PK thought it would be a fun idea to have the one person who is scared to fly write about our trip yesterday. So that would be me, Amy Freehoff!!!
We headed early to the New Tribes Missions hanger where our pilots and two tiny planes awaited us. Most everyone on the team could not wait to hop in and get going. In fact, I’m pretty sure I saw Kyle jumping up and down with excitement. Before we could leave we all had to weigh in. In the process it was pointed out by the nice missionary man that I was the largest girl in the group. That makes for a healthy self esteem.

Just being up in that airplane and flying over PNG will be something that I think we all remember. It was beautiful. You could see rivers, lakes, waterfalls, small remote villages, and a lot of green. I couldn’t help but be in awe of the Creator and His creation.
Landing in the bush was an adventure! I had heard stories of these “runways”. (Golf course fairway is a better description.) I’m pretty sure I heard the pilot say he cut the engine for the plane to slow down enough to avoid crashing into the mountain at the end of the runway. When we arrived the whole village was waiting to great us. They were dressed traditional costume with spears in hand. Just kidding!
After spending the morning with these missionaries you begin to realize the sacrifices they have made to be where they are. These are locations that extended families will almost certainly never visit. When their children become teenagers they leave for boarding school and live with dorm parents. The work that they have committed their lives to is a 15-20 year process. What came to mind is 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 …you are not your own, you were bought at a price. They truly are not their own. Before we left I just thanked my new friend for being willing to answer the call God had put on their lives.
As the rain came and it was time to go “while it was still safe to fly” I looked around taking in every sight and smell hoping that I would never forget what I had experienced that day.