Today's Flight- Bongolo to Libreville

After a great 3-day visit with our team at Bongolo hospital that ended with a HUGE African rain storm last night, we launched this morning for a flight back home to Libreville.

With only 3 passenger seats needed for the flight and plenty of useful load to spare, we used the occasion to shuttle some fuel to Libreville.  Fuel that was meant for a Cessna 402 performing some aerial photography project in the south of Gabon.  Their project was canceled early and they made us a great deal on the dozen or so barrels.  It worked out to about $8.50 a gallon. In Libreville, our source is currently selling AvGas at $23.50 a gallon!!!

This year, by April or May, we'll shift our base from Libreville to the Bongolo hangar.  A new teammate, Rob, on loan from SIL-Cameroon, will help us develope things there.  Some needs: a 40' shipping container for storage/office to put along the hangar, new solar panels and batteries, lighting, eviction notices to many wasps, and much more!

Looking down the Lebamba/Bongolo airstrip toward the west.  Low clouds, but not too low to launch.  We were still able to get our "bon voyage" fly-by over the Bongolo mission and hospital just as church was beginning.

Bongolo field elevation is about 600'.  We climbed between clouds until about 4000' and then came on top of that layer (as pictured) at about 4500'.  A check on the radio frequency (118.1) to give a position report, but there were no other flights happening in our end of the county- no surprise.

Our passengers were very happy!   Dr. Neni (Bongolo dentist- holding baby Meara) and our Libreville bookkeeper, Clarisse (behind me) stayed in conversation and laughing most of the hour and 40 minutes.  It was super smooth!  My favorite co-pilot made the flight fun for me!  By the time we crossed over Lamberene, the low clouds were mainly gone.

A look to the west just after passing Lamberene.  That's the Ogouee River complex heading out to the Atlantic Ocean- one of the largest river complexes in Africa after the Nile, Niger, and Congo rivers.

A look to the East at about the same area, toward the "Crystal" mountains.  A very beatiful flight... the "sanctuary of the sky" for worshipping our Creator this Sunday morning!

Asking the Right Questions in 2013

We'll be sending out a newsletter soon called "3, 2, 1, ... LAUNCH 2013!".  It describes much about where we're at and where we're headed this coming year.  If you don't receive our "snail mail" newsletters, please email me to do so (gabon.pilot@gmail.com)- I'm happy to make sure one gets to your front door!

In 2013, there will be much transition and growth for our program.  In it all, we will seek to prayerfully reflect.  We want to strive to make sure to ask the right questions.  One big one is, "what does 'success' look like for our work here?", and, "what are the right 'metrics' to assist us in evaluating our journey and effectiveness?".  We covet your prayers and teamwork on this adventure!  Much of this is uncharted airways!

A Friend of mine, Brian Rice, leads an organization called "Leadership ConneXtions International". In a recent email, he shared some great food for thought as we enter 2013:



"It seems as though the second half of a (person's) life is made up of nothing but the habits he/she had accumulated in the first half."  (Dostoevsky)

Important words to hear. They go along with another statement that I quote from memory below (and cannot remember the author).

"Middle age is when we pay the price for not dealing with the dysfunctions of our youth."

Take a little time and reflect on what you are buidling into your life in the FIRST HALF... for that will inevitably frame how your SECOND HALF is experienced.

* What do you want to build into your life this year?
* What changes do you want to explore in 2013?
* What new areas of learning are you going to pursue?
* What issues do you need to attend to NOW so they are not crippling LATER?

By God's grace, he will complete the good work he has started in your life. However . . . He does invite you to be a part of that process of maturity and growth.

(for more from Brian, contact him at BrianRice@lcileaders.org )

Hope House Christmas Visit

We had a nice visit with some of the Hope House children the day after Christmas.

Not many were home the day of our visit- the Hope House is currently in the midst of a move to two new homes- one for the younger kids and girls, the other for the older boys.  This will help cut down on all the time and money they spend on getting back and forth to school.

We came with some gifts that churches had collected in the US- clothes, toothbrushes/toothpaste, medications, soap, some games and more.

One woman from the states had a great idea to take pillow cases, add some decorative material, and put straps on them for dresses!

Some of the guys returning from washing up some dishes.

Joe playing some games with the kids.

Sam waiting his turn patiently!

Some great clothes were donated like these cargo pants for boys!

Michel, to the right, was pretty sick- we took time to pray for him.

Henricka, center, is our future pilot!  I had some pilot magazines to share with her to keep her inspired.  We pray for a flight academy to form with the help of our newly formed aviation association.

Thanks for all your prayers and support in 2012 for Hope House!  Please pray for them as they make the move at the start of the new year to better serve the children.  We'll keep you updated.

Christmas Family Update

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

"God so loved the world that He gave His only son"!

Joy to the world!

We pray that the Light of Jesus will shine brighter in your lives and communities this season!

CLICK HERE to see our family update for this Christmas.

Love,

Steve and Alace
Joe, Megan, and Samuel

The Straw family

Eye Clinic Update!

From the director of the Bongolo Hospital eye clinic, Dr. Wendy Hofman:

"[Here] is the picture of an eye clinic patient named Ndoti-Donga.  He had been blind in both eyes for several years due to cataracts.  The day after surgery, he could see 20/40!  When they took his patch off, he looked at his daughter (also pictured), and said, 'Wow, you have grown up!'  He also gained spiritual sight during his time at Bongolo, accepting Christ for the first time!"

