Have you gotten up in the morning to face the day just to find out that the day has turned around and there is no way to get in front of it to face it? Yes, I'm sure you have been there. Well, the 25th of October was one of those days. I had made several flights that day and was now heading out to Achken, a small one-way strip about 40 minutes away. There were more flights scheduled for the afternoon—a pregnant woman in trouble and another patient who was very sick and dehydrated. The 40 minute flight was nice and smooth as there had not been any wind to speak of so far that day. As I got to Achken I circled twice over the strip to check on its condition, the winds, direction and speed. Everything looked and felt great so I started in on my approach. Just as I was on very short final I got blasted by a very strong, left-quartering tailwind and knew I was in big trouble. (Lots of my pilot friends here have lost planes to such winds.) With no way to safely go-around from short final on this airstrip, I landed the plane knowing there wouldn't be sufficient runway remaining to get stopped. However it was the only safe option I had, so I worked hard to get the plane as slow as possible before the strip ran out. The winds kept pushing me hard, and as I went off the end of the strip there was a log that took off the nose wheel, flipping the plane onto its...
Hi Everyone, Let me give you an update on how things are going here. We have been swamped with flights—getting medical personal flown into villages and patients needing hospital care out. I've been so busy that until a couple days ago I'd not been into the nearby town of Santa Elena since we returned to Venezuela in July! I'm happy to report that our airplane is doing great, and I'm so thankful to be flying a more powerful plane. With the new wing tip extensions on I am able to carry an additional 150 pounds of weight and I'm able to fly slower. This means I can land slower and in a shorter distance. For some months we've been working on getting the needed paper work in order to have these put on the plane, and at last it has happened! The extensions make a big difference.Two days ago I dropped an old man off at his home village. I had flown him out weeks before, a very sick man. I wasn't sure he would live, so I was very happy to be taking him home. After we landed and climbed out to greet his friends he handed me a nice woven pouch with a bow and some arrows in it. He had called ahead by radio and requested someone make it for me. With tears in his eyes and a choked voice he told me, "Thank you, thank you." This morning I went into two of the shortest strips here. Two teenage boys were very ill with malaria—one of them had two kinds at the same time....
It was late and I'd just lain down on my bed when someone knocked on the door. When I opened it three men, who had been sent to travel with the health team and document their activities, were standing there—a doctor, the Santa Elena hospital director, and a photographer. For months a team of Venezuelan doctors and dentists had planned to come so I could fly them out to treat the villagers. We'd been wondering how many would be coming so we'd know how to plan, but like most things in this country one just can't get the needed information. Here it was, the night before I was to fly the health teams out, not even sure how many people were going, and these three men show up wanting flown out as well. I told them, "I'm glad you are here and it wouldn't be a problem for you to go wherever you want and look around." They left to round up more medicines and have meetings. I went back to bed. The plans were for me to take off with the first group at 6:00 in the morning, but it was after 10:00 before they were ready. These doctors were specialists who had come help the poor villagers for a few days. Neiba worked hard trying to organize these medical people into groups, weighing their things, and then transporting them in our pickup to the airport in Santa Elena so I wouldn't have to wait. The plan was to fly several groups from village to village, while others went by dugout to villages accessible by river. ...
Earlier this month I flew to Ciudad Boliver, planning to have the wing extensions put on the airplane. However, as it turned out, everyone was sick so none of the mechanics were in the shop. At first I was a bit frustrated, but then realized I should be happy even if things weren't going as I planned. The plane was fine and the things I was going to have done could wait, so I headed over to the office to file a flight plan. I told God that since it looked like things weren't working out as I had planed that He must have some other agenda for me that day. After filling out a flight plan and fueling the airplane I was ready to leave. Just as I was walking toward the plane, the lady in charge of the Catholic Mission in Wonken asked if I was headed back to Santa Elena and if I had room to take some bags of food to Wonken on my way. I told her yes, so she sent a car to bring two bags of potatoes, a bag of onions and a bag of garlic. I was glad to be taking something back. Just before I got to Wonken a call came over the radio that there was a very sick baby in Kamarata who needed to get to the hospital immediately. I told them I would be on my way as soon as I dropped off the food. As I flew the weather was getting bad, but I had just come over the valley of Kamarata and knew it would...
Greetings from Venezuela, A couple weeks ago I was making an early morning flight to take Colimor and his wife home to their village of San Juan, where they are teaching God's Word as lay workers. I'd flown them out previously because she was very ill with malaria, just fading in and out of consciousness when I arrived. Although still weak, she had lived and was very happy to be going home. As I landed in San Juan, the villagers excitedly greeted me. "We've been trying to get a message through on the radio all morning to let you know we needed the airplane to come. Our village captain was bitten by a poisonous snake last night and is very ill." Even though they couldn't get the call for help through by radio communication, God knew their need and sent me in answer to their prayers. Incidentally, the captain is Colimor's brother, who of course was very concerned. We quickly loaded the captain into the airplane and took off for Santa Elena and the hospital. He is back home now, thankful to God and the mission plane service. Truly, "Before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." A big thanks to all of you who make these flights possible. Bob &...
