When most hear the
name Adventist Aviation
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they might
immediately think of aircraft.
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While airplanes are an important
component of AWA's work,
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it is not the primary resource
employed to share the love of
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Jesus with others.
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AWA missionary families
are the key to accomplishing
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the mission of Adventist World
Aviation which is to share the
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love of Jesus
all around the world.
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Especially to those that are
hard to reach with traditional
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forms of transportation.
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Adventist World
Aviation is blessed to have many
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dedicated missionaries who
serve in remote communities
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all around the world.
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Each of AWA's missionaries has
special talents that they use
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further the Kingdom of
God in the most isolated parts
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on this earth.
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One of AWA's dedicated mission-
ary families is the LaBore's,
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they have served with
Adventist World Aviation
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and as
missionaries for over 12 years.
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In fact the LaBore's were
the first AWA Mission family to
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launch in South America.
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They are the ones responsible
for starting what is today
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a very thriving mission
aviation outpost in Guyana.
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September 2005 we launched
to Guyana and when we got there
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all we really had was some paper
work indicating that we had a
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corporation and there
was nothing established in...
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Nobody in the country in
Guyana had done something
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quite like this before and so
we had to kind of start from the
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beginning. The conference
didn't know how to do it,
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nobody seemed to be able to
refer us to the right ministry,
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the government organization
so it was a process of
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a year and a half of just
going down different roads
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to find the right
person to work with.
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But finally in July
2007, we got through...
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we got what we
called a security clearance,
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we got our work
permits. During that first year
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and a half I remember
being interrogated for what we
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were doing because nobody
could understand why we'd be
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coming to a country
that every- body else there
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was trying to get out of
and we were coming in to offer
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free assistance.
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Without understanding
what God does in the heart
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and how He changes us, I'm
sure from a worldly perspective
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it seems impossible and
why would anybody do that.
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But when Jesus is in your heart,
this is what He leads us to do,
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He leads us to share
His love with others.
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In Guyana, the LaBores had
to start from the ground up.
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They made it their mission
to establish an aviation base
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in the remote
jungle region of Guyana
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No one had ever done this
before, so they were met with
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much skepticism from
the local government.
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The first two years, were spent
in the city just trying to get
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set up and get permission
to do what it is we were
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trying to do. Those were
not two easy years at all.
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Days of just waiting for
paper work to come through
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and it was not easy
just wondering if we would
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get through it all.
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But we knew because of all
the things that we saw God do,
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that this was what God wanted
us to do so we hung in there
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and after two
years we got permission
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and were able to
move to Mabaruma.
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The aviation mission base
in Guyana quickly flourished
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and became an intricate
part of the local Guyanese
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health system.
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Government established medical
facilities partnered with AWA
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and depended on them to
use aviation to transport
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ill and injured patients
from remote jungle areas to the
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capital city where there
is a hospital equipped to
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critical medical needs.
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Many parts of Guyana
are extremely isolated.
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There are no road systems to
reach many of these villages.
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In order to access
these parts of the country,
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travelers must take a
boat that can take 24 hours.
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Without these
flights provided by AWA,
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patients must travel by boat
in order to reach Georgetown,
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the country's capital,
where they can get medical care.
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However the boats are unreliable
and often come to port
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only once every two weeks.
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Time is a critical
factor for emergency patients,
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therefore aircraft is the
only means to transport patients
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in order to get them
to medical care quickly.
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With aircraft, Adventist World
Aviation is able to evacuate
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emergency patients
within just an hour or two.
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This service is the difference
between life and death
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for many emergency patients
living out in the remote
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jungles. Once the project was
flourishing and they established
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good relations with
the ministry of health,
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Bill and Laura continued
to search for new areas
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and new villages
that needed their help.
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They were not satisfied knowing
that there were still others
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out there in the jungles
around them that had not heard
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the gospel, they wanted to be
able to get into more villages
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and share the love of
Jesus with as many as possible.
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As Bill and Laura served
the Guyanese with lifesaving
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medi-vac flights the local
government takes note of their
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commitment to help their people.
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The ministry of health embraces
AWA flight operations and
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fully begins to depend on
Medi-vac flight as part of their
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medical system in the country.
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Within a few short years,
the project in Guyana flourishes
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and expands. The busy aviation
outpost grows from one family to
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three, the Wickwire
and VanFlossen family join
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the project, all the missionary
families work together
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to keep up with the
flights and ministry demands
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that surround them.
