Wings for Humanity

The Official Voice of Adventist World AviationVOL 18 | ISSUE 1 WINTER 2012Wings forHumanity:Flying the Sick &Injured P. 12dreamscome trueP. 6AlaskanoutreachP. 11God’ssignP. 19newvideographerP. 21UPCOMING EVENTS: First Annual Fly-In and Air Show

President’s Weather Report:AIRWAYSWINTER 2012PublisherAdventist World AviationAirWays is available free of chargeto interested subscribers.President/CEORic SwaningsonPresident@FlyAWA.orgConcept DesignBond DesignLayout & DesignMatt BrunsonSeminars Unlimited, Keene, TexasPrintingSeminars Unlimited, Keene, TexasEditorialElaine Washkuhn, Charlene West,Charlie YorkBoard of directorsTom Chapman (Chair),Paul Karmy, Mike Porter,Ric SwaningsonContactSend all inquiries or change ofaddress notices to:Adventist World Aviation9323 W. Greenfield Ave.West Allis, WI 53214-2733Phone: (414) 226-5195E-mail: info@flyawa.orgWebsite: www.flyawa.orgMission StatementAdventist World Aviationexists to provide aviation andcommunications support to thoseserving the physical, mental andspiritual needs of the unreached andforgotten peoples of the earth.Adventist World Avationis a 501(c)3 nonprofit missionarysendingagency. Funded by privatecontributions, AWA enablesmissionaries to reach the unreachedaround the world.In CanadaPlease send donations to:Wings for Humanity Foundation1281 Highway 33 EastKelowna, B.C. V1P 1M185432 2922 RR0001Come, Lord Jesus, Come!Can you believe this is the year2012? During the summer of1968, I remember wonderingwhat life would be like in the year2000. I would day dream of a futureof jet-pacs and hover cars. I would tryto imagine how old I would be in thatyear. Wow! I would be an old man—atthe age of 39.Later as I became familiar with Jesusand understood thatHe is coming soon,I couldn’t imaginethe earth lastingthis long! I wouldpreach His secondcoming?coming, and in mysermons I asked,“Do you think wewill see 2002?”“No,” was the response. I did noteither. I wasn’t setting dates—I justcouldn’t imagine the earth lasting thislong. My imagination didn’t go muchbeyond 2001. Nonetheless, here weare in 2012—and Jesus has yetto come!“What?” you may ask. “Could thatone reason be one person?”Yes! Imagine for a moment thatyou are a parent of many children—say ten. Do you love child numbernine any differently than childnumber four? Or child numberseven? What if all ten children werein trouble, in danger of losing theirlives? Without your rescue effortsthey would all die.Wouldn’t you do everything inyour power to save every last one?Or would you say, “I have threeof the ten, that’s good enough.Let’s get out of here; let’s end thisJesus has yet to come!Why is He delaying HisI can onlythink of one reason...miserable rescue mission andgo home.”Of course not! Me neither. I wouldnot stop my rescue until I knew Ihad exhausted every option before Icalled off the rescue mission.Jesus has called each of us to joinHim on His rescue mission to theworld.Adventist World Aviation is partof Jesus’ rescuemission. I believewith all my heartthat aviation is oneof the last ways inwhich we will beable to reach thosewho have not hadthe chance to knowJesus and Hiskindness or heard of our Savior’ssaving abilities.Doug Baker, principal of HeritageAcademy, once told me, “PastorRic, I believe with all my heart thataviation will be one of the last besttools Jesus will use to save thosewhich by no other means can bereached! It only makes sense!”The more I thought about thatthe more I believe he is right. Howelse can we reach those who livein remote villages or islands thatmay be unreachable except throughaviation? They need to hear aboutthe love of Jesus, that He is our LifeGiver, our God and our HeavenlyFather.With 2011 behind us (praisethe Lord) we are now facing newchallenges—the biggest beingfinancial needs.Every week desperate calls come2airways | Winter 2012www.FlyAWA.org

across my desk asking, “Can AWAhelp?” More often than not I sadlysay, “I am sorry; not yet, we simplydo not have the resources.”War torn countries like Sudan,developing countries like Brazil,isolated countries (islands) like theSolomon Islands all have needs formedical supplies, medical relief andthe simple touch of human kindness.There are many areas of the worldthat are cut off from civilization;they have no access to the dailythings we take for granted—cleandrinking water, medicines, food,clothing, and education. They alsoneed to hear about Jesus!AWA also has the need for moreplanes, aircraft parts, routinemaintenance on the planes and fuelto keep them flying. In addition,qualified mission pilots who arewilling to dedicate time for God‘srescue mission are desperatelyneeded—to become disciplesfor Him.As you read the stories andtestimonies in this issue of AirWaysyou can see that God is leading.Each one of our missionaries iscommitted to sharing God’s grace.So, with your continued prayersand financial support we know that2012 will be a great year of servicefor Jesus—because He is leading!The Bible tells us that Jesus willcome when every ear has heardabout Him.How about you? Will you help?May we count on your prayers andsupport for the challenges ahead?Come, Lord Jesus, come!Pastor Ric SwaningsonPresident/CEOcontentsIn this issue:4FloridaPreparing for disaster relief.5Nuts & BoltsWhat makes a plane fly?6Flight SchoolWith God dreams do cometrue, and more10Alaska UpdateIn Gambell, Alaska,friendship evangelismmeans using creative waysto connect with the locals.13GuyanaDoors opening wide.19PhilippinesSign from a male pheasant?www.FlyAWA.org Winter 2012 | airways 3

FLORIDAPreparing for DisasterRelief in FloridaAdam Lacek at the Florida AWA Office.Adam Lacek, the 23 year oldson (and only child) of Lorettaand Paul, was born in Orlando,Florida. He was raised primarilyas a Lutheran and hopping aroundfrom church to church searching forsomething better.Then, in 1999 when he was 12, heand his parents found themselvesattending a prophecy seminar at a localSeventh-day Adventist Church. At theconclusion of the seminar, the three ofthem were baptized.As a new Seventh-day Adventist, hebecame involved with Pathfinders andwent on several mission trips. It madea huge impression on his life when hemet people and saw how they livedwith so little, but were so happy.His passion for planes started justa few years ago, at the age of 21. Hewas given a seaplane ride as a birthdaypresent—and became hooked. Duringthe flight he talked with the pilot,who saw the excitement and passiongrow within Adam and suggested thatAdam learn how to work on airplanes.With this advice, Adam immediatelyenrolled in the National AviationAcademy and graduated in May 2011,receiving his A&P license.Adam and his mother, Loretta havea passion for disaster relief. They havedonated their time and equipment toFEMA, helping to provide ice, waterand food to victims. It is their desireto involve AWA in disaster relief,soliciting pilots from across the nationto volunteer their time and planes inorder to provide the necessary aid tovictims. By coordinating their effortsthrough AWA they will be able to workwith various local relief organizationsand local conference disaster reliefprograms.The Laceks operate their AWAprograms out of an office building inClermont, Florida and need qualifiedpilots for mission flights and disasterrelief programs, as well as volunteersto help organize fundraisers.We appreciate your prayers anddonations for their projects. Pleasemark your contributions “FloridaOutreach” and send them to AdventistWorld Aviation, P.O. Box 444,Sullivan, WI 53178-0444.– Adam Lacek4 4airways | Winter 2012www.FlyAWA.org

