MedEvac - February 28, 2008

Joe Wiatt from Faith in Practice called this morning while we were preparing to leave Mayalan for Guatemala City. Joe asked us to pick up one of his volunteers who had become very ill, along with an accompanying doctor, from the region of Isabel where they were conducting a large medical clinic.

I suggested we meet at the airstrip in Rio Dulce as it was the closest. He agreed. I flew with my family, Jennifer, Genna and Beto, to Guatemala City where they departed to complete some errands. I then filed a flight plan with the Aeroclub (an exclusive aviation club in Guatemala) for the flight to Rio Dulce. I also added fuel (which we purchase exclusively from them, and have for years).

Joe called while I was preparing to leave Guatemala City and told me that they had to take a boat to the airstrip at Rio Dulce due to road closures (I believe).

Upon landing at Rio Dulce, I was asked by the guard where my permit to land was. I indicated that my flight plan, filed at the Aeroclub in Guatemala City, was permission. The guard then said that the strip was owned by the Aeroclub and that nobody could land there unless they were a member or had special permission. He said we would not be allowed to take-off.

I explained to him that:
(a) I filed my flight plan AT the AEROCLUB in Guatemala City and nobody there seemed to think it was unusual that I had filed for Rio Dulce. I even asked for route and weather information.
(b) This was a medical emergency and I was not in a mood to debate the issue. At my request, the guard called a representative of the Aeroclub in Guatemala who informed me that we needed to have permission to use the airstrip.

At this point, I was considering the ramifications of simply ignoring the guard and taking off, as he did not appear to be armed.

Just then, a member of the Board of Directors of a local missionary aviation organization A.G.A.P.E., and a member of the Aeroclub, took the phone and re-explained the situation to the woman in Guatemala City, using much better Spanish than I. The lady demured and we all expressed gratitude to the gentleman. My thanks to you Señor!

After we finished loading the patient and accomanying doctor, we departed, flew across Lake Isabel, over the southern pass into the valley that leads up from sea level to Guatemala City (5,000 feet above sea level.)

The ambulance met us at the Aeroclub fuel pumps. The patient and doctor departed and my working day was complete! I did take some time to visit personally with the folks at the Aeroclub office. They asked me to coordinate with them in advance before we do any more emergency medical flights to Rio Dulce. I told them that I would. We´ll strive to plan our emergencies more carefully in the future.

Please say a prayer for Leeroy, the volunteer.

As of this update (3/4/08, Progress Day) Leeroy has is recovering nicely in the U.S.