The Village The World Forgot

Some places on this earth face the unique phenomenon of having been frozen in time. Whether it be a small collection of huts deep in the Amazon rainforest, a small town on the great plains of North America, a remote village in Africa, a quaint little country village in Europe, or an isolated village in a remote corner of Papua New Guinea. In these places it seems that at some point in time, for no particular reason, the clock stopped moving. You can go to these places and see what life may have been like decades, or even centuries, ago. Of course it may not seem that way to the inhabitants of those places, but from an outsider’s perspective it feels like you found a key to a time machine. That is certainly the way I felt recently.

Kaiam village and airstrip

Having arrived in PNG in March to work as a pilot with Mission Aviation Fellowship, I had the opportunity to go and live in a remote village for one week as part of my language training and cultural orientation. An MAF volunteer, Samuel Haab, also went with me. We were fortunate to be able to spend the week with the people of Kaiam, which is located northwest of Mount Hagen and on the northern edge of the PNG highlands. On April 12th we flew to the Kaiam airstrip and were greeted by the few families that live in the immediate area. Then we watched with detached fascination, and a little anxiety, as the plane flew off and left us to manage as best we could with our limited understanding of the Tok Pisin language.

Kaiam airstrip during its building phase

The story of Kaiam, its people, and its airstrip is certainly an interesting one. The story of the airstrip, from marking it out to its first landing, had taken 15 years of back-breaking toil for the Lutz family and every member of the community. The late Doctor Steve Lutz, Wapenamanda-based Gutnius Lutheran missionary, marked the centre line with his family back in 2000. He sadly never got to see the finished result, so for his wife Julie and son Anton it was an emotional moment on the 10th of February 2015 when an MAF plane made the first landing at Kaiam. Sebastian Kurz, one of the MAF pilots on that first landing, explains just what the new airstrip means to the community; “I knew that it was special for the people in Kaiam to see a fixed wing aeroplane landing for the first time, but I hadn't any idea how extraordinarily special it was for them. I have been there several times now and only slowly do I get a glimpse of what it means for those people to have access to the outside world through this airstrip. They were totally excited and tried to explain bits and pieces of history. Sebastian continues, “They had to travel down the Kaiam and Karawari Rivers if they wanted to go to the next airstrip at Munduku. This journey took them two days and was very exhausting. It was especially critical in medical emergencies. If they wanted to evacuate somebody they had to charter a chopper, which cost them a fortune.” Along with the airstrip there is a small aid post overseen by Yapis Petro, the local MAF agent, and supplied by the Gutnius Lutheran mission at Wapenamanda.

Yapis Petro in his garden

Even with the airstrip, Kaiam and its people are still very isolated. So much so that they do not have any significant avenues with which to earn income. They are forced into subsistence living and taking what they can from the jungle. Whether it’s saksak, a food made from the sago palm, or bananas, or hunting wild pig, all the food they have is taken from the jungle, and if they can’t get food from the jungle then they go hungry. If they can manage to collect some money to buy supplies from Wewak or Mount Hagen, they must still have it flown in, or else travel three days downriver to the nearest road and bring it by canoe. To earn a little money, each family searches for gold in the Kaiam River using a small improvised sluice made from tree bark. However, they work for hours to only find a fraction of a gram of gold. But that gold only has value if they can sell it, which is almost impossible in the middle of the jungle. And so they live virtually disconnected from the outside world.

Gold panning in the river

During our week in Kaiam, Samuel and I had the unique opportunity to see a side of PNG that most people never get to see. We toured the village, talked with the people, ate with the people, worshipped God together at their small church and went on walkabouts into the jungle surrounding the village. We saw how they build houses, grow gardens, and how they pan for gold. The most striking aspect that we witnessed was how grateful they are to have the help of MAF and other missionaries. But also how desperate they are not to be forgotten by the world.

Sitting and talking with some of the local men

Even being in a remote corner of PNG, Kaiam and its people are in some ways more connected than hundreds, if not thousands, of other villages, simply because they have an airstrip. Many other villages that do not have airstrips are extremely isolated, and in many ways forgotten by the world. Kaiam, and other villages like it, may be forgotten by the world, but they are not forgotten by Jesus and His church!