What Makes a Plane Fly?NUTS & BOLTSMany times, the first thingthat comes to mind whenthinking about aviation isgetting off the ground, soaring into thesky and getting away from earth for awhile. But what does it take to makean airplane fly?Most small aircraft require an annualinspection; if it flies for hire it musthave a 100 hour inspection, as well.So, let’s look at the annual inspectionand what it might involve and cost.First of all, an annual inspection isthe same as a 100 hour inspection. Tobegin an annual inspection the plane’sengine is started and various systemsare checked, such as cycling thepropeller and checking the magnetosto make sure they are workingproperly. The engine is run until it getsto normal operating temperatures; thenit is shut down and brought back intothe hanger (if one is available) for thecontinuation of the inspection. Theengine cowling is removed, the oil isdrained, and a compression test is doneto check the cylinders.Aviation oil costs approximately$6.00 a quart, and a midsize engineTom Edelstein (Blue Mountain Academyinstalls a new starter relay. See story pg. 9will take 12 quarts of oil. The oil filtercosts about $20.00. This equates toabout $92.00 for one oil change, andshould be done every 50 flight hours.Everything is then removed out ofthe aircraft—seats, carpet, and floorboards. This is so that things getlooked at and properly lubricated.The same processes are applied toOne of many AWA planes that are cared for by AWA’s mechanics.the wings and the tail—looking foranything that may not be correct. Thewheel bearings are also greased.When an annual inspection (or 100hour inspection) is done on a Cessna182, for example, it can take about18 hours and can cost about $65.00per hour. This equates to $1,170.00(excluding oil and any repairs).Some typical repairs or replacementsthat might be needed could includewheel bearings ($50.00 each), brakepads ($8.00 each), or tires ($150.00each).In addition to the annual inspections,engines need to be totally overhauledabout every 1,400 to 2,000 hours flownor 12 years (whichever comes first),and can cost about $35,000. Propellersare overhauled every 1,400 to 2,400hours depending on the model and cancost anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000.So, what does it take to make anairplane fly? Tender loving care andthe necessary funding.Airplanes can be a wonderful toolto share the message of Jesus, provideemergency medical evacuation tosave the life of a precious child, ordeliver much needed medicines, foods,clothing or other supplies. But eventhe best pilots in the world will not flylong without a mechanic and the partsand supplies to make the necessaryrepairs to keep the pilot and passengerssafe.–Bob StoneYour continued prayers and supportto Adventist World Aviation is greatlyappreciated. It keeps our planes flying,the pilots and passengers safe, andGod’s message flowing throughout thevarious unentered areas of the world.Please send your donations to AWA,P.O. Box 444, Sullivan, WI 53178-0444.www.FlyAWA.org Winter 2012 | airways 5

FLIGHT SCHOOLHeritage Academy:On the GroundGround school is the trainingthat pilots receive before theyget into a plane, preparingthem for their training in the air. Manystudents come to Heritage Academyto participate in the mission aviationcourse, and ground school is availableto any student with an interestin flying.“On the ground” also refers to thedestructive force of a tornado whenACTS Command Centera funnel cloud touches down, andalso refers to people who are activein response to a disaster situation. Amission pilot’s service is not limitedto his time in the air. What theydo on the ground is a vital aspectof their ministry. Often called torespond to emergencies, they maybe required to administer first aid tovictims whom they will be flying. Itis important that they can be calmin a crisis, and skillful in handlingemergencies.Students at Heritage Academyreceive a broad training for thisservice on the ground. Everystudent is grounded in the beliefsof the Adventist faith. This yearour students received a two-weekintensive from Scott Moore and theLay Institute For Evangelism (LIFE)in Bible marking where each studentlearned to give a Bible study on anyAdventist teaching. Additionally,students are trained in colporteurevangelism and are being taughthow to share their faith with peoplein their homes and businesses.Additionally, all are trainedin First Aid, CPR, and the useof an AED (automated externaldefibrillator). For response todisasters, students are trained in aFEMA course called: CommunityEmergency Response Teams(CERT). A component of disastertraining at Heritage is a coursecalled: Disaster Psychology, wherethey learn how to speak to someonewho is in a medical crisis. Throughdisaster simulations they learnhow to share Jesus with someonewho may be dying. Students alsoparticipate in large-scale disastersimulations with the Department ofHomeland Security (DHS).Last year a group of Heritagestudents prepared fifty victimsfor a disaster simulation at theOrlando International Airport.For our disaster simulations weuse a technique called moulage tosimulate realistic injuries. Orlando’sSWAT team, Orlando RegionalMedical Center’s helicopter,and about forty fire trucks andambulances were involved inthis event.Students also participated in aterrorist simulation in the AmwayArena for which they preparedover three hundred victims. Thesevictims simulated burn injuriesand were taken to various Orlandohospitals. The hospital staff wassurprised by the realism of thevictims’ injuries.Twice a month studentsparticipate in training with thePutnam County Fire Department.Each participant is issued personalprotective equipment including afire coat, fire pants, boots, gloves,and a helmet. This program includestraining in fire streams, the use ofropes, search & rescue, the use ofbreathing apparatus, and many otherfire fighting skills. Additionallysome students will have the opportunityto ride with the rescue squad.Affiliated with David Canther’sdisaster response organization(ACTS), Heritage Academy hasbeen responding to disasters sinceHurricane Katrina, ministeringto the needs of others in floods,tornados, and hurricanes. In April2011, students were called upon torespond to tornados in Tennesseeand Alabama, being involved insearch & rescue, mass feeding,distribution lines, traffic control,and clean-up operations.These various courses andexperiences combine to lay afoundation for our future missionpilots to be ready to serve onthe ground.8airways | Winter 2012www.FlyAWA.org

