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Picking Up Steam
Greetings to all of our family and friends, Well things seem to be picking up steam again for going to Papua New Guinea (PNG). The wait has been very long and frustrating at times, but we have to keep reminding ourselves that it will happen in God's time as He sees best. We have been getting some encouragement from some friends here in Prescott to proceed with building the structure for a hanger for the plane. We have received plans from a friend in AR and we are working on getting the materials listed out so we can purchase the steel. We are planing to weld up the post and trusses here in AZ and then include them in our container we are shipping to PNG. These friends, here in Prescott, then want to come over and help us put it up!! It will be a real blessing to have the plane under roof to keep it out of the weather and easier to work on. We will purchase the roofing and wood in PNG as soon as the money is available. We are waiting to hear that Toni's permit for nursing has been granted so she can get her work permit. Hopefully we hear on the nursing issue this month yet. We have another family that is very seriously considering coming down to work with us for at least a year. He is working his pilots license so he can do some training with me while he is down there, and he will help with the air base operations and communications. We are really excited about this development, as it will provide someone from here to work with us and to do things with. It will be nice to have friends to work with, especially when we are so remote. The annual inspection is nearing completion on the plane. There have been a few things to fix and the paper work is taking lots of time. We are still hoping we can have it done by the end of this month. The company that ferries planes around the world, has agreed to fly ours to PNG, if we can have it ready for them to build fuel tanks for the cabin, and be able to fly it there by early September. So we are trying to get everything ready by then. We just need to get the plane done so Gary can fly it some-- to get back in practice and make sure everything is in good shape. By having it ferried to PNG, this will allow us to ship a 20' container instead of a 40' one, and it can then go all the way to the port near where our base will be located. All of these items cost plenty of money and we know God will provide as He sees best. He has not failed us yet. So we move forward as we see Him opening the way for us. Thank you for your prayers and support!
Gary and Toni Donations can be sent to "Hope on Wings" P.O. Box 122 Hepler, Kansas 66746 Please include a note stating "Lewis project" thank you so much and may God repay you many times over.
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First visit to Africa
Gary just returned from his first trip to the African continent. He was there almost a month working and visiting Ethiopia and Tanzania. He went over with the objective of helping to build "one day schools" but the materials were held up in customs so that plan was changed. He ended up helping with maintenance and construction projects at Gimbie Adventist Hospital. Some of the missionaries there were able to provide valuable midwife and maternity information for Toni to use in PNG. After landing in Addis Ababa and spending a couple of days at the Union office waiting for transportation he took a 12+ hr ride, 450 km. bus ride to Gimbie. He was able to renew his friendship with Elder Ted Wilson and his wife when they passed through Addis while he was there. Ethiopia was in dry season and everything was very dry and there was red dust everywhere. In many ways Ethiopia has things like South America, but many things are very different too. It was nice to see a different part of the world. As he was leaving Gimbie by bus his camera was stolen, so he only has pictures that he had downloaded from the first 2 weeks.  After Ethiopia, he flew to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and then took another 9+ hr bus ride about 600 km (much better road) to Kibadula Farms. It is a school, operated as a supporting ministry of the Adventist church. They have about 4500 acres and have a very active program. They have sheep and cattle, orchards, primary school, school of agriculture for kids who fail primary school, school of evangelism, publishing work, medical outreach and a flight base with an airstrip, hanger and 1.5 planes. The second plane is a kit, and being finished up by a volunteer from the States. It was near the end of the rainy season there, so everything was very green compared to Ethiopia. On the return trip to Dar Es Salaam for the flight home he was able to go by pickup and see some of the wild life Africa is famous for, so that was a special treat. One of the most rewarding parts of the trip was meeting and sharing with other missionaries in that part of the world, seeing and hearing how God provides for them too. Many of the struggles are the same, but we all serve the same God, who is Faithful!  While Gary was in Africa Toni stayed in Arizona, and continued with her work, and also was able to get some hands on experience observing deliveries at the birthing center at the hospital. She also was able to learn some suturing skills from a surgeon and surgical tech. She is trying to get prepared for a variety of medical needs at PNG. We also received word that a work permit has been granted for Gary in PNG, the most difficult part of getting a visa. Toni has to have clearance from the nursing council there first, before she can get hers. It was amazing to see that the permit came within just 3 weeks after the papers being submitted. The visa is supposed to come very soon after the work permit is issued. Toni's nursing license was just renewed (here in Arizona) now that she was able to get her 1000 hrs of work completed, so that is a real blessing. Her work has provided for our personal expenses while living here in the US, as well as helping with the launching expenses to start the base in PNG. We still have a ways to go on that yet, but we know that God will provide all that we need-- when we need it. All of the funds that have been given for the PNG project have been used for just that, none of it was used for our personal expenses here, or for the trip to Africa. The trip to Africa was a good mission trip, but we didn't want to use funds that were given for PNG for that, so God provided other means. He is Faithful!