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Soon a second aircraft is
also added to the project.
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Now they have three pilots and
two aircrafts that run almost
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every day ministering to
the Amerindian people in Guyana.
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The primary purpose for the
missionary outpost in Guyana
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is to share the love of Jesus
by meeting both physical and
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spiritual needs the AWA
missionaries are able to
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spread the gospel to
remote jungle communities
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with the aid of the aircraft.
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My wife and I have been
in Guyana now for nine years,
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over that time that we have been
here, we have developed a lot
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of experience and understanding
of how you set up an aviation
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program in foreign country.
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Although Guyana is
different from the Philippines,
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the principles are the
same, the airplane is what opens
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up the doors of unreached
areas as we help the people
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and show them how much we
care, they are more open to
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learning about what we know.
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We have learned a lot being
in Guyana and it's been really
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exciting to see all of the
things that have been happening
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here and just the Medi-vacs and
the people who are interested
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in God now because of Medi-vac
came out and to see little kids
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that just get excited when we
teach them simple Bible stories
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and its just been
really really great.
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We are hoping to take that
experience that we have gained
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and now transfer it now to
the Philippines and do the same
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thing there.
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We have the opportunity to
see what aviation can do to open
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up the doors to unreached
areas of the world to share the
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gospel message. It breaks
down barriers and we can fly out
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when they are sick and
we can bring back their dead
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and we can use the airplane
as a tool to reach souls.
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When you see the
impact that aviation can have,
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we believe it is going
to play a very vital role
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in the last days
of earth's history.
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The airplanes became
a vital tool in Guyana,
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not only are they
used almost daily,
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for Medi-vac flights, but
they also became a powerful
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ministry tool as well.
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The project in Guyana partners
with the local Seventh-day
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Adventist Conference and offers
flights to district pastors
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in the area.
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These flights transport
pastors to remote villages that
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otherwise could not be reached.
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The project in Guyana
has flourished over the past
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12 years. The AWA project that
started with one mission family
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and one airplane has transformed
into a full time busy aviation
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base with multiple
families and two aircraft.
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The beginnings of this project
were not easy but God has
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blessed and multiplied
the work of the missionaries
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in Guyana.
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After working there for ten
years the LaBore's prayerfully
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made the painful
decision to leave Guyana
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and venture into
a new mission field.
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They felt that God had a new
plan for them and are excited
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to take the knowledge they
have gained in Guyana and used
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that knowledge to open
another AWA Mission Outpost
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across the world.
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Our family started
as missionaries in 2005
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and went to Guyana,
South America and spent over
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91/2 years there setting
up a missionary program and
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flew over 7,000
people in our airplanes,
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affected a lot of lives
down there, was a great work
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and really enjoyed it
and God was a blessing
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in everything that we did there.
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It's amazing really that we
did, it was by His grace alone
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and when we saw the Philippines
project having some trouble
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a few years back, I had talked
to the Pr. Rick Swaningson
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and just mentioning that
I would love to come down
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and see what I could do
to help get it back on track
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and he thought that was a great
idea and I felt the experience
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that we gained in Guyana would
apply here and we would be able
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to really put some knowledge in
my having set up a good program
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here. Now that I am here,
I feel even more encouraged
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that we are on the right
and that this is really what God
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wants us to do. We know that
we are going to see some amazing
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things happen in His timing.
We are have to be patient
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but I know that He has a
plan and I expect that will be
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gradually revealed as we
progress in these projects,
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so I am pretty excited about it.
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The Philippine Islands are
the next mission field for the
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LaBore family. Adventist World
Aviation is pleased to have
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Bill, Laura, Danny and Mica
begin another project to reach
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others for Christ. The LaBore's
made the difficult decision
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to leave Guyana,
their home of ten years.
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However, they know the
project will continue to thrive
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as new missionaries
step up to take the baton
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and carry on the work in Guyana.
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The project in Guyana continues
to thrive and expand daily.
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Multiple missionary families
have stepped up to take the
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place of the LaBore's as they
begin the transition process
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to the Philippines.
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The farewell in
Guyana was not an easy one,
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many of these people
have become close like family
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to the LaBore's.
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Well we packed up and
left Guyana in February 2015,
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and basically just
packed a bunch of barrels
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of our few remaining belongings
we want to take back with us.