Thank you for all you support,
Ryan

More Info:
www.mafc.org
http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/281213732064928/

Completion of the Commencement

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack, that there may be equality. As it is written, ‘He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.’”    2 Corinthians 8:9-15

It’s surprising how hard a few verses can hit you when you are not ready for it. These ones in particular threw me for a loop recently and I am still trying to sort it all out in my mind. Through His words God spoke very strongly to me in regards to my time here in PNG as well as MAF’s mission here. But His words also speak to each of us individually, whatever circumstances He has put us in.

The initial few months here in PNG seemed like a very slow buildup to what has become a very busy flight schedule. The last gasp before the plunge. The calm before the storm. Since I wasn’t a part of the flight operations in March and April, I was trying to build a solid foundation for what I hope will be years of effective service here in PNG.

In March I was busy taking classes to learn the Tok Pisin language. I can read and write the language with only a little difficulty, but learning to speak it clearly will take some time. Mostly when I try to speak it I just fumble my way through it and hope I get my point across, usually with lots of animated hand gestures. But all in all the classes were a good learning opportunity.

I was fortunate to arrive here just a few weeks prior to the annual MAF PNG conference weekend. Once a year all the ex-pat MAF staff get together for a time of rest, relaxation, teaching, and to update everyone on the direction that the PNG program is headed in. So at the end of March we all went and spent the weekend at the conference center at the S.I.L. base in Ukarumpa. It was a good weekend of getting to know some of the other staff and socializing in a relaxed atmosphere.

After the conference weekend, my schedule started to get a little busier. I wrapped up the Tok Pisin classes at the beginning of April. Then in preparation for joining the flight operations I began to study the manuals for the Twin Otter and for MAF procedures. But before I could start flying I had to complete the initial orientation.

Arriving at Kaiam

April 12, 2016

One crucial part of the orientation process is learning to comprehend the lifestyle of the people who live in the remote bush. Serving the people in the remote villages is one of the main reasons we are here. So to try and better understand them, since their way of life is so vastly different from those who live in town, every new MAF family goes to a remote village for one week to live with the people. I had that opportunity in the middle of April when I went to the village of Kaiam. A MAF volunteer, Sam Haab, also went with me. Kaiam is located northwest of Mount Hagen and on the northern edge of the PNG highlands. On April 12th we flew to the Kaiam airstrip and were greeted by the few families that live in the immediate area. Then we watched with detached fascination, and a little anxiety, as the plane flew off and left us to manage as best we could with our limited understanding of the Tok Pisin language. During our week there, Sam and I had the unique opportunity to see a side of PNG that most people never get to see. We toured the village, talked with the people, ate with the people, worshipped God together at their small church and went on walkabouts into the jungle surrounding the village. We saw how they build houses, grow gardens, and how they pan for gold. It was strikingly obvious just how grateful they are to have the help of MAF and other missionaries. After fifteen years of work, MAF was able to do the first ever landing on the brand new airstrip at Kaiam just over a year ago. Since then there have been a couple of lifesaving medevacs, and medical supplies and other important items have been flown in and out. Anton Lutz and his family (Lutheran missionaries) have been involved in the development of this area for over thirty years, building the airstrip and bringing in medical supplies. You can read more about that week in the posted story “The Village the World Forgot.”

At a Bush Village During My First Day of Flying

May 2, 2016

After I got back from Kaiam I started flight training in preparation for joining the flight operations. Since I have flown the Twin Otter before in Alberta, I was able to do an abbreviated training course at the end of April. Then on May 2nd I flew my first flights and officially joined the MAF PNG flight program. Because I needed to be trained in the day-to-day operations here, the first two weeks in May were spent flying out of Goroka instead of Mount Hagen so that I could fly with an experienced captain and he could teach me some of the details that allow us to get our work done. Those first two weeks were very busy and intense with my brain working on overload most of the time. So that I would be able to get up to speed as quickly as possible, I only had a few days off the rest of the month. It was very fatiguing, but God sustained me and enabled me to learn what was needed, particularly during those first two weeks. Fortunately, on the last weekend in May I was able to take a break and get some much needed rest. Some friends and I took a road trip to a lodge in the mountains on Lake Kutubu and spent the weekend relaxing and having fun. We had a good time.

