So, I have decided that I will set up the story for you, with the very beginning. Hopefully it will give you a foundation of where I was at when we landed in Addis Ababa and help lead into the other stories and days. Bear with me, friends, as I try to convey this as clearly as possible! :)
December 12, at 6 o'clock in the morning, I loaded my one luggage case with my clothing and other belongings for the trip, and 1 tote with trip supplies into the car and shut the door of the trunk. It was chilly enough in Austin this morning, that I needed to wear a long sleeved shirt under my "Journey 117" team shirt to the airport. I could see the fog of my breath as I exhaled one last time before sliding into my seat.
I had already said goodbye to my dad, my older brother, and two of my younger siblings at the house. My youngest sister, Sophia, came along for the ride as my mother drove me to the airport.
I was about to begin the journey of a life time, and I knew it. This wasn't coming at me unexpectedly. As I had been praying for months before, first asking God if He was calling me on this trip, then taking the steps and pursuing it and seeing God open all the doors and push me through, and provide for EVERY single step of the way, I had no doubt that God was sending me to Ethiopia on this day, and that He was going to do great things. What I did not know, was how much it would bless me that He should allow me to see with my own eyes what He is doing and that I... little me... would get to be a part of that, even for just a short time.
We got to the airport and checked my bags, then it was time for the last two goodbyes before I boarded my first plane (out of 3) of the day. I hugged my little sister and my mom tight and stepped into the security check in line.
It had begun.
Now... my "real" first flight, was from Dallas, Tx to Washington D.C., where I would meet the rest of my team in person for the first time! The organization that I was going with, set up my first flight out of Dallas, rather than my home airport in Austin (that I had requested to be flown out of). I didn't know why, and I didn't question why - but I ended up finding a really cheap flight from Austin to Dallas and purchased that on my own. This was easier and cheaper and quicker than making the drive to Dallas. The only downside was that I would be sitting in the DFW airport by myself for 8 hours until my next flight.
The entire 8 hours at that airport was actually quite uneventful... unless you count the few times I "almost" fell down (and up...) the escalators as I tried to cleverly get myself, my back pack, my luggage (that rolls) and the storage container (that should never roll but certainly tried on more than one occasion) around the huge airport.
Then I remembered that there is a such thing as elevators.
Over the loud speaker they announced a prayer service at 12:15 in the chapel across from 32B. That's when I decided to "take a stroll" around the airport to look for it. I thought, "Hey! I'm in 39B, that's not too far." AND "I have 5 hours left with nothing to do, it's settled!"
32B was no where near where I was.
And I spent the next hour of my 5 hours looking for it. After 45 minutes, I didn't really have any hope of finding the prayer service in time... but did I stop looking? Nope... because WHERE THE HECK IS GATE 32B??? I was ready to go the airport staff and inform them that they had a gate missing. Instead, I just walked up and asked where it was. Apparently it is the ONLY gate number that you actually have to be checked into and passed security for. The man at the information desk could see that I was a little out of sorts by this time... he asked to see the information for my next flight. I showed it to him and he told me that I needed to go down the elevator (he made sure to point out right where that was for me) go outside, get on "THIS" bus (he had a card with a picture of the exact bus I needed to get on), and go to terminal "E". I thanked him and started in that direction. I assume he is used to seeing frazzled young women in need of very detailed and specific information.
On more than one occasion, I had random gentlemen offer to help me - they had this look in their eyes and I knew I must look quite helpless to them. Each time, I kindly refused the offer with an, "I'm okay, thank you so much though!" then thought to myself that I probably should have accepted. But considering the fact that I didn't even know quite where I was going (I had literally just walked the entire length of the terminal I was in... twice) I wouldn't have even known where to tell them to help me to.
As I step outside into the frigid 20-something degrees, I see my bus. Another man tries to help me and I try to tell him that I'm fine and I'm heading to that bus right there. He asks to see the bus card I'm holding and I stop to show him. He looks at it and says, "Oh! Go to that bus right there."
"Yes, thank you sir... I'm heading over..."
"Do you need help?"
"No thank you, I'm okay. It's just right there." I say as I'm walking towards the bus.
"Are you sure?" I turn to reply as I keep walking, "Yes sir, thank you very much!"
