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Pilots Run Out of Fuel, Pray, Land Safely Near Jesus Sign
fox ^ | May 27, 2008 | AP

Posted on 05/27/2008 8:07:55 PM PDT by RDTF

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — It seemed like an almost literal answer to their prayers. When two New Zealand pilots ran out of fuel in a microlight airplane they offered prayers and were able to make an emergency landing in a field — coming to rest right next to a sign reading, "Jesus is Lord."

Grant Stubbs and Owen Wilson, both from the town of Blenheim on the country's South Island, were flying up the sloping valley of Pelorus Sound when the engine spluttered, coughed and died.

"My friend and I are both Christians so our immediate reaction in a life-threatening situation was to ask for God's help," Stubbs told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

He said he prayed during the ill-fated flight Sunday that the tiny craft would get over the top of a ridge and that they would find a landing site that was not too steep — or in the nearby sea.

-snip-

After Wilson glided the powerless craft to a landing on the grassy strip, the pair noticed they were beside a 20-foot-tall sign that read, "Jesus is Lord — The Bible."

"When we saw that, we started laughing," Stubbs said.

Nearby residents provided them with gas to fly the home-built plane back to base.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: christians; rescue; sign
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1 posted on 05/27/2008 8:07:55 PM PDT by RDTF
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To: RDTF

Of course had they crashe nobody would have blamed God.


2 posted on 05/27/2008 8:09:50 PM PDT by Ron Jeremy (sonic)
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: Ron Jeremy

No, we would have blamed gravity. But what the heck, any landing you can walk away from....


4 posted on 05/27/2008 8:13:51 PM PDT by 50cal Smokepole (Grrrrr.....and stop asking about my tagline....)
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To: RDTF
"My friend and I are both Christians so our immediate reaction in a life-threatening situation was to ask for God's help,"

Excuse me, but God is not the one who did not put enough fuel in your aircraft.

5 posted on 05/27/2008 8:20:15 PM PDT by trumandogz ("He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and it worries me." Sen Cochran on McCain)
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To: RDTF

There are single descriptive “bad” words to use in situations like this.

Good thing they chose the proper words. :-)


6 posted on 05/27/2008 8:27:48 PM PDT by JoeSixPack1
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To: Ron Jeremy

And God is not blamed for anything negative that happens in this world?


7 posted on 05/27/2008 8:29:55 PM PDT by doc1019 (I was taught to respect my elders, but it's getting harder to find one.)
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To: trumandogz
Excuse me, but God is not the one who did not put enough fuel in your aircraft.

Either you think they were praying for more fuel to magically materialize in their tank or you figure they had no right to pray to anyone because they were stupid? Your statement is weird and insinuates perfect infallibility is the norm.

8 posted on 05/27/2008 8:35:01 PM PDT by JoeSixPack1
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To: Ron Jeremy

“Of course had they crashed nobody would have blamed God.”

Up will never get credit for down.


9 posted on 05/27/2008 8:43:23 PM PDT by shineon
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To: RDTF

Why don’t they just pray not to run out of fuel before they take off?


10 posted on 05/27/2008 8:51:18 PM PDT by tickmeister (tickmeister)
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To: RDTF

God was their co-pilot.

HE who can make water into wine can certainly make petrol from thin air. I believe it: stranger things have happened, particularly for Kiwi pilots (who are the best in the world anyrate).

LESSON WITHOUT WORDS: Mates, next time check yer petrol gauges first, and the next shout is on you. God is patient and HE is kind, but HE suffers not fools gladly more than once.

Be warned!


11 posted on 05/27/2008 8:58:58 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: Morgana
Give new meaning to the term “spirit in the sky”??

Golly Gee, I have over a hundred off field landings (sailplane), never prayed, never did much but radio the location and check wind direction. Needless to say I am underwhelmed.

Once I landed near a brothel, was that a sign from God?

12 posted on 05/27/2008 9:05:01 PM PDT by LeGrande
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To: JoeSixPack1

Everyone has the right to pray but those who fail to put enough fuel in their microlight simply have more occasion to pray.


13 posted on 05/27/2008 9:15:32 PM PDT by trumandogz ("He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and it worries me." Sen Cochran on McCain)
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To: LeGrande

It was a sign from the devil. Trust me... I have my sources.


14 posted on 05/27/2008 9:30:55 PM PDT by Brucifer (G. W. Bush "The dog ate my copy of the Constitution.")
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To: LeGrande

LOL!


15 posted on 05/27/2008 9:32:00 PM PDT by Brucifer (G. W. Bush "The dog ate my copy of the Constitution.")
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To: DieHard the Hunter

For every praying pilot that lands safely, there is one that crashes. Either God isn’t listening, or there is no God, but suffice it to say that stories like this one occur because of coincidence. Rational people understand that prayer is wishful thinking, and is likely to be “unanswered” but for coincidence.


16 posted on 05/27/2008 9:34:07 PM PDT by BuckeyeForever
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To: RDTF

17 posted on 05/27/2008 9:38:35 PM PDT by Tamar1973 (Catch the Korean Wave, one Bae Yong Joon film at a time!)
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To: trumandogz

I assumed they topped off their tank and just exceeded its range by misjudging the consumption rate. But the article just says ‘ran out of fuel’, doesn’t say why.


18 posted on 05/27/2008 9:40:57 PM PDT by JoeSixPack1
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To: All
Wow. Can't even come to this site and not see Christian bashing.

These men were probably praying for their sole, not a miracle or gas.

Of course you would have to understand Christianity and faith first before posting such ignorant comments.

We here on this site who believe never criticize non believers who post here. We actually feel sorry for you and hope someday you will see the light

19 posted on 05/27/2008 9:50:12 PM PDT by Las Vegas Ron (Election '08, the year McCain defined the word "dilemma")
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To: BuckeyeForever

> Rational people understand that prayer is wishful thinking, and is likely to be “unanswered” but for coincidence.

Mate, that is your opinion and I Respect you for it. But we all know that GOD has a soft spot for Kiwi pilots especially, as we invented powered flight before the Wright Brothers did (cf Richard Pearse) and, as Kiwis are birds who are otherwise flightless, HE owes us one, big time.

You can bet that these Lads became good Christians after their near-miss, if they weren’t already.

God be praised!


20 posted on 05/27/2008 9:52:53 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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