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We left most of it there
and we sent that back and then
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really we began a year
of traveling throughout the
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United State, just knowing that
we are going to the Philippines,
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we started doing presentations
within a month after our return
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in the United States and pretty
much did that all year long.
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Talking about the work needs
here and we were really pleased
00:11:35.32\00:11:40.20
with the response that we got.
There were a lot of churches
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that really got on board with
this whole idea of coming here
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and supported our
idea of transitioning.
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There was such a mix of emotions
because we loved our work there
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and we loved people and that
was the hardest thing because
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just walking away
from all that wasn't easy.
00:11:55.74\00:11:59.08
It's hard being a missionary
because you get attached to
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a lot of these people
and they become your friends,
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really your family. So
when we left, there were tears
00:12:03.02\00:12:06.12
and sadness, also joy to do
a new project, to do something
00:12:06.15\00:12:09.92
different. But our heart, part
of our heart will always be in
00:12:09.96\00:12:15.33
Guyana. But I am thankful
that the Wilkerson's? will have
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taken over the project, they
are doing a great job down there
00:12:19.07\00:12:21.77
and so I have to
be at peace about it,
00:12:21.80\00:12:24.34
but I still miss the
people terribly there.
00:12:24.37\00:12:26.51
The people have said, well
why did you leave the people
00:12:26.54\00:12:29.18
that you worked
with for the years?
00:12:29.21\00:12:30.55
Well Paul did that. Paul
would go into areas and he would
00:12:30.58\00:12:32.91
start a church and he
would get it going and he would
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move to another place and send
a replacement there to take over
00:12:35.42\00:12:37.95
the work so we can go on
and start another church and
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that's our philosophy,
that's how we see it.
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The project in Guyana has
been sure, this one is not
00:12:42.42\00:12:46.06
and we need to help
this project get on track.
00:12:46.09\00:12:48.06
I loved being in
Guyana, I love the people there,
00:12:48.10\00:12:53.03
I really miss them
now that we are gone.
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It was a little scary
handing it off to someone,
00:12:55.80\00:12:58.41
it was our baby because we
saw it from nothing and leave it
00:12:58.44\00:13:04.58
ten years later was a
little hard, but we also knew
00:13:04.61\00:13:09.22
that it was in good hands with
the new managers that's there.
00:13:09.25\00:13:12.09
We're really happy with
the work that is going on
00:13:12.12\00:13:15.19
and we also knew
that we'd given it our all
00:13:15.22\00:13:18.43
and now it's time for new blood.
00:13:18.46\00:13:20.80
We are actually happy for
the opportunity to get new blood
00:13:20.83\00:13:24.43
into the Guyana project to
take it to a whole nother level.
00:13:24.47\00:13:29.04
The LaBore's tearfully
left Guyana, however they knew
00:13:29.07\00:13:33.84
that they were about
to embark on a new journey
00:13:33.88\00:13:36.18
as they followed God's leading
to another mission field.
00:13:36.21\00:13:39.45
This family of four packed all
they had into a few suitcases
00:13:39.48\00:13:43.85
and began traveling
back to United States.
00:13:43.89\00:13:46.79
Before they began
operations in the Philippines,
00:13:46.82\00:13:49.79
the LaBore's had to
spend some time in the US.
00:13:49.82\00:13:52.83
They spent months traveling
in between speaking engagements
00:13:52.86\00:13:56.50
in efforts to raise the
funding they needed to launch to
00:13:56.53\00:14:00.07
the Philippines.
00:14:00.10\00:14:01.44
All Adventist World Aviation
Missionaries are funded by
00:14:01.47\00:14:04.11
donor support.
00:14:04.14\00:14:05.51
The LaBore's time in the
US only made them more anxious
00:14:05.54\00:14:09.58
to get back into
the mission field.
00:14:09.61\00:14:11.41
Once everything was in place,
they were finally able to start
00:14:11.45\00:14:15.35
the long journey
to the Philippines.
00:14:15.38\00:14:17.19
The family of four was anxious
to finally reach their new home.
00:14:17.22\00:14:20.89
We are right now in St.
Pingan which is on the Island of
00:14:20.92\00:14:23.89
Palawan and we are just
really excited to be here,
00:14:23.93\00:14:28.83
we've been waiting for several
years to make the transition
00:14:28.86\00:14:32.13
from Guyana to the Philippines.
00:14:32.17\00:14:34.27
We saw such a need here.
