PCM News: Just when you thought it was safe to wind down for the weekend…

14 July 2009

Just when you thought it was safe to wind down for the weekend…

I got a call at 12:00 on Friday asking if we were available to do a medevac out of Mozambique. Our Beech 18 was already in Moz on a mission’s trip but we had the 310 and someone to fly it – me, so yes, I guess we were available.

Half an hour later they called back to say that the flight was on, so we hurriedly prepared the plane to carry a stretcher, after which I set off for the local international airport to fuel up and clear customs and immigration.

First was a quick stop in Maputo to pick up the paramedic and then a two and a half hour flight to land in Beira just after dark, for more fuel. We had rung up before to verify, but it turns out that had only got fuel in Beira that morning! From there it was another hour up to Quelimane to collect the patient and his parents.

Turns out he had been in a bad car accident and had a complicated compound fracture of his femur (broke his leg – but in a very bad way).

It took a while to load him and for the paramedic to do the checks, but at 21:00 we were on our way for the three and a half hour flight back to S.A.

The weather was about as good as it gets for night flying, and fortunately I had remembered to take my MP3 player along as there was next to no one to talk to on the radio at that time of night.

We landed in SA at half past twelve and met the ambulance and officials.

Again, thank you for your support that makes help like this possible to those who need it.

Paul

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A short history of us

Not long after we were married we felt that God had some full time work for us overseas. This initially began with a move to Sheffield in 1992 to work for a Christian management training company. Three years later we felt the Lord's prompting that another change was imminent and this led to a move to Africa where we helped set up a youth program with the Lesotho-Durham link in the capital Maseru. An initial three year commitment turned into four after which the youth work was handed over to the nationals.

Then, after feeling God was moving us into mission flying Paul enrolled at a flying school and completed his South African commercial license with an instrument rating in December 1999.

We moved from Lesotho to White River in South Africa in June of 2003 where we now work with Mercy Air. Mercy Air was borne out of Youth with a Mission (YWAM) and is a sister, although smaller organisation to the more well known Mercy Ships. We are situated near Nelspruit and provide a service to missions and the development/aid community in the southern African region but mainly serve Mozambique.

We operate four aircraft at present - a Quest Kodiak, a Cessna 310 and two Airbus 350 helicopters which are often used for the relief flights.

When not flying Paul is responsible for flight operations and is Mercy Air's Safety Officer.

Cathy, who is a registered Nurse and Midwife works part time at Africa School of Missions which is a bible college preparing missionaries for overseas service. She teaches in their School of Health and is part of a team which visits a number of rural clinics during the week. She is also helps with the hospitality ministry that Mercy Air runs.

Matthew spent four years at Rhodes University in Grahamstown where he studied photo journalism. He has now flown the nest and is living with his wife in Durban. They have a young daughter named Isabella.