Report from AWA-PennsylvaniaFLIGHT SCHOOLAviation activity usually slows with the onsetof winter, but not at Adventist World Aviation-Pennsylvania. God has blessed us with good flighttraining weather so that two ground school students wereable to start the flight portion of their training. Bobby andJonathan are learning the basics of straight-and-level flight,coordinated turns, slow flight, stall recovery, and getting thefeel for take-offs and landings.More good news: Chris, a Blue Mountain Academy senior,earned his private pilot certificate in December 2011. Startinghis training at AWA-PA during his junior year, even a brokencollar bone could not stop him.Once healed, he determinedto get back into the air andfinish his training. His dad,Kenneth, a licensed pilot withmulti-engine rating althoughnot current, decided to investin fostering his son’s love foraviation rather than spend themoney to get himself current.Ever since Chris obtained hislicense, they have been flyingtogether as often as they can.October 2011 brought RicSwaningson, President andCEO of AWA, and Noel Clark,AWA’s chief pilot to AWA-PA, from the home office inWisconsin, along with AdamLacek from Florida and GloriaTokics, AWA’s videographer.They spent three days viewingand videoing our operations up close and meeting the flightstudents, flight instructor, and the members of the operatingcommittee. Speaking to the 160 Blue Mountain Academystudents at a joint worship, they shared the vision of howaviation is a vital tool to help bring the gospel to those whomight not otherwise get the chance to hear about Jesus.Just before the AWA staff visit, on an evening trainingflight shortly after take-off, Chris noticed the readout on theradios starting to fade. Earl Binder, the instructor, detectedan overcharging condition on the ammeter. SurmisingChris, after passing his ground school course.some sort of electrical problem unfolding, he used it as anopportunity for Chris to practice his aeronautical decisionmakingskills, asking him what he thought they should do.Chris had noticed the cabin lights beginning to fade. Heturned off the electrical equipment and headed back to theairport. By the time they reached the home aerodrome, therewas not enough power left to activate the pilot-controlledairport lighting. Fortunately, still being twilight, theycould see well enough to make an uneventful landing. TomEdelstein, a local A&P mechanic, replaced the bad startersolenoid and switch just in time for the AWA video shoot.An additional blessing!Flying is never inexpensive.As the saying goes-“The way tomake a small fortune in aviationis to start with a big one.” Partswear out, Avgas goes up, theHobbs meter (instrument thatmeasures how long the enginehas been running and how muchthe flight students are billed)continues racking up time. Butby God’s grace, with supportfrom generous donors, we havebeen able to continue offeringflight training to students fromBlue Mountain Academy at veryreasonable rates.Jonathan (not the abovementioned) was so excitedabout flying, he attended ourground school during his eighthgradeyear. He worked mowinglawns for two summers before he came to BMA. He isnow ready to start the flight portion of his training, but hedoesn’t have enough to funding to finish.He is just one of the young people who would love totake flight training, but are unable to do so for lack ofmeans. Your generous support helps open doors for studentslike Jonathan to fulfill their dream of flight training. Thankyou for keeping the needs of AWA-PA in your thoughts andprayers. And yes, volunteers are welcome!www.FlyAWA.org Winter 2012 | airways 9

ALASKA reportAlaska Hawk ProvidesSteady Dependable ServiceIn 2006, the Hawk XP began its missionary servicetransporting construction personnel and materials forthe Togiak Mission Center, as well as the constructionof the Dillingham Adventist World Aviation mission hanger.In the five and a half years since that time, the Hawkhas served faithfully week by week, helping to share themessage of Jesus by transporting volunteer missionariesto Togiak andother nearbyvillages in theDillingham area.It has saved livesby being availableto transport thesick and injuredinto local medicalWendell Downs with the Hawk. facilities.Pastor Wendell Downs, a pilot and A&P mechanic,has faithfully led the small staff of local mission pilotswho fly the Hawk and the local Adventist mechanicswho faithfully and prayerfully maintain the Hawk. It isan excellent example of the usefulness of such a craftfor this particular and special mission found in Alaskaand the Arctic Circle regions.In order for an airplane to provide constantdependable service, it must be maintained to exactingstandards, which include regularly scheduledinspections with immediate attention to any problemsthat arise.Your generous donations help keep the Hawk flyingand continuing to spread the Gospel message in Alaska.Please mark your donations, Alaska Outreach andsend them to Adventist World Aviation, P.O. Box 444,Sullivan, WI 53178-0444.Inupaq Teen Leads the WayDaphne Stein is a 14-year-old Inupaq from Kotzebue,Alaska. The Inuit people [formerly called Eskimos]in this area are known as Inupiat, and an individualis called an Inupaq. She is the only Seventh-day Adventistin her family.How did this happen? A while ago she was livingwith relatives in Alaska’s largest city—Anchorage.After residing there for several months she met anothergirl about her age, who was attending the Second MileSeventh-day Adventist Church in Anchorage. They soonbecame friends.Over a period of time and through a series of Biblestudies with Steven and Glenda Pyle, lay leaders of theSecond Mile SDA Church, Daphne became interestedin becoming a member. In spring 2010, Daphne wasbaptized and became a regular church member inAnchorage. Then she returned home to Kotzebue.Once home in Kotzebue with her family she soughtout the Adventist church there, and found an active,friendly group of church members. Even though theKotzebue church members are mainly adults, Daphnebecame an energetic church member and joined inwith the Bible readings and the discussion, using herarticulate native voice.She is an excellentexample of what it meansto choose truth over otherimportant considerations,including family, schoolactivities and what peersmay think. With herenergy and excitementfor the Bible truth, soonthere will be many otheryoung people joiningher in Sabbath School,church, and youth Daphne Steinactivities.Because of the ministry of Adventist World Aviation, weare able to keep Bible workers supported and transported10airways | Winter 2012www.FlyAWA.org