00:14:34.30\00:14:35.64
Our team mates are
doing wonderful work in Guyana
00:14:35.67\00:14:39.41
so we are really happy about
that and we're just excited
00:14:39.44\00:14:41.74
to be here in Palawan
and to pick up the project
00:14:41.78\00:14:46.15
and take it to our new office.
00:14:46.18\00:14:48.35
The idea of that, we might
be able to be involved in some
00:14:48.38\00:14:52.15
small way of really
bringing this thing to fruition
00:14:52.19\00:14:54.69
maybe to the plan that
God originally had for it...
00:14:54.72\00:14:57.03
That's?, cause I think there
is no better place to be than
00:14:57.06\00:15:05.43
the center of God's will and
when you know that this is where
00:15:05.47\00:15:08.20
God wants you, there's a
sense of connection you feel
00:15:08.24\00:15:11.61
with the Lord.
That to me means a lot,
00:15:11.64\00:15:14.04
that's why I'm a missionary
to be honest with you,
00:15:14.08\00:15:16.48
I just like to see God
work, I like to be in situations
00:15:16.51\00:15:21.08
where I know I can't deal with
it, God's going to have to work
00:15:21.12\00:15:23.15
and do it. I can see
Him do things, I just...
00:15:23.18\00:15:25.05
you just don't get
to see back home often.
00:15:25.09\00:15:27.46
Adventist World Aviation has
a air base in the Philippines
00:15:27.49\00:15:31.03
on the island of Palawan.
00:15:31.06\00:15:32.69
This island was strategically
selected because of it's
00:15:32.73\00:15:36.40
location, it is a
central island that missionaries
00:15:36.43\00:15:39.83
can use as a launch
point to be able to fly to
00:15:39.87\00:15:42.94
outlying islands surrounding it.
00:15:42.97\00:15:45.41
The Philippines is an
amazing mission field,
00:15:45.44\00:15:48.38
there are over 7,000
islands located here.
00:15:48.41\00:15:51.11
Palawan, the island that
we are located on right now
00:15:51.15\00:15:54.22
is actually strategically
located in the perfect position
00:15:54.25\00:15:57.55
for what we want to do here.
00:15:57.59\00:15:59.02
There are over 1,000
islands around this island alone
00:15:59.05\00:16:01.99
and have people on them that not
all of them are not inhabited,
00:16:02.02\00:16:04.79
but many are. There
are Adventist believers in
00:16:04.83\00:16:07.10
some of these areas, in
some areas they know nothing
00:16:07.13\00:16:09.36
about the three
angels messages or Adventism
00:16:09.40\00:16:12.13
and we have a great opportunity
to go out and begin supporting
00:16:12.17\00:16:15.24
these islands and working
with the local union mission
00:16:15.27\00:16:18.21
and division to start supplying
their needs and bringing in
00:16:18.24\00:16:22.08
people to assist in
some of these areas.
00:16:22.11\00:16:23.98
One of the philosophies
of Adventist World Aviation
00:16:24.01\00:16:26.65
is that we don't see ourselves
as an independent ministry.
00:16:26.72\00:16:29.95
We are independent
from receiving funding from
00:16:29.98\00:16:33.15
the General Conference
of Seventh-day Adventist
00:16:33.19\00:16:35.02
but we are a
supporting ministry,
00:16:35.06\00:16:36.39
we come in to countries and
the first thing we try to do is
00:16:36.42\00:16:39.46
get together with the
local officials in the church
00:16:39.49\00:16:41.90
to find out how we can
partner and work together.
00:16:41.93\00:16:44.90
In the Philippines, this
is not exception to the rule,
00:16:44.93\00:16:48.10
we are going to be working
very closely with Pr. Malabad,
00:16:48.14\00:16:50.61
who is the president of
the mission here in Palawan
00:16:50.64\00:16:53.04
as well as the Union
President Division personnel.
00:16:53.07\00:16:57.05
They have many believers in
various areas of the islands
00:16:57.08\00:17:01.55
that they can't even
support because they can't
00:17:01.58\00:17:03.79
get out there and we can really
I think increase the support
00:17:03.82\00:17:10.26
that's available to
these churches through our
00:17:10.29\00:17:12.33
aviation program.
