Samaritan Aviation

04/08/2026

Our founder and CEO, Mark Palm, recently returned to Papua New Guinea to serve alongside our long-term team and see firsthand the work happening across the region.

From flying medical flights and joining medical patrols, to delivering much needed supplies to remote villages and checking in on ongoing construction projects, Mark returns to the US with plenty to share.

One of the highlights of the trip was flying the very first emergency medical flight patient to Kapuna Hospital, where our friends at Gulf Christian Services were ready to receive them. Seeing patients, who otherwise may never have reached the hospital in time, receive care was a powerful reminder of why this mission exists.

During the trip, Mark also had the opportunity to connect with missionaries and government partners serving throughout the region, witnessing the many ways collaboration is helping bring both medical care and the hope of the Gospel to remote communities.

In our April newsletter, Mark shares an update from the field and what he experienced during this trip.

Sign up to receive the newsletter and read his full message at samaritanaviation.org/newsletter

04/07/2026

Lina Plangaka’s call came in from the Longwuk village, and Samaritan Aviation was ready to respond with a flight transportation to the hospital. With symptoms of pneumonia and anemia, Lina was able to receive excellent care and return home! We praise God for the ability to provide immediate care for patients in need and out of reach. Your support of Samaritan Aviation makes stories like Lina’s possible!

04/06/2026

On the front lines of ministry in Papua New Guinea, the battle between darkness and light is real.

Our friends, the Michael and Melissa Hanson who, recently shared a story that captures the impact of this work from their time serving with us. A call came in from deep in the Sepik. A 12-year-old girl had been bitten by a deadly Death Adder. Our team launched immediately, flying anti-venom and a nurse to the remote village. When the plane landed, she was rushed into the brand new ambulance and driven at full speed to the hospital as her breathing began to fail.

The next morning, they visited the hospital not knowing what they would find.

Instead of tragedy, they found the girl standing beside her father, packing her bags to go home. Alive.

As Michael and Melissa reflected on the moment, they shared something powerful: there is no way she would be alive if this ministry was not here.

This is the kind of impact made possible through Compassion Crew. When you give monthly, you help make sure that when emergencies strike in remote Papua New Guinea, help is already on the way.

Join the mission for just $19 a month at compassioncrew.org

04/03/2026

Our CEO, Mark Palm, is known for flying life-saving missions in Papua New Guinea, but there’s another side to him you might not know! Recently, he was featured by San Diego’s local news, sharing both the impact of Samaritan Aviation and his journey back to the pickleball court after overcoming cancer in 2019.
Watch the full feature here:

Mark Palm, a Carlsbad dad and cancer survivor, brings emergency medical flights to Papua New Guinea and is set for the National Pickleball Championships.

04/02/2026

In remote villages across Papua New Guinea, when someone becomes critically sick or injured, the nearest hospital may be hours or even days away by canoe.

That is where Samaritan Aviation steps in.

Our floatplanes bring patients from isolated villages to medical care, often during life threatening emergencies. But these flights do not happen by chance. They happen because people choose to stand with this mission month after month.

Compassion Crew is our monthly giving community. It is a group of people who believe that when an emergency happens, help should already be on the way.

Their faithful support helps keep our planes flying, our medical flights ready, and hope reaching villages that would otherwise be cut off from care.

When you join Compassion Crew for just $19 a month, you become part of every life that is reached.

Learn more and join our monthly giving community at CompassionCrew.org.

04/02/2026

This past Sunday, our CEO Mark Palm had the privilege of sharing Samaritan Aviation’s mission on stage with our longtime partners at New Life Church. For over 15 years, they have faithfully stood with us in this work, helping make life-saving flights possible for those in remote Papua New Guinea. We are deeply grateful for their partnership and the opportunity to share what God continues to do through it. Watch the full message here: youtube.com/watch?v=ZTqKYQ4o3WM

If your church is looking for a meaningful way to get involved in life-saving mission work or have one of our team members visit your congregation, we would love to connect with you. Shoot us a message for more info!

04/01/2026

When 37-year-old Roselyn called for an emergency flight to the hospital, the Samaritan Aviation team responded quickly to care for this expecting mom. She was dealing with symptoms of preeclampsia and needed help quickly. Her high blood pressure and severe headache were not great signs.
Today, we hold both grief and gratitude in the same hand, as Roselyn’s baby passed away but Roselyn is stable and getting better.
Please join us in praying for Roselyn’s continued health and for God’s nearness to be evident as she grieves the loss of her baby.

04/01/2026

Mark Palm recently joined the podcast Life Lessons from Pickleball to share the heart behind Samaritan Aviation’s mission in Papua New Guinea—and yes, a little bit about his pickleball game too. Check out the conversation about perseverance, purpose, and using what you’ve been given to serve others!

Listen to the full episode here:

What if pickleball became the one thing that carried you through cancer and then helped you change lives around the world?Mark Palm, founder of Samaritan Aviation, shares his incredible journey from mission pilot to USA Pickleball National Champio...

03/31/2026

Bernardino Anton was in the middle of an obstructed birth when severe bleeding began. By the time help was sought, the situation had become critical. Tragically, her baby had already passed in the womb.

Our team rushed out to Keram and delivered her to the hospital as quickly as possible. Doctors were able to deliver the baby and stabilize Bernardino’s condition, working urgently to save her life.

In the quiet hours of recovery, she watched the King of Glory series, hearing the story of a Savior who enters into suffering and brings hope beyond this life. In the midst of heartbreaking loss, she encountered truth, comfort, and the promise of redemption.

Bernardino is now feeling stronger and has been discharged. We grieve with her loss while giving thanks for her life. Thank you for standing with us as we bring emergency care and eternal hope to those who need it most.

03/31/2026

This past week, Mark Palm had the opportunity to speak with aviation students at Biola University, sharing what God is doing through Samaritan Aviation in Papua New Guinea. It was incredible to see such engaged, passionate students whom are already thinking about how they can use their skills for something greater than themselves. Moments like these remind us that the next generation of mission-minded young people is rising, and we are expectant for what God will do through them.

03/30/2026

Medical emergencies don’t wait, but fuel has to be ready before a plane can fly. In Papua New Guinea, fuel must be purchased and shipped in ahead of time to make timely care possible.
Each flight costs approximately $130, and a single drum of fuel, averaging $650, makes up to five lifesaving flights possible. Support Fuel for Life and help ensure fuel is available when it’s needed most. Give today at samaritanaviation.org/fuel-for-life.

03/26/2026

7:30pm tonight at the Calvery Chapel.
If you are near the Biola University campus we hope to see you tonight for a special showing of our movie Saman Balus! university