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moving forward again
It is only a few more days before Gary heads off to Ethiopia and Tanzania to help with some projects over there for a few weeks. Toni will remain in Prescott working at the surgery center.
Since our last news letter there has been some very encouraging progress on the visa to PNG. We have an agent now who processes visa's for a business. We were put in contact with her through a relative of hers that we have known a long time and worked with us in Pathfinders. She has gotten the ball rolling again and hopes to have a work permit and visa for us soon. She has also agreed to donate her time in getting this done. God is so good to us. We may have it by spring she says.
Work is progressing on the paper work for the plane and hope to have the annual inspection done on it while Gary is in Africa. Maybe it will be ready to fly by the time he returns to the US.
It is not always easy to understand God's timing and ways of doing things, but we do know that He is faithful and works things out for our best interest and good. He has proved Himself so many times to us and continues to provided assurances that He has not forgotten us. He loves each of His children and wants the best for each if we will only surrender ourselves to Him.
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Building project
Greetings to all of our family and friends
Many of you are wondering what has happened to us and if we have left
for Papua New Guinea (PNG) or are we even going? First of all, no-- we
have not left yet and we are still in Arizona where Toni is still
working as a nurse in outpatient surgery. She is really enjoying her
time there and getting her skills updated. Second, we are still
waiting for a visa so we can go to PNG. It looks like it will require
another trip over there by the director of Hope on Wings to get things
going again. Friends there in PNG keep asking when we are coming, but
we can't go without a visa, we are anxious to go, but.... We do not
understand the delays some times, but we have to remember that this is
God's work and sometimes delays are for a reason that we may not see
right away. We are trusting that He will get us back on the front
lines in His time and on time.
An opportunity came knocking this week for Gary to go to Ethiopia to
help build 12 school buildings on 2 locations in less than 3 weeks.
Things worked out for him to get his tickets and arrangements made all
within 3 days. He will be gone most of the month of March and will
also be helping at an agricultural school in Tanzania. He is excited
to have this opportunity to get back on the "front lines" for a few
weeks and see a new part of the world for him.
Things are progressing, albeit slowly, on the plane. We have hired a
mechanic to finish up the last of the paper work and do the annual and
final inspection on the plane. The 2 volunteer mechanics that have
worked on it for so long and have done a great job, but were not able
to spend the time to finish it, so we have had to hire someone to
finish it.
Thank you so much again for your prayers and support. God leads and
provides in interesting and unexpected ways so many times. It keeps
life interesting to see Him at work.
May God Bless you.