00:17:12.36\00:17:13.70
Over the past few years
this AWA base has been dormant
00:17:13.73\00:17:17.50
and it is much need of revival
to become fully operational
00:17:17.53\00:17:22.30
again. My wife and I got
involved in Adventist World
00:17:22.34\00:17:27.08
Aviation in 1999 and I remember
at that time Cliff and Cindy
00:17:27.11\00:17:31.11
Brooks were our partners in
training and we got to know them
00:17:31.15\00:17:35.02
pretty well and at the
time we were getting ready to
00:17:35.05\00:17:37.12
go to Guyana and they
were getting ready to go to
00:17:37.15\00:17:40.42
the Philippines and so
we were trained together
00:17:40.46\00:17:43.56
but we were studying different
cultures and different counties.
00:17:43.59\00:17:46.90
I remember we would all
go to meetings on Wednesday,
00:17:46.93\00:17:50.03
we'd pray together and discuss
things and I never would have
00:17:50.07\00:17:56.00
thought back in those
early days that I would be here
00:17:56.04\00:17:59.81
working on Cliff's project.
00:17:59.84\00:18:02.38
So Cliff and Cindy
Brooks were here for five years,
00:18:02.41\00:18:05.21
they completed what
they said they would do,
00:18:05.25\00:18:07.85
the project was left vacant
for awhile and we're happy to be
00:18:07.88\00:18:12.05
here to get it back on its
feet and going and up to where
00:18:12.09\00:18:15.79
it should be again.
00:18:15.82\00:18:17.16
When the LaBore's arrived
at the island they were in awe.
00:18:17.19\00:18:20.73
This new mission destination
was drastically different than
00:18:20.76\00:18:24.47
what they were
accustomed to in Guyana.
00:18:24.50\00:18:26.60
The markets were filled
with so many new sites, sounds
00:18:26.63\00:18:30.21
and tastes
waiting to be explored.
00:18:30.24\00:18:32.91
The whole family
soaks in the new culture.
00:18:32.94\00:18:35.84
The LaBore's new home is in
the village of Sing Pangin?.
00:18:35.88\00:18:40.82
The St. Pinon? is a
small town where we live,
00:18:40.85\00:18:43.69
we live in between
where the main road is,
00:18:43.72\00:18:47.72
and you cut off on a dirt
road to go into the main town
00:18:47.76\00:18:50.46
and our airstrip
is in between there.
00:18:50.49\00:18:52.83
The people all got together
and sold us pieces of their land
00:18:52.86\00:18:57.30
to make this possible, which
we are very very grateful for
00:18:57.33\00:18:59.93
and Sing Pangin is
more of a poor community,
00:18:59.97\00:19:04.17
almost all the homes are bamboo
and people live at poverty
00:19:04.21\00:19:08.51
level. They have a school
there that AWA was actually
00:19:08.54\00:19:13.45
instrumental in helping
to build about ten years ago.
00:19:13.48\00:19:16.42
The area that we are in
is a very poor remote area,
00:19:16.45\00:19:20.39
there are bamboo
huts all around us,
00:19:20.42\00:19:22.02
that's how people live here
and there is a great need for
00:19:22.06\00:19:26.29
aviation support. Not only
in the mountains but even on
00:19:26.33\00:19:29.80
the lowlands on this island.
00:19:29.83\00:19:31.37
People get into trouble, they
need to get medi-vacked out,
00:19:31.40\00:19:34.67
there's snakes here,
there is malaria here,
00:19:34.70\00:19:36.54
there is Dengue Fever, there
is a number of diseases that
00:19:36.57\00:19:38.91
need serious medical attention,
not to mention maternity cases.
00:19:38.94\00:19:43.75
So aviation support is a way
that we can ease some of these
00:19:43.78\00:19:47.42
problems and help people
get the help that they need.
00:19:47.45\00:19:49.58
Much like in Guyana,
the LaBore's have to start
00:19:49.62\00:19:53.39
from the ground up
with this AWA project.
00:19:53.42\00:19:55.92
When they arrived, they
had no house awaiting them
00:19:55.96\00:19:59.43
for them to live in, only an
open field on the AWA property.
00:19:59.46\00:20:03.70
Without complaint, the LaBore's
made the best of the situation
00:20:03.73\00:20:08.34
and set up two tents
for them to live out of.
00:20:08.37\00:20:11.24
This is their home until a
house can be built for them.
00:20:11.27\00:20:15.08
As you can imagine, this is
not the most ideal situation.
00:20:15.11\00:20:19.11
Nevertheless, without complaint,
the LaBore's moved forward
00:20:19.15\00:20:23.42
as they know that this is
where God has called them to be.
