I have been meaning to make a video for BFO for a while now. This one was purposely made for a concert in Canada organised and run by Mike Davis’ sister, Norma Cook and family. The concert was this morning around 0600 our time, to promote awareness and fund raise for Bible Faith Orphanage.

Initially I thought I had till the end of September to get the video done. Due to busyness I couldn’t make time to work on the video in August or September. The same week I was heading to Wewak for a break I learnt that it was due a lot sooner. I was able to work on it this week,  Wednesday night working on it into the morning and finishing it Thursday night. It was bit of a rush job, but would have to do. I didn’t even get to ask permission to use the song for the video, I tried without success. Hopefully a higher quality version was uploaded Friday night and premiered at the concert this morning. This video took around six hours all up to put together and compress. I really love the way a video can come together.

After putting together a video, there is more work. The challenge of uploading it, which is not easy here in PNG. Normally I have to upload the video in small segments via ftp (which is painful) and then Andy has to download them, put the video back to together and upload it for me to a video hosting site, Vimeo. For some reason for the first time ever I was able to upload the complete video to Vimeo. I much appreciate Andy’s support from Australia in getting videos uploaded.

It contains some photos by Dave Schreier and some photos and video I took at the Christmas celebration last year. It doesn’t show all that the ministry does and what these kids go through, but I hope this video brings BFO more to life for people.

If you would like to learn more about Bible Faith Orphanage click here

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The last weekend of August was KBBN’s men’s camp in the Buyier Valley. This would be the third time the group had come together, called Faithful men. KBBN is an Independent Baptist Church five to ten minutes out of town, which has a Christian Radio station as part of it’s ministry. My good friend Nick, our Stores Manager, and his family fellowship at KBBN. I have been out there a few times now. Nick invited Timon and myself to the camp earlier in the month.

1. Buyier Valley

The camp actually started around lunch time on Friday. We had finished a C check on the Thursday and started a B check on the Friday. I did not really feel up to going and had considered having a restful evening. But I knew it was something I should attend and it was an attack for me not to go. So we did not end up leaving town until before six and made a few stops on the way picking up Nick and another passenger. I was told it was not too far, so I didn’t bother getting more fuel. But I should of known better, that whether told what distance or time is required in travelling in PNG, it is normally longer. We headed out along the Old Highlands Highway and then travelled down the Buyier Road. It wasn’t too long before it was dark. We passed the Notre Dame Secondary School and then the old CRMF buildings at Rugli. We descended into the Buyier Valley and arrived at the village called Nengle around seven. I was a little concerned whether we had enough petrol to get back into town the next day.

2. Some of the guys cooking Lamb flaps on a hot plate

We were greeted by a few locals including the Chief and we were taken down to the campsite. At this point I was ready to go to sleep in the car. We walked down a hill in the dark through some gardens. I fell once, as it was ackward carrying stuff in the dark. I knew the campsite was by a river, but I didn’t know it was on the other side of the river. We came to Kuni River and could see the campsite on the other side. We crossed the river, again it was awkward and something I don’t always enjoy, especially in the dark. We arrived to meet all the other guys there, dinner being cooked and it started to rain.

3. Douglas fishing in the Kuni River

On the menu was lamp flaps on the hot plate, along with kaukau and bananas. I was quite hungry, I did have two packets of Indonesian Oreos just in case of an emergency. The lamb flaps are something that are common in Kai bars here and somehting I havent bothered trying before. But they were really good and cooked well. It was good to see some of the guys again, as I had not seen them since January. Following dinner and some hanging out, we had a bible study lead by Pastor Brad. The theme for the camp was honesty. It was a good study and was followed by watching a movie called Flywheel. We had a generator and an LCD TV setup in the tent. Following the movie, the study continued and we split up into groups and discussed what we had got out of the movie and bible study. Following this a second movie was put on, Gifted Hands. The movie finished around 130, some say 200 am.

4. Group photo

I never get a good nights sleep sleeping on the ground and when it is inclined. But there was some grass on the floor and I was able to get into a position that was comfortable enough avoiding the holes in the ground. The only thing was we had around twenty guys packed into this tent. So I could not extend my legs, so I had to sleep with them tucked up, which lead to me waking up with dead legs or cramps. But beside that it was probably my best sleep out bush for a while. Some of the guys were up before 500 am, having a time of worship around the fire. I was so in need of sleep I tried sleeping in as long as possible. I got up around six. Some of the guys went fishing in the river, I was quite happy just to watch from the shore and have breakfast, the water was not too cold.