ALASKA reportto many villages where people are still waiting to hearabout Jesus. The air support helps provide emergencymedical service and brings in Bibles and supplies to helpspread the message. Through your generous donations tothis ministry we are able to continue to share God’s graceand His love to many others in these far away villages.There are other young people in Alaska and the regionsof the Arctic Circle waiting for the plane to fly in withBibles, Bible workers and the Word of God.–Jim KincaidPlease mark your donations, “Alaska Outreach”andsend them to AWA, P.O. Box 444, Sullivan, WI 53178-0444.Outreach to AlaskaGambell is one of two villages on the island of St.Lawrence in the Bering Strait between Russia andAlaska. Each village has a population ofaround 650.In November we were able to distribute 100 turkeys tomany of these families—thanks to the generosity of theChapel Oaks Church in Kansas. The following week weorganized a food bank distribution. Ninety-six householdswere represented for a total of 456 people served. I ampersonally grateful to be a part of Alaska Food Bank andhelp the villagers here with their needs.On December 3 we had our Bazaar wherein thoseinvolved bring their handmade craft items to sell. What awonderful opportunity to discover what others are doing.There is so much imagination and talent, and I am in aweof the variety of items made—beautiful ivory carvings,sealskin mittens, dolls.Winter is here, and Christmas is just around the corner.With it comes wind and snow—lots of snow. It saddens usto know that many people have no heat or running water.We help where we can, but it never seems to be enough.One time two little girls were playing near me and as Iwas listening to their playful conversation I heard, “Let’scover up and pretend we are cold because we don’t haveany heating oil.” It really saddens my heart, but then I knewwhat I was giving them for Christmas. I began makingsmall quilts and little pillows for the children.Several days later our neighbor came over to do her laundry.She has three small children, and her husband is in jail untilJune. With no running water she was unable to do her laundryin her home. As I was helping her I noticed her blankets werethreadbare and much worn. I also knew her house would bedrafty and her furnacehad been broken for a fewdays—but is now fixed.The needs here are soimmense, and the extremeweather compounds thesituation.Walrus hunting willsoon begin once the icebecomes more solid (it isstill slushy). The villagersare very dependent onthe ocean for most oftheir food. So, as theybegin making plans forthe big hunt, Mike and Iare making plans to visit Inuit child in typical winter coat.our two sons and theirfamilies’ right after Christmas.We thank each one of you for your continued prayersand support for our projects here in Alaska. As you can see,there are many needs. Many of the things that we take forgranted each day—blankets, food, warmth, heat—are thingsof need for these precious people.–Mike and Fran HansenYour generous donations can be made through AWA atP.O. Box 444, Sullivan, WI 53178-0444. Please mark them,“Alaska Project.”www.FlyAWA.org Winter 2012 | airways 11

Guyana reportA Special GirlIscooped the little nine-year-old girl, Lilly, up in myarms. She probably only weighed about 30 pounds.Her legs had been hit by a falling tree and a large scaracross her leg told of the trauma she must havegone through.A few moments before, Jud and I had finishedloading about 500 pounds of cargo into the airplaneand it was all tied down, ready to go. We had workedup quite a sweat in the tropical heat. We had an extraseat in front, so Jud had called the Amerindian Hostelto see if they had anyone that needed a ride back totheir village.“Yes,” they exclaimed. “We have a woman with ababy who needs to go home, because the medical carefor her baby was complete.”We were surprised when the vehicle pulled up and awoman, a two-year old boy and the nine-year old girlin her arms clamored out. We now had a decision tomake because we only had one seat available. We hadremoved all the other seats to make room for the cargothat had taken about an hour to load.We could choose to send them back or rearrangethe cargo to make room. We choose to take themwith us.It seemed I waited foreverfor the security guards tofinish their checks andunlock the door. Then, withLilly in my arms, I walkedacross the uneven field,over the concrete taxiway towhere the plane was parked.She strongly clutched aroundmy neck, every now andthen letting out a whimperwhen her legs hurt.Arrivingat the plane with Lilly inmy arms, I noticed that Judhad immediately begun torearrange the cargo, makingLaura LaBore carrying Lilly to the plane.Lilly waiting to board the airplane.room for the additional passengers. In order to helphim, I found a cracker box and set her on it and went towork on the cargo.We finally got it all reconfigured and I took offwith Lilly, her mother and brother. I had put her inthe front seat with me, so that her mom could holdher little son in the back. Just on take-off as theplane leaped into the air, Lilly let out a scream andfrantically grabbed my arm. Her eyes were full ofterror. I smiled back to reassure her that we wouldbe okay.Several other times during the flight, when there wasturbulence, she would respond in the same way—withpanic in her eyes. But as she searched my face, thefear began to grow less and less.After landing at their village, I off-loaded themall, and then dug around in a bag that we have fullof Beanie Babies ®, and found two that I felt wereperfect for them. We carry such a bag in each plane togive out to little children and babies who fly with us.The Beanie Babies ®, have all been donated by peoplefrom the United States and Canada and have been ahuge blessing.I gave Lilly an especially softpink fuzzy bear, and she wasdelighted. As I jumped backinto the plane, I waved goodbyeto them. They sat at the edgeof the dirt strip with hugesmiles on their faces. Theycome from a tribe that does notopenly express their feelings orgratitude. So, I was completelyblessed to see their huge smilesand enthusiastic waves. I knewthat I had made a differencethat day.–Laura LaBore12airways | Winter 2012www.FlyAWA.org

Doors are Opening Wideguyana reportGod’s message of love and hope continues to beshared in Guyana as the result of the faithfulservice of the missionaries there. One such villagethat has recently opened their arms to Wings for Humanity/Adventist World Aviation missionaries is Baramita.BARAMITA VILLAGEBaramita is an unreached village with regard to theAdvent message, unique in Guyana because the villagersare primarily Carib, for whom the Caribbean was named.The people in this village are an Amerindian people whoseorigins lie in the southern West Indies and the northerncoast of South America.There was only one church in the village and the villagecouncil said they were not interested in the Adventistmessage or in having another church in Baramita. They feltthat one was enough.But since no other carrier would do it they asked thatthe mission pilots continue to perform medivacs, flying inneeded supplies and returning the bodies of their dead fora village burial. For a year and a half, WFH/AWA pilotscontinued this service, while showing love and compassionas opportunities arose. Eventually barriers dropped andrelationships were built.One day the village council approached our WFH/AWAstaff, asking for missionaries to live among them, sharingthe knowledge of God and Bible stories, offering a pieceof land on which to build a house. With excitement foranswered prayers, the WFH/AWA staff began their searchfor the missionaries. Because of the cultural differences,they invited an Amerindian couple who would bestassimilate into the culture there.In early 2011, construction began on the mission house.Even though the team from Wisconsin worked hard tofinish, some work remains to be done. Once it is, the couplewill become part of the village for five years, serving asBible workers, medical workers, and assisting with theground operations of the aviation program. The villagebeing next to the airstrip, allows the staff members toencourage and assist the Bible workers as needed.FRIENDSHIP EVANGELISMEvangelistic methods vary in different parts of the world.In some areas large public meetings work well; in others,small Bible study groups meet, sometimes behind closeddoors. In Guyana it is the personal touch, spending timewith the people, developing friendships, and helping themwith their needs is what brings them to Jesus. Throughrelationships our missionaries are sharing the gospel,as well as providing literature, such as Steps to Christ,Priorities magazines and other books.As doors have opened to bring in a missionary coupleto this village, soon the gospel can be shared openly andpeople will accept Bible truth and be baptized then a chapelcan be built!SHUNDEL THOMASShundel Thomas, an Amerindian from the village ofParuima, has been working around the Mabaruma areafor the past four months. She received her training at theBethany Medical Missionary College in Guyana. Herdaily activities include giving Bible studies, taking bloodpressure, checking for diabetes, performing basic woundtreatments (poultices, etc.), and therapeutic massages.Through her efforts and the Bible studies that she gives,several villagers are now coming to church in Mabarumaand looking forward baptism.We thank you for your daily prayers for the workers inShundel Thomas, Bible worker in the Mabaruma area in Guyana.Guyana. Your generous donations will help further theGospel to those in these hard to reach villages in Guyana.Please mark your donations, Guyana Outreach and sendthem to Adventist World Aviation, P.O. Box 444, Sullivan,WI 53178-0444.www.FlyAWA.org Winter 2012 | airways 13

