Grounded in faith, waiting on God
The Indonesian R66 with Theo (left) and Rocky (right), two Indonesian pilots who will be training to serve with Ethnos.
In June 2021, during the height of COVID, our phone rang with an unexpected question from the Ethnos Canada office: “Do you at Ethnos360 Aviation have any pressing needs? We have a donor who wants to contribute a considerable sum to a project that will have an immediate impact on the spread of the gospel.”
We had been praying about the urgent need for a Robinson R66 helicopter for Indonesia—an aircraft capable of reaching remote locations inaccessible to our Kodiak planes. Remarkably, this donor inquiry came before we had even made the need public. On the ground in Indonesia, a Canadian helicopter pilot was nearing the end of language training, and church planting missionaries were pleading for aviation support.
Fast forward to August 2025, and that desperately needed helicopter still sat in a container at our training centre in McNeal, Arizona, waiting to be shipped. Why was it still here after four years when we had prayed and fasted repeatedly?
We often think of prayer as a request followed by a swift answer. But what if the answer takes years? Are we willing to remain faithful like the widow in Luke 18:1–8, who persistently pleaded with the unjust judge until he relented? The parable ends with a probing question: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Will he find believers who give up after a few prayers—or those who pray without ceasing?
Ethnos360 Aviation serves pioneer church planting teams in the remotest regions of Brazil, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines. These teams invest 20 to 30 years immersing themselves in language, culture and Bible translation to establish thriving communities of trained believers—equipped with Scripture and ready to reach neighbouring villages with the gospel.
But we live in a changing world. Global issues affect our plans. Supply chain disruptions, government paperwork, personnel shortages, health challenges, and many other factors lie beyond our control.
But as we wait on the Lord of the universe, we hold fast to Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4:8: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.” We trust God’s timing, his methods, and his grace to wait patiently by faith.
The container with the helicopter and parts being loaded for the trip to Indonesia.
After raising the funds needed for three helicopters for PNG, the final one—ordered and paid for two years ago—is complete but still waiting at the Robinson factory for an engine due to supply chain delays.
Finally! What a joy and answer to prayer it was to see the crane and truck arrive at our hangar at 9:30 a.m. on August 14 to load the helicopter container on the truck for its two-month journey to Indonesia. By the time of printing, it should have arrived.
October 15 update: On September 24, the third R66 for Papua New Guinea arrived here in McNeal to be prepared for overseas service!
