Wilson Update - Medivacs and Missionaries

Medivacs and Missionaries       What a busy week this last week has been! Steven flew every day, and even into some nights. Some flights were to move cargo, and others missionaries. The plane didn't go anywhere empty. Left:   The director of Familia Feliz, Miguel Tello, being transported to Rurrenebaque Right: A volunteer family at Familia Feliz going to Santa Cruz to do visa paperwork Food Cargo going up to the high school at Guayaramerin.      The flight schedule was already pretty full for the week. There was a lineup of missionaries and cargo waiting to fly. Then a call came in, 'Can you fly make a medivac flight? A premature baby needs to go from Guayaramerin to Santa Cruz for better care." So the airplane was fueled up, filled with cargo going that way, and an engineer and his wife jumped in as well. The engineer was taking a TV transmitter to Guayaramerin to get Red ADvenir back on the air in the town.      The plane arrived in Guayara and the ambulance was notified. The engineer quickly went into town to set up the new tv transmitter while the ambulance came and the passengers were loaded. He found that the new transmitter didn't work either! He opened both the new and old transmitters and was able to use parts off of both to make one that worked, and now ADvenir is once again on air in Guayara. All in the time it took the ambulance and passengers to get to the airport and be loaded! God is good! Left: The ambulance meeting the plane at Guayaramerin airport Right: The baby and its Mom in the ambulance waiting to go in the plane      The patient was a premature baby born at only 7 months gestation and was on oxygen because its lungs were underdeveloped. They said it could only live an hour without oxygen. It needed better care than what could be given at the hospital in Guayara, so was needing to be transported on oxygen to a specialized hospital in Santa Cruz.      The flight started well. Good weather, plenty of time before sundown, and a cruising altitude of 9,500 ft. Then the parents of the baby realized that the oxygen had run out! There was still one and a half hours of flying time until Santa Cruz. If the baby could only live one hour on the ground without oxygen, how long would it have at 9,500 ft? Steven quickly called the nearest airport,Trinidad, and began to descend explaining the emergency.  It just so happened that it was one of the bigger airports and it had a doctor on staff, and oxygen available. Eleven minutes later the plane landed and the doctor was waiting on the ramp with oxygen, and the baby was fine! If the oxygen would have run out anywhere else, it is unlikely they would have been able to get to anywhere that had oxygen in time for the baby to survive. Our God is merciful!      From the airport, the baby's father went by taxi and was able to refill the oxygen bottle in the town and they continued the flight uneventfully  to Santa Cruz where an ambulance was waiting with an incubator. It is winter here in Santa Cruz and much colder here than at Guayaramerin! Left: The doctor with the oxygen at the plane at the ramp in Trinidad Right: The ambulance with the incubator ready to receive the baby  The delay in the flight meant a night landing at Viru Viru, the international airport in Santa Cruz because it has landing lights. That means a two hour trip home on public transport, and then two hours again in the morning to go back to the airport. Because Viru Viru is an international airport, it is busy and it takes a fair bit of time to get through security, fill out the paperwork and then find a drug police to stamp the flight plan. The drug police are often busy with the airliner flights and it can take an hour waiting for an officer to be available to put his stamp on the flight plan. Then you have to get to the airplane, which is parked on a different platform, a fair distance from the terminal. Next, the airplane needs to be inspected by the drug police, before permission to fly is granted. It can take another hour or more waiting for a drug police to be free to do the inspection of the plane. If nothing else, Bolivia can be a place to develop patience!    The next day was going to be a free day from flying, since we had an appointment to apply for James's US passport. We were not available until noon. But soon a call came. Can you make an emergency medivac today? A little boy was in an accident and needs to go to Santa Cruz!       Right after our appointment Steven was again flying. this time it was a three year old boy from Guayaramerin who had somehow been run over by a vehicle. His jaw was broken in several places and his ear was mostly torn off. He needed reconstructive surgery and to be in care that could treat infections effectively.       Once again the flight continued after dark, and so it ended at Viru Viru, the international airport, where an ambulance was waiting. Left: Sunset over the rivers of the jungle Right: Turning on the instrument lights     And so ended that flight with the little boy getting to the care he needed.      The next morning another flight was scheduled, so it was a very short night for Steven since he needed to be gone by 5 am to move the airplane from Viru Viru (remember it is a many hour ordeal) in order have enough daylight lime to transport the missionaries who were waiting.     And so ended the week, with a very tired pilot, a bunch of people and cargo moved, and a blessed Sabbath rest to enjoy. Thank you all for your prayers and financial support which has made all of this possible. God Bless you until next time... The Wilson Family We are volunteer missionaries entirely funded by donations. 100% of your donations go directly to us and our project in Bolivia. If you'd like to be a part, we accept tax-deductible donations through Gospel Ministries International, Inc. Donate via: 1.  PayPal  (timt@gospelministry.org) 2.  Check:  P.O. Box 506, Collegedale, TN 37315 With either method, please include a note stating:  "Bolivia Aviation Services - Wilson" Thanks for your support!

