Soon, the tail will be assembled and attached. And a part of that tail has already made a long journey of its own, to the NTM USA Home Office in Sanford, Florida, on to Indianapolis, and back to the Quest Aircraft facility in Sandpoint, Idaho.

The purpose of the trip was to give some of the people who made the plane possible an opportunity to sign the part.

In 2005 and 2006, the children of Molly Lawton's third grade class at Heritage Christian School decided they wanted to help New Tribes Mission purchase a Kodiak. Most adults would blanch at the thought of raising $375,000, the cost of a deposit on a Kodiak after discounts and matching funds. But not these kids.

In a presentation to a foundation, one of the children summed it up:

"You are probably thinking, 'How can a third grade class buy an airplane?' Our class believes in Jesus Christ and that He will make it possible for us to raise the money to buy a Kodiak plane."

On May 2, 2006, they met their goal. "Both Renee and I lost it," Molly wrote. "Many of the children just broke down and cried." It was the enthusiasm of Renee Anthony, 10 at the time, that helped the class drive toward their goal.

And their example helped many others get involved in providing Kodiaks for NTM Aviation.

So it was only fitting to give the kids and their parents an opportunity to sign a piece of the plane they helped fund. Many were able to attend the April event in Indianapolis, and their signatures will be inside the plane as it goes about its duties.

After the plane is delivered to New Tribes Mission, it will be flown to the New Tribes Mission Aviation facility in Arizona, where its outfitting for the demands of missionary aviation will be completed. Pilots and mechanics also need to complete training on the Kodiak. It is expected to be in service in mid to late 2010.

<a href="http://www.ntm.org/news/srkodiak01.php">Find out more about the Kodiak project, and how you can help with the remaining costs for the first plane >></a>

On Friday night, helicopter pilot Ray Finsaas received a phone call asking if he could fly in early the next morning to pick up the men who were injured earlier that day.

A missionary fell in his house and broke a rib, leaving him with possible internal bleeding. The other man was working in the rocky hills near his village when a boulder broke loose and crushed the upper part of his leg.

"For them to have come out by road, aside from the fact of all their pain and possibility of internal injuries, it would have been a very rough ride," Ray said. "It would have been at least a full day's trip. The 15-minute helicopter flight saves them a very grueling [up to] two-day drive."

The next morning Ray prepared the helicopter and lifted off at first light, arriving at the landing site where the two patients were waiting. Friends helped load the injured men into the helicopter, one on a stretcher formed out of logs and ropes. Within minutes they touched down in town and began receiving the medical care they needed.

Please pray for these two men as they heal and praise God for the personnel and equipment He has provided to make medevacs possible.