Gary and Toni Lewis
Donations can be sent to:
Hope on Wings
P.O. Box 122
Hepler, Kansas 66746
please include a note stating: "Lewis project"
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THANKFUL
There is so much to be thankful for. The Bible says to rejoice in ALL things. Sometimes it is too easy to focus on our trials and problems that we forget to be thankful. Last week we received word from a pilot friend in New Guinea that informed us we would need a certain type of HF (basically a "ham" amateur radio) radio installed in our plane in order to be able to fly there. He further stated that these radios cost about $40-50K used! Boy did that get our attention fast!. I contacted another pilot friend in PNG (Papua New Guinea) and he confirmed the information. That started a flurry of emails trying to see what our options if any, would be. Another pilot from Australia told us about a different HF radio that could work but had to be installed in Australia, and would cost about $7-8K. That sounded much better, but still a lot of money that we don't have. We have installed an HF radio like we used in Guyana expecting to use it there. Now is sounded like it was all in vain. Then yesterday I received word from our friend Kyle who helped us on our plane in Guyana and is now a certified airplane mechanic working in PNG. He said he had checked with the guy who helped write the rules in PNG and he said that if we had the proper paper work on our radio and we were not going to operate as a commercial operator, ours would be ok!! Wow, God is so GOOD. Our mechanics in Washington have been working on getting this paperwork for the radio and other equipment so that it is all approved by the FAA. That is been a big part of the hold up for getting our plane ready to fly. So getting this paper work done right, now, should make it much easier to get the paperwork done in PNG. When Toni was given work at her old place of employment back in July, it was with the understanding that it would be for 4-6 weeks. With the delays that we have been experiencing, God has provided continual work for her! Every time it looks like they don't need her anymore, someone needs time off for illness, surgery, vacation, or something so they have kept her on. Her bosses keep saying, you are a real "God send to us". Her work has provided for our living expenses and putting some towards the cost of shipping the plane. We are trying to get funds together to buy some solar equipment so that we can have some basic electricity out in the bush. The prices have been dropping real fast since this spring and so our delay will also help us to get the this equipment soon we hope. During this waiting time we have also had many many opportunities to share what God has done and is doing for us and how faithful He is. Sharing how God is faithful has brought us so many blessings and it thrills us to share His wonderful ways. Friends keep bringing us supplies to take to PNG and others have provided funds to help with the cost of getting ready to ship the plane and supplies. We are humbled and so grateful for each of you and how the Lord provides. Yesterday we received an email from a pilot who has flown in PNG and now lives in Australia. Here is a quote from his email.
The obstacles to operating in PNG are frustrating at times. But the effort is well worth it. I had a call from Pr Tom Kerowa up there yesterday. He is the district director in one of the areas that Mission Support Network has been established in for a long time. We have several lay missionaries that we sponsor there. This weekend they are having a camp meeting and 150 precious souls are being baptized from the efforts of these guys. This is an isolated area way beyond the reach of the crumbling road network and these are all small communities. This was not the result of some big city evangelist blowing in and then disappearing again. One of the missionaries, - Kelly Mone has prepared several of these people for baptism. Earlier this year a crazed villager who did not want the message preached there, murdered Kelly's young daughter then cut her up with a machetti and threw her in the river. PNG is a land where great successes are seen in God's work, but Satan opposes the work at every step. Yet if God be for us who can be against us. To try and work in PNG we put a bulls eye on our backs, but we also step into the presence of God's power. He will never leave or forsake us.
The need is still great. We are ready to go as soon as the Lord opens the door. Still waiting for a visa and the paperwork on the plane, but we know that the Lord will work it all out in His time table and we want to be ready. Thank you for your prayers and support. Prayer is such an awesome force and allows God to work on our behalf. May you be blessed this holiday season. Gary and Toni Lewis
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preparations
Hi family and friends It has been awhile since some of you have heard from us. We are still here in the US awaiting a visa from PNG (Papua New Guinea). The plane modifications are done, but there is still some paperwork to finish before we can fly it. We have been very busy though. We have had lots of speaking appointments and are getting supplies ready to ship to PNG. The Lord has provided beyond what we ever expected. When we are working for Him, He provides for the needs of the project, since it is His project for His children in PNG. We have had lots of opportunities to share with others how God is faithful. We feel we are ready to leave for PNG, but it seems that God still has some work for us to do here before then. Toni has been given enough work, that she has been able to get the necessary hours she to keep her Arizona nurse's license active. She only found out about this requirement after she started working. God provided for a need we didn't realize we had. So many people have helped provide supplies for us to take down to use on the project, from Bibles, to clothes to equipment. God is still and always will be faithful! Our departure date could arrive anytime, but in the meantime we are busy doing the work the Lord gives us to do, knowing that we will leave for PNG on the date the Lord has already picked out for us. We want to once again thank each of you for your prayers and support. We also would love to hear from you.
