Road to Indonesia: God Our Protection

 I am surely glad that we were all ready in place here in Papua and not taking a flight out of Jakarta right now. Not because I believe we would be in danger on the airplanes, but because of the stress it would be causing family and friends in light of the recent crash.  Air travel is some of the safest means of transport possible, but when something happens, it really happens with much loss of life. Such is the case with this latest incident. It is one of the hardest parts for those left behind, no matter which side of the ocean you are looking from, when there are problems: crashes, political coupes, natural diasters.  One feels so helpless and you don't know how the situations might be impacting others. We feel that way when hurrianes or blizzards or insurrections are mentioned in the US, and we are literally on the other side of the globe and wondering about our loved ones.  Also births, deaths, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries that we have missed down through the years and we were just too far away.  It is one of the very few sacrifices that we have made living the life that we have lived. 

In addition there is a quiet prayer request from the community here. For political reasons they do not want media attention.  Last week, one of the mission airplanes landed in a small city.  There are tensions between the government and some local groups. It is seemingly unknown why the local group took exception to the flight. They drug the pilot from the plane, roughed him up, and burned the plane. Local pastors extracted the pilot, gave him shelter in the church, and finally walked him out to a neighboring village where a helicopter was able to pick him up.  The young pilot was in church yesterday giving testimony to God's wonderful protection in the midst of a very harrowing incident. God is good and our constant protection, whether in life or in death.