00:20:23.45\00:20:28.42
Here in Sing Pingan we are
starting out at square one.
00:20:28.46\00:20:31.16
We are building a house
because we have nowhere to stay,
00:20:31.19\00:20:34.66
we are staying in a tent.
00:20:34.70\00:20:36.03
Well, living out of a
tent is kind of interesting,
00:20:36.06\00:20:38.03
we've done it a lot
when we've been camping.
00:20:38.07\00:20:40.54
This is the first time
actually that we had to live
00:20:40.57\00:20:41.90
out of a tent where I
have to work in there,
00:20:41.94\00:20:43.94
that's where I do my
computer work and correspondence
00:20:43.97\00:20:47.14
and all that kind of thing.
It's exciting, I think it's
00:20:47.18\00:20:50.91
motivating, I don't mind
having to deal living in a tent
00:20:50.95\00:20:54.42
knowing that things are
going to change in the future
00:20:54.45\00:20:56.45
and the work that we are
doing now will be a long lasting
00:20:56.48\00:20:58.49
legacy that we
can leave here and...
00:20:58.52\00:20:59.85
The AWA Philippines project
will focus on many of the
00:20:59.89\00:21:04.36
same objectives as the work
that they were doing in Guyana,
00:21:04.39\00:21:07.53
ultimately the goal is to
save people both physically
00:21:07.56\00:21:11.30
and eternally.
00:21:11.33\00:21:12.90
It's amazing to me to think
that we are starting another
00:21:12.93\00:21:15.60
project, 30 years ago if you
told me I'm doing work like this
00:21:15.64\00:21:21.74
I would have never believed you.
00:21:21.78\00:21:24.21
So with Guyana, it just
kind of happened that way
00:21:24.25\00:21:29.75
and now we're restarting this
project and it's just something
00:21:29.78\00:21:36.56
I never really thought I would
be doing but it's exciting,
00:21:36.59\00:21:40.30
it's exciting to take something
from the ground level and
00:21:40.33\00:21:43.97
build it up. In the Philippines
we do have the opportunity
00:21:44.00\00:21:47.54
that our predecessors built
before us since we already have
00:21:47.57\00:21:52.34
the manager and accountant
and we had the land for the
00:21:52.37\00:21:56.48
airstrip. Adventist World
Aviation designated an aircraft
00:21:56.54\00:22:00.58
that will be placed in
the Philippine mission field
00:22:00.62\00:22:02.92
for Laura to fly in.
00:22:02.95\00:22:04.29
Ironically it's the very same
aircraft that Laura first flew
00:22:04.32\00:22:08.19
when they first
started the project in Guyana.
00:22:08.22\00:22:10.26
This Cessna 182 nicknamed
the Pathfinder Plane was removed
00:22:10.29\00:22:15.56
from the mission field
to undergo a total overhaul
00:22:15.60\00:22:18.60
and refurbishment before
it is transitioned into the
00:22:18.63\00:22:22.17
Philippines.
00:22:22.20\00:22:23.54
Right now we have a
plane that is being worked on,
00:22:23.57\00:22:25.57
it's the same plane that I used
to fly when we were in Guyana
00:22:25.61\00:22:29.01
and it's the Pathfinder
One airplane and we are excited
00:22:29.04\00:22:34.08
to be able to bring
it to the Philippines.
00:22:34.12\00:22:35.72
Now it is back in the
states, it is being worked on
00:22:35.75\00:22:38.42
and we're going to get it here
to the Philippines in the next
00:22:38.45\00:22:41.56
three to five months and I
can't believe I will be flying
00:22:41.59\00:22:45.39
the same plane again.
I'm looking forward to it,
00:22:45.43\00:22:47.53
it's my first love.
00:22:47.56\00:22:48.90
The LaBore's push
forward each theme,
00:22:48.93\00:22:50.77
making new connections and
getting to know the community
00:22:50.80\00:22:54.00
around them. They keep
very busy while they await their
00:22:54.04\00:22:57.41
new home to be built and
the Pathfinder Plane to arrive.
00:22:57.44\00:23:01.04
They have a team of local
Philippino AWA personnel to help
00:23:01.08\00:23:05.55
them get adjusted
to their new home.
00:23:05.58\00:23:07.15
After Cliff and Cindy Brooks
finished their five years,
00:23:07.18\00:23:09.92
they returned home and
Espinosa's continued here
00:23:09.95\00:23:13.46
and managed the property
and also Christine who is
00:23:13.49\00:23:18.33
been our accountant has
kept the project alive...