Now that the initial month of flying is over, there is only a few more details to take care of before I can settle down into the day-to-day flight routine. In June I will be doing a few flight tests to show that I meet the standards required by MAF. Then on June 17th I will be doing an oral exam about the PNG aviation regulations. I would appreciate your prayers for a successful outcome for all those tests.

Here are a few links to photos so you can see more of what I've been up to. Enjoy!

MAF Flying in May
Building a Health Center in a Remote PNG Village

Thank you for all you support,
Ryan

More Info:
www.mafc.org
http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/281213732064928/

Short Updates #2

February 17, 2016
Well it's official, God has allowed me to pass the flight standardization course. I know it's only a small thing, but it is a huge blessing and relief to me. On Monday I fly to Port Moresby in PNG. On Tuesday at 1pm my time (8pm Monday night Alberta time) I write the PNG Air Law exam. Then I join the PNG program in Mt. Hagen on Wednesday.
Here are some pictures from my time at MAF flight standardization:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.430969390422694&type=1

February 22, 2016
Finally landed in Papua New Guinea! All is good.

March 1, 2016
The first week in PNG is almost in the books. It was a good week of starting to get settled here in Mount Hagen. After arriving in Mt. Hagen on February 24th, I jumped right into the orientation process by spending the following weekend on a short road trip to the Enga province with some MAF staff. Although this is not a usual part of the orientation process it was an incredible introduction to PNG. One night we stayed at a lodge in the high mountains where we did some birdwatching and bushwalking. The next day we drove down a very decrepit road to a mission station at a village where we spent the rest of the weekend. We met the missionaries at the station as well as some locals. We had fun on more muddy bushwalks (it rains almost everyday here) and swam in the local river. Although we only drove 80 kms in one direction, the roads are in such disrepair that it took 2 hours to go the 80km. And they only have roads in the most central parts of the country. It was a very good weekend of being introduced to the people and the country I will be serving (see pictures). Now I have started language and culture training. This will be 4 weeks of classes and one week living in a village to better understand the language and culture. Following that I will be starting flight training/orientation here in April. Thank you for your support! I couldn't be here getting ready to serve the people without it!
Here are some pictures from my first weekend in PNG:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.436793956506904&type=1

March 16, 2016
I am continuing with the language and culture classes here. I'm about halfway through the course. It is going well. I've also been continuing with the general orientation and learning about what I will be doing after I finish the language study.
In mid-April I will be transitioning to flight operations. Because the training schedule here has been re-organized, I've been asked to step in as a Twin Otter co-pilot for about 6 months to fill a training gap. With my experience on the Twin Otter I will be able to go through an abbreviated training course so they can have another co-pilot on the roster. Towards the end of the year the plan is to have me fly the GA-8 Airvan to build up more flight experience in country.
This weekend is the annual MAF Papua New Guinea conference for the MAF staff here. It will be held at the SIL base at Ukarumpa. It will be a good time of listening to different speakers and enjoying the fellowship with the whole group.
Here is a link to a nice short story about a flight that two of our pilots did recently. Enjoy!
http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/a-sawmill-for-a-ski-slope/

All the MAF ex-pat staff plus a few other
missionaries at the 2016 MAF conference

April 2, 2016
The MAF conference 2 weeks ago went well. It was a good opportunity to meet all the other MAF staff from around PNG. I've finished the language classes and have been studying flight manuals in preparation for the next step. The language classes went well, I can read and write Tok Pisin (the common language) fairly well but speaking it will take some time. My week-long visit to a bush village has been pushed back until the 11th. Before that I will be going to Port Moresby to write an exam for an Instrument Flight Rating on the 6th. I've been settling in more and getting to know more people and have been making some friends.

April 22, 2016
God allowed me to pass the Instrument Flight Rating exam. That's a blessing. The week in the bush village went well. I've started the Twin Otter ground school course and will start flying next week. More in-depth update and pictures to follow...