When I turn back around, the doors of the bus are closing.
"No wait!" I try to start running... but with all that I am carrying, I fail. I have a box, on top of my "roley-bag"and a very heavy back pack on my back. I ran to the very edge of the sidewalk, and waved to try and let the woman driving the bus know that I needed her to wait.
This was about to be a scene from a movie when the exhausted girl who is all alone with all her luggage, watches the bus that she needs to take her to her next flight, drive away. Then she sits helplessly on a bench in the freezing cold until the next bus comes in 35 minutes. I saw it playing out before my very eyes.
Fortunately, the woman saw me, and although she looked quite annoyed that I needed to get on HER bus, she stopped to let me get on. After a 25 minute drive (that should have taken 10 but madame bus driver missed her exit and almost took us out of the airport completely) I made it to the appropriate terminal.
At this point, I still have about three and a half hours left before my flight... leaving an hour and a half before I even needed to check in. I decided to go and just ask how early I could drop my bags off so that I didn't have to carry them around anymore. I got the nicest older woman helping me and she made my day and blessed me by everything she did.
FIRST, sweet woman told me that I could drop my bags off right at that moment, no more need to carry them around!
THEN, she asked me for the information for my next few flights... she looked at my itinerary and told me there was no way that I would be able to check out of the D.C. airport to get my luggage, AND get checked back in in time for my next flight. Sweet woman says, "Honey, you've got all the right information! I'm going to check your bags ALL the way to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. You don't have to see them again until you get there." - see... day. made. (I had a brief moment of being concerned that my bags wouldn't end up with me. But that left quickly and I was just glad I didn't have to lug them around any longer)
Then she adds, "Oh, I'm also going to print all of the boarding passes you will need for the entirety of your journey."
I was ready to jump over the luggage scale and give her a hug and cry. But instead I just smiled and thanked her profusely.
Guess what I did next? I walked the entire length of that terminal. Looking for an outlet so I could plug my phone in, which was practically dead. 45 minutes later I was standing in the security line and made it through quickly with no problems and my gate was right in front of me. I was down to the last two and a half hours before my flight would leave. I sat down to write a little bit, then decided to find something to eat and ended up buying a neck pillow as well (since I had forgotten to bring one that we own). The time passed relatively quickly and they finally announced overhead that our flight was beginning the boarding process. At this point, the fact that I was actually on my way to Ethiopia became a little more real, and my excitement doubled. I wouldn't fully believe it until I finally stepped off the plane and onto Ethiopian land, but it started here. This was when my life was beyond anything that I had planned or been a part of and I was stepping into something that God had led me to.
That flight was completely uneventful. I don't even remember what I did for the 3 1/2 hours.
This was the point where my journey alone ended, and the story continues with me joining a team. From this moment on, I am with 11 other people who became my family. God brought us all together with our unique gifts and skills and passions to serve Him and love the orphans and the people of Ethiopia, and it was so incredibly beautiful. 12 random people around the world - 10 of us on our own and a married couple. Praying and pursuing this trip, thinking about what God could have in store for us in a country far from where we live. For months we continue to pray and pursue and raise the funds for a trip that will change our lives. Then one day, we all come together, each from our separate parts of the continent and as I look back I see that the question changed from, "God, what do you have in store for me?" to "God, what do you have in store for us?" 12 people, unique and incredibly different - but our common ground was the Lord. Our unity came through Christ and what He has done for each of us, and through that our desire to serve Him and share the gospel with the nations. He hand picked our team. He brought 12 people from around America (and Canada :) ) - and He joined us as the Body of Christ to serve Him.
And I am left utterly speechless.
Telling the rest of the story very soon!
Until then my friends :) So much love to you all!
The entire 8 hours at that airport was actually quite uneventful... unless you count the few times I "almost" fell down (and up...) the escalators as I tried to cleverly get myself, my back pack, my luggage (that rolls) and the storage container (that should never roll but certainly tried on more than one occasion) around the huge airport.
Then I remembered that there is a such thing as elevators.
Over the loud speaker they announced a prayer service at 12:15 in the chapel across from 32B. That's when I decided to "take a stroll" around the airport to look for it. I thought, "Hey! I'm in 39B, that's not too far." AND "I have 5 hours left with nothing to do, it's settled!"
32B was no where near where I was.
And I spent the next hour of my 5 hours looking for it. After 45 minutes, I didn't really have any hope of finding the prayer service in time... but did I stop looking? Nope... because WHERE THE HECK IS GATE 32B??? I was ready to go the airport staff and inform them that they had a gate missing. Instead, I just walked up and asked where it was. Apparently it is the ONLY gate number that you actually have to be checked into and passed security for. The man at the information desk could see that I was a little out of sorts by this time... he asked to see the information for my next flight. I showed it to him and he told me that I needed to go down the elevator (he made sure to point out right where that was for me) go outside, get on "THIS" bus (he had a card with a picture of the exact bus I needed to get on), and go to terminal "E". I thanked him and started in that direction. I assume he is used to seeing frazzled young women in need of very detailed and specific information.
On more than one occasion, I had random gentlemen offer to help me - they had this look in their eyes and I knew I must look quite helpless to them. Each time, I kindly refused the offer with an, "I'm okay, thank you so much though!" then thought to myself that I probably should have accepted. But considering the fact that I didn't even know quite where I was going (I had literally just walked the entire length of the terminal I was in... twice) I wouldn't have even known where to tell them to help me to.
As I step outside into the frigid 20-something degrees, I see my bus. Another man tries to help me and I try to tell him that I'm fine and I'm heading to that bus right there. He asks to see the bus card I'm holding and I stop to show him. He looks at it and says, "Oh! Go to that bus right there."
"Yes, thank you sir... I'm heading over..."
"Do you need help?"
"No thank you, I'm okay. It's just right there." I say as I'm walking towards the bus.
"Are you sure?" I turn to reply as I keep walking, "Yes sir, thank you very much!"
When I turn back around, the doors of the bus are closing.
"No wait!" I try to start running... but with all that I am carrying, I fail. I have a box, on top of my "roley-bag"and a very heavy back pack on my back. I ran to the very edge of the sidewalk, and waved to try and let the woman driving the bus know that I needed her to wait.
This was about to be a scene from a movie when the exhausted girl who is all alone with all her luggage, watches the bus that she needs to take her to her next flight, drive away. Then she sits helplessly on a bench in the freezing cold until the next bus comes in 35 minutes. I saw it playing out before my very eyes.
Fortunately, the woman saw me, and although she looked quite annoyed that I needed to get on HER bus, she stopped to let me get on. After a 25 minute drive (that should have taken 10 but madame bus driver missed her exit and almost took us out of the airport completely) I made it to the appropriate terminal.
At this point, I still have about three and a half hours left before my flight... leaving an hour and a half before I even needed to check in. I decided to go and just ask how early I could drop my bags off so that I didn't have to carry them around anymore. I got the nicest older woman helping me and she made my day and blessed me by everything she did.
FIRST, sweet woman told me that I could drop my bags off right at that moment, no more need to carry them around!
THEN, she asked me for the information for my next few flights... she looked at my itinerary and told me there was no way that I would be able to check out of the D.C. airport to get my luggage, AND get checked back in in time for my next flight. Sweet woman says, "Honey, you've got all the right information! I'm going to check your bags ALL the way to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. You don't have to see them again until you get there." - see... day. made. (I had a brief moment of being concerned that my bags wouldn't end up with me. But that left quickly and I was just glad I didn't have to lug them around any longer)
Then she adds, "Oh, I'm also going to print all of the boarding passes you will need for the entirety of your journey."
I was ready to jump over the luggage scale and give her a hug and cry. But instead I just smiled and thanked her profusely.
Guess what I did next? I walked the entire length of that terminal. Looking for an outlet so I could plug my phone in, which was practically dead. 45 minutes later I was standing in the security line and made it through quickly with no problems and my gate was right in front of me. I was down to the last two and a half hours before my flight would leave. I sat down to write a little bit, then decided to find something to eat and ended up buying a neck pillow as well (since I had forgotten to bring one that we own). The time passed relatively quickly and they finally announced overhead that our flight was beginning the boarding process. At this point, the fact that I was actually on my way to Ethiopia became a little more real, and my excitement doubled. I wouldn't fully believe it until I finally stepped off the plane and onto Ethiopian land, but it started