5. Nick and I, the Buyier River below

Following breakfast, there was another talk by Pastor Brad and a time of sharing. The guys were performing a song at church the next day, so spent a little time practicing that. We packed up camp and started our way back to the vehicles on the other side of the River. We departed Nengle around 1030. The other guys went fishing over at the Buyier River, but I had to get back into town to catch up on the Saturday rountine of stuff to do. After travelling back into town and making it back on the fuel we had (it was down to the dirty petrol). We grabbed some fuel and took Nick home to his village. Timon and I returned home after twelve. It was a real blessing to be able to spend time out bush with the guys from KBBN, they have a really good men’s miistry and it was a real blessing to have fellowship.

Some photos from Pastor Brad Wells

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Wednesday the other week was MFU’s return to service flight after a C check which lasted more than five weeks. An aircraft requires a check flight after any maintenance that affects the flight characteristics of the aircraft. One is normally done after a C check, especially as a large amount of work is done. One or two Engineer’s go along to observe the flight. The Pilot’s put the aircraft through it’s operational limits, sometimes causing those on board to be sick as they pull positive 2G’s and negative 1G. Following the check flight the Pilot’s give feedback to the Engineer’s on it’s performance and anything that might need adjusting.

I was unable to make a video of the C check, so spur of the moment I filmed the RTS from the outside. Next time I will try and film one from the inside. One annoying thing is my still camera doesn’t capture the prop rotation correctly and gives a strobe affect. I made this video seriously, but as it came more together in the end it made me laugh a bit. If someone can guess the music in the video, they may win a prize. It is always good to see an aircraft back flying after large amounts of maintenance carried out.

PS the Twin Otter Captain in this video, Mike Davis, has 22 years of experience flying Twin Otters. He is also Canadian and the Twin Otter is from Canada, just to help explain some of the video.

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Since returning in July, maintenance at the hangar has been pretty busy. I arrived back on a Monday afternoon in July and started work on the Tuesday. That week was not too busy and allowed me to catch up on somethings that needed attention before returning to work on aircraft. We also saw the formation of three teams for working in the Hangar. One team for single engine aircraft and two teams for Twin Otter maintenance when needed. From these three teams would make up a team for the Cessna Caravan too. I am in a Twin Otter and Cessna Caravan team, but down as a utility Engineer. Come the next week we started a C check on MFU, one of our Twin Otters. But that Monday MFB came in for unscheduled maintenance with a NLG (Nose Landing Gear) problem. So two of us removed MFU’s NLG and rectified any problems with it and installed it onto MFB. It was intense, involved most of the day and was able to get the aircraft serviceable by 1730 just in time for last light to return to Goroka. It was also my first sign off release to service since becoming licensed. It was called my baptism of fire.

1. A few aircraft in for maintenance

The C check is always a big task on our Twin Otters. As an average for our three Twin Otters, for every one hour of flying, the aircraft is in for 3.75 hours of maintenance. So very maintenance intensive and MFU is our oldest Twin Otter being 43 years old. We had five aircraft in for maintenance during the first week. I ended up working on ex MFB NLG for most of the C check. Which was rather new for me, I had done some work on one before. The job started off as a mess and turned out to be a nightmare in the end. Some of us were working overtime every week of the check, except for the second week where we had exams to study for. I battled sickness during the check at times, but the thing that made me hit the wall and fatigued,  was working just over sixty hours one week following several weeks of overtime. I would have to say that C check was the most stressful period I have experienced here at MAF. It was not only the pressure at work, but also all the things at home I was not getting done. So it was a big relief to see the C check completed. It was a good  time of stretching to grow as an Engineer and I learnt alot during the check. I only got through by God’s strength and I am still recovering from those five weeks.

2. MFU after it’s return to service flight on completion of the C check

Last week we had a B check on MFB, another Twin Otter. It was nice to get on engines this time around. Being three months since doing the PT6 course, I had forgotten so much from the course. But refreshed myself a little since my last time on engines back in February. There continues to be maintenance in the hangar, but is a little easier going at the moment. I want to continue to grow in Engineering, especially  as I now focus on Twin Otters and the Cessna Caravan. Please pray for the Engineering team here, for strength, wisdom, to grow and God’s provision of experienced Engineers.

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MAF US operate a program in Haiti and since the disaster in January have continued to serve the people of Haiti. Please find below a seven minute segment video from an Emmy award winning TV show in the US called All Over the World. This segment covers MAF’s program and relief work in Haiti. You can watch the full feature of 28:32 mins at the link below. My internet is too slow and expensive to check these out, so please let me know what you think.

All Over the World Television show documents MAF relief efforts in Haiti

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