Participants: Narrator: Bill La Bore
Series Code: OTG
Program Code: OTG000035A
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00:01 Adventist World Aviation
00:02 has a mission outpost in Guyana, South America, 00:05 servicing the northwestern part of the country 00:07 with Aviation Services, such as medivacs, 00:11 delivering supplies, and spreading the gospel. 00:15 This mission outpost has been in existence 00:17 for well over 10 years now and just thriving. 00:20 They use airplanes as a vital tool 00:23 to serve the local Guyanese people 00:25 and share the love of Jesus with them. 00:29 There is such a great need for emergency flights 00:31 from deep in the jungle that they need two aircrafts 00:35 to keep up with the flight request demands. 01:29 The LaBore family lives in a very remote area 01:32 in the northwestern part of Guyana. 01:35 This region is completely isolated 01:37 from the rest of Guyana by lush jungles and rivers. 01:42 There are no road systems 01:44 from where they live to Georgetown, 01:46 the capital of Guyana. 01:49 Everything they need to maintain their project 01:51 must be flown in, including parts to repair 01:54 their motor vehicles. 01:56 Although their land travel 01:58 is limited to short distances near their outpost, 02:01 having ground transportation for their ministry is vital. 02:06 Living in Mabaruma, 02:08 you pretty much live a reactive life 02:10 where you have a plan for the day. 02:13 Let's say you get out of bed, you say, okay, 02:14 I'm going to do this, this and this today. 02:16 Part of that day might involve a vehicle, you know, 02:19 like your truck or whatever the case may be 02:21 and you go out in the truck and start to drive 02:23 and all sudden something happens and it breaks 02:25 and now everything is turned upside down. 02:27 Or the motorcycle won't start. 02:30 And so what do you do with that? 02:33 Or you go to run the generator so you can work at your desk, 02:36 do computer work and generator won't start, 02:39 you know, there's... 02:41 You're out of fuel, you got to go down 02:42 to the market to buy fuel, 02:43 which takes about an hour of your day to go get 02:45 a five gallon fuel tank filled. 02:47 Adventist World Aviation projects 02:49 are very important, but their ministry 02:52 is not solely concentrated on medivac flights. 02:57 Spreading the good news of God's love 02:59 is the most important. 03:01 A large part of the Guyana project 03:03 involves conducting Bible studies 03:07 and church services in outlying villages. 03:10 AWA must have dependable vehicles 03:13 to transport the missionaries. 03:16 However, this is easier said than 03:18 done in this road terrain of Guyana. 03:22 The road conditions are tough on vehicles, 03:26 and they need frequent maintenance 03:27 to keep them rolling. 03:29 A broken-down vehicle can really upset 03:32 the missionary's plans for the day or week. 03:37 Last week, Bill LaBore noticed 03:39 the fault before truck was making 03:41 some unusual sounds. 03:43 After a quick assessment, 03:45 he determined that they needed 03:47 to change the shocks on the truck. 03:49 Laura flew the needed parts back from Georgetown 03:53 and today Bill is taking the truck in for repairs. 03:57 Well, when we first moved out here, 03:59 we didn't really have any transportation at all, 04:01 we used public transportation and buses. 04:04 At that time, there's only about four 04:05 or five vehicles in all of Mabaruma. 04:08 And, but after about six months 04:12 or so maybe a year we got when the Wickwires over here, 04:15 we acquired an Arctic Prowler, which is a little ATV vehicle. 04:20 And we work that thing to the max. 04:23 And sometimes we carry as much 04:25 as 12 to 13 people on that thing, 04:27 that's only built for four. 04:29 Just so we can get around 04:31 and we have to do Sabbath school, 04:33 great Sabbath school programs near or so. 04:36 Now also hauling cargo back 04:38 and forth to the airstrip have it loaded up, 04:40 we have some two or three trips 04:41 sometimes to get everything back to the house. 04:44 And then it became readily apparent 04:46 that we had to get a real vehicle, you know, 04:49 like a 4x4 because this just wasn't happening. 04:52 The project was getting busier, doing a lot more flights. 04:56 So we just had to do it, 04:58 so we put out the feeler out there for people 05:01 that might be interested in supporting such project 05:03 and the Lord moved people's hearts 05:06 and we receive some pretty major donations 05:08 for the vehicle. 05:10 And then we purchased this one, 05:12 has been a tremendous blessing to us. 05:14 In fact, it's become irreplaceable. 05:16 I don't know how we'd survive without it anymore. 05:20 It would be very difficult. 05:21 The roads in this village are horribly neglected. 05:25 The potholes are so terrible that it's impossible 05:29 to drive more than 20 miles an hour. 05:32 The abuse that the road places on vehicles 05:35 is very destructive. 05:37 However, the missionaries have no choice 05:40 and they must travel on these roads 05:42 and continue to spread 05:43 the message of Jesus Christ's love. 05:47 Back in colonial days, back in prior to the 60s, 05:52 and they put asphalt roads in here and, 05:55 but they have not maintained them 05:56 so what they do during the rainy season, 06:01 potholes develop everywhere. 06:03 And they're deep, and they're very, very hard 06:06 on all the vehicles here. 06:08 Now when the rainy season ends 06:09 and they put in with actually this rock that they dig up, 06:13 that's only lasts for a month or two 06:15 and then it goes right back to the way it was. 06:18 Which is why the springs 06:19 of our vehicle are currently broke 06:21 because, you know, 06:22 driving on this, this terrain 06:24 is very, very punishing for suspension systems 06:27 on automobiles. 06:29 So it's a very rough terrain. 06:31 This is nothing, I mean, you go out to like Wona, 06:34 one of the villages we work in, that road is just, well, 06:39 it's better than it used to be, but it's still horrible road. 06:42 And anywhere else we drive out this community is, 06:45 it's much worse. 06:46 So, yeah, vehicle doesn't last too long 06:49 without maintenance. 06:51 Bill arrives at the local mechanics home 06:53 and asked him to take a look at the AWA truck. 06:57 Bill shows him the parts 06:59 that he's acquired from Georgetown, 07:02 so they take a look at the undercarriage 07:04 of the vehicle to get a better assessment. 07:12 Doesn't look. Doesn't look good but... 07:17 The mechanic is surprised by what he sees and gives Bill, 07:20 the bad news. 07:22 Brother Bill, this is not spring. 07:29 It's not spring. 07:32 What is it? Chassis damaged. 07:36 The noise Bill had been hearing 07:38 is not due to bad shock absorbers, 07:41 rather the problem is with the chassis. 07:44 Now the chassis is the basic frame 07:47 of a motor vehicle, the outer structural framework. 07:50 Look here. 07:51 This big piece break right here. 07:52 Oh, yes. 07:56 Brother, this whole thing breaks off here. 08:01 You see it? Yeah, I do. 08:03 Yeah, I see the break right there. 08:05 This whole thing here, break off from here. 08:08 Traveling over these rough roads 08:10 has caused the chassis to crack. 08:13 This is not a simple repair, 08:15 nor can they just swap out a part. 08:18 This is a major repair on the vehicle. 08:21 The terrible condition of these roads 08:23 can literally destroy a motor vehicle. 08:27 Bill and the mechanic talk over the options 08:29 they have to take care of this problem. 08:34 We got to lift this whole cab. 08:36 Okay, lift it up all the way. 08:39 And then what do you do? 08:41 Weld it over here. Weld it? 08:43 Yeah. Do you think you can fix it? 08:45 Yes. Now we got to strengthen it. 08:49 Yeah. But why it break? 08:51 Oh, why did it break? That's the big question. 08:53 Well, I can tell you, 08:55 I might have an idea why it broke... 08:57 Weight? Maybe. 08:58 Weight. Too much of weight. 09:00 I have been carrying like 09:01 20 some kids in to the Sabbath school. 09:03 Wow. 09:04 They are little kids, but there, 09:06 yeah, it's too much weight. 09:07 A part of this vehicle's problem 09:09 has to do with Sabbath services in the outlying churches. 09:14 Each week, the LaBores pack as many young people 09:17 as they can into this 4x4 09:20 and take them to Sabbath school. 09:23 They often have more than 09:25 20 people packed into the truck. 09:28 The young children are eager to go to church, 09:30 and this truck is their only hope 09:32 of reaching church. 09:35 The LaBores do not have the heart 09:36 to turn any of them away. 09:38 So they load them up 09:40 as many people as possible and travel to church. 09:45 Basically, the frame of our vehicle has broken 09:48 in the back, is cracked. 09:50 And so that's what's been 09:51 bouncing up and down as we drive. 09:53 So you know, what do you do? 09:54 You're out here, you can't go buy parts in Mabaruma. 09:56 You've got to bring everything in from Georgetown 09:58 and this is actually more 10:00 of a welding thing that needs to be done. 10:02 Luckily, there's a mechanic here that has a welder. 10:05 Bill and the mechanic talk over the details of the repair. 10:09 It's a disappointing shock to Bill to find that 10:12 this repair is much more extensive 10:14 than he had previously thought. 10:17 The repair will take 10:18 the truck out of service for several days. 10:21 So Bill must adapt, revise his plans 10:25 as he often must do in this environment. 10:28 As the mechanic examines the undercarriage, 10:31 he explains to Bill how this damage was caused. 10:46 So you think pulling the trailer 10:48 actually could have done that? 10:49 Yeah. 10:51 You know like, plenty of weight. 10:53 The work being done 10:54 at the project frequently requires 10:56 that they tow a tool trailer with the 4x4 to the airstrip, 11:01 where they do maintenance and repairs on the aircraft. 11:06 The extra weight combined with bouncing on a road 11:09 riddled with potholes has over time 11:13 put too much strain on the frame of the vehicle. 11:17 As it is now, the truck is not in usable condition. 11:22 Bill discusses the plan further with the mechanic. 11:25 For now they'll take the vehicle home, 11:27 bring it back on Sunday, 11:30 when the mechanic can start repairs. 11:33 The vehicle will be out of service for several days. 11:37 But these seasoned missionaries 11:39 have learned how to adapt to these unexpected events 11:43 and will continue their ministry 11:45 for the Lord in spite of the problems and delays. 11:50 So we just brought the vehicle over. 11:52 I thought it was a broken spring. 11:55 I was originally told 11:56 and I got the parts in from Georgetown 11:58 which we have to fly in basically 12:00 and just discovered after he took a closer look 12:02 at the actual chassis 12:03 in the back is cracked and broken. 12:07 It's a major job and we have to lift 12:09 the vehicle up to weld the spot, 12:11 weld and reinforce the chassis, hopefully it's going to work. 12:16 It comes down to it, we're just, 12:18 we're doing too much with it, 12:19 we have so much work to do here. 12:21 And honestly, with carrying things 12:22 and people and dealing with a very rough road 12:25 that is very hard on vehicles. 12:26 And plus, we use this vehicle to haul our trailer out 12:29 to the airport for maintenance, 12:31 which we have to do every month or so. 12:34 And basically that trailer is loaded with tools 12:37 and a compressor and all those things. 12:38 We had to haul all that out to the airstrip 12:40 because we haven't got a hangar yet. 12:42 And that also is hard on the vehicle 12:43 because this particular vehicle I just discovered is not built 12:46 for necessarily carrying heavy trailers. 12:49 Even though we have a hitch that we welded on the back. 12:52 So that's all not good news. 12:54 But mechanic was just telling me, 12:56 you can fix it one day on Sunday doing some welding 12:59 and maybe we'll be back on line by Monday. 13:02 But we're waiting to get approval. 13:04 We have approval, 13:05 a verbal approval for the hangar 13:07 at the airstrip here in Mabaruma. 13:08 So we're just waiting to get documents for the land 13:11 and make the application 13:12 so we can get approval to build. 13:14 And then Lord willing, we'll get a hangar built 13:17 and we don't have to haul the trailer anymore. 13:19 Logistics and transportation are vital 13:21 when working in this region in Guyana. 13:24 Having reliable transportation is key. 13:28 Without it, the missionaries' ministry 13:30 would be severely handicapped. 13:32 Adventist World Aviation 13:33 does so much more than fly airplanes. 13:37 In Guyana, the AWA project is constantly busy 13:40 with ongoing ministry to villages 13:43 that can be reached 13:44 within the area of ground transportation. 13:48 These outreach efforts are effective ways to connect 13:51 with the local Guyanese to develop friendships, 13:55 and ultimately share the love of Jesus with them. 13:59 As the project is growing which it has been, 14:02 the demand for vehicles is getting greater. 14:04 Our ministry is expanding out to areas that are now 14:06 just not in Mabaruma. 14:08 But like I give Bible studies at a place called Barberry Hill 14:11 which is about a 20-minute drive from here, 14:14 up through a rugged hill to get up to the area 14:16 where these people are at. 14:17 And, you know, 14:20 it just really abuses the vehicle 14:23 to do that kind of driving all the time. 14:24 And, so we have downtime, and then what do we do? 14:42 Well, I've always said that you can fly all day, 14:44 but if you don't win anybody to Christ, 14:47 what are we doing here? 14:48 And in the beginning 14:50 we were set up to be the helpers 14:52 or the providers for missionaries 14:55 that were here working. 14:56 We don't have anybody here 14:58 that's here just working as a missionary. 15:00 And so, we found ourselves doing double duty. 15:03 We see such a need, everywhere we look, 15:05 there's, it's almost overwhelming. 15:07 With all the needs and all the opportunities, 15:10 things are just ripe here. 15:11 Since the main mode of ground transportation, 15:15 the AWA 4x4 truck is out of commission, 15:19 the missionaries are limited to the work they can do. 15:23 Rather than sit idly by 15:24 and wait for the repairs to the finished, 15:27 Bill and Laura use their creative skills 15:31 and devise a plan. 15:34 You see a few miles away there's a small village 15:36 called Cober Emo. 15:40 There are no roads leading to it. 15:43 It is situated on top of a hill 15:46 that is completely surrounded by water. 15:49 The only access to this village is 15:51 by traveling the muddy water canals 15:53 and dugout canoes, 15:55 and that's just what Bill and Laura plan to do. 15:59 They packed up some medical supplies 16:02 and clothing to give away 16:04 and loaded into the wobbly canoes. 16:08 It's been pouring rain all day. 16:10 But that doesn't slow the missionaries down. 16:13 Today's ministry is a new adventure 16:16 and they're excited to see what lies ahead of them. 16:20 Bill and Laura will need 16:22 to practice their balancing skills today. 16:25 These canoes can be tipped over very easily. 16:29 Thankfully, they have two experienced 16:31 helpers with them 16:33 that will guide the boats down the river. 16:36 The native boy paddling Laura down the river is excited to be 16:40 bringing aid to his village. 16:43 According to him, 16:45 no visitors have ever come to this village before. 16:49 The team continues downriver, 16:52 building anticipation what awaits them. 16:56 Guyana is nicknamed the land of many waters. 17:01 And it is rightfully labeled so. 17:04 Much of the area here in northwest Guyana is riddled 17:07 with waterways and swampy jungle. 17:11 Traveling down the river reminds the LaBores 17:14 just how important airplane travel 17:17 is here in Guyana. 17:19 Thousands of villagers live 17:21 in remote communities just like this. 17:24 And because the swampy dense landscape, 17:28 they have no way to reach them other than by air or by water. 17:34 This trip reaffirms 17:35 the great blessing of Mission Aviation 17:37 to help spread the gospel here in Guyana. 17:43 As they come around the last bend, 17:44 they see the first sign of community. 17:48 On the banks of the waterway is a simple port, 17:51 where they will dock their canoes. 18:00 After disembarking, 18:02 the missionaries must make 18:03 the rest of their journey on foot. 18:06 Their first stop is to find the home of the village leader 18:10 and ask for permission to visit his village. 18:14 It doesn't take long to track down the village elder 18:17 and she invites the missionaries into her home. 18:21 They first explained to her who they are, 18:24 and that they want nothing 18:26 more than to help the local villagers. 18:29 She graciously agrees 18:30 and excitedly asks to be Laura's first patient. 18:35 Laura is blessed to be a pilot and a nurse. 18:41 Getting to the local medical clinic 18:42 in town is not an option for many of these villagers. 18:46 The journey is too difficult to make. 18:48 Doctors do not make house calls in Guyana. 18:52 So most of these remote villages 18:54 simply go without medical care. 18:58 Having someone traveled to their village 19:00 and offer simple medical exams as they are doing today 19:04 is very meaningful to these villages. 19:08 Laura does a simple physical examination, 19:12 beginning with taking blood pressures 19:14 and blood sugars. 19:17 She talks to them about ways to remain healthy, 19:20 and the need to drink plenty of clean water. 19:25 After she examines everyone in the house, 19:28 Laura opens a bag of donated clothing, 19:31 and distributes dresses and skirts to all the ladies. 19:36 Before they continue to the next home, 19:39 Bill cannot pass up the opportunity 19:42 to have prayer with this household. 19:44 Lord, thank You for this family. 19:46 Thank You for the opportunity for me today 19:48 and so that their health is really good, 19:50 Lord, thank You for that. 19:53 And now that they finished their contact in this home, 19:56 they pack up their supplies and head toward the next house. 19:59 Since it's raining, they cannot invite 20:01 all the villagers to come out to them in an open field. 20:06 So Bill Laura and Arnold 20:07 must travel by foot in the rain 20:10 through the muddy swamp trails as they visit each house. 20:15 A short distance down the trail they come to an open hut. 20:20 This simple structure is all that 20:22 this elderly man can claim as his home. 20:25 Laura, undeterred, kindly asks if she can come in 20:30 and do a simple medical examination. 20:33 She tries together a brief medical history. 20:36 However, his answers are quite vague. 20:40 She soon discovers that 20:41 this man has never been to a clinic before 20:45 and has clinically high blood pressure. 20:49 But sadly, he ran out of his medication 20:52 and doesn't have a way to get into town to get more. 20:57 He's too old and weak 20:58 to make the journey on a regular basis. 21:01 So he frequently goes without any type of medications. 21:06 Laura finishes her exam and verifies that 21:10 he does indeed have high blood pressure. 21:14 By looking at his home, 21:16 it's easier to see that this man doesn't have 21:18 very much money and his health is failing. 21:22 He lives alone here in his hut. 21:25 It's clear that he needs help. 21:28 So they talk amongst themselves to try 21:31 and find a way to get medications 21:34 to this man more consistently. 21:37 Before they leave, 21:39 Bill praised blessing over this man 21:43 and asks God for healing and strength. 21:49 They have a busy afternoon ahead of them 21:51 and still quite a few more stops to make. 21:54 They follow the trail along with. 21:56 Soon may find the next homestead 21:58 and are welcomed into out of the rain. 22:01 Laura introduces herself 22:03 as she begins her physical examination. 22:06 So I'm one of the captains for positioning. 22:09 You? 22:11 But before I was a captain, I was a nurse. 22:13 So I like to go and do some nursing 22:15 because I never, you know, 22:17 I get tired of just flying, 22:18 I like to go and do nursing too. 22:21 128 over 64. Nice. 22:24 Perfect. Very good. 22:27 So ladies take some time 22:29 and chat about their life here in their village. 22:32 Laura gets to know them and a friendship is formed. 22:36 Bill and Arnold also take the time 22:37 to talk to the men waiting for their medical examination. 22:42 This simple home has become a place 22:45 where ministry and love are flourishing. 22:48 Laura again passes out dresses 22:50 and skirts for the women that live here. 22:54 It's evident that 22:55 they don't have much in this world's goods, 22:58 but Laura's happy to share what she has with them. 23:04 These items were donated by people in the United States 23:08 and shipped down in barrels 23:09 to be distributed to those in need. 23:13 Laura also has small stuffed toys 23:16 for the young children. 23:28 Soon more people from this household show up 23:31 and also want examinations. 23:34 It seems everyone in this house is fit 23:37 and in good health. 23:38 One gentleman tells Laura of a household 23:41 that has many sick people living in it, 23:43 not far distance from here. 23:47 Before they leave this home, 23:49 they again offer a prayer and thanksgiving to God. 23:53 The villagers feel very honored 23:55 to have the missionaries visit them, 23:58 and it is evident they are truly touched. 24:01 Thank you so much for this skirt. 24:03 We are happy about everything. 24:05 We thank you for everything. 24:08 AWA missionaries venture out into the rain again, 24:13 in search of this needy home 24:15 that has many sick people living in it. 24:24 It isn't hard to find 24:26 and Laura immediately starts her physical exams. 24:30 You ain't never gone to clinic? 24:33 Well now, the clinic has come to you. 24:39 The people living in this house 24:40 have never been seen by a doctor. 24:43 They simply live too remotely. 24:46 As you look out the window of this simple one room home 24:50 from this hilltop vantage point, 24:53 all you can see for miles is jungle treetops. 24:59 Going to town especially 25:00 when one is sick just isn't an option 25:03 for most of these people. 25:05 They live in a location that's completely isolated. 25:09 Having medical help come to them 25:12 truly is a blessing. 25:14 Since they have never seen a doctor 25:16 nor received any medical education, 25:19 they don't have much knowledge about 25:20 how to live a healthy life. 25:24 Simple things like not smoking cigarettes, 25:28 and the importance of drinking only clean water 25:32 aren't common knowledge for these people. 25:35 Laura and Bill take the time to talk to them 25:38 and educate them on ways that 25:39 they can live healthier lifestyles. 25:43 One by one, they see each of the people. 25:46 Thankfully none of them are in serious condition. 25:50 The team still has enough clothing left 25:53 to pass out to all the folk that have gathered. 25:56 After more health education and a prayer blessing, 25:59 the AWA missionary team 26:02 check to see if there are any more homes 26:04 in this village that need help. 26:08 As they make their rounds, they stop house by house, 26:13 talking, praying and giving medical exams 26:16 with anyone that will accept. 26:19 They are thorough, making sure not a single house is missed. 26:25 Opportunities like this show villagers 26:28 the power of God's love. 26:30 Hallelujah. 26:33 It wasn't easy for our team to get to this village today. 26:38 In fact, they were told that 26:39 this was the first visitors 26:42 they had ever seen in that village. 26:45 Friends, this is the mission of Adventist World Aviation 26:50 to share God's love to the most remote 26:53 and isolated locations on this planet. 26:58 While logistic transportation is a large part of AWA's work, 27:03 it isn't the only focus. 27:06 Today's adventure is proof 27:09 that the number one goal of Adventist World Aviation 27:12 is to help people 27:15 whenever and wherever they are. 27:19 Sometimes that's accomplished with the help of aircraft. 27:23 Sometimes it's accomplished by using ground vehicles. 27:28 And sometimes like today, 27:31 it's accomplished by sheer determination 27:34 of dedicated people using canoes 27:37 and walking to reach isolated people 27:42 no matter how difficult the journey might be. 27:58 One of the things that 28:00 I really had my eyes open to when I first came to Guyana. 28:03 I always thought of missionaries as being people 28:05 that are out there pounding on doors 28:07 and just shoving Bibles down people's throats and, 28:09 you know, trying to get their message 28:11 and their agenda across to them. 28:13 And after I got down here, 28:14 I really realized that really isn't necessarily 28:16 what mission work is all about. 28:17 It is about sharing the gospel message. 28:20 But a lot of times a sermon lived 28:23 is worth much more than a sermon preached. 28:25 And when you go down, and you live among the people, 28:27 and you show them love, 28:29 you will show them Jesus Christ by living among them, 28:32 helping them with their difficulties 28:33 and their problems. 28:35 They will want to know more about what you know, 28:36 what makes you this way? 28:38 Why do you come here 28:39 and do these types of things for us? 28:41 And it gives you a chance 28:42 to tell them about the love of God. 28:43 And then Bible studies just follow naturally 28:45 because they want to understand more 28:46 about what you believe. 28:48 It's the greatest joy on earth and I can't imagine 28:51 why we as human beings don't do more of it. 28:54 But I can guarantee you coming to the mission field 28:56 and working in an area like this. 28:58 You get opportunities to do it every single day. 29:00 Your happiness batteries 29:02 get recharged each day you're here. 29:03 And, you know, and sharing your faith like 29:06 that strengthens your own faith. 29:08 And each day you discover more victory 29:10 and more success in your Christian walk. |
Revised 2020-07-21