Mark Palm thinks he knows what Jesus might do if he were apilot. He might climb into the left seat of a Cessna 206 Amphibian and fly the 700 mile long Sepik River in Papua, New Guinea helpingtransport the sick to the region's only hospital.
It must feel a bit like being God, and not in a good way, whenPalm and others with the medical transport charity Samaritan Aviation have to dispassionatelytriage passengers before giving them a ride on the air ambulance.
Only those at risk of death- but not so closeto death that they are unlikely to survive - can fly. There are no beds in the hospital for thedying and not enough space, medicine or physicians to offer comprehensivetreatment to everyone who might benefit from it. Practical realities must beconsidered by those who would play God in New Guinea.
Even so, Palm says Samaritan Aviation which he operates withhis wife Kirsten has been able to make a difference. Since the float-equipped CaravanThe Spirit of Paradise began flying on the river in 2010, residents with brokenbacks and toxic snake bites, spear wounds and complex pregnancies have beendelivered to Boram Hospital in Wewak in an hour or less by air. The alternativewould be a multi-day journey by canoe.
"We're the only service like that in the entire country. It'sunique service we offer," Palm said.
In parts of the developed world, the inability to pay for medicalcare doesn't influence its delivery, nor is there too much thought given to thefact that a patient occupying one bed means another will not be treated. I'vewritten at length about emergency medical helicopters in the United States andthe financial incentive the for-profit companies have to fly non-critical patientsafter which these unsuspecting patients are shocked to receive bills for $12,000 or more. It is a completely different calculation in New Guinea.
"In the U.S., we spend millions to save someone withterminal cancer," Palm tells me. "The things I have to judge when I go out fora flight," is whether it is a life or death situation. Someone has cancer andyou know that, I won't be bringing them in; the hospital can't do anything forthem. There is no cancer treatment."
Thelimits of medical care couldn't be more different than in the U.S. where Palmgrew up, in a family of pilots and missionaries. "It's a forgotten place," hetells me not with resignation but with joy for the challenge. "We have anamazing opportunity to make a huge difference."
Samaritan Aviation's $850,000 yearly budget comes in part fromthe New Guinea government with a roughly equal amount of support coming from donations. The budget has grown asSamaritan expands with the addition this year of a second Caravan and a pilotto fly it.
Now, during a five month home leave Palm is telling the story of his mission to anyone who will listen - trying to encourage contributions. And it beingChristmas, the story of Samaritan Aviation has babies front and center.
"Sixty five percent of the lives we save are mothers andbabies." On one particularly fertile week on the river earlier this year Samaritanflew four women carrying twins to the hospital where all delivered healthynewborns.
At Christmastime, or anytime, that's inspiring,and an improvement in comfort if nothing else from the story of Mary - nine monthspregnant - hoofing it to Bethlehem on a donkey.
"Part of my goal when I talk to people is to inspire them,"Palm said. "I'm trying to get people out of their ownspace and comfort zone to say 'What can I do to make a difference in the world?'"
In Papua, New Guinea, people in need of emergencymedical care, "don't see us, they don't see America. They see the hands and feetof Jesus in action," Palm told me.
"If Jesus was a pilot?" I ask.
If Jesus was a pilot, that's what he would do.
Read more about Samaritan Aviation including how to donate byclicking here.