Hi, We have been back home in Venezuela for two weeks now, but I haven't taken the time to let you know because I've been busy with many flights. We had a good trip down, leaving on Sunday, July 8, and getting here on Thursday afternoon just as the rain started coming down. I taxied up into the hanger where we had to wait for some time before it let up enough so we could walk to our house. The next morning I was in the air, heading out after a girl that had been bitten by a snake. Everyone in the Gran Sabana is very happy to have us back and have their plane flying again. In the few days since we've been back I've flown 16 patients out for help. A big thank you for your prayers, and continue to uphold us to God. So far since we've been back all is quiet with the government. His in Service, Bob &...
Hi everyone, Let me update you a bit on how things are going in Venezuela. I've had many emergency flights the past several months! As I mentioned before, we were 8 months without an airplane, and so when we finally got the Cessna 182 ready to fly I've been swamped with flights. Yet God has been holding us in His hand and protecting us. With His help we've been able to do more work during the last 6 months than in any year so far. I want to thank each one of you for your support and prayers. Without your help it would not have been possible. The first of May it was time to come to the US for Neiba's son Josiah's graduation. As I was making the last few flights before we left the question everyone asked was, "How soon are you going to be back?" Since our mission plane is the only hope the villagers have to get help when I am not there people die. On my last flight to a village, where there have been many problems, the nurse who lives there came out to the airstrip. With tears in her eyes she thanked me for coming yet again to pick up another patient. She reached up and slipped a beautiful necklace she had made over my head. "Keep this in the airplane to remind you of our village. I know you have to leave, but please come back soon!" How can I not hurry back? There are so many villages needing our help. It was with a heavy heart that I took off...
Hi, I know it has been a long time since I've written and told you how things are going here in Venezuela. It's been hectic and more stressful than I like, ha! We are still working on obtaining permits to buy auto gas. However, through all of this I can see God working to protect and help us to hold on and I believe that He is in control. Here is a little update since the plane started flying the end of November. I have flown over 370 hours, taking 125 patients out to the hospital and 65 back home. (Some are still recovering and others walked back.) Also medical teams have been flown into 20 villages where over 1,000 people have been treated. Flights have been made to take malaria teams into various villages so they could spray the mosquitoes and help control the outbreak of malaria. Besides the medical work I've flown radio technicians into 3 villages to install new radios, providing a means of communication when someone needs help without someone having to walk for hours to a village that has a radio. Then there have been flights to move lay workers and pastors from village to village. Now, let me tell you about yesterday, which illustrates the way so many of my days go. I had a short flight leaving at 8:00 to take a patient home and drop off the technician to install another radio. I planned to be home long before noon and get caught up with the paper work—ugh! The radio tech was late, but...
The following description and insight about the visit to the primitive Pijiguaos Indians for a dental clinic is shared by Brian McDonald. Last week, part of the AMA team was privileged to work with the remote Pijiguaos Indians. Bob Norton, Brian, Evan and Dr. Veronica flew in the C-182 from Ciudad Bolivar to Pijiguaos. After arriving the group was met by a local Pastor and a Land Rover taxi service. The Land Rover became quickly packed with people ready to help with the dental clinic. About 13 people in all. After 45 minutes they turned off the main road. Then, the group traveled by a muddy dirt road for 20-30 minutes. Inside the cab people were bouncing and bobbing this way and that. Outside the mud was slinging, and very HOT! Since roads are not always good, and are often impassable without a good 4-wheel drive, Toyota is a great way to travel in Venezuela. The Indian people were very inquisitive about the new arrivals. The women hid themselves on the other side of the church building, but could be seen peeking around the corner. They were very shy, but very interested in the missionary group. The men were not as shy as the women they would approach, but cautiously. The women wore little cloth skirts, and beads around their necks. Many women walked around bare-chested and nursing little babies. There were many little children in the village. The men wore what might be described as orange underwear. A long piece of cloth perhaps 3-4 ft long, with two large tassels on each end. They wrap this around, and...
The following report about a dental visit to the primitive Pijiguaos Indians is shared by Venezuelan dentist Veronica Duque. Adventist Medical Aviation has once again brought the satisfaction of seeing healthy smiles on the faces of Indigenous children, making the efforts worthwhile. During the month of November, 2006 we made dental visits seven remote villages in the Gran Sabana region of Venezuela, among which the shy Pijiguaos people live. AMA is just beginning to work with this tribe. Dental care in these places is badly needed, mainly because of recent changes resulting poor diet practices. Instead of their original high fiber diets, they now consume a lot of sugar and other refined foods. This has resulted in many cavities and toothless children at a young age. This trend can be turned around by teaching good dietary habits as well as proper dental care. We worked mainly on children ages 3 to 18, although many adults needed our services as well. We focused primarily on prevention, teaching them the basics of dental hygiene. We also applied fluoride and pulled teeth that were badly decayed. Eventually we hope to acquire portable dental equipment, which will enable us to do more complicated procedures, such as tooth restorations, which will help improve their overall health. A total of 320 patients received dental care, of which more than half were children. I’m grateful to God for the abilities and gifts He has given us so we can serve others. Thousands of persons on this planet are seeking health, love and happiness. The Divine Physician provides these things, and we are only instruments in His...