Beauty and the Beach

Tozer was a good boy!  He hasn't been to the beach in quite a while.

Here's the "Beauty" at the beach!

Beautiful, right?!?  ... it gets better!

I told you so!

Looking the opposite direction, you can take in a bit of the Libreville "boardwalk" and a full moon too!

"Total Eclipse of the Steve"

Cool apartment condos along the seaside highway "Bord de la Mer".

Look closely- those black dots in the sky are bats!  About 6pm, each day, you can find them filling the skies above Libreville.  Not sure exactly where they go... always the same direction...  Hmmm...

Awesome sunset shared with my best friend!  Great to come home from a flight and have the privilege to share another memory with Alace!

No "I" in TEAM !!!

On the subject of team...

Alace and I are so blessed to serve on a larger team, here in Gabon, that all serves through a connection to the national C&MA ("Alliance Chretienne") of Gabon.  It includes the social works of the Bongolo Hospital, primary health clinics (SNI & OSPAC), a rehab & eye clinic (RBC), the Hope House (home for abandoned children), the Good Samaritan (care for widows & shut-ins), and more. In the past couple of days, we've seen this team really work so well together. 

"How?", you ask?

1.  22 NOVEMBER:  Bongolo Hospital Blesses OSPAC:  In the photos from the last post (First Flights), the father of the young child, is Pastor Jacob, who has worked with the OSPAC clinic for many years, primarily as the one leading the evangelistic aspects.  Bongolo bent over backwards to bless Pastor Jacob's son and get him a quick consult and care so he could get back to Libreville and avoid a difficult ground journey had it worked out otherwise.  Thank you Bongolo Team!!!

2.  22 NOVEMBER:  Bongolo Hospital Blesses the Libreville Team:  Upon arrival at the hospital's airport, Dr. Wendy H., our ophthalmologist, took time out of her day off to come to the airport to pick up Pastor Jacob, his son, and Papa Pierre.  Did I mention that she had her two young children with her?  I personally know how difficult it can be to load up a 3 month old and a 2 year old in a car and run errands.  Thank you Wendy!!!

3. 22 NOVEMBER:  Bongolo Blesses the Libreville Team:  The Bongolo team also assisted Papa Pierre, our Libreville based business agent assistant to also receive care quickly after his arrival on the airplane.  He, also, was able to get back to Libreville on the afternoon flight.

4.  23 NOVEMBER:  Bongolo Eye Clinic blesses RBC:  Dr. Elisee, who works at the Bongolo eye clinic, was in Libreville and spend some time on Friday working with the RBC eye clinic (based at an Alliance church in Libreville).  Dr. E was helping the director of the RBC eye clinic, Josephine, in some new training and techniques to enhance her work there- as well as seeing some patients.  Why was Dr. Elissee in Libreville?  He had been in DRC (former Zaire) visiting his family when the M23 rebels moved on the city of Goma.  This war activity was the reason for his early trip home.  He made use of his time in Libreville to pitch in at RBC- so cool!

5. 24 NOVEMBER:  OSPAC & Bongolo Surgeon-in-Training Blesses Bongolo Eye Clinic worker:  So, last night, at about 2:45am, my cell phone went off and it was Dr. Elisee asking for us to quickly come to his room- he is staying in the guest house next to our home.  We found him in severe pain from what turned out to be a kidney stone.  Thankfully, Dr. Dembele is also at our guest house.  We called him to the room and he made an evaluation (Let's just say that Dr. Elisee was in INTENSE pain).  Additionally, we called Dr. Renee and she confirmed Dr. D's diagnosis.  Then, Alace got on the phone to OSPAC (Mama Jeanine YNGUEMBA), who promptly jumped into action and made her way over to the guest house to get an IV going to hydrate Elisee as well as some meds to help manage his pain.

What a blessing to be part of a team that blesses one another giving evidence of the love of Christ!  Scripture makes it clear that the way that we, Jesus followers, treat one another is one of God's preferred methods to demonstrate HIS KINGDOM and LOVE for the world.

John 17:23, although it is a bit of a toungue twister, sums it up:

I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. 

Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

First Flights!

One thing that happens pretty often are passengers that have never, ever been in an airplane EVER!  Those are a bunch of fun.  I would estimate that about 30 people have gotten their first EVER ride in an airplane this year through this work.  Also happening often are passengers that have never, ever been in a SMALL, single-engine aircraft previously.  I estimate another 30 are in this category this year.  It's always fun to be part of this kind of thing.

Here is a picture of my most recent passenger in an airplane for the first time in his life!

This is Timothy- son of Pastor Jacob- on the right.  He's not feeling well and needed to get to Bongolo Hospital for an evaluation.

This is about 30 minutes into the flight back from Bongolo.  We were able to get Timothy down to the hospital by 10am, through a consultation, picked up his meds at the pharmacy, and then back to the airport for blasting off, back to Libreville (where they live) around 2:30pm.

Also on the flight was "Papa Pierre", seated behind me.  He also was able to be on the flight down to Bongolo, receive his care, and then be on the flight back in the afternoon!  A HUGE thanks to the Bongolo team (Dr. Alain, Dr. Renee, and more!) for making this all possible.