A Brief Overview of AMA Venezuela

AMA Venezuela began operating in early 2002. As Pastor David Gates flew throughout neighboring Guyana, he received frequent requests for help from the Davis Indians in Venezuela. Many of the villagers have family on both sides of the border. David prayed in faith, asking God to impress someone to come to Venezuela to establish the aviation program.

When we heard about this need, we gladly accepted, and have served here during the past five years.

The AMA air base is located at Colegio Gran Sabana (Colgransa) by Maurak Village near Santa Elena de Uairén, Bolívar state, on the Southeast end of Venezuela, bordering Brazil and Guyana in South America.  Angel Falls, a local tourist attraction and the world’s highest waterfall, is located only 1½ hours from the AMA base.

AMA provides emergency medical transportation and evangelistic support to dozens of otherwise inaccessible villages, enabling the inhabitants to have another chance at life. Most of our flights involve medical emergencies. These include pregnant mothers in trouble, very sick babies, malaria, appendicitis, broken bones, snakebite victims, and the list goes on.

We fly patients out to the hospital in Santa Elena, returning them home upon recovery. The airplane also carries lay workers to the villages. Many areas are opening up to the Gospel because of the medical help provided, resulting in hundreds of baptisms.

We began our ministry flying a Cessna 172, while praying for a more powerful plane which could safely handle the short jungle airstrips with a full load of patients.  In late 2006 we began using a Cessna 182 – a much safer plane for this area.  During the first five months of use, we flew more than 500 hours, getting 180 patients out to medical help.  Each patient is accompanied by someone to help them, so that means 360 were flown out and at least 200 flown home, totaling 560 people transported in emergency flights alone. 

We also delivered thousands of pounds of medicines to villages which have a nurse or a doctor, and transported medical personnel to dozens of other villages to treat the sick. 

Our goals are:

1. Establish health programs in harmony with the philosophy of the Seventh-day Adventist church by providing training in disease prevention and teaching the Eight Natural Remedies.  These lifestyle changes will result in personal benefits, improved community living and lives devoted to serving God.

2. Expand the above-mentioned services to new villages and states within Venezuela.

Completely funded by donations, AMA is a faith ministry in which we totally trust in God for our support. If you feel called into mission service, and want to be a part of this ministry of love to the Indian people of Venezuela, you may do so by prayer and by financial contributions.

Bob & Neiba Norton

Address:
      Aviación Médica Adventista
      Comunidad Indígena de Maurak
      Santa Elena de Uairén, Estado Bolívar
      Venezuela, South America

 Phones:
      +58 - 289 - 416-0598 Home
      +58 - 289 - 416-0855 Office
      +58 - 414 - 886-7161 Bob cell
      +58 - 414 - 886-7147 Neiba cell

Our AMA Venezuela Team

Left to right:
      - Bob Norton Pilot/Director
     - Neiba Norton Project Administrator & Coordinator
     - Alvaro Fernández Maurak Village Captain
     - Gladys de Zerpa Principal of Colgransa school
     - Ordenel Zerpa Teacher at Colgransa school
     - Celso Benavides Radio Operator for medical emergencies