August 12, 2006

Hi Jack,
It has been a busy week. Glad to be at the end of it in some ways. The
aircraft has been going well and doing plenty of what it came here to do. I
am keeping stats on the medevacs etc. so that if any body ever asks what we
are doing here, I can demonstrate a consistent pattern of missionary endeavor.
Alpha (AAS plane) is down having some major work done on the engine. Will be
out of the air most of this coming week too I think. That means AEE is having
to carry everything. I think we may run out of hours before Simon comes up at
the end of this week. Oh well if we do it will give me a chance to get caught
up on a few chores I need to do on the ground.

They had an ordination here at town church today and it was great to see one
of the pastors I have worked with in the bush in the early years of his
ministry being ordained. Great too to have so many other pastors there that I
haven’t seen for a long time.

I got to talking with a few people after church again like I did the other
Sabbath. Robert, the guy who teaches at the University of Goroka, is doing a
public health screening exercise for AIDS in one of the communities around
here. It is a practicum for the Nursing students. They have facilities there
to screen for epidemics etc. That is handy to know. We often come across
epidemics in the bush. He is more than willing to send people out with us to
take blood samples etc. He wants us to get together for a meeting soon to see
how we can coordinate outreach with the resources that are available to us
around here. Wow! That is exciting to me.

Then I got to talk with Dr. Boon for a while. He reminded me of the time I
took him out to Kora for a day and he was the first Doctor to have ever been
there. He is now going out regularly by vehicle to remote areas he can get to
and helping the people where he can. He is buying roofing iron for churches
and helping with health education etc. He is excited about the prospects of
getting some elementary schools going. His friend John Erico whom I know
well, - used to teach at Kabiufa, then became the director of a conservation
organization. John and Ken Boon are both on the board of a lay organization
here in Goroka that is doing outreach work. They have just purchased the
small supermarket under Dr. Boon’s surgery and are planning to steer the
proceeds towards supporting missionary outreach. Ken says that the elementary
schools and clinics would be ideal projects for their enterprises.

Isn’t it fantastic to see local people coming up with plans and sticking their
necks out and taking financial risks to meet needs they see in the work of
God. The manager of the store is away for the next two weeks but Ken is going
to introduce us when the guy gets back. I am going to go and have a look at
the store tomorrow and will try and buy as many of my groceries there as I
can. Will try and steer the customers we fly in from the bush that way too.
That way the money stays in the circle and comes back to bless the work of God.

I went to Simogu Yesterday. While I was waiting for them to get my load
ready, I asked the people if they had a school. No they said no school and no
teacher here. I told them of the concept of a mission focused elementary
school staffed by a volunteer teacher. They seemed quite keen on the idea.
They are going to discuss it. I told them we would expect them to build the
school and the teachers house and dig a garden for the teacher but that the
education would be free or almost free.

One thing Robert (from the university) told me today was that the government
now is developing a public health component for kids in year 7 and 8. Robert
has been asked by the government to help develop this. That is right in his
field of expertise. He tells me that AIDS is really rampant in the community
around here. He hopes that this will make a difference.

Financially, I am staying afloat! The income is paying the bills and there
will be some left over with which to do some careful development of the
program. We are still waiting for the IPA to approve the business side. The
accountant has someone in Moresby who he is sending in to chase them up. I am
having to work things through my personal account for now but he says that we
can straighten all that out when the business is registered. I sense Satan is
really oppressing me some days and but I am gratefully aware of God’s blessing
and His care more often. I have been so blessed having the opportunity to
help the people I have helped so far. It just feels so tremendous to be
involved in saving lives and in facilitating missionary work again.

We have more nurses going out on Tuesday to Boikoa and Wia Wia. A flying
clinic. They will bring back intelligence re the starting up of the permanent
clinic at Wia Wia again. I just get such a thrill out of flying with them and
being a small part of what they are doing.

No further development on volunteer status stuff. My work with the SPD runs
out in about 10 days time. Roger has been so flat out with a fly and build
team doing work around the hangar that it has been hard to get quality time
with him. I am doing some of his flying early this week so that he can get
caught up in the office and then hopefully we will get a chance to iron a
couple more things out.

Those float planes you sent the url for look interesting. If I ever get the
phone and internet finally connected here, I will take a closer look.

Well better get a few other things done here.

Thanks for your prayers. God continues to open doors. The way will never be
easy but with God beside us, easy is not the issue. He can open very heavy
doors.

God bless
Regards
Trevor

 

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