It feels good to be back online again. I apologize that I haven't been able to update you more regularly but travelling took a bit more out of me, and my computer, than I thought it would.
For those of you who haven't heard about how my great adventure began, I'm going to paste in an email that my dear friend Amy wrote describing my first 3 hours... My edits and clarifications are mentioned in orange.
The Start of Susie's Great Adventure
A Difficult Goodbye
Tuesday, September 9th: Susie’s family and close friends arrived at the airport between 11am and 12pm to assist Susie with her bags, check her in, pray for her and say our final goodbyes. All went smoothly with check-in. Prayer was powerful. The goodbyes, although difficult and emotional, touched the hearts of each of us. At 1pm, as Susie walked through security without a hitch, we all waved a sad but excited goodbye as Susie disappeared into the terminal.
The Phone Call
Johnette and I were two of the last to leave the airport. She had come with me to the airport and I needed to drop her off at her mom’s office. As we drove down 29, processing the events of the morning, we were about 2 minutes from our exit and my phone rang. I answered the phone to hear an upset Susie announcing that her flight had been cancelled due to the heavy rains in NY (her first lay over). I looked over at Johnette who said she was “in” and we immediately turned the car around to head back to the airport.
In Walks Isaac
In the meantime, a young man scheduled to be on the same flight as Susie, overheard her talking on the phone to her family and friends about the flight being cancelled. He walked over to her and said that he, too, was travelling to Burundi. He introduced himself as Isaac. Isaac is a “missionary kid” who grew up in Africa and has travelled all over the world. He had just graduated from Virginia Tech and was accepted into the World Relief Program in Burundi. He has never been to Burundi and is quite excited about this being his first missionary “job”. His family lives in southern VA, currently, and he had travelled to the Baltimore area to for a briefing at the World Relief headquarters in Baltimore prior to leaving on his 1 year assignment. He doesn’t know anyone in this area and was quite concerned about what he would do if he had to stay in the area for another day or two. He and Susie walked back to the ticketing line together. **Isaac and I actually met in the ticketing line after we had left the gate. I offered him use of my phone to call one of his connections and we got to talking (over, around, and through the man standing between us!).
The Long Wait
Johnette and I arrive at the airport and find Susie and Isaac toward the front of a long line of American Airline customers trying to reschedule flights. The line was moving VERY slowly, giving us time to get to know Isaac and many others in the line, but taking away from the small window of time we had to get them on a flight that would work for them. In the meantime, a peace and strength came over Susie. She was taking it all in stride, smiling and laughing, without even a hint of anxiety in her voice. It was all in God’s hands, and she that was all she cared about.
Turns out there are only 2 flights a week out of Brussels to Burundi and the next flight was not until Friday…. and that flight was full. It was absolutely necessary that we get Susie and Isaac to Brussels TODAY. Isaac, quite seasoned in these types of situations, was in front of Susie in line and we, half jokingly and half seriously, told him we were depending on him to work it all out! He finally got to the counter and after about 15 minutes of discussion with the American Airlines rep, he looked a bit frustrated. The rep told him that since the cancellation was due to weather, she could not book him on any other airlines outside of American. There weren’t any American flights that would get them to Brussels in time. More discussion occurred. Then, with a surprised look on his face, Isaac turned around to us and said, “Can we get to Dulles in time for a 6pm flight?! We are being offered a UNITED flight!” We looked at our watches…. 3pm….need a bigger car….. rush hour traffic…….SURE!!!!!! ** Amy forgot to mention that during the course of Isaac's conversation with the American Airline rep, she snapped at him and at us. She informd us that sh could only work with one passenger at a time and proceeded to hunch down so we couldn't read her lips any longer... aiyaiyai!
