This day was bound to come. Leaving. I found that it was not as hard to leave as I thought it might be. God answered prayers - that I would have the strength to say 'See you later' to my family as well as Africa and getting my 'fix' of Africa until I am able to return in a few years. I had a peace the whole morning I was finishing up packing, getting my boarding pass, eventually hugging my parents and brother and going through security. I didn't shed a tear of sadness because I knew God planted Africa in my heart and in His timing I would return and that I would be seeing my parents in a year and a half.
The waits in the airports were long and the flight from Johannesburg to D.C. was tough, but I eventually made it back to the states Saturday at 6:30am. Knowing before I got there that I would have an eleven hour layover, I got off of my plane that had been my source of transportation the last eighteen hours and found 'Customer Service' to see about switching flights and find a one that would get me to Kansas City earlier than my original time. Thankfully I was able to find a route that would take me to KC via Chicago and I would only have to wait three hours in D.C. instead of eleven. I had to make arrangements to pay a fee for the change as well as get the tags on my luggage changed so that they would accompany me on my new route. I was so thankful I was able to find an earlier flight back to my sister's.
By the time I got everything done it was 8:30am and I was starving. The airport gave me a food voucher to use at any restaurant in the airport. After not sleeping hardly at all on the plane and having my last five meals be airplane meals, I decided to go for some Starbucks. I got a muffin and a mocha, walked over to my gate and stretched out on three seats to rest. I was not able to sleep so I laid there reflecting on everything that had happened. I began to feel lonely and was ready to see my sister and my girl friends at school. I'll admit - I cried. The trip was tough on me not only physically and mentally, but emotionally.
I was not able to sleep so I decided to get up and read my book and eat my muffin. Having two more hours until I boarded my next plane, I sat there and waited. At some point a man approached me with a young lady trailing behind him. He asked if I was going to Chicago and I told him I was. He then introduced me to this lady and explained that she spoke French and hardly any English and asked if I would help her get food and board the plane when time cam (as he had to catch a different flight). I ensured him that I would love to help! Maria was her name. She was from Dominican Republic heading to Chicago to see family. The few words in English she knew were enough to help me understand what she wanted and what she needed. I helped her get a pastry and a Coke. We sat side by side not saying much to one another as we waited at our gate. I could not even imagine being in a foreign country alone and not having any real way of communicating with those around me. When it came time to board, we grabbed up our things and got in line. Later when I was sitting on the plane I realised that God filled my loneliness by putting Maria in my path. I just smiled and thanked Him.
I only had an hour and half layover in Chicago before it left for KC, putting me there three hours earlier than planned. Time to board came around and we lined up, scanned our boarding passes, then filed onto the plane. Not two minutes after half of the people got onto the plane, an announcement was made over the intercom - an instrument of the plane was not working and would need to be replaced, which would take thirty minutes to get there and another twenty minutes to install and test. They said we could stay on the plane or exit it and wait in the airport. I grabbed my things and backtracked to the airport. I sat around for a little while and then was tired of sitting down so got up to stretch my legs. Another announcement was made that the new instrument had been tested, but was not working, so another one would have to be put in and tested. By the time they got the piece to work, two hours had gone by. It was frustrating, but throughout it all I had peace and not once got annoyed or irritated. I have gone through many traveling experiences and this one was not bad at all. And I knew there was nothing I could do and being mad or upset would be a waist of energy.
When we finally touched down in Kansas City it was only one hour earlier than what I was suppose to arrive. I just kind of shrugged my shoulders and was thankful I was still able to get back earlier. I followed the crowd over to the carousel with our luggage on it. As pieces of luggage kept coming and getting picked up, people began to leave. I waited there hoping there was some way my two pieces of luggage would appear any minute - it didn't. As Holly was out parking the car in the parking garage, I went to 'Customer Service', again. I asked if they knew if my luggage was on my original flight and the lady thought that it was most likely. Holly and I waited an hour for the next flight to come in. As the carousel started back up again we waited ten minutes when we FINALLY saw my luggage. We grabbed the two pieces up and headed to the car. Even when this inconvenient thing happened, I was still not feeling any irritation or annoyance.
Although I had made plans to make it back to my sister's earlier, God had different plans. Even though I did not leave KC airport any earlier than what I would have if I had stayed in D.C. for eleven hours and taken my original flight, God had this occur for a reason. I feel He wanted me to take the flight to KC via Chicago so that I would run into Maria and help her out as well as bless me with her by filling my loneliness.
I love how I was able to see this and recognise it was God at work! Since then I have seen Him at work in my life and I couldn't ask for anything better than that. My walk with God had become really rocky last semester and I felt so distant from Him, but ever since that day things have been looking up and I'm really looking forward to what else He is going to do in my life! Now, I have a semester ahead of me that will determine if I make it into the Nursing Programme at College of the Ozarks. God has shown me and revealed to me where He wants me and what He wants me to do. I'm learning to live one day at a time and continue to trust God, because He has never once failed me and never will.
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