April 24, 2016
Just came back from an awesome week out in the PNG bush. I had the opportunity to go and live in a remote village for one week as part of my language training and cultural orientation. A MAF volunteer, Sam Haab, also went with me. We were fortunate to be able to spend the week with the people of Kaiam, which is located northwest of Mount Hagen and on the northern edge of the PNG highlands. On April 12th we flew to the Kaiam airstrip and were greeted by the few families that live in the immediate area. Then watched with detached fascination, and a little anxiety, as the plane flew off and left us to manage as best we could with our limited understanding of the Tok Pisin language.
During our week there, Sam and I had the unique opportunity to see a side of PNG that most people never get to see. We toured the village, talked with the people, ate with the people, worshipped God together at their small church and went on walkabouts into the jungle surrounding the village. We saw how they build houses, grow gardens, and how they pan for gold. The most striking aspect that we witnessed was how grateful they are to have the help of MAF and other missionaries.
After fifteen years of work, MAF was able to do the first ever landing on the brand new airstrip of Kaiam just over a year ago. Since then, there have been a few lifesaving Medevacs, medical supplies and other important items flown in and out and thanks to Anton Lutz and his family, Lutheran missionaries, who have been involved for over thirty years in the development of that area, building the airstrip, and bringing in medical supplies. Check out the pictures from the week and also the video from the first landing on February 10, 2015.

Here's a link to a more in-depth MAF article about that first landing:
https://www.maf-uk.org/story/mud-celebration-marks-historic-landing-in-papua-new-guinea
Here is a video from that first landing:
https://www.facebook.com/ryan.cole.90/videos/g.281213732064928/10153462065950264/?type=2&theater
Here are some pictures from the week at Kaiam:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.460639040789062&type=1

Leaving Kaiam and saying goodbye

Thank you for all your support,

Ryan

More Info:

www.mafc.org

http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/

The Road Goes Ever On And On

“Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.” Proverbs 16:3

That verse is definitely one that I have had to keep in mind over the past 4 months. With everything that has been happening and all the preparations in progress I would probably go crazy if I was not constantly taking everything back to the Lord through prayer. Looking back now, I can see all the blessings and provisions from God that made the way forward possible and also made it a little easier. And for that I am truly thankful. With all the stops that had to be made, sometimes it felt like I would never get here. But I had faith that God would not take me to the threshold and then close the door, although sometimes He may work that way. Now we get to see the fruit of the faithfulness of your support as we anxiously anticipate what He will do here.

Working in the Arnhem Land hangar
December 12, 2015

As I write this letter I am finally in Papua New Guinea! It has been quite the journey thus far. Back in December I was still in Arnhem Land, working hard and sweating every day. After a month and a half there I was getting a little worn out, not so much from the work but more from the hot and humid climate. Fortunately, the Engineering staff took a week off over Christmas, so I was able to take a nice break and catch my breath. For Christmas I was invited to spend the day with one of the MAF families and a few other of the MAF staff. It was a good time. Then towards the end of January I wrapped up my time in Arnhem Land. After saying farewell to everyone there I flew back to Cairns on the 21st.

After a restful weekend in Cairns, the flight standardization course started that Monday in Mareeba. Mareeba is a small town west of Cairns where MAF has their main training base in Australia. The standardization course was a mix of ground school review and flight exercises. It was a very intense 4 weeks. Because I hadn’t flown an airplane since October, my flying skills were a little unpolished.

Taking a break during flight training in Australia
February 17, 2016

I was also learning to fly a new airplane in a new area, which can be interesting. What you might not know is that each country has their own rules and regulations for conducting a flight, in addition to MAF’s regulations. The rules in Australia are similar to Canada, but there are also some significant differences that I had to learn. At the same time that I was learning all of this I was also studying for the Air Law regulations exam for Papua New Guinea. While also trying to organize the shipping of most of my belongings by air freight to PNG. Needless to say, sometimes I felt like my mind was running in circles and not knowing what to focus on. But it was a beneficial and successful course, and it helped to prepare me for the flying that I’ll be doing here in PNG. Thank you for your prayers and support during the course, I really appreciate it. On the weekends I was able to get out and see the Australian countryside. It was good to have that time to hike and swim and relax for a brief moment. And I hope to have the opportunity to do more of the same in my downtime here in PNG.

