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God Kept Changing the Weather
Earlier this month
I flew to Ciudad Boliver, planning to have the wing extensions put
on the airplane. However, as it turned out, everyone was sick so none
of the mechanics were in the shop. At first I was a bit frustrated,
but then realized I should be happy even if things weren't going as
I planned. The plane was fine and the things I was going to have
done could wait, so I headed over to the office to file a flight
plan. I told God that since it looked like things weren't working
out as I had planed that He must have some other agenda for me that
day. Bob Norton Note: You may send your donations to the address below, writing a separate note stating that the funds are for AMA Venezuela.
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As I flew the weather was getting bad, but I had just come over the
valley of Kamarata and knew it would still be open. After flying
through heavy rain I was able to land, pick up the baby with its
mother and get back in the air before the weather closed in. As I
flew, hunting for holes and ways to get through the bad weather I
got another call. There was a patient in Wonken who had arrived from
another village. I told them I would come, praying I would have a
little window without heavy rain to get in and back out of Wonken.
When I flew over the village of Wonken I saw what I had been praying
for—just light rain over the strip. I was able to land, pick up the
patient, and get back in the air before the weather closed in. I
thanked God, continuing to pray that Santa Elena would stay open
long enough for me to land. As I neared Santa Elena I asked Celso,
our radio operator, what the weather looked like from the ground, as
from above I couldn't see any holes through the cloud layer. He told
me, "Towards the south I can see a hole. You can find it just over
the road west of Maurak."
I found the place and was able to come through the clouds, follow
the road up to the runway at Santa Elena, and land safely. After
turning the patients over to the ambulance I refueled and headed
over to our base, checking in with Celso on the radio. He informed
me, "There is an ill baby in Awaruka and another patient in Uriman.
Also three people ready to return home, one to Wonken and two to
Uriman."
"Okay," I said. "I will land at the base and pick them up." The
lunch I was hoping to eat would have to wait. Just as I got in the
air, after loading the returning patients, another plane was coming
in. The pilot told me that landing in Wonken was out of the question
as a big storm was over it. I thanked him, and then told God He
would have to take care of the weather because I couldn't go on to
get the ill patients if I couldn't drop off the recovered patients I
had on board. 
Now I needed to get through to Uriman, where I'd drop off the other
passengers. Because the strip in Awaruka is very short I planned to
hop over there first to pick up the sick baby; then return for the
other patient. All the way to Uriman I flew in bad weather. I could
land in Uriman with it raining, but it needed to stop or I wouldn't
be able to see anything! When I arrived I noticed the rain had let
up over the strip and I was able to land and get back in the air
without difficulty. 
Now Awaruka. "Please, Lord, I need no rain this time. I need a break
in the downpour long enough for me to land and take off again." And
that's just what I found. With a grateful heart I flew back to
Uriman. It was just drizzling when I landed, and quickly readied to
take off again. With a plane load of patients I lifted off the strip
and pointed the nose of the mission plane toward Santa Elena. I
talked to Celso again and he told me Santa Elena was socked in. 
Gospel
Ministries International