
00:25:16.64\00:25:19.85
We have a goal of
supporting local missionaries
00:25:19.88\00:25:23.05
who minister in the
villages around Kotzebue
00:25:23.08\00:25:25.75
which there are 10 villages.
00:25:25.79\00:25:28.19
On weekends,
00:25:28.22\00:25:30.53
several times a month
we go to remote villages
00:25:30.56\00:25:35.40
and help hold worship services
00:25:35.43\00:25:38.83
to support the
Christians who live there.
00:25:38.87\00:25:42.40
And, so we help
00:25:42.44\00:25:46.88
to provide them focus
00:25:46.91\00:25:49.48
and a reason to get together
00:25:49.51\00:25:52.08
and to augment
their worship service
00:25:52.11\00:25:54.85
with music and
preaching and praising God.
00:25:54.88\00:25:58.52
Many places in the world
there's so much isolation
00:26:01.52\00:26:05.79
that to travel on the
surface requires many times days
00:26:05.83\00:26:12.80
or weeks to travel
from place to place.
00:26:12.83\00:26:18.07
Here in Alaska, it's impossible
00:26:18.11\00:26:20.01
to travel from
place to place by walking.
00:26:20.04\00:26:24.95
And aviation is the only way
00:26:24.98\00:26:27.25
that the isolated local villages
00:26:27.28\00:26:30.15
are sustained at all.
00:26:30.19\00:26:31.59
So what's happened in 20 years?
00:26:48.24\00:26:50.21
Well from a concept
as a supporting ministry
00:26:50.24\00:26:52.94
which was
entirely new at the time.
00:26:52.97\00:26:57.05
AWA, we started
in the Philippines
00:26:57.08\00:26:58.71
was the very first
project, soon after in Guyana.
00:26:58.75\00:27:02.72
AWA aircraft have now served
00:27:02.75\00:27:04.59
thousands and
thousands of people,
00:27:04.62\00:27:06.35
saved thousands of lives,
00:27:06.39\00:27:08.46
impacted
communities in immeasurable ways
00:27:08.49\00:27:12.33
in demonstrating
the love of Jesus Christ
00:27:12.36\00:27:15.40
to so many people.
00:27:15.43\00:27:16.77
And that growth is
continuing and if anything,
00:27:16.80\00:27:19.50
it's accelerating
at an amazing pace.
00:27:19.53\00:27:21.80
God has been
providing it in amazing ways.
00:27:21.84\00:27:25.31
And it seems as if
the larger steps of faith
00:27:25.34\00:27:28.11
that we take, the
greater God rewards.
00:27:28.14\00:27:31.95
The work of AWA and
aircraft are being deployed,
00:27:31.98\00:27:37.59
being prepared to
go out to new projects.
00:27:37.62\00:27:39.89
We have so many now
new missionaries coming on,
00:27:39.92\00:27:43.16
missionaries in training,
00:27:43.19\00:27:44.53
we have more
missionaries in training now
00:27:44.56\00:27:45.89
that we've ever had before.
00:27:45.93\00:27:47.93
And more projects in development
00:27:47.96\00:27:49.46
than we've ever had before.
00:27:49.50\00:27:50.83
More airplanes now
than ever before being,
00:27:50.87\00:27:53.47
and God is providing the
means for those airplanes
00:27:53.50\00:27:56.00
to be prepared
to go into service
00:27:56.04\00:27:58.64
and these people to be
prepared to go into service.
00:27:58.67\00:28:01.44
God's work will be
accomplished through His people
00:28:01.48\00:28:04.05
and that is our missionaries.
00:28:04.08\00:28:06.18
It's all of our
volunteers, it's our supporters.
00:28:06.21\00:28:08.35
It's everyone that plays a role
00:28:08.38\00:28:10.59
in sending out missionaries
00:28:10.62\00:28:13.36
and the
airplanes to serve people
00:28:13.39\00:28:15.49
and spread the
word of Jesus Christ
00:28:15.52\00:28:18.03
to many places as possible.
00:28:18.06\00:28:21.16
What a God blessed ministry
00:28:21.20\00:28:23.47
Adventist World Aviation
00:28:23.50\00:28:25.00
has been over the past 20 years.
00:28:25.03\00:28:27.80
The current
projects are flourishing
00:28:27.84\00:28:30.44
and new projects
are dotting the globe.
00:28:30.47\00:28:34.08
And the leadership
00:28:34.11\00:28:35.44
of Adventist World
Aviation dreams of still more.
00:28:35.48\00:28:40.65
Their goals for
Adventist World Aviation future
00:28:40.68\00:28:44.79
are grand.
00:28:44.82\00:28:46.39
These dreams will become reality
00:28:46.42\00:28:49.09
when God touches the
hearts of His people,
00:28:49.12\00:28:52.63
and they give generously
to this most worthy cause.
00:28:52.66\00:28:57.57
Over the last 20
years God has grown
00:28:57.60\00:28:59.80
and expanded AWA's
projects tremendously.
00:28:59.83\00:29:04.21
It all started with one airplane
00:29:04.24\00:29:06.81
and one mission team.
00:29:06.84\00:29:09.34
Now, praise God,
00:29:09.38\00:29:11.31
AWA has 15 airplanes
00:29:11.35\00:29:13.88
and 31 families
serving God's children
00:29:13.92\00:29:18.62
in difficult to reach
areas around the world.
00:29:18.65\00:29:22.69
So God is
accomplishing great miracles
00:29:22.72\00:29:25.99
through the work of
Adventist World Aviation.
00:29:26.03\00:29:29.86
We praise God
for these blessings.
00:29:29.90\00:29:33.44
And, you know,
00:29:33.47\00:29:34.80
we believe God
still has many miracles
00:29:34.84\00:29:37.51
planned for
Adventist World Aviation
00:29:37.54\00:29:40.34
in the future.
00:29:40.38\00:29:42.34
As He continues to
grow this ministry,
00:29:42.38\00:29:45.75
we see new projects,
00:29:45.78\00:29:47.95
new missionaries,
00:29:47.98\00:29:49.68
and new remote outposts
00:29:49.72\00:29:52.52
on God's soon horizon.
00:29:52.55\00:29:57.46