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Answers to Prayer

by Wes Guy

 
Answers to Prayer - Two stories that illustrate God's intervention

 
Story 1

As the Examiner of Airmen, with the Department of Civil Aviation in Papua New Guinea, it was my duty to not only test pilots, but to investigate the operations of each and every charter operator.

I had completed an investigation of a small operator and found many rules and regulations had been ignored and disregarded. The owner of this small charter operation had previously been employed by the Department of Civil Aviation, thus knowing the importance of abiding by all the rules and regulations. Before writing my report I discussed with him all the mistakes he had made. He, of course, pleaded ignorance and stated that he had never broken any rules or regulations.

My report was submitted to the Regional Director who accepted it and my recommendations. The main recommendation was to take away the licence so that this operator could not continue with his charter operations. The Regional Director submitted my report, with his agreement of my recommendations to the Head Office of the Department of Civil Aviation, in Melbourne.

Several weeks later I received a call from Head Office requesting my appearance in Melbourne. The Director of Operations told me that he did not believe my report, would not accept the recommendations, and as far as he was concerned, while he was in his present position, I would never be promoted. So he dismissed me!

Shortly after I arrived back in Port Moresby, I had to fly to Honiara, Solomon Islands, to test the radio aids we had there. You can imagine my feelings at this time. I was determined not to continue with the Department, but did not know what to do. So, I challenged the Lord. In my prayers I asked Him to show me in no uncertain manner what He wanted me to do. I suggested that, when I returned to Port Moresby there would be something there which would show me what to do.

When I arrived home from that trip my wife told me that there was a letter for me which she thought was important. I opened and read that the Managing Director of Territory Airlines, was offering me the position of Operations Manager of his company. So, here was the direct answer to my prayer!!

I contacted the Managing Director and  told him that there was one condition to my accepting his offer. He wanted to know what it was. I said I would work and even fly for six days but would not operate on Saturday, my Sabbath day. It seemed that someone had already told him that I had been baptised. He told me that he was not concerned with my religion and accepted my condition. In fact, when we went to his solicitor's office to sign the contract, the solicitor wanted to know what this nonsense was about not working on Saturday. The Managing Director told the solicitor not to worry about that clause as he, the Managing Director, wanted it left in the agreement.

During my three and a half years with Talair, I was never asked to work on my Sabbath .

 
Story  2

I had been with Territory Air Lines for nearly three and a half years as the Operations Manager. Previously we had sent our two boys to Lilydale Adventist Academy as boarders, Peter in 1964 and Paul in 1965. We missed them very much and my wife, Pearl, kept on asking me when could we go back to Australia. I told her that I had signed a five year contract and if I left before the contract expired it would cost us financially, therefore it was best to fulfil my contract.

A few weeks later, the Managing Director of Executive Air Services and Executive Airlines, visited Goroka ostensibly to demonstrate and hope to sell, the Aero Commander aircraft. He called in to see me in my office and, during our discussions, he told me that, in addition to trying to sell the Aero Commander, he wanted to offer me a position with his company. I suggested that he write me a letter setting out the terms and conditions of his offer. I told him about my contract so he would know why I could not give him a definite answer then and there. Within a week after he departed Papua New Guinea I received his letter confirming the offer. I did not know what to do so, Pearl and I rook the problem to the Lord in prayer. We decided to accept the offer even though it would mean breaking my contract with Talair. I wrote a letter of acceptance in which I stated that I would work and fly for his companies six days a week if required, but I would not work or fly on my Sabbath, Saturday. The reply to my letter took several weeks. In this letter the Managing Director of Executive Services told me what a shock he got about the Sabbath. He had envisioned me working or flying without any specific days off.  However, he had discussed the situation with his board and they decided to appoint me as the Director of Operations without any concern about my Sabbath. You can imagine the joy and happiness of Pearl!

Prior to this letter I had received a call from the Regional Director, Department of Civil Aviation, Port Moresby, asking me to go to Port Moresby to see him as he had several matters to discuss concerning the operations of Talair.    I told him that I would see him the next day. I told the Managing Director of Talair about the call from the Regional Director and that I would be seeing him the next day. "I don't want you to go" he said. When I queried him he said that he wanted to tell me something. So we went outside the office and bent over the railing. He then turned to me and said, "I want you to leave Territory Airlines." I thought he was joking so asked him when did he want me to leave. His answer was TODAY NOW. I could not believe him but he was adamant. He agreed that he was breaking our contract but would not allow me to stay any longer. I was to collect the finances owed and the finances of the broken agreement.

I contacted Executive Air Services and told the Managing Director that I would be joining his company within a fortnight. Everything was settled and we were able to join our two boys within a few days. What a wonderful answer to our prayers. Only God could have worked out such a definite answer to my problem!!

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