donations can be sent to: Hope on Wings P.O. Box 122 Hepler, Kansas 66746
Please include note: for Lewis project 
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Angels
We have been encountering so many angels since we have been back in the States preparing to go to Papua New Guinea (PNG). We have been working and flying with them in Guyana and I saw them preparing the way for us while on my visit to PNG just a few weeks ago. It has been so thrilling to see angels still at work back here in the homeland as well. Some of the angels we have encountered have given food to us from their pantries and when it seems to be about gone, then another angel has provided more, or the food has seemed to keep lasting when we thought it was about gone! Other angels we have encountered have provided vehicles for our use so that we not only can get to the store and back, but have also made it possible for us to share with many more people the stories of God's love and His faithfulness! What a blessing it has been to us to share of God's goodness and mercy! These vehicles have been such a blessing--making our work so much easier and far reaching for the kingdom. Other angels have invited us into their homes and provided for us; others have given of their means to allow us the ability to take care of our needs and provide for the airplane repairs. We had been hoping to somehow get a solar oven to cook with in PNG. Well, one of His angels gave us a brand new one last week without us even asking! Doctors have given free services or greatly reduced fees for medical needs. One angel this week promised to provide a chainsaw that is almost new, (we hadn't even mentioned the need, but God told him). Another angel gave us a generator and welding machine; another gave us 2 very nice adjustable front seats for the plane. Two angels have donated countless hours of work on our plane and another painted it for us at an unimagined low price. Another angel printed business cards and bought a battery for our ATV—that we plan to take to PNG, another gave us a laptop to replace the one that died. There are the angels that have encouraged us to press on. Many others have arranged meetings and opportunities to share God's blessings. We cannot out give the Lord and the more we (you and I) pass on the blessings that God has given us, the more room He has to give us more, and increase our boundaries! We do not have a departure date yet, but we are working on visas and getting the plane finished. We plan to ship a container with items for the flight base that we will be building on land that has an airstrip that God has already provided. Seeing God at work through His angels in providing for the needs of this project is so heart warming. So many angels have blessed us these last few months that our joy is overflowing. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and we have requested that God will repay you many times over in ways that you need most. He is FAITHFUL. We have many things to get yet, and the expense of shipping everything. But we know that God has angels that are ready to help with that, too.
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Trip to Papua New Guinea
We have been very busy trying to get the plane finished up, and doing lots of speaking engagements. The weather here in the Northwest has been a bit cool, for those of us used to the tropics, even the rain feels cold. We are enjoying the rolling hills planted with wheat. The rivers and lakes are blue here--a big difference from the brown waters of Guyana! We have been to two camp meetings and several churches since we have been here in Spokane.  | just painted
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Work on the plane is progressing. One of the mechanics, Steve Lingenfelter has gone to Honduras on a mission trip, so things have slowed down a bit. We really appreciate all the work he did on the plane though, and wish him the best in his new mission. The engine is mounted and hooked up. The old paint is almost all removed, and today we made arrangements to have it painted the first of next week, about a mile from here. That means we can do it without putting the wings on, until we take it to an airport. Once it is painted by mid-week next week, then Rod will be able to install the instruments and radios and finish up the interior. Hopefully by the time I return from PNG, it will be ready to take to the airport, run some tests on it and then fly fly away. I will be leaving for Papua New Guinea (PNG) on July 6 with Jack Sample to do a preliminary visit to get paper work started on importing the plane, get permission to use auto gas and work on negotiations for building a base. Lots of things need to happen, and we are asking for your prayers that God will impress the right people to help us, so that the project and God's work can go forward. Toni will be spending some time with her family while I am gone. She is still trying to find some short-term work, but so far nothing has worked out. Thank you so much for your prayers and support, and we ask that you continue to pray so that these problems with importing and operating the plane in PNG can be resolved.