Guyana reportFlying theYellow PlaneforJESUS“Do you want to do a medivac orwork clinic today?” I heard the voiceon the other end of the phone line ask.Chrystal and I were just finishingour meeting with Bill LaBore, ourproject manager, when the callcame in. Now I had to make a quickdecision—should I medivac the boywith the possible appendicitis toGeorgetown soon or should I helpin the clinic?Early I had discussed withMedex Willis about coming up tothe hospital to assist him. On thisparticular Thursday no physicianswould be there; merely Medex, theonly clinician. Having a couple ofskill sets can put one in a quandaryas to which to use. Since it did notappear to be a particularly busy dayat the clinic, I thought for a secondabout my primary role—being a pilot,and I had not flown for a couple of days.Then I also considered the personaladvantage in flying to Georgetown.I could pick up some items that wereThe VANFOSSEN Familyneeded, as well as bring back a coupleof barrels containing Christmas giftsfrom the States, which we have been“piece-mealing” back to Mabaruma.“I’ll do the medivac,” I said.I then called the clinic to informMedex of my decision, but he was notavailable. So I discussed it with theperson on the other end of the phone,When I am out doing visitationsand mention thatI fly the yellow airplane, itopens up conversationsand gives opportunitiesto share why we are inGuyana—and requested the ambulance to comeout to our house to give me a ride tothe airstrip. Since it normally takesabout one-half hour to walk from thehouse to the airstrip, it made sense tohave someone pick me up—whichthey were willing to do.Upon arrival at the airstrip I foundJud and Karen Wickwire siphoningfuel out of the plane I was to take. As Ifinished doing my preflight inspectionthey had finished taking off 20 gallons.After setting the last jerry can onthe ground, they rode off on theirmotorcycle. They weren’t stealingit—just taking it off for storage sincewe don’t have a source of fuel inthe interior. It would be taken backto their house for storage by theambulance driver after dropping offthe patient.A few minutes later a nurse andtwo patients arrived. One was theboy with abdominal pain and theother a pregnant woman needing togo to Georgetown for an ultrasound.In most cases we are unsure of howmany patients/passengers will fly withus until we get in the plane.After take-off I got my phone outand noticed that Jud Wickwire had14airways | Winter 2012www.FlyAWA.org

guyana reporttried to call me. He wanted to know if the nurse neededa ride back to Mabaruma. After a brief conversation wedetermined that she would have the option of not going tothe hospital in Georgetown as we would request a nursewith the ambulance. However, she had promised theboy’s mother that she would go and make sure Grandmaconnected with them personally.After arriving in Georgetown, the nurse left with theboy in the ambulance with plans to return in two hours.I proceeded to run my errands via a taxi while eating mygranola bar lunch. Because of the recent elections in the cityand the possible violence that can occur as a result, I wantedto make sure we were back in the air on our way homewithin a few hours.When we finally left Georgetown my passengers includedan Amerindian mother, her four year old son and the nurse,and enroute we also picked up a physician who works inMabaruma.You may ask, “Why do you do all this?” “Wouldn’t ithave been better to work in the hospital to help people?”Perhaps, but it is rewarding to hear the villagers say,“You brought my brother’s son to Georgetown when he wassick.” Or,”You brought my husband’s son to Mabaruma sohe could see him while he was ill.”But not only are we flying sick people to the hospitals orPreparing a casket for delivery by plane.Delivering the sick.bringing the deceased back to their families for burials, butthere are opportunities to help the communities as a wholeby bringing a part for the community’s generator or evenflying in the electricians to fix the generator.When I am out doing visitations and mention that I flythe yellow airplane, it opens up conversations and givesopportunities to share why we are in Guyana—to introducepeople to Jesus.Working in the clinic does gives us many opportunitiesto witness for Jesus, and is also rewarding. But people arefascinated with the yellow airplane and those who fly it; andthey witness us praying together before taking off.Through all of our activities our team looks for waysto develop relationships with thevillagers and their leaders. Becauseof it, Chrystal and I (as well as theother team members) are often askedabout our understanding of God.These conversations then lead to Biblestudies and an opportunity to grow therelationships even deeper.Your prayers and support areimportant and very much appreciated.There are still many people here thatneed to hear about Jesus and to developa close walk with Him.–VanFossen FamilyPlease mark your donations, “GuyanaOutreach” and send them to AdventistWorld Aviation, P.O. Box 444, Sullivan,WI 53178-0444.www.FlyAWA.org Winter 2012 | airways 15

