It’s seven o’clock in the morning when an urgent call comes in over amateur radio. The three-year-old daughter of a missionary family serving deep in the heart of the Amazon rainforest has fallen from the porch of their jungle hut, and her parents suspect a serious head injury. “Could the airplane please come and pick up our daughter and fly her out to medical care?” The SAMAIR team immediately jumps into action. The plane is prepped, a pilot and flight follower are assigned, the flight plan is filed, and soon the aircraft is on its way to carry out a four-and-a-half-hour, life-giving mission into one of the most remote regions of the Peruvian jungle.
Not every day begins with such drama as SAMAIR works alongside missionaries throughout the Amazon Basin of Peru. On a typical day, SAMAIR aircraft may transport teachers to remote villages to train pastors and Sunday school leaders, or fly students from isolated tribal communities to centrally located Bible training centers.
For many people living and serving in these villages, travel by river can take days or even weeks. SAMAIR airplanes make it possible to leapfrog over the vast jungle in just hours. Along the Yavarí River, missionaries and local pastors are engaged in seminary training and an Old Testament Bible translation project.
Recently, SAMAIR had the privilege of delivering the very first printed copies of the book of Nehemiah to the Matsés language group.
The transportation challenges faced today are not much different from those encountered in the early days when the vision for this aviation ministry was first born. At that time, the only travel options were slow-moving riverboats, small speedboats, or endless treks along jungle trails. Access to remote areas was extremely limited, and airplanes became the obvious solution.
SAMAIR began as Jungle Air and completed its first missionary support flight in 1962. The ministry continued to grow, and in 1973 it became part of South America Mission. Over the years, SAMAIR has expanded and developed into a vital part of the jungle Gospel ecosystem, supporting multiple expatriate missions and Peruvian missionaries throughout Peru.
Craig and Heather Gahagen have been serving in Peru since…1989 Craig grew up as an MK at SAMAIR which is what inspired him to join missionary aviation, Craig serves as pilot and Program Manager and Heather as Finance Manager for SAMAIR in Peru.