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PNG, land of the unexpected
I just returned from Papua New Guinea 2 days ago. This jet lag stuff is not easy when it is 17 hours difference. I was there almost 2.5 weeks and a lot happened in that amount of time. I went with Jack Sample and we had asked the angels to go before us and prepare the way. They sure did their part and more! We arrived Fri evening and were taken to an expensive hotel where we had been offered 3 nights for free. The price was more than our donor had expected so was trying to figure how to handle the situation. We told him we would be happy in something much more simple and cheaper. He was relieved and took us to a very nice guest house out of town that was owned by a church member. We stayed there and enjoyed visiting with the owner and some of the guest. Before we had to start paying 3 days later the owner, after hearing the purpose of our trip and our mission said that anytime we were in town or one of our team was, we could stay there for FREE. Oh God is so good.  Sabbath we went to church on the grounds of the state university and shared a bit what our mission is about and then we had the afternoon program to give more details and tell how God worked on our behalf in Guyana. After that was over many university students came up and asked to volunteer in remote villages when we can take them out! That evening we met with the most powerful minister in the government and he promised to help with the issues that involve government regulations and paperwork. We went to a church leaders home for lunch and he was so excited about our mission that he wants to work with us as soon as he retires in 3 years. Well it turns out he is a director in the govt. office that approves overseas companies. We met him in his office on Monday and he arranged all the paper work to get our organization registered in the country. It usually takes a long time. He had paperwork done in 4 days and everything approved and signed in about 10 days! He has become our in country registered agent and is working for us in many ways now. The next week we went north to where we want to base our first operations. The district administrator who is a church member also took us in his vehicle on a 3 hour ride into the bush to an unused airstrip that is 2500 ft long and overgrown. After sharing with him what our dream was for PNG, he offered us a piece of ground adjacent to the airstrip of about 4-5 acres for our hanger and homes! He is drawing up the papers so it will be ours when we return, owned now by "Hope on Wings", at no cost! Then we spent the night in a village not far away and in the morning they offered to give us another piece of land for more homes and with timber so we could build all of our buildings without purchasing wood!!!  We visited several other churches and all of them had people who want to volunteer to go help their countrymen in remote areas! What a thrill to see that kind of response from the local people! Visas for Toni and I are now being applied for and I expect they will arrive sooner than expected if what happened in the last 2 weeks is any indication. There have been a series of delays in getting the plane finished so we are praying for that. Looking like it maybe cheaper to have the plane flown over there rather than shipping it, and it will be much faster as the boat trip is 3 months plus taking the plane apart and putting it back together. Looks like maybe the Lord is anxious for us to get started over there. People are dying without hearing the gospel of Jesus. We have lots to do yet to get ready on such a short time frame but we go forward knowing it is all in His hands and that He will provide the money and supplies necessary to make it happen. Toni has been working at her old job in AZ while I was in PNG, trying to sharpen her nursing skills a bit (she will get to do nursing in PNG), and earn some money to help with moving expenses. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. We serve an awesome God!
Donations can be sent to Hope on Wings P.O. Box 122 Hepler, Kansas 66746 Please include note "Lewis Project" 
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Plane preparations for PNG
Greetings once again! We have been in Spokane about a week now helping to get the Cessna 182 ready to ship to Papua New Guinea (PNG). The mechanics have done a wonderful job so far and have spent countless hours taking it apart, putting on the modifications and making improvements. We have been helping by cleaning parts, stripping off the old paint and replacing the interior fabric. In a few days we hope to begin to put the plane back together again. As it is now, the wings, tail and engine are off, and the interior and instrument panel are out. It has been good for Gary to see all the workings of the plane from the inside out. We are hoping to have it ready to test fly by the end of the month. Gary and Jack Sample (director of Hope On Wings) plan to go to PNG the first of July to get things in motion for shipping the plane. They need to get things worked out such as fuel and maintenance work on the plane, and permission to fly it there. These need to be worked out before the plane is actually shipped. He will also be attending campmeetings here in the northwest the next couple of weeks. Toni will be going to Arizona this weekend. She is going to help out at the surgery center where she used to work for a couple of months, while all these other details are being worked out. It will sharpen her nursing skills and give them some extra help during the summer while people are on vacation. It has been fun visiting with so many of you so far. Thank you so much for your support and sharing with us as well. Hopefully we will get to see a few more of you before we actually ship out. Gary and Toni Lewis The hope on Wings has a video on the home page that shows what we are hoping to do with our Cessna 182 in PNG.
Donations can be sent to: Hope on Wings P.O. Box 122 Hepler, Kansas 66746 Please add a note for "Lewis Project" 
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