Guyana reportA SpecialChristmas DayWe have an ongoing general statement here:“The only thing constant is change.” I know thatis not a new concept, but it certainly holds truefor us.As we plan our events and particularly our transportation,we simply cannot know for certain in advance exactly howlogistics will work out. Christmas Day was no exception.I was up early and rode the motorcycle to the boathouseto get the boat out into the creek before the tide droppedtoo low. Later we planned to deliver a few Christmas carepackages to families living along the river. Jake and Zackwere also up early and full of that youthful enthusiasm andunsuppressed anticipation for sharing and opening giftstogether.Family celebrations here are important because theyrecognize significant events. But they also add reference tothe passage of time that just somehow becomes a green blurwith no real seasons or familiar holidays.Christmas morning was special for us with unique andcreative gifts, traditional music, a little horde of candy and aspritz of holiday potpourri from Pier 1 that took us home forat least a little while.The call came at 8:45 a.m.—an emergency at Moruca.Since early morning a woman had been in labor, and forthe last hour the baby’s head had been out, but there wasno progress. I was airborne at9:07 a.m.; this is why we live inan interior village. Organizinga departure from Georgetownwould take a minimum of onehour and generally longer bythe time you deal with groundtransportation, flight planningand security.It was very quiet on the radioand I was actually surprised tohear another flight in the air.We were probably the only twoaircraft in Guyana’s domesticairspace.As I descended over thevillage I could see the old LandCruiser coming up the road tothe airstrip with its back doorThe “high and dry” boat.open to allow for the stretcher tohang out. With remarkably goodtiming we both rolled to a stop at the same time (9:39 a.m.)on the edge of the red dirt airstrip. Of course the womanwas in a great deal of pain and distress. As we were aboutto slide her into the plane from the stretcher she vomitedover the side. Thankfully, that occurred before she was in16airways | Winter 2012www.FlyAWA.org

guyana reportthe plane. I secured her husband in the front seat while thenurse buckled in beside her. Together we prayed a shortprayer asking for God’s protection, comfort and healing. By9:47 a.m we were in the air again.As is nearly always the case, there was little I could do tohelp aside from flying the plane. The woman was screamingthe majority of the flight while the nurse did what she couldto comfort her.The husband was clearly distraught; I couldfully understand the helplessness he was feeling.I remembered how I felt when our kids wereborn; here we are in a situation where almostcertainly the baby is not going to survive and themother’s life is definitely at risk. Getting her tothe main hospital hopefully would save her life.We are in the midst of the rainy season andduring this flight the weather wasn’t too severe.However, while flying through a rainstorm wedid hit some turbulence, which sent us all upagainst our seatbelts and caused the IV bag tofall off the hook in the ceiling. I managed to getit back up again, since the nurse wasn’t able toreach it.During this day the logistics worked out perfectly. Welanded at the city airport at 10:26 a.m. and were met bythe ambulance already out on the ramp with a midwife toaccompany the patient to the hospital. Quickly they wereon their way, and the ambulance siren was soon fading inthe distance.It was a difficult case for the nurse. She wasclearly upset as we climbed back into the plane to headback. Perhaps the helplessness was too much for her, andthen this happening on Christmas day added to the distress.Regardless, I was impressed with her empathy, and beforedeparture we prayed again for healing and the peace thatonly Jesus can bring.The fuel bay was closed for the day; so after filing myflight plan we were on our way back at 10:24 a.m. I droppedthe nurse back at her home village and was back on theground in Mabaruma at 11:50 AM, where Danielle, myniece, picked me up with the motorcycle.Our plan was to pick up where we left off. We headeddown to the boat to do the Christmas hamper deliveries onlyto discover that I hadn’t tied the boat so it would stay outin the creek enough; instead, it was high and dry. We wereforced to defer the delivery until the next day.We did enjoy a wonderful get-together with all of ourfamilies here. We each dug into our stores for some specialingredients to combine with locally available items to createfestive dishes that were as good as what we might have hadat home.A typical home in Guyana.The next day we did make the deliveries along the river.Many of the families live up little channels or creeks. Sincethey only have tiny dugout canoes, they would have toeither paddle out to us or slip slide through the mud to getclose enough to accept the package. The Christmas hamperdelivery originated with the LaBores; but it has grown andthey have graciously included the rest of us in the programthis year.Because of the many needs here, we have learned overthe years that we must focus on what we know we cando, and do our best in those areas. Showing care andcompassion sometimes is the limit to our capacity. But byfaith our prayers can go beyond what we can do, and forthat we are grateful.–The Wickwire Familywww.FlyAWA.org Winter 2012 | airways 17

Guyana reportFinding the Lost“It’s gone! Seriously, it’s nothere!” I clawed through therough vines tangled on theground.Today was the first day I had started shooting videoduring my six-month mission stint with Wings forHumanity in Guyana. We had come up the BarimaRiver to a small community called Blackwater where wewere holding a Sabbath church service. I had brought alongmy video camera and was shooting a short film aboutthe experience.I wanted to get a wide shot of the church, and had setup the tripod in some brambles. When I moved the tripod,one of the rubber feet came off and went missing. I wasfrantically searching because I was using the tripod for thefirst time since borrowing it from our project manager.The ground was a mass of sticks, vines, reeds, and twigs,all suspended over some shallow water. As I kept pokingthrough the mess, I enlisted thehelp of a few local and missionkids. When I expressed my distressat losing the tripod foot, one ofthe mission kids named Serenasuggested “Maybe you should prayabout it!”“Oh, come on,” I sarcasticallymuttered under my breath, notwanting to waste my search timebefore the service to send up a prayerthat probably wouldn’t do anything.But then I stopped. I realized thatSerena was probably right. Mychances of finding the foot werenot good, and I needed all the helpI could get. I lowered my head andthought up a quick prayer beforeresuming my search.Less than a minute later I foundthe foot, right in front of my face. Ihad been looking all around it, but not right at it. It had beenthere all along, but I had been too blind to notice. I affixedmy prize to the tripod and walked back to the church, whereI reported my findings to Serena.I later realized that the little hunt for the tripod footwas oddly indicative of my relationship with God. I oftenwonder where God is in my life, but insist on trying to findHim myself. Far too often I forget that He isn’t a God that’sfar away in Orion’s belt, but instead lives right within myheart. I forget to simply drop my head and pray to Him,which is a shame because He’s always right in front of mebut sometimes I’m just too blind to notice.–Tyler QuiringTyler Quiring is a 22-year-old short-term volunteer withWings for Humanity in Guyana, where he is tutoring theWickwire family’s children and doing video productionon the side. In May 2011 he graduated from SouthernAdventist University with a BS in Media Production. Youcan view the short film from the story at http://tinyurl.com/wfhvid2Jungle along the Barima River.18airways | Winter 2012www.FlyAWA.org