00:23:18.36\00:23:21.00
The Espinosa's have served as
AWA missionaries for many years,
00:23:21.03\00:23:25.17
they were the base managers
while the project laid dormant
00:23:25.20\00:23:29.40
and have been eagerly awaiting
the arrival of the LaBore's.
00:23:29.44\00:23:32.61
They procured a piece
of land from the community
00:23:32.64\00:23:35.91
that will be the
new AWA Mission Base.
00:23:35.94\00:23:38.68
The spare plots will
be the future home for the
00:23:38.71\00:23:41.72
missionaries, the location
for the AWA hanger, the airfield
00:23:42.32\00:23:45.82
and runway and also a
rice field with crops that will
00:23:45.85\00:23:49.39
generate income to spur
on Evangelism in the area.
00:23:49.42\00:23:52.89
Although it is empty now, soon
enough this will be a bustling
00:23:52.93\00:23:57.50
mission base. While the LaBore's
work on establishing themselves
00:23:57.53\00:24:01.74
in the Philippines, AWA
leader- ship in North America
00:24:01.77\00:24:05.37
also worked to help expedite
the completion of the base.
00:24:05.41\00:24:09.01
Judd Wickwire, vice president
of operations has found
00:24:09.04\00:24:13.11
volunteers to commit
to traveling to Palawan
00:24:13.15\00:24:15.95
to construct to construct
the missionaries house,
00:24:15.98\00:24:18.15
he also has partnered with
two local high schools in Canada
00:24:18.19\00:24:22.82
who have agreed to take
mission trips to the Philippines
00:24:22.86\00:24:25.96
to work on building
the house for the LaBore's.
00:24:25.99\00:24:28.73
Soon enough an army of
volunteers will be arriving
00:24:28.76\00:24:32.10
in Palawan to help launch this
mission project off the ground.
00:24:32.13\00:24:36.04
Meanwhile the LaBore's
stayed constantly busy,
00:24:36.07\00:24:39.81
they dedicate this time
to sorting out the logistics
00:24:39.84\00:24:43.45
for the future
Aviation Mission Base.
00:24:43.48\00:24:45.61
One of the first steps is
learning the local language,
00:24:45.65\00:24:48.78
they have the
Espinosa family to teach them.
00:24:48.82\00:24:51.42
We're trying to learn Tagalogic
and that's a very interesting
00:24:51.45\00:24:54.52
process, these people sometimes
giggle when we try to speak it,
00:24:54.56\00:24:58.99
but we're trying
really hard to learn...
00:24:59.03\00:25:01.43
A lot of people here only speak
Tagalog even though English
00:25:01.46\00:25:05.00
is official language, the
more into the hills you go,
00:25:05.03\00:25:09.27
the more you find only Tagalog
and then they even woos into
00:25:09.30\00:25:12.54
their own dialects too. The
Philippines are 7,000 islands
00:25:12.57\00:25:17.18
and ninety million
people, there is so much work,
00:25:17.21\00:25:19.85
just when I look around
here, I see so much work that
00:25:19.88\00:25:22.92
needs to be done in the village.
I can't wait to go out and do
00:25:22.95\00:25:26.79
more medical work with the
people and just get to know them
00:25:26.82\00:25:29.09
on a personal level. I want
to do as much work on the ground
00:25:29.12\00:25:32.26
as I can and get to know
the people and just really start
00:25:32.29\00:25:36.33
reaching out to them.
00:25:36.36\00:25:37.70
If I were to summarize the
key to being a good missionary,
00:25:37.73\00:25:41.87
it's really simple, it's
simply relationship building.
00:25:41.90\00:25:45.41
The bottom line is we're trying
to build relationships here
00:25:45.44\00:25:47.38
and so we can share with the
the good news that Jesus Christ
00:25:47.41\00:25:49.88
is coming back again very
soon and we're all going to be
00:25:49.91\00:25:53.18
together one day and
never have to part again
00:25:53.21\00:25:55.18
and that will be a great day.
00:25:55.22\00:25:56.55
Another way the LaBore's are
transitioning to the Philippino
00:25:56.58\00:26:00.92
way of life is
through agriculture.
00:26:00.96\00:26:03.02
The land dedicated to the
mission base has more than
00:26:03.06\00:26:06.56
enough room to spare
for a few rice paddies.
