Precious Cargo
Pacaas Novos scripture open to Acts.
It was “one of the missions that every missionary pilot wants to experience one day,” recalls pilot Bruno Siqueira.
Ethnos360 Aviation CEO Phil Koop remembers the day when Bruno’s phone call came from Brazil: Would it be within the scope of the Brazil’s helicopter program to fly for a Bible dedication quite far out of the normal area of service?
It seemed like a worthy request. And then Phil heard the name of the people group: the Pacaas Novos – the very tribe he had grown up in!
About 67 years ago, Phil’s dad and mom, Abe and Dee Koop, had helped pioneer the work among the Pacaas Novos, starting with the contact and continuing up through the beginning of translation. After Abe was tapped for field leadership, his co-workers on the team took over. The key translator became Barbara Kern, who, along with her husband, Manfred, persevered through all kinds of setbacks, especially Barbara’s health, to make sure the job got done. In December 2022, just a few months after she completed the translation, God took her home.
Barbara never got to see the long-awaited day when all the individual books of the New Testament were completely proofread, printed and bound into one book. But when it was done, August 26, 2023 was appointed as the day the copies would be delivered to the Pacaas Novos village.
As Phil listened to Bruno’s request to use the helicopter to deliver the Scriptures, others in the room could feel the emotion. The work Phil’s dad had begun would, in a sense, be completed by the Ethnos360 Aviation helicopter.
Bruno felt the sacredness of this mission: “When I was asked to fly … the Bibles to the village, with one of the translators on board, my heart couldn't have imagined that I would be able to live that moment.”
First, Bruno had to position the helicopter in the town closest to the village – a five-hour flight. Then, on the day of the event, he set his departure for 9:30 a.m. so he would land just as the boats carrying missionaries, pastors and leaders would arrive. His flight time – nine minutes. The boat trip – an hour and a half.
Despite smoke from fires near the airport, Bruno found “by the grace and goodness of God” clear skies above the village. He flew over the landing zone to send the alert of his arrival. “I observed the field that had been set aside for my landing; really everything was very suitable and perfect for a good approach.”
“At this point, something impressive began to happen,” recounts Bruno. “People seemed to spring up from the ground. The [Pacaas Novos were gathering] to watch the landing” – in all about 3,000 people. Then he quips, “I broke my record for the number of people watching me land! But the extremely respectful people didn't approach the helicopter until I had actually turned off the engine and stopped the rotor rotating.”
Pacaas Novos villagers crowd around Manfred Kern (center, red shirt, white hat).
“The most remarkable moment,” Bruno adds, “was when I opened the helicopter door to help missionary Manfred [Kern] down.” When the people recognized their dear friend, the husband of translator Barbara, “it was crazy! Hundreds of indigenous people wanting to see the missionary, greet him, say a few words to him. It was super exciting. Right next to the helicopter, some indigenous people who were already leaders and pastors of local churches said a prayer in thanks for Manfred's life, for the trip and for his presence that day.”
“I could only stand there behind the scenes, enjoying that moment and thanking God for the privilege of being in that place, at that moment, living that experience that I will never forget. It was a celebration in which only those who are taking part can understand the dimensions of seeing a people receive the gift, the most precious possession that anyone can gain — the Word of God.”
Bruno and his hangar assistant, Gilvan, deliver the New Testaments.
That day, says Bruno, “we heard stories, we heard testimonies, we heard people reading the Word of God and praising God with various songs in their own language. Each speech, each testimony, all very impactful for everyone present.”
“I was able to return home with my mission accomplished — that of carrying the most precious cargo in the world, which is the Word of God, and carrying the 84-year-old missionary who had given his whole life, his energies, and his efforts for the sake of missionary work, transmitting the message of the gospel to people who had never heard of Christ.”
As you give to Missionary Flight Sponsorship, you make flights affordable. Bruno was able to assist at this momentous occasion. You brought God’s Word to these people. You can say, along with Bruno: “Thanks, God, for allowing me to experience such a wonderful day.”