CJ and Nora KellyCJ and Nora KellyGod’s Sign From aMale PheasantPHILIPPINE updateTom and I have always felt a calling to do somethingother than the normal walk in life. For many yearswe talked about the idea of being missionaries. Whileliving in Guam, we had an opportunity to visit a neighboringisland to help build a church--we sent Tom. His experiencewas moving, and it fed his desire to do it again.Moving back to the states to Eau Claire, Wisconsin in1997, funds and family circumstances kept us living amodest life. However, raising our children and working onour home placed our dreams of being missionaries on theback burner. We settled with the idea of working for God inour neighborhood, and sharing our faith in our community.Then, one night I woke up to a disturbing sound. Soon Irealized I wasn’t dreaming and woke up my husband to helpme pray. Our room became like white marble and I could seepeople working in what looked like a large field. There weremany people moving about, working around others whowere holding tools and standing around. There was no soundin my vision, but I could hear something being said to me, “Ihave many workers, but few are willing; some things in thisworld are not as they seem. “As soon as I heard this, the room became black again--itwas just 4:00 a.m.The next morning I decided that if I were to take thisvision seriously I would need to pray about it. I prayedsilently in my room and asked God to show me if the visionwas real. I received a message that I would see a malepheasant in a field that day with its wings outspread, a rareoccasion in the middle of January.I was hesitant to accept this thought and did not share itwith my husband. That morning we were supposed to leavefor Marshfield, Wisconsin, as our son had a hockey gamethat day. On the way to Marshfield my son asked me if wecould change places in the car. Once re-situated I foundmyself getting drowsy and laid down.I must have been sleeping for about an hour when I wasawakened by an excited voice. My son was pointing toopen farm land. There in the middle of the farm was a malepheasant with its wings outspread. “That is a rare sight in themiddle of January,” my husband told my son.Later, when I took the time to do a Bible study, I foundtwo verses about laborers for the Lord. In Matthew 9:37 itsays, “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly isplenteous, but the labourers are few.” In Luke 10:2 we read,“Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great,but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of theharvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.”Ever since this vision I have known and kept it to myselfthinking that someday God will reveal its meaning.When Tom and I met Pastor Ric Swaningson during someevangelism meetings, I shared my vision with him. Hisadvice was to keep it and pray that God would revealit someday.In December 2011 Pastor Swaningson called us to informus of his new position at AWA: we knew it was time. Wewere invited to work in the Philippines, on the PalawanIsland, which has a pheasant as its symbol. You can imagineour bewilderment and surprise in hearing this invitation. Wecould not say no.As I thought back over my vision, remembering hearingthat some things are not what they seem to be,I wasreminded that when God created our world He neverintended for there to be suffering.We are called to give up our lifestyle, to share Jesus withothers. Thank you for your prayers as we prepare for this lifechanging experience.–Nora KellyMale Palawan PheasantYour donations for the Palawan, Philippines project aregreatly appreciated. There is so much need there. Pleasemark your donations, Palawan Outreach, and send themto Adventist World Aviation, P.O. Box 444, Sullivan, WI53178-0444.www.FlyAWA.org Winter 2012 | airways 19

PHILIPPINE updateAWAF – Philippines ProjectThe year 2012 brings new hope,zeal and enthusiasm to the localstaff after witnessing God’smiraculous leading in the past yearsof its existence in the Philippines.Renewed interest and continuingcommitment from Adventist WorldAviation in the United States to guideand assist in the Philippines excites ourlocal staff. With their guidance therewill be a complete and whole-hearteddedication to following God’s plan infinishing His work in this corner ofthe world.The Philippines is strategicallylocated to be a mission aviationtraining site for a variety of reasons,including the fact that the Englishlanguage is commonly spoken inthe country. The cost effectivenessof training missionary pilots andmechanics for deployment, not only inAsia and beyond, is something for usto think and pray about.The many islands that compose thePhilippines are a logistical challengein deploying missionaries and ferryingsupplies that AWA is divinely ordainedto fulfill. AWA has a specific role inthe preaching of the Gospel to everytongue, kindred and nation. AWA is anactive supporting ministry in the NorthPhilippine Union Conference.UPCOMING EVENTSFirst Annual Fly-In and Air ShowYou are cordially invited toAdventist World Aviation’s firstannual Fly-In (Drive-In) andAir Show, the weekend of May 25-27(Friday-Sunday) on Memorial Dayweekend. The event will be hostedat the McDermott Airpark, located at31WI in Sullivan, WI.Sabbath services will be conductedat the Waukesha Seventh-dayAdventist Church. Sabbath Schoolbegins at 9:30 a.m. and church servicesbegin at 11:00 a.m. The guest speakerfor the church service is Elder RobertFolkenberg, Sr., former GeneralConference president and director ofShareHim. During this service will youhear about the importance of missionaviation service and how this type ofministry will help finish God’s workby taking missionaries into unenteredareas of the world.A pancake breakfast will be heldat the airpark, beginning at 8:00 a.m.Your donation of $8 per plate willgo to enhance the global mission ofAWA’s ministry. During the weekendyou will hear amazing stories fromthe Philippines, Guyana, Sudan andSolomon Islands, as well as what AWAis currently doing in the United States(Florida and Alaska).Lodging for the weekend can besecured at the following hotels:Hilton Garden Inn Oconomowoc($90/night)1443 Pabst Farms CircleOconomowoc, WI 53066(262) 200-2222Super 8 ($49 king/$55 double)2510 Plaza CourtWaukesha, WI 53186(262) 786-6015To register for the event or forfurther information pleasecontact AWA at 414-226-5195.20airways | Winter 2012www.FlyAWA.org

Thank You, Gloria!Adventist World Aviation would like to give a specialthank you to Gloria Tokics, AWA videographer. She hasproduced several videos describing the projects of AWA.One tells the story about what is occurring in Alaska: onewas a special Christmas message from Ric Swaningson andone describes the aviation program at AWA-Pennsylvaniafor the Blue Mountain Academy students. These videos canbe viewed on AWA’s website at www.flyawa.org. We lookforward to future videos that will continue to share AWA’sstories. Again, thanks Gloria!Urgently NeededMISSION PILOTS ANdOTHER MISSIONARIESURGENTLY NEEDEDDo you have a desire to shareJesus with others, to live in anothercountry and learn a different culture? Adventist WorldAviation is expanding into other parts of the world toservice unentered areas and urgently needs pilots, A&Pmechanics, A&P.I.A., certified flight instructors (CFI),project managers, Bible workers and medical personnel.Pilots must have instrument, commercial, and highperformance ratings. Anyone interested should also havea strong desire to share the message of Jesus. Pleasesend resume to Adventist World Aviation, P.O. Box 444,Sullivan, WI 53178-0444.www.FlyAWA.org Winter 2012 | airways 21

