It started as a normal day. There were several hours of flying to be flown delivering workers to their remote outposts. A nursing sister from the nearby Sopas Mission Hospital was invited to come along for a day’s break from her regular duties.
The longest leg of the day’s flying was to deliver a couple to Daru Island on the Papuan coast near Indonesia which was a two-hour stretch. It was to be a busy day. Thus I was down at the airstrip at 7 a.m., checking the plane and fuelling the two tanks. I estimated our total flying would be close to three hours and my two full tanks would give four and a half hours flying endurance. This gave us one and a half hours reserve flying time which I considered sufficient. Little did I know what lay ahead!
The weather this morning was good. Some cloud lingered in the valleys that would soon burn off as the sun heated the earth. But the peaks were clear so I had no trouble navigating. After stopping at Wabag to pick up the nursing sister, Jan Fleming, I set course for Nomad River, where a small grass airstrip had been carved out of the dense lowland jungle of northwestern Papua New Guinea. A small group of two or three thousand cannibal natives lived in this isolated area. They were in desperate need of the gospel.
Number One
I traversed the mighty mountains of the hinterland and easily found the grass strip nestled beside the river after which it is named, at the foot of the inland mountains. Though far from the coast, the area was flat and swampy. When in the circuit preparing to land I contacted Air Traffic Control by radio. When I advised them I was about to land they told me the airstrip was closed due to heavy rain during the night. They would report on its condition at noon when it would probably be opened. It was disappointing news as I had a faithful worker to leave there. This was delay number one that ate into my reserve fuel.
Number Two
As I had several hours to wait, I flew to Tari, the nearest airstrip, 20 minutes’ flying away. Being anxious to reach Daru as early as possible to avoid the usual afternoon storms, I took off from Tari a little before noon. When over Nomad River and giving my report, I was told they had received no report on the condition of the surface of the airstrip. I buzzed the station at low level to wake them up and after half an hour I was advised I could land. This was the second delay that further diminished my fuel reserve.
Number Three
After letting my passenger off, I set course for Daru Island. I still had a reasonable reserve of fuel and felt no concern although I would have been happier with more. But as I neared the coast I could see an ominous black mass of cloud right across my pathway. What to do? I decided to keep on track and see if I could find a track beneath or around this giant storm. I knew I could not challenge it head-on and fly through it, as I had a healthy respect for these colossal masses of energy that could tear to pieces larger planes than mine and scatter the broken bits on the earth like confetti.
Firstly I flew into the intensive deluge at tree top height but soon backed away as visibility was very limited. Then I tried to fly around it. I headed out to sea but soon tired of being pushed farther and farther out to sea. I reluctantly decided I could not reach Daru until the storm moved away. This caused a further eroding of my dwindling fuel reserve.
At this stage I knew I had a serious problem and would have to find somewhere to land quickly. I had noticed a small airstrip belonging to another mission about 20 miles back. I reduced my engine power to conserve my fuel. But the weather over the whole area had deteriorated with smaller storm cells dropping their rain and restricting visibility.
With deep concern I watched the hands of the two fuel gauges creep into the red as a warning that I had little flying time left. I told Jan to keep praying while I concentrated on the flying. She hardly needed to be told! I declared an emergency to Air Traffic Control in case I had to make an emergency landing which would be disastrous in this forbidding country.
Number Four
The Western Delta country, as it is called, is low, swampy land covered with trees. Beneath their foliage is an ideal environment for the lethal malarial mosquitoes to breed. Coupled with this threat was a liberal sprinkling of crocodiles fiercely looking for a meal. What a combination, these death-dealing mosquitoes and hungry, vicious crocodiles! But Jan continued to pray with complete trust in her Lord.
I was flying at about 200 feet, close to the tree tops. We missed the airstrip in the reduced visibility and turned back. Finally I caught a glimpse of it. As I joined the circuit to land I wondered if my engine would stutter and stop. But it didn’t.
Finally I felt the wheels rumble along the sodden strip. Safe at last! What a relief — and “thank You, thank You, Lord. You are so gracious to your children.” Jan said she never doubted we would find the airstrip.
All in a day’s work
This is all in a day’s work for a flying missionary, but I would prefer to do without experiences like this! Nevertheless I must add this is the very reason we pray before each flight. When we need special help we have a peace that tells us He is right beside us. So often I have had a warm feeling around my heart and an inner peace that is very sustaining.
My dear friends, may I encourage you to continue praying for all missionaries, whatever may be their duties. And as Cromwell said to his soldiers, “Pray, but keep your powder dry.” We need to match our faith with appropriate action.
The Quiet Hour is admirably raising funds for another, more efficient plane to serve the needy mission field of Papua New Guinea. This is a worthy cause that deserves our full support. If only I could take you to see yourself these mission planes in action, I am sure your heart would be touched as you would see what wonderful things are being done to bodies and souls in their extreme needs.
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Watch the video, narrated by Len Barnard, that shows the people and places he writes about for The Quiet Hour’s aviation mission project. |
