Flying to Yehebi

What does it look like to fly out to Yehebi? A few pictures will help you get an idea. We fly there with Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF). Our pilot on this last six-month trip was Markus Bischoff from Switzerland. In this photo, he is training and checking in another experienced pilot, but one new to this area of the world. MAF makes sure their pilots are carefully trained, so Markus trains  pilots new to the country. Living out in a place like Yehebi cannot be done without these dedicated pilots.

The nearest little town to Yehebi is Kiunga - a 40 minute flight in a small aircraft or a grueling four day walk. I'd much rather fly!

     One day while flying back to Yehebi, beautiful formations of clouds were everywhere. I took out the camera to capture a few. I always think about what God must see as He looks down on earth. And I am reminded of the vastness of this world.

"Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds," ( Psalm 36:5 ESV).

Don't you love that promise? 

            
      You can see the mountains in the distance in this photo. We are flying to the lowlands. The expanse of the jungle is realized while flying out to Yehebi. Miles and miles of dense trees envelope the jungle below. What a contrast to the bustling activity and crowded streets of Orlando. A muddy river winding through the trees breaks the monotony below.

One river merges into another. We finally see signs of life in this village below as we get closer.

      I always get excited when Yehebi airstrip comes into view. Here it is.  Built in the mid l980s, it is located in the Western Province of PNG. The first landing was in early 1987. 

      The airstrip is 1900 feet long located close to the river. The other shorter green spot you see in the picture is the first village where the church and local school were built. There are a total of three villages at Yehebi. 

      Near one the end of the airstrip is the ECPNG mission station. The mission house, medical orderly's house, aid post, tractor shed, and one of the pastor's houses is located here. The river is beautiful. Although you cannot tell from the picture, the river is a steep walk about 100 feet down.

 Coming in for a landing.

      Because there is a penalty on this airstrip, a pilot faces this direction for take-off. A small hill is located on the other side of the river. It looks closer than it is, so it's not as scarey as it looks. But they do have to pull up fast once the aircraft wheels are off the ground.

      The upkeep of the airstrip goes to one small lawnmower. Gahi, our friend from years ago, takes a week to cut the strip. Then a few weeks later he starts again. When the lawnmower is broken, all the villages have to go out and cut it by hand with grass knives.

Canoes. A common scene at Yehebi. Fishing, diving, taking the family downriver or to the garden. I never tire of seeing them on the river.

If you look closely, you can see it's wash day. Spread across the river rocks are clothes drying.

A thatched hut cookhouse in the early hours of the morning.

     The scene from the verandah of the old mission house. The jungle in it's purest form.

© 2016 Carin G. LeRoy, All Rights Reserved