PALM BEACH INTERVIEW SERIES, No.1, In 1 part

"THE GIFT DROP GOES ON" - Hobey Lowrance

Our Saviour Lutheran is happy to introduce you to Hobey Lowrance, a special retired Mission Aviation Fellowship [MAF] pilot and co-worker with the late Nate Saint. Hobey joined MAF during it's early years. Prior to his work in missions, Hobey was an American Airlines pilot, flying DC-3s in both civilian and WWII-military transport. Soon he heard of the formation of a group of Christian pilots banding together to serve missionaries. Hobey was more than interested... he resigned from American Airlines and joined MAF, working shoulder to shoulder with Nate and the other founding MAF staff.

Hobey did much aerial survey work in South America. He worked out an extensive training program for MAF pilots, giving instruction for flight safety in difficult takeoff/landing situations, flying in mountain terrain, cargo drops, and navigation over jungle.

Hobey worked closely with Nate Saint following a crash that left Nate with a broken back. After an inspirational recovery, Hobey made certain Nate was ready to fly again, and he was... back to Ecuador! Following the Palm Beach massacre, Hobey offered to replace Nate and continued the famous "gift drops" to the Waorani, formerly known as "Aucas". We are pleased to introduce you to Hobey Lowrance.

HOBEY: "I grew up in Oklahoma, first on farms and then in Tulsa. I studied aeronautical engineering at the University of Tulsa until age 21, when I was hired by American Airlines."

Our Saviour Lutheran: WHAT MOVED YOU TO GO INTO MISSION WORK?

HOBEY: "While flying overseas for AA out of New York, I became friends with some Christian pilots, who got me going to church. I accepted Jesus Christ, and my life really began to change. About the same time, Christian Airmen's Missionary Fellowship was being formed. [Later called Mission Aviation Fellowship.]"

When I first heard about MAF, I was SCARED. Here I was, 23 years old, just becoming a captain on AA, single....I KNEW this fit me, but it was the last thing I wanted to do! However, God had put a hunger in my heart to learn the Bible and to serve Him. After some Bible training and contact with the founders of MAF, I was not only willing but EAGER to go. In September 1948, I burned the bridge behind me by resigning from AA, and joined MAF.

I love to fly, and the airline meant a great deal to me. Had I stayed until retirement, I would have become number four out of 8,500 pilots! However, I can honestly say that I have NEVER doubted nor regretted my decision. God has blessed and rewarded me most abundantly."

Our Saviour Lutheran: HOW WERE YOU SELECTED TO GO TO ECUADOR?

HOBEY: "When I came into MAF, a flight program had just been opened in Ecuador. My initial assignment was to do surveys, determining where MAF might be needed. First, in order to observe operating programs, I visited Mexico and Ecuador. Soon after my arrival in Ecuador Nate Saint crashed, breaking his back. I stayed on for 9 months, flying the replacement plane.

During that time, I "surveyed" the field and married a missionary, Olivia Scott. Then we moved on to other fields, and finally home, where I developed a flight orientation program for MAF.

When Nate Saint was killed, we offered to take over the Ecuador program, having had previous experience there."

Our Saviour Lutheran: DID YOU HAVE ANY FEAR ABOUT TAKING ON THIS ASSIGNMENT AFTER WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THOSE WHO WENT BEFORE YOU?

HOBEY: "Not fear, actually. Just the sober realization of what had gone before, and the feeling of responsibility. My only exposure to danger was doing the low altitude flying required for the "bucket drops", trusting the little engine to keep doing its job. At that point I didn't want to meet any trees or Waorani!"

Our Saviour Lutheran: CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF BACKGROUND AS TO HOW THE WAORANI, THEN CALLED "AUCAS", WERE DISCOVERED?

HOBEY: "Their general area was well known, from their attacks on rubber hunters, oil company workers, and the neighboring Quichua Indians. While flying there in 1949, I had made a survey flight with two missionaries. We located several groups and plotted their positions."

Our Saviour Lutheran: DID THE MEN BEFORE YOU KNOW THAT THAT TRIBE POSED A POSSIBLE DANGER TO THEIR LIVES?

HOBEY: "Everybody knew that the Waorani killed on sight. Missionaries had wanted for years to take the Gospel to these people. The question was how to make a peaceful contact with them. The five men who landed on Palm Beach took a number of safety precautions, such as building a tree house to sleep in. Nate flew the airplane out each evening [From Palm Beach January 3-7th, 1956] because he and the plane were their only link to safety. In the end, they seemed to abandon all precautions at the joy of an extended peaceful and pleasant contact."

Our Saviour Lutheran: WHO THOUGHT OF THE BUCKET GADGET DROP FOR THE PLANE?

HOBEY: "By newspaper report, in 1939, a pilot lowered a basket of eggs to a mountain top without breaking them. But to Nate the idea was original. Being very practical in physics, he thought of the idea and perfected it."

