TEAM
Dwayne Harris: Dwayne Harris is the Field Supervisor, Helicopter pilot, and Mechanic for PAMAS. He pioneered this ministry when he stepped out in faith in February 2007 and shipped a donated Helicopter to the Philippines. He soon followed in faith with what was left of his own resources, and God has met every need since. God continued to lead Dwayne to the right people and provided the way for him to start flying the helicopter in an amazing three short months. He met Wendy Guptill, missionary nurse to the Philippines in May and they joined their lives and ministries the following year.
Wendy Harris: Wendy (Guptill) Harris is the Medical Director for PAMAS. She worked for AFM for 5 years, running a remote, jungle clinic in the mountains of Palawan. She also ran clinics at other remote missions in Chuuk and Nepal. She married Dwayne Harris, the helicopter pilot in April 2008. They joined their ministries just as the helicopter project was getting underway. Dwayne and Wendy oversee all the missionaries and work of PAMAS on Palawan and other islands as it expands.
Mershalov Family: Andrey joined us August 2009 from the Ukraine as our second helicopter pilot! God opened many doors to provide this miracle. His wife (Tanya) and 6 year old daughter (Angela) joined him in January in a happy reunion! They are adjusting well with God's help and learning English quickly. They sacrificed much to come to the Philippines to serve God. Tanya has blessed the project with her creative and character-building children’s programs that she presents in conjunction with the growing Bible studies and Muslim work we do.
Henson Family: Danny Henson and his Filipino wife, Rovelyn joined the PAMAS team in November 2008. They answered God's call with support from their church in Tennessee and are dedicated to a life of mission work. They were instrumental in the important work of getting our land donated for the building of the Hangar/housing complex through Rovelyn's great uncle. They also started the Bible study near our land that has grown and resulted in multiple baptisms. Baby Hadassah has brought much joy to her parents (and the rest of us!) since she arrived in August 2009. We are excited with Danny as he is now working on his flight training to serve the Lord as a pilot (on top of his other skills) and help the PAMAS ministry as it expands to other islands.
Michel Villan, a native of the Philippines, joined the PAMAS team in June 2009. Her experience with, and love for the Palawano people in past years (not to mention her language skills) makes her a valuable asset. She is a teacher, with emphasis in Home Ec. and has an amazing talent for sewing and cooking! She loves to make clothes for needy kids and to teach mothers how to sew. She has a passion for helping the underprivileged and can sense their need whether it be clothes, food, love, or a listening ear. Michel keeps very busy in a social worker type role taking care of our many hospitalized patients that have no money, food, clothes, language abilities, education or skills to be able to take care of themselves in this situation. All would agree that Michel is a vital member of the PAMAS ministry.
Andrew Hahn joined us from Florida in October 2009 to help with the hangar and duplex building project. His welding and tiling skills especially came in handy. He continues to play an important role in the PAMAS Team even as the construction project comes to a close. He keeps very busy overseeing the finances, workers, construction projects, maintenance etc. on the Palawan project. We are very blessed to have this dedicated spirit, responsible, and hard worker.
(Picture not available)
Ricardo (Rico) Grasia Jr. is our newest member of the team (May 2010). He is a mechanic by trade and has already helped the project in many ways. He helped Dwayne complete the annual inspection on the helicopter, finish the new road into the project, and fix the vehicles multiple times. He received his training from MVC (Mountain View College). We are thankful for his willingness to serve God as a volunteer and help the project in whatever way he can.
Trudi LaFlair: Trudi LaFlair, wife and mother of 4 adorable children, contributes greatly to PAMAS from her home in Northwest Georgia. Her creative ideas and editor's eye, combined with her computer skills, have been indispensable in the creation and maintenance of the PAMAS website. She is a cousin to Wendy Harris and daughter of Gary and Carolyn Hullquist, who selflessly financially support the needs of the website and the PAMAS mission.