Light in the Darkness
Recently, I flew to the remote village of Komako located in the highlands of Gulf Province. It’s not an easy place to fly into. The short, sloped airstrip, surrounded by high terrain on three sides, has a one way in and one way out approach and takeoff. The approach is often made more difficult by challenging winds that create up and down drafts. I was delivering a planeload of building supplies to Jason and his family, missionaries from another mission organization who are working to plant a church. On this particular day, the windsock had become unserviceable, so I asked Jason to build a small fire. The smoke would provide an indication of wind direction and speed.
After landing and unloading the supplies, I had a chance to talk to Jason and his family. They shared a struggle they are having with a mentally unstable man in their village. This man frequently walks around their house carrying a large bush knife, threatening them and making unreasonable claims. The community is afraid of him as well and does not seem to want to try and restrain him. This is especially problematic when Jason needs to leave his wife and three daughters in the house alone in order to carry out his church planting work in the community.
While I was there, the man came up to the plane, and Jason pointed him out to me. I gently coaxed him away from the plane and asked the community members who had gathered to keep an eye on him, since he was carrying a bush knife.
In the midst of all of this, I was captivated by two realities—the awesome beauty and remoteness of this place contrasted with the intense spiritual forces of darkness that are at work. Jason and his family are a direct affront to what has been a dark stronghold for many years. Without the Holy Spirit in the lives of the villagers of Komako, there is nothing to oppose the forces of darkness here.
I gathered the family around me near the plane with the mentally disturbed man in my view in the background, and I prayed for their protection and that God’s Word would go out from them mightily and transform lives in this place.
As I flew back home that day, I was reminded that using aviation to support what God is doing among remote and unreached people has its challenges. But on this day, I had seen clearly that those challenges paled in comparison to the very intense battle my colleagues were experiencing. It was a compelling call to remember to pray.
