Riding the Heli

March 13, 2009 ... what a day to remember!

The week itself had been a memorable one, Scott and Jennie Phillips had been here all week. They are on furlough from Papua Indonesia ... they live in the mountains with the Dao Tribe ... a once unreached people group!

BUT because God placed it on the hearts of a young couple (very young ... 19 & 22 years old when they received the call, it is now 7 years later; 2 years training, and 5 years in the bush) that it just isn't fair that there are people who have not heard the name of Jesus and it's redeeming power! Scott and Jennie, created a written language for the tribe, and have now started the translation of the Scriptures. Jennie does most of the actual Bible translation (8 to10 hour days) with local Dao helpers and Scott works with the teaching aides, creating books to teach them how to read and write their own language, training the local believers how to teach the Bible, and they both relationship with their friends in the tribe. (take the time to visit their website www.sjphillips.org -- click on the photo gallery to see them with their friends.)

When I come home I will share some of their DVD's that show the Dao hearing the Gospel story of redemption for the first time, see their first baptisms, (which in itself is a miracle as they had strong animist beliefs about evil spirits in water) and other great victories.

I shared all that to say, on 13 March Simon, Scott, Jennie and me traveled up to Samedam (near St. Moritz) to pick up the helicopter that was in for some maintenance. It was a 25 min car ride to the train station, 3 hours on the train up and through the mountains. It was 38 minutes back to the Helimission Headquarters in Trogen!!! see the pictures below!