Then I continued onward with my journey. I stopped in Cairns again for a weekend to wait for my flight to PNG. Being a poorer country, the internet in PNG is not the greatest. So I was hoping to connect with my home church in Brownfield, Alberta before I left Australia. Their support has been amazing all throughout this ministry and I am so thankful for it. It worked out that I was able to Skype into the church service on February 21st. I was able to update them on my situation and answer some questions in the short time we had together. Although it was a little tricky to organize it due to the time difference. At 11:00am that Sunday it was 4:00am Monday morning in Cairns. But I was able to get a little sleep before my flight to PNG later that morning. 8 hours after that Skype call, I left Australia for the time being.

The countryside in the Enga Province
during my first weekend in PNG
February 27, 2016

After a brief stop in Port Moresby to write the PNG Air Law exam I continued onto Mount Hagen in the Western Highlands province. The exam went well, thank you for your prayers and support in that. MAF has their main PNG base here in Mt. Hagen and I’m currently living in a housing compound a stone’s throw from the airport, so it’s a nice walk to the hangar in the morning. There are 12 other houses on this compound. It is both expat and national families, but all working with MAF. There are a few other compounds around the area that house the rest of the MAF staff. A few weeks before I arrived I was contacted by some of the younger staff and they invited me to join them on a weekend trip that was scheduled for the weekend after I arrived. It was such an unexpected blessing. For me, one of the hardest issues is making new friends and connecting with people wherever I go. So to be invited along on their trip was a good answer to prayer. So after a few days of initial orientation I was able to go with them on a short road trip into the mountains. It was a nice weekend of getting to know some of the other staff that I will be working with.

So looking ahead. At the beginning of March I will be starting language lessons for Tok Pisin, which is the main common language here. At the same time I will be studying different aspects of PNG culture. Those classes will run for approximately 4 weeks. That time will also include a week of living in a village towards the end of March. It will help me to get a better understanding of the culture and language. Although the thought of being in a village with no other “whiteskins” around is incredibly intimidating. After I return from the village orientation I will be wrapping up the language training before turning to flight training.

The flight training will be a long process of learning the specific MAF procedures here in PNG. Once the initial training is taken care of, I will be going along on flights as an observer to become more familiar with the operations. Then I will be able to start flying the charters with another pilot to supervise me until I am checked out on various different airstrips and routes that I will need to be able to fly solo. Perhaps the biggest hurdle in learning to fly here is the weather. Most people would say that flying in the steep terrain is the hardest part to learn, but since I have done some flying in the Rocky Mountains, the terrain flying is not completely new to me. The tropical weather here changes extremely fast and can be quite intense. But on the other hand, it is very localized so you can often fly around the storms without too much difficulty. After the flight training is complete I will possibly be moving to one of the outlying bases for a period of time. I am looking forward to the day when all the training is complete and I will be able to fly full-time.

Thank you for all you support,

Ryan

More Info:

www.mafc.org

http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/281213732064928/

Short Updates

November 26, 2015

My work permit for PNG has been issued, still in the process of getting the visa. I'm filling my days here in Gove by helping out in the MAF hangar. They are a little short staffed at the moment so it's been good to be able to help. I'm slowly getting used to the heat and the humidity (but I'm missing the snow). I will leave Gove on January 21 to fly back to Cairns for the standardization training that starts on January 25. Thank you for your support and your prayers.

December 9, 2015

My visa for PNG has been approved. I will be picking it up at the PNG consulate in Cairns when I go back there in January. Thank you for your prayers and your support!

December 22, 2015

Working on an Airvan in the MAF hangar in Arnhem Land

Work continues here in Arnhem Land. With three full time engineers + one apprentice to maintain over a dozen airplanes there is always another inspection/repair to do. The rains have come, so it is not so hot. But the humidity has skyrocketed. For Christmas I will be spending the day with a MAF family that has invited all the single MAF'ers over to their house. It should be a good time. And to wrap up, here is some pictures of the local creatures here in Arnhem Land.