In Memory and In HonorThe many gifts given in memory of a loved one are greatly appreciated by Adventist World Aviation.These special gifts help share Jesus with others through our aviation programs. If you wish to honor aloved one through a memorial gift, please indicate so with your donation and provide the individual’sname. We will be happy to include your gift in a future AirWays magazine.In Honor of:Mark FinleyBy Marilyn A. CousinoDmitry & Grace LossevBy Anthony and Margarita BonillaGodfrey MyaingBy Godfrey and Geeta MyaingPatti SchieringaBy Marilyn A. CousinoLen SherwoodBy Lawrence L. TownsendSara SilvaBy Pete and Linda VillarrealDon & Trudi StarlinBy Marguerite RossArne SwansonBy Robert and Madeline JohnstonIn Memory of:Jonathan AdameBy Elizabeth L GonzalesEliezer AdanteNoe & Shirley SisonC. R. AimesBy Michael and Carol RueDouglas AkersBy George and Imogene AkersRandy BauerBy David and Marilyn BauerRuby BidwellBy George and Nancy SuelzleThelma BurtonBy Michael and Alice WeakleyCarolyn ByersBy Lewis and Ruth HartBy Elwin and Alma LiskeRobert C. ChaseBy Ruth L. ChaseEldon CouncellBy Bruce and Linda BauerMrs. Bud DavisBy Reginold and Jeanette EighmeJennifer DerouinBy Elaine WashkuhnGary DrewBy Reginald and Jeannete EighmeMercedes DyerBy Leona G. RunningJoyce EllisBy Lyle and Joyce EllisThad FranklinBy Douglas and Yvonne FranklinMegan GeratyBy Brent and Shannon GeratyRichard HammondBy Emily L. HammondGeorge and Katie HerberBy Leo and Claudine HerberMr. and Mrs. Walter KaiserRuth H. KaiserJunavieve D. Mize and Kenneth MizeBy Beulah S DaltonMilton KingBy Louis and Evelyn MeyerAunt Rita LambertBy Dennis and Pamela BarthleJohn M. LaswellBy Frances M. ShaverDavid Lawson, IIBy Jill LawsonWilma C. MayorRaymond L MayorAnne MenzerBy Roger W. MenzerBob MenzerBy Roger W. MenzerEleanor MenzerBy Roger W. MenzerRoss D. MenzerBy Roger W MenzerE. H. and Helen MoldrikBy Emil and Ruth MoldrikWendall H. NelsonBy Pearl W. NelsonRichard OrrisonBy Reginold and Jeanette EighmeSebastiana T. OsorioBy Francis and Nona ThamRichard ParmeleBy Fred and Nancy TurnerCatherine PattersonBy Steve and Mary Lou PrideGeorge D. PierceBy George and Roberta PierceOseas Imperio, Sr.,Severo and Chonchita LopezBy Ernie and Annabelle LopezDavid ShowBy Richard and Dorothy ShowVesper and Ruth SiasBy Steve and Mary Lou PrideLorrene J. SmithBy Rick A. OstenJen StarkeyBy Reginold and Jeanette EighmeJames and Larry StarlinBy Harry and Joanna SchultzHerman and Marie SternBy Lloyd and Ardis BecknerElie Stoia, JrBy Joseph and Rose StoiaRussell StramanBy Minerva E. StramanJohn and Alta SzaszBy Deborah J. SzaszJeff TachenkoBy Rita SmithEllwood VoorheesBy Lee and Marlyn SheiveConrad WallingtonBy Richard and Claudia SowlerWallace J. WaltersBy Margie R. MitchellMary WatkinsBy Steve and Mary Lou PrideTed WebsterB y Alan and Thetis BushRobert J. WeilandBy Arthur and Madelene HamannFrank and Anna WestmanBy Ronald and Pauline WestmanRuth A. WilesBy Herbert B. WilesHomer WilliamsBy Billie J. WilliamsCharles Wilson, Jr.By Lee and Trina Forbes22airways | Winter 2012www.FlyAWA.org

plannedgivingAdventist World Aviation is nowable to offer planned giving and trustservices. We have recently partneredwith Western Adventist Foundation.Founded in 1997 as a nonprofit organization,WAF was brought intoexistence to assist Adventist entities byexpertly managing their trust servicesand planned giving programs. Todaythe WAF team remains committed tothe same values and goals that AWAwas founded on over ten years ago.Their attorneys, administrators, andcaring business professionals have avision to be an active part of the missionand ministry of the Seventh-dayAdventist Church, including ministrieslike AWA. For more information,please contact Richard Habenicht,AWA’s trust director at 414-226-5195.Welcome to Richard HabenichtBeing a mission pilot was always a dream of PastorRichard Habenicht, especially as a child. “Thesummer after my high school graduation I soloedand scraped enough funds in order to keep flying throughmy college experience at Andrews University. Just beforemy college graduation I received my pilot’s license.”“Even though I kept my flying current through most ofthe time, I never had the opportunity for mission flying; butI did have the opportunity to receive my commercial andinstrument ratings.”“My career has allowed me to serve as a pastor inNorth Dakota, as boys’ dean and Industrial Arts teacher atSheyenne River Academy in North Dakota, pastor and Bibleteacher at Broadview Academy in Illinois, associate pastorin Hinsdale, Illinois and pastor of the academy districtin Wisconsin. But for the past 19 years it has been myprivilege to be the Planned Giving Director, Stewardship,Religious Liberty Director and Corporation Secretary ofthe Wisconsin Conference. I have been involved in fivedifferent mission trips to Mexico and Central America.”Through his work with the Seventh-day Adventistdenomination Habenicht has flown (as the pilot) aroundthe state of Wisconsin, landing in all but four or five of thepublic use airports. He has flown from coast to coastseveral times in the UnitedStates and several trips eastand south.Cherry, his wife,although never interestedin obtaining her own pilot’slicense has accompaniedhim on several trips.Richard says, “I guess I amfortunate to be able to servethe Lord and fly,as well.”Richard HabenichtWhen AWA’s president, Pastor Ric Swaningson askedRichard if he was interested in serving AWA in developmentand planned giving upon his retirement from the WisconsinConference, he stated, “That sounds like an exciting way tocontinue to serve the Lord. There are so many places in theworld that can be served so efficiently by aircraft. Maybemy aviation experience can be a blessing, as well.”Richard and his wife, Cherry Lidner Habenicht, havethree children—Lisa Isensee (married to Rich), HansHabenicht (married to Holly) and Ray Habenicht (marriedto Jess). They have six precious grandchildren.www.FlyAWA.org Winter 2012 | airways 23

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGEPAIDPERMIT NO. 13Keene, TXAdventist World AviationPO Box 444Sullivan, WI 53178-04449323 W. Greenfield Ave.West Allis, WI 53214Address service requestedVisit the new Adventist World Aviation website: www.FlyAWA.org.