00:26:06.59\00:26:09.33
They will use the land to grow
rice and then sell the crops,
00:26:09.36\00:26:13.67
the proceeds from the rice will
be used for local evangelism.
00:26:13.70\00:26:17.37
Each day the Espinosa
family teaches the LaBore's
00:26:17.41\00:26:21.04
how to plant and
grow rice, it is quite the
00:26:21.08\00:26:24.25
learning experience for them.
00:26:24.28\00:26:25.91
This new life is very different
than what they had become
00:26:25.95\00:26:29.75
accustomed to in Guyana.
00:26:29.78\00:26:31.35
The LaBore's are overjoyed
to be here in the Philippines
00:26:31.39\00:26:34.72
although their living
conditions are not ideal,
00:26:34.76\00:26:37.76
they do not let
that discourage them.
00:26:37.79\00:26:40.16
Each day they push forward
knowing that God has big plans
00:26:40.20\00:26:43.80
for this project. They
know that God has called them
00:26:43.83\00:26:46.97
to be here and to help
resurrect this aviation project.
00:26:47.00\00:26:50.57
Despite the obstacles they face
now, they know big things are
00:26:50.61\00:26:54.74
ahead, they anxiously
await when they can begin
00:26:54.78\00:26:58.31
flight operations and fulfill
the purpose to which God has
00:26:58.35\00:27:01.72
called them all the way around
the world to live on the island
00:27:01.75\00:27:05.22
of Palawan.
00:27:05.25\00:27:06.59
Well, if you
summarize a project like this,
00:27:07.02\00:27:10.79
what is the ultimate
goal? It's really very simple,
00:27:10.83\00:27:14.13
I mean the whole
idea behind all this,
00:27:14.16\00:27:16.33
it's not about airplanes,
it's not about medical work
00:27:16.36\00:27:19.27
it's not about even outreach,
all these things we have to do
00:27:19.30\00:27:21.90
are important, but the idea
is to show people that there is
00:27:21.94\00:27:28.48
a God that loves them
and through our actions,
00:27:28.51\00:27:31.65
not just by thumping a Bible
over their head, but by actually
00:27:31.68\00:27:36.72
demonstrating that we care about
them and we're here to help
00:27:36.75\00:27:40.32
them, here to serve them.
00:27:40.36\00:27:41.69
That is what is going
to break down barriers,
00:27:41.72\00:27:45.53
the goal is to take as
many people with us as we can
00:27:45.56\00:27:48.96
to God's kingdom and there
is no other reason for us being
00:27:49.00\00:27:51.63
here. If we are not doing
that, we're just wasting time
00:27:51.67\00:27:55.27
and it boils down to the
fact that we want to share
00:27:55.30\00:27:57.77
God's love.
00:27:57.81\00:27:59.14
Ultimately that's what we
want, we want to bring peace
00:27:59.17\00:28:01.38
to people's lives, we want
them to understand that there is
00:28:01.41\00:28:03.85
God that loves, that in
fact Jesus is coming back again
00:28:03.88\00:28:06.98
and He's going to take
all of us home to His kingdom,
00:28:07.02\00:28:09.88
rich and poor, Philippino
and American, doesn't matter
00:28:09.92\00:28:12.45
who you are, or what
walk of life you come from,
00:28:12.49\00:28:15.19
He loves us all.
00:28:15.22\00:28:16.56
Our mission here
isn't just about aviation,
00:28:16.59\00:28:19.49
yes we have a plane, or
we will be getting a plane,
00:28:19.56\00:28:22.06
but you can fly all day long
and if you don't lead anybody
00:28:22.10\00:28:25.83
to Jesus Christ, then
what are we doing here.
00:28:25.87\00:28:28.47
So it goes beyond that,
the plane just opens up doors
00:28:28.50\00:28:32.34
to people's hearts. The
medical work just opens up doors
00:28:32.37\00:28:35.78
to people's hearts and
we've enjoyed going and getting
00:28:35.81\00:28:39.61
involved with people on a
one to one basis and we're
00:28:39.65\00:28:43.49
looking forward to where
those doors are going to lead.
00:28:43.52\00:28:46.76
We are really really looking
forward to helping the people
00:28:46.79\00:28:50.93
here and ultimately,
through helping them physically
00:28:50.96\00:28:54.33
we hope to help
them spiritually.
00:28:54.36\00:28:56.10