January 17, 2016

Almost ready to start the next phase of this journey. On Thursday I will be leaving Arnhem Land and flying back to Cairns and Mareeba to start flight standardization. The time here has been beneficial. I've been able to help with the shortage of engineering staff while learning about the mechanical details of the GA-8 Airvan (one of the planes I'll be flying in PNG). Now the coming 4 weeks of intense training and testing will help to better prepare me for the flying in PNG. Check back for pictures and updates.

February 1, 2016

Last week I started flight standardization in Mareeba in Australia. It's good to be flying again. But the training course is very intense. It's a mix of ground school review and flight exercises. Since I haven't flown the GA-8 Airvan before this course, it is also taking a bit of work to be able to fly it smoothly. The course goes until Feb 19th. I would appreciate your prayers for a successful completion of this course. 

Thanks for your support.

Ryan

More Info:

www.mafc.org

http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/281213732064928/

From Plans To Action

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Well, it has been a bit of a crazy ride thus far. For the past year and a half I have been planning the way forward. But now, as I move into motion, the Lord will be directing my steps. October was a whirlwind of activity as I journeyed around visiting ministry partners and churches while also sorting out all the details that needed to happen so that I could leave Canada on November 2nd. Then during the first couple of weeks of November I travelled through 4 countries on 4 different continents and for a while I didn’t know if I was coming or going. Now I am writing to you from the town of Nhulunbuy in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia.

As I mentioned, October was one event after another. On October 2nd and 3rd I was able to go with my sister to Calgary to visit some ministry partners. On the 2nd I was fortunate to have dinner with a couple who have previously served as missionaries in Papua New Guinea. It was very valuable to hear of their experiences as I head towards PNG. As I have progressed on this journey it has been interesting to see all the people that God has brought into my path who have had previous connections to PNG. On the evening of the 2nd my Aunt was gracious enough to host a dessert night where I was able to share about MAF with a group of friends. It was a good time of sharing and prayer. Then I was able to meet with some old friends on the 3rd and update them about all that has been happening in my journey with MAF.

On the 4th I was able to go back to the Evangelical Missionary Church in Castor to update them on my recent and future activities. It was a good time of reconnecting with those I had met in the spring. Then, between running around to update paperwork and vaccinations, I was able to spend some time with family over Thanksgiving weekend. The following weekend, on the 18th, I returned to the Missionary Church in Athabasca to bring them up to date about all that has been going on, and say farewell to all my friends and ministry partners who are there. I was glad that I was able to make that trip as I will not be seeing anyone there for at least two years.

The last week of October seemed to blend itself into one long day. On the 25th I was at my home church in Brownfield for my final Sunday in Canada. That was a good service which included a time of commissioning and prayer in preparation for sending me out to PNG. Then we had a nice fellowship lunch afterwards where I was able to speak with people individually. During the week I was very busy with finishing the visa applications for PNG while also sorting out what to take with me to PNG and what to leave in Canada. I finally finished packing on Saturday morning, a few hours before I needed to leave for the airport.

MAF International Orientation Group

November 11th, 2015

Then the grand adventure finally kicked into motion. On Saturday, October the 31st I left Canada and flew from Edmonton to Vancouver and landed in London, England on the 1st of November. The next day I started orientation classes with MAF International. The classes ran until the 11th. It was a good learning experience as all the staff and attendees involved came from many different backgrounds and countries.

On November 12th I left England to continue on my journey towards Papua New Guinea, but first I’ve stopped in Australia for the next 3 months. After a quick rest stop in Cairns I continued onto Gove on the north coast. I am currently living in the town of Nhulunbuy while working at the MAF hangar which is located at the Gove airport. Since I don’t have enough time to jump through all the hoops to get my Australian pilot’s license I am unable to fly during my time in Gove, but I am able to help out with all the various jobs that need doing around the hangar. I will be here until January 22nd. At which time I will be travelling back to Cairns for the 4 week flight standardization course. The flight standardization course will consist of classroom and flight exercises so that I can learn MAF procedures which will enable me to more easily integrate into the team in PNG.

So, looking forward: once the standardization is complete towards the end of February, I will be jumping over to Port Moresby in PNG. This will be so I that I can complete the PNG visa application process and also to write some exams for my PNG pilot’s license. At the end of February I will travel from Port Moresby to Mount Hagen to begin program orientation.