" I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." Psalms 139:4 Wilson Family News         What an interesting 9 months it has been! Our house has been a busy one, not only with Timothy learning and growing, but also with many guests who have been part of our family for a time. Added to that, airplane maintenance that never seems to end, and you get an idea of what we have been up to!          It has very interesting having guests in the family. So far this last year to present, we have had somebody from Romania, Australia, Austria, the US, Bolivia, Denmark, Canada, and Belize, stay with us. It is fun to learn a bit about other cultures and try to not overwhelm them with ours :)          Having guests has been a challenge because I have had to learn to say I can't keep up to cooking and cleaning up after extra adults, as well as Timothy, while being pregnant. I tried my best until I couldn't go anymore, and Steven came to my rescue and made new house rules... those who live with us, become like family with us and carry an equal part of the cooking and chores. What a difference that has made for everyone! I have had time to do constructive things with Timothy, study the midwife text books that I have been able to purchase, as well as sew more diapers for the new baby, and get to the many other things that just were not getting done.            Some of the cloth diaper covers I made and sold, and my little sewing helper.       As interesting as sewing and other things have been, what has really been intriguing to me has been the midwife course. I have not been able to complete any of the course work because I do not have enough of the text books, but I have studied the text books I have, and learned so much. It has been even more interesting and real to me since I was pregnant and could observe in myself the things I read about.The more I learn about how life begins, the more I realize just how great a miracle conception and reproduction is. We are truly "...fearfully and wonderfully made..."       As I studied, my desire to have my baby at home grew. I wanted to experience what it was like to give birth in the comforts of my home, as close to God's design as  we could manage. I understand that we live in a sinful world, and problems can arise, so we visited all the hospitals and clinics nearby, learned what services they offer, located emergency room doors,etc. We were 10 min away from help should a problem arise. Babi, a neonatal nurse, agreed to be my birth attendant. What a brave lady she was through the whole process, taking on such a challenge and putting up with me! I don't think I would have been comfortable enough to try a home birth without her. Thanks Babi!     And so we waited for the baby. so many times we were sure the time had come, only to realize it was another false alarm. My sister Sara came from Guayara, and my Mom came from Canada to help me with everything... cooking, cleaning, Timothy, etc. These two were such a help. I don't know what I would have done without them.        Then May 10 I began to have some cramping, and we thought that it was the big day! Nope. Evening came, and Timothy went to bed. Around 10 pm I began to have some contractions and then by midnight the contractions came in earnest. At 5:40am, May 11, James Lloyd Wilson joined our family! Timothy woke up to the baby's cries, and met his new brother moments after he was born. Now we have three boys in our family who share a birthday... my brother Michael, Steven, and James. I guess Steven's birthday present this year was a son:)        Birthing at home was an incredible experience because I was in an environment that was familiar and caring. I wasn't in the public eye with strangers watching me walk the halls, fighting to keep my hospital gown closed behind me. There was no pressure about things not going fast enough, or being treated like I was sick. Steven wasn't treated like an outsider, or in the way. I could move how I wanted and follow my instincts.  The whole experience was peaceful, and James came out beautiful and full of life. He had no medicines in him and it gave him a whole different appearance from the other babies I have seen born, including Timothy. God has made birth so intricate and incredible!           Babi and baby James                                  All the members of our family.                                                                                        Welcome James! Timothy likes his new brother.  We want to thank all who have kept us in your prayers, and for those who have been supporting us and encouraging us in the mission field here in Bolivia.                                              God Bless you all! The Wilson Family, Steven, Helen, Timothy, and James   We are volunteer missionaries entirely funded by donations. 100% of your donations go directly to us and our project in Bolivia. If you'd like to be a part, we accept tax-deductible donations through Gospel Ministries International, Inc. Donate via: 1.  PayPal  (timt@gospelministry.org) 2.  Check:  P.O. Box 506, Collegedale, TN 37315 With either method, please include a note stating:  "Bolivia Aviation Services - Wilson" Thanks for your support! Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

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