Our Saviour Lutheran: WHAT KIND OF PLANE WAS USED BY NATE AND THEN BY YOU?

HOBEY: "A Piper Family Cruiser. For some of the extremely small airfields that MAF often had to use in the early days, several of these aircraft were purchased. We modified them by installing a larger engine, larger brakes and a number of safety features. This plane could fly into and out of "Palm Beach", the small sandbar on the Curaray river near the Waorani village, which the five men had code named "Terminal City". The replacement plane that I flew down was of the same type. Its ability to fly in circles SLOWLY made it ideal for the "bucket drop" also."

Our Saviour Lutheran: DID YOU USE THE SAME BUCKET GADGET FOR YOUR DROPS? WAS IT HARD TO OPERATE?

HOBEY: "Yes, I did. The bucket drop used about 1/4 mile of nylon cord, with a bag tied to the end. By circling at low altitude, wind resistance caused the cord to spiral around in the shape of an inverted cone. The bag could be stabilized over one spot on the ground, low enough for a person to reach up and grasp it, to exchange mail, medicines, or in this case gifts.

It took a great amount of skill and practice. Wind was the main problem. The pilot cannot vary the angle of bank to correct for wind drift...the bucket would be all over the sky! He has to establish a proper and constant bank at exactly the right altitude, then let the wind drift him over the spot. Once a person gets hold of the bucket, it becomes easy to maintain position."

Our Saviour Lutheran: WHAT KINDS OF GIFTS DID YOUR TEAM PLACE IN THE BUCKET?

HOBEY: "Practical items like small knives, aluminum pots, and various ornaments."

Our Saviour Lutheran: DID THE WAORANI EVER PLACE THINGS BACK IN THE BUCKET FOR YOU?

HOBEY: "Oh, yes! Smoked monkey leg (very tasty), other foods, etc. They returned to Nate a parrot in a straw basket. These exchanges were what helped to encourage the men. When we resumed the bucket drops, after several months' lapse before we had the replacement plane, they immediately responded."

Our Saviour Lutheran: THE FIRST TIME YOU FLEW A GIFT DROP AFTER THE OTHERS HAD BEEN KILLED, CAN YOU RECALL AN EXTRODINARY FEELINGS?

HOBEY: "That was a long time ago! Probably a mixture of sober realization of what had gone before and my responsibility, yet a feeling of excitement and thrill to be involved, hoping and praying for the eventual outcome."

Our Saviour Lutheran: WHEN FLYING GIFT DROPS, DO YOU RECALL SEEING "GEORGE" WAVING THE MODEL PLANE NATE GAVE HIM?

HOBEY: "No, I did not see the model airplane. I think I identified George though."

Our Saviour Lutheran: THE IDEA OF DROPPING MORE GIFTS TO A GROUP WHO WERE VIOLENTLY HOSTILE IS THE OPPOSITE OF HUMAN NATURE. THOSE GIFTS, COMING DOWN AFTER THE KILLINGS, MUST HAVE STARTLED THEM. DID YOU WONDER WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH THEIR MINDS?

HOBEY: "Yes, we all wondered and frequently discussed it. We also felt that eventually they would understand our love."

Our Saviour Lutheran: AFTER THE ORIGINAL TEAM WAS KILLED, WHAT MOVED MOST OF THE WIVES TO STAY ON?

HOBEY: "I can only venture the opinion that they were true missionaries, called of God to go to Ecuador. After such a tremendous investment, it must have seemed natural for them to carry on."

Our Saviour Lutheran: HOW LONG WAS IT BEFORE ANOTHER FACE TO FACE ENCOUNTER CAME BETWEEN MISSIONARIES AND THE TRIBE?

HOBEY: "About 20 months later, two Waorani women, Mintaka and Maengamo, came out to a nearby Quichua village. Betty Elliot went to meet them and brought them back with her. One of them was the older woman who had been on Palm Beach with the five men, the other was Gikita's wife."

Our Saviour Lutheran: HOBEY, YOU HAVE BEEN A SUBSCRIBER TO Our Saviour Lutheran FOR QUITE AWHILE AND HAVE READ MANY OF THE BREAKING URGENT NEEDS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH. HOW IMPORTANT IS PRAYER TO THOSE IN THE FIELD?

HOBEY: "I think prayer is tremendously important. The forces of evil are so strong and the missionary has a battle just to survive on the field. God, in answer to our prayers, enables them to stay and to minister and then gives the harvest."

Our Saviour Lutheran: FINALLY, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THOSE WHO ARE PRAYING ABOUT THE LORD'S PATH FOR THEM, SPECIFICALLY THOSE CONSIDERING MISSIONS?

HOBEY: "SEEK God's will for your life. COUNT THE COST before you go. If God is leading you, then GO. You can't lose by following God's will!"

Our Saviour Lutheran: WOULD YOU DO IT OVER AGAIN?

HOBEY: "Absolutely, without question."

Hobey Lowrance