News from the Field: PNG Medevac
Story and Photo by Mandy Glass

Sunday afternoon, 4th October. We had just decided it was time to make a cup of coffee and then make our way to an afternoon home church when the phone rang. It was the chief pilot. A medevac. A woman had birthing difficulties and was losing a lot of blood. 20 minutes later, we were at the airport – without coffee. Jeff Baloiloi, an Internship Pilot who also lives here in Kagamuga, helped us to unlock the base facilities and refuel the aircraft. While Mathias and I flew to Tsendiap, he remained on the radio and organised an ambulance from Mt Hagen Hospital.

Loading the patient onto the airplane at Tsendiap

October 4th, 2015

Once they heard the Airvan land in the village, a little troop in Tsendiap made its way from the local health post to carry the woman to the airstrip – two wooden beams and a sewn sheet served as a stretcher. Leah was really suffering. You could see it clearly. People were busy rubbing her legs and fanning her with their hands. Her baby girl, born in the early hours of the morning, was peacefully sleeping in a bilum, but Leah herself was not in good shape.

Before taking off from Mt Hagen, Mathias had put a new type of stretcher into the aircraft. Leah was transferred onto this, and it made it very easy for everyone to lift her into the plane. Her husband, who is also the head of the local health post, accompanied her, as did their seven-year-old son and a friend who was caring for the newborn girl. When we arrived in Hagen, a vehicle from the Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority was already waiting outside the MAF base to take Leah to the Mt Hagen General Hospital.

By the end of this Sunday we had not been to church, but to worship God isn’t restricted to a building or a gathering of believers; worshipping God means doing what he is asking you to do, and being a testimony of His love for all people and his desire to save people’s lives, physically and spiritually.
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With God’s provision my next newsletter will come to you after I have landed in Papua New Guinea!

A great big THANK YOU: I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been praying for me, encouraging me and financially supporting my ministry with MAF. Without you none of this would be possible! Thank you for partnering with me to reach the support required to be able to serve in PNG.

-Ryan

More Info:
www.mafc.org
http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/281213732064928/

The Wings Of The Morning

“If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.” (Psalm 139:9-10)

As I write this, I am in the midst of making all the necessary preparations that are needed so that I can leave Canada by November 2nd. While organizing all the individual details that need to be taken care of, I have been constantly reminded of Psalm 139:9-10. It is at times like these, leaving familiar surroundings and going into the unknown, that I find myself most in need of “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). But I know that, looking back over the past months of fundraising, He has orchestrated events to enable me to serve Him in Papua New Guinea. And with His strength and provision I will do just that.

To get you caught up on what I have been doing, in early August I was able to head out to British Columbia for a fundraising trip. That trip allowed me to follow up on the contacts that I made when I was out there in March. From that trip God provided some new donors, which was a huge blessing. Thank you so much to those new donors! Then I was able to take some personal time for a vacation to spend time with family. While I was on vacation God added the blessing of more new ministry partners, so the fundraising total is now up to 95% of the goal! Now I have turned my attention towards preparing to leave for PNG. These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity as I have started the visa & work permit applications for PNG, while also putting my affairs in order here in Canada. With all the different things to do it has gotten a little hectic at times.

Over the next few weeks I will be on the move as I visit different places to meet with some ministry partners and churches. On September 27th I was able to re-visit the Killam and Forestburg Baptist Churches. That was a good time of reconnecting with people that I had met back in May. This coming Sunday, October 4th, I will be speaking at the Castor Evangelical Missionary Church to update them on the progress of my journey with MAF. Then on October 18th I will be heading up to the Athabasca Missionary Church to re-connect with them and bring them up-to-date as I move forward towards landing in PNG. In early October I will be making my way to Calgary where I’m going to be connecting with some new friends and reconnecting with some old ones. If you live in any of these areas it would be great to meet up with you!

