Pic from the BBC

I was talking with George Synman of Hands at Work Africa this week and he was telling me about a trip he took to Nigeria earlier this year. He said that as the plane was about to take off, people started praying to their gods (Muslims, Animists, etc.) because Nigerian planes are notorious for their crash record and general lack of safety. He said as the plane was taking off (a flight from one city in Nigeria to another) it sounded as if pieces of the plane were falling off. He looked out his window and could see people and animals on the runway scattering because the plane was taxiing.

So when you read about the Nigerian plane that just recently crashed, don’t be too surprised. Here is what the State Department has on its website concerning Nigerian airlines:

Most Nigerian airlines have aging fleets, and maintenance and operational procedures may be inadequate to ensure passenger safety. Domestic passenger airliner crashes in October and December 2005 resulted in numerous deaths. Because international flights tend to meet higher safety standards than domestic Nigerian flights, travelers should attempt to get direct international flights to/from their Nigerian destination, rather than transiting another Nigerian city such as Lagos. For domestic travel between Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, the U.S. Government encourages its employees to use Virgin Nigeria Airlines or Aero Contractors.

But I like how George saw his travels to and from Nigeria. He said that the airlines could not take him before the Lord wanted him. Now that is faith.