Mission at the airport

Jungle Aviation and Radio Services, also known as JAARS, is a ministry committed to going overseas and bringing indigenous people the Bible in their own language.

Edwin Smith, a retired airline pilot, and his wife, Barb, are advocates for the mission and are also an integral part of Mission at the Airport, which is coming to Cape Girardeau on Wednesday. Though Smith retired eight years ago, he spends quite a bit of time in airports as he assists with the work that JAARS does.

Describing JAARS' goal as "trying to put God into [indigenous people's] language," he stated, "Nobody understands better than in their mother tongue." But just handing a person a Bible is not the way to effect lasting change, so JAARS missionaries actually live with the people they seek to reach. Many of these missionaries are people who are well educated, "Ph.D.-type people," Smith called them, "who will surrender their lives and go to these places for the love of the people and the love of Christ. ... They become part of their culture and learn their language." The Bible is translated into those languages and sometimes in the form of audio.

Missions at the Airport takes place at different airports in the country, serving as a fundraiser.

"We demonstrate the capability of airplanes, Internet, radio, etc.," said Smith. "So people will know about JAARS, and they might want to help us and contribute."

A JAARS Robinson R44 helicopter gives a ride to visitors of Missions at the Airport in Rumford, Maine, in September. (submitted photo)

On Wednesday, as part of the effort to raise money, JAARS is offering rides in a missionary airplane for $25 and helicopter rides for $30.

The event, which runs from 2 p.m. to sunset, presents an opportunity for people interested in aviation to check things out.

"You can consider it a recruitment drive. ... If God is leading you to go this direction, this is a real good taste of what it would be like ... and you would get to talk to the pilots who do this kind of work." Smith said there was a time when pilots were in abundance, but it is now difficult to obtain a license, and the pay is low, which has diminished the number of people going into the profession. Mission at the Airport may help draw people who are feeling that tug in their hearts.

The work they have done is vital to the ministry they have embraced. Their handprint is on various places throughout the globe -- Papua New Guinea, which is one of their big bases, South America and Guatemala, for example. They also are hard at work in Uganda, Tanzania and Indonesia.

JAARS' success is due in part to the training it provides its volunteers. The organization conducts flight programs in five countries, cross cultural training for missionaries so they understand what is and is not acceptable behavior in particular countries, off-road vehicle driving and maintenance training courses, improved Internet and communications setup instruction, training in media productions to teach how to dub films such as "The Jesus Film" in natives' language and water safety training. JAARS also provides shipment of supplies to more than 80 countries.

It all began when, in 1948, Cameron Townsend saw a need for airplanes and radios to work in these geographically remote language groups, and taking a cue from Wycliffe Bible Translators, he started JAARS. Working alongside other translation groups, JAARS is responsible for 830 complete New Testaments and 35 complete Bibles, putting them into the hands of 214 million people, who speak 799 languages. But more work remains. According to Smith, since October 2013, their focus is to reach 180 million people speaking over 1,900 languages.

While JAARS Ph.D. volunteers are good at translation into indigenous languages, they may not be good at traveling up and down rivers, or repairing Land Rovers and the like. The use of airplanes, therefore, allows them to deliver goods such as medical supplies and tin roofing. The ministry also provides information technology to set up solar panels and dishes for radio contact. Smith said they are able to provide readily what used to take years. Wycliffe Bible Translators needed airplanes and computers. They needed people to work on cars long-distance -- through FaceTime to diagnose problems with cars. This is where JAARS is effective.

To bring the program to the Cape Airport, Smith said he met with the airport board, which was "very cautious, which they need to be." He eventually received the thumbs-up, which really is "a win-win to the Cape Airport," he stated. "There is no financial burden to the airport. JAARS takes responsibility for the whole thing." As an advocate, Smith provides the tents, the tables, the chairs and all necessary resources. "They see it as a miniature air show that is no cost to them." Praising the airport, he said, "They've been very kind to allow us to come, and we appreciate it."

Those interested in learning more about JAARS and Mission at the Airport may visit jaars.org.