As we descend into winter I will be saying my final farewells to all my friends and supporters here in the Great White North. Around November 1st I will be flying to England to participate in an orientation course that will be held at the MAF International office in Ashford. I will be there until the 11th of November, at which time I will be jumping half-way around the world to touch down in Cairns in northern Australia. I will be helping out with the program there until I begin the flight standardization course at the end of January. The standardization course is basically comprised of familiarization flights so that I can learn MAF procedures and standards. Once that is completed around the end of February I will be making the short hop to plant my feet firmly in PNG. I cannot wait to be a part of the ministry that is transforming lives as told in the story below.

First Life Saved After Airstrip Reopens
Just a few short weeks after the much-awaited reopening of their airstrip, the people of Wauru were faced with a life and death situation. The memories of the historic day when Brad Venter and Sebastian Kurz canoed for seven hours to inspect the strip and then flew in the next day to officially reopen it, were still very fresh for them. “Basically, our first flight to Wauru was a medevac request. If the strip hadn’t been reopened, we would not have been able to fly in there and I am pretty sure the woman would be dead now”, said Brad Venter, MAF Wewak’s senior pilot, when telling about the first operational flight into Wauru.

It was less than two weeks since the opening when Brad got a call on the evening of Thursday August 20th from Philip Mawi (President of the Yapsie Local Level Government) to say that there was a sick woman in Wauru who urgently needed to be flown out to the hospital. Brad discussed the situation with Philip and it seemed that the woman had complications giving birth and was in critical
condition.

Loading the patient onto the airplane at Wauru
August 21st, 2015

From his recent airstrip survey Brad knew that getting the word out to request an emergency flight is a challenge on its own for the community. Brad picks up the story of the medevac: “Wauru does not have a radio and they only have intermittent cell coverage if they walk up a nearby hill to get a signal. Because it was dark and we could not fly, we had to wait until morning and see if the situation had changed before making a decision as to the best course of action. The following morning we heard nothing from the village and neither had Philip. So, eventually, we decided that we had to fly there anyway and see. So, by 9 am on Friday, Paul Woodington and I set off for Wauru in the Airvan P2-MFL. On arrival there they advised us that the woman was still critical and needed to fly out. She had given birth the previous day but unfortunately the baby had died and she had a retained placenta. She was very weak. Paul prepared the aircraft and soon we were on our way to Telefomin. I radioed ahead to arrange for an ambulance and on arrival in Telefomin she was transferred to the ambulance and driven to the hospital.”

In mid-September Paul Woodington flew the woman from Telefomin back to Wauru after she was considered well enough to return to the bush. It is clear that if Wauru had not been opened she would have died in her village.

The preceding story is only one of many that I hope to be involved with once I reach PNG. But it can’t happen without your help.With regard to financial support, 100% of the outgoing support has already been raised! As I mentioned for the monthly support, 95% has come in, leaving another $230/month still to be raised. From now on, any one-time donations will be divided into the monthly total. With those financial needs in mind, would you prayerfully consider supporting the first four year term of ministry at $50, $75, or $100/month or whatever the Lord lays on your heart? I am hoping to reach this ministry target as soon as possible so that I am able to serve the people of PNG through MAF. Thank you so much for your consideration and for your incredible support!

If you would like to help with financial support and/or prayer support that would be great. You can donate to this ministry online, by phone, or by mail. Please designate your donation to go towards Ryan Cole. If donating by phone, call toll free 1-877-351-9344. If donating by mail, please make your cheque payable to Mission Aviation Fellowship of Canada. If donating online you can follow this link: https://mafc.org/missionarypages/cole/index.html#donate

If you are unable to give financially but still want to be a part of this, then please feel free to sign up for my MAF newsletters by sending me a message at ryancole277@yahoo.ca

If you know of other people who would be interested in hearing about this work with MAF, then please spread the word. Because the more people that know about this, the better.

Thanks for reading this and thank you so much for your support. With God’s provision and blessing I will be writing my next letter to you after I have landed in Australia!

-Ryan

To donate by mail, send your cheques to:
MAF Canada
264 Woodlawn Road W.
Guelph, Ontario
N1H 1B6

For USA donors online:
https://maf.org/donate?fid=NxJL1Lk3Lhk%3D&fdesc=xFqs0FDMQGRCrYqqrUs7fg%3D%3D#.VL8qZdLF-Sr

More Info:
www.mafc.org
http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/281213732064928/