Baby Born at 2,000′

“Sixty seconds later I looked back to see a little blue-faced baby passenger lying on the floor”

Date: 6 August, 2001
Jack Sluiter

Ya’ know, it started out like any other day. Up at 5:00 am to get the airplane ready and off the water by 7:30. Everything was going as planned and nothing was going to set this day apart as anything strange or unusual. That was until I called in to our home base at noon. I was sitting in a little jungle village (five or six houses) eating my lunch while I waited for passengers. They were coming by canoe from someplace unknown and would maybe be another hour before they arrived.

So I called Lisa on the radio to update what was happening. When I contacted her, the flight coordinator advised me that there was a medical emergency in Atsakus, another small jungle village (as if there was anything other than small jungle villages around). It happened that there was a women who had been in labor for three days and still had not given birth. They needed to get her to a hospital today or she may not live through the night. Since Atsakus was a river village without a runway, and I was sitting in the only float plane flying in Peru, it dawned on me that I might have to change my schedule.

Read more

EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2009 – IAMA Blog – “That is my village”

“That’s my village.”  Meet Nard Pugyao, JAARS pilot.

Nard used to be from a family of cannibals  from the jungles of the Philippines.

In the 1950’s a Wycliffe Bible Translator came to his village called Dibagat in the highlands of the Philippines, home of his people the Isnag.

The man took notice of Nard and eventually helped him attend school in Manilla and later the US where he attended both LeTourneau University and Moody Bible Institute.

Eventually Nard joined JAARS as a pilot/mechanic and was assigned to the Philippines.  The truly amazing full-circle to his story is completed when he was allowed to fly the Helio in carrying first copies of the New Testament in his own tribal language to Dibagat.

Later Nard came to the US and worked at Moody Aviation as a flight instructor.  It was my privilege as a student at Moody Aviation to have Nard as my first flight instructor, earning my Private Pilots License under his watchful eye.  Later Nard would be recognized by receiving the Alumni of the Year award from Moody Bible Institute.

Given this background it is no wonder his story was chosen as one of the story highlights in the Fly4Life tent where Mission Aviation was featured.

If you make it to EAA AirVenture 2009 this year, be sure and look him up.

Sandy

EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2009 – IAMA Blog – Sunday July 26, 2009

After a year of preparation, tomorrow is the start of the EAA AirVenture 2009, with Public Benefit Flying as a keystone emphasis this year.  IAMA will play a pivotal role in the formal introduction of many to this unique form of ministry.

Many are already there, assembling, testing, and lifting the parts into place.  Many more are traveling today from points all around the US and the world to be a part of this historic event for missionary aviation.

Stay tuned throughout the week as we update this site [and specifically this blog] with up to date photos, video, and podcasts from the event!

Blessings

Mission Aviation Moments: A History Through Art

Mission Aviation Moments: A History Through Art – In keeping with the AirVenture 2009 “Fly for Life” theme, award-winning artist Sharon Rajnus has created a series of paintings depicting historic moments in mission aviation to debut July 2009 at Oshkosh. From the Andes to Oshkosh, the artist will tell the stories behind these paintings.

Name:    Sharon Rajnus
Company/Organization:    American Society of Aviation Artists
Sponsor of Series: Quest Aircraft Company
Website:     www.rajnusart.com
Biography:
Sharon has won awards from EAA, National Museum of Naval Aviation, Aviation Week and Women in Aviation, International, and others. She has piloted Stinsons, Maule, C-120 and Helios to out-of-the-way places.
Presentations:    Wednesday, 7/29/2009 – 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM – 027 Vette Theater – Museum Lower Level