The Amazing Race Begins
Susie looks at me and says, “Tim’s car?” Immediately, we are on the phone with Tim, who is at the Bridgeway office. He says he is on his way. As Johnette guards the carry-ons, we run down to the baggage claim to retrieve Susie and Isaac’s suitcases only to return to the ticket counter. Isaac and Susie complete the process at the counter and receive their tickets for their 6pm flight on United. It was never explained why they were offered the United Flight. We didn’t ask, she didn’t tell. J Tim arrives with his car. We pull everything possible out of the car, and load all of the bags in. They just fit. I hand Tim the keys to my car, which is in hourly parking and he, after saying his second goodbyes, walks off through the airport with Matthew’s car seat (which we had to remove from the car to make everything fit) over his shoulder. It is now closing in on 4pm. We stop at the gas station to fill up and get some snacks (we all haven’t eaten since breakfast at this point). 4:10pm, we jump in the car, pray, and head toward 95 South, on our way to Dulles.
God Parts the Highways
It was truly a miracle. We got to Dulles Airport before 5pm. There was NO TRAFFIC the entire way there and I only exceeded the speed limit by minimal amounts. I pulled up to the terminal, and Susie, Isaac, and Johnette jumped out, grabbed the suitcases, and ran to the counter. By the time I parked and made my way in, they were being helped by a United rep named Angela….. or should we say Angel. She was so efficient, calm, and encouraging. She got Susie and Isaac checked in and seated next to each other, fast-tracked their checked luggage straight to security and called down to the gate to let the staff know that they were on their way. We thought we were in the clear.
International Security
Turns out, when you are flying directly out of the country, EVERYTHING needs to be searched. ** Isaac and I aren't exactly sure why we were tagged. It may have been our destination, it may have been the change in flights, it may have been conincidence, but one thing is for sure... I clung on to God like no time before! Isaac and I were patted down and our belongings swabbed! We ran up to the security check in no time only to find out that Susie and Isaac needed to be searched AND all of their carry-ons needed to be searched and swabbed. We said another quick goodbye. Time was ticking….and ticking. At this point, all four of us, Susie and Isaac in the security cell and Johnette and I stretching our necks to see what is going on from the outside, are jumping up and down, looking at our watches and praying. It was 5:40pm when they finally go through…. and they still needed to take the shuttle to the gate. Johnette and I walked to the parking lot, anxiously awaiting a call from Susie telling us that they were on the plane. Almost 6pm and no call. So we sat and prayed. My phone vibrates with a text message. They are on the plane, seated, and there is a 15 minute delay. Only God. I add my own interjection here... Isaac and I barely made it on the plane and by the time we did everyone was seated. It was a miracle (or God) that we had seats next to each other on a packed flight to Brussels. I had to stow my carry-on and anyone who knows me knows I have a tendency to overpack. There were few overhead compartments left and my carry-on was not ging to fit under my chair. I asked the flight attendent to help me put my bag in the overhead and she stated that she couldn't because of her back and that I would have to do it for myself. Well, that would be fine if I wasn't 5'0 tall and my bag didn't weigh close to 40ish pounds. I asked a man sitting under the overhead compartment if he wouldn't mind helping me. I nearly broke down in tears when another woman stopped him and told him that it wasn't his responsibility and that I should do it on my own. Thankfully, another man offered to help me (with my help... my bag was too heavy for him too!).
Brussels
My phone vibrates at 2am this morning. Susie and Isaac made it safely to Brussels, their bags had been checked through Burundi, and they were awaiting to board their flight to Burundi. They should arrive around 2pm today.
God knows just what we need and His plan is perfect. I believe He protected Susie from the hurricane, that He knew Susie and Isaac needed a travelling companion, that He knew a 3 hour lay-over in NY would have been too much for them and that He wanted to remind us all, just one more time, that HE is in control. I love Him so much.
I will let you know when I receive the call that Susie is safely in Burundi
And now friends I am here and I know that I have 5 days to catch you up on, but it's time for me to embark on my first indepdendent adventure of walking home.
Til I blog again...
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