Missionary pilot, Gaston Ntambo, is attending General Conference as a delegate for the North Katanga Conference, DR Congo. He flies with the Wings of the Morning Aviation program. Here is what he had to say about his ministry:
“People can walk 60 to 100 miles to get to a hospital in the DR Congo. People that we fly are people who have tried everything. They use the traditional medicine, they have tried the local medicine man, there are no clinics nearby—so basically, they have one chance to survive. They are in their last stage of life when we get called in.”
“The most difficult thing we face in Congo is not flying in bad weather, or flying onto difficult air strips. It is making that choice of flying in the wrong direction first and knowing that somebody is dying behind us. I have to go in the wrong direction to fetch fuel when they call me for a medical flight. We do the best we can to plan for it.”
Aviation gasoline is so hard to come by, they have to fly to Zambia, the neighboring country, to get it. The aviation ministry has been raising funds to buy a Cessna Caravan, which uses a cheaper fuel, a fuel that DR Congo can deliver. “I have waited 17 years to see the fuel truck come to me,” he said. “That will be a new day.”
Several annual conferences, including Greater New Jersey and West Ohio, are hoping to help Wing’s of the Morning reach the last $400,000 needed to purchase the new plane this year.
Like what you're reading? Support the ministry of UM News! Your support ensures the latest denominational news, dynamic stories and informative articles will continue to connect our global community. Make a tax-deductible donation at ResourceUMC.org/GiveUMCom.
