The Western Highlands Mission has many building projects going on right now. So how to get the needed supplies to the work site? A quick run to Home Depot maybe? Nope, that’s some other land far, far away. Over here the only way is to fly it all in to the nearest airstrip. I’ve been hauling all kinds of stuff – sheets of roofing iron, plywood, hardwood boards, plastic pipe, water tanks, bags of cement, nails…you name it, I’ve been hauling it. A couple thousands pounds at a time.
You will notice that there is a large back door on the belly pod which facilitates carrying long items. 
Sometimes coming in for a landing is more of a “splash down” than a touch down, with everything being so wet with the constant rains. We generally wash the plane at the end of every day, and often there is mud top and bottom of both wings, all over the aft fuselage and clear up the tail. 
Most of the flying is just plain hard work. Lots of sweat getting things loaded and unloaded, and the flying enroute can make one sweat as well.
So it’s extra nice when there is something “special” that happens to remind me of why I’m doing this. I had two such cases this last week. The first was a flight back to Wuvulu island.
Remember the comatose villagers I flew out? I now had the satisfaction of taking the recovered patients back home.You should have seen the greetings and hugs they were met with as they climbed off the plane.
The second happened on a recent flight down to the North East side of the island and up into the mountains not far from Popendetta to the little village of Tedebeti. Often there are lots of people crowding around the airstrip to “gawk”, but as I landed I noticed that these folk were in a very festive spirit. They had decorated the entire airstrip with small bunches of flowers and branches stuck in the ground along both sides, and all around the parking area. As I shut down they came marching out all around waving flags and tree branches. 
Why all the excitement? Well, these villagers know and understand what it means to have aviation service. Three years ago when funds were being raised all over the world to purchase a new aircraft for AAS, these villagers did everything they could, giving 10 kina here, 20 kina there, selling some produce and donating the proceeds, etc. From a strictly financial standpoint, their contributions may have seemed like a drop in the bucket compared to the 1.2 million needed, but they willingly gave all they could. Now after several years they were actually getting to see the new aircraft for the first time! They were so excited! After all the marching and speeches came to an end, they draped fancy leis around our necks.
Then they climbed aboard the airplane and decorated all the seats with flowers. It was indeed one of those “special” moments.
Life comes to each of us just one day at a time. Make today count!
