Transportation Answers

An update from our SITAG colleagues A and J:

"Thank you for praying with us about how to get to the village. We have been praying too and considering options. When we last wrote, we told you about two options. There was one option we did not mention. It consists of a 35 minute flight in a small plane and then a 45 minute motor boat ride. Domestic flights here are extremely expensive, and so we normally don't even consider this an option. In addition, I have been told that it is not safe to fly in a non-pressurized while pregnant, so this trip, we did not think it was an option at all.

"However, we have been told by a doctor that it is okay because the plane takes off and lands at sea level and doesn't have time in 35 minutes to get very high. So, even though it is non-pressurized, the altitude won't be much more than 5,000-8,000 feet.

"Based on the doctor's report and the fact that God has provided the finances to go by plane this trip, we have booked tickets to go out on Monday. We have not bought return tickets as we are still trying to determine if the road will be passable for the return trip.

"We sent our supplies - food and fuel - out on the ship on Wednesday evening because you cannot carry much at all on the plane. It will arrive in the village this evening (Thursday, Jan. 13). However, that brings up another prayer request. Despite many attempts, we have been unable to contact our translator David to let him know that there is stuff coming on the ship or that we are coming by plane. Please pray that our stuff makes it off the ship when it arrives in the village. This is a challenge because David doesn't know to go and meet the ship and retrieve the stuff. The ship will arrive back in town on Sunday morning. We will go down to check to see if our supplies are still on the ship. If they are, it will be nearly impossible for us to go on the plane on Monday since we will not have any food or cooking fuel or fuel for the motor boat in the village and no way to get them there.

"We have see God provide in many ways for us to get out to the village this time. We are praying and trusting that our stuff makes it to the village so that we too can go to the village."