New Airstrips

They are not necesarily new airstrips, but they are new to me. This week and next week is being filled with check out. Check out is the same thing as learning how to fly into new and different airstrips. Here is a picture of one of the strips that I am going to begin to fly to regularly.

A Very Sad First

My time here in Indonesia has been filled with "firsts." Most of my "firsts" are very happy, but today was a very sad and somewhat frustrating "first" for me. Today, I had a passenger pass away while flying in my airplane.

I got a call early this morning as I was dropping Lee off at the airport to return to America. I was told that there was a patient flight in Malinau. This patient was a woman having trouble in childbirth. Apparently there had been quite a bit of bleeding.

I arrived in Malinau and we quick loaded up the woman in labor along with her husband, sister, and a doctor. Then I took off to return to Tarakan so that she could get to the hospital. She died only about five minutes away from landing where there was an ambulance waiting.

I was pretty excited when we landed in Tarakan, because I was hoping there was still something that could be done for the woman or the baby. However, the doctor and ambulance crew said that it was just too late. There was nothing more that could be done.

It was a pretty sad experience, but I know that I did all that I could have possibly done. I also know that out of all the medical flights that I do, that occasionally this will happen. It's good to know however, how much our flying usually does help the people interior. I realize how many successful medical flights that I have done, and for that I give thanks.

Please pray for the family involved. Having just had my wife go through childbirth, I can imagine just a little bit what this husband feels.

Lee's Fly Along

While Lee was staying with us he was able to fly along with me one day. The bad thing was that we had horrible weather the day Lee flew along, so I wasn't able to show him the places that I wanted to.

Lee couldn't resist taking his picture with this sign. MAF is not the same as Borneo Air Transport, but it does make for a good picture.

Granddaddy's Birthday

We are so glad that we could be a part of Leland's birthday this year.

We got him a hand carved airplane, that was made by a Indonesian friend of ours.

Julia at Eleven Days Old

Well, we made it back to Tarakan. We are now settling back into our normal life. We are so glad to be home.

By the way, Julia has the biggest mouth ever when she yawns. Check out her yawning in the picture.

Returning to Tarakan

Please pray for us.

I will be flying out to Jakarta tomorrow, leaving Laura and Julia with her parents. I have to have a flight physical, and I won't be able to return to Tarakan until Wednesday.

Laura, Julia and her parents will fly to Tarakan from Singapore on Wednesday. They will be taking a more direct route.

Please pray that Julia's passport will come in the time that we were told it would, and pray that we will be able to get them tickets for the last leg of the trip from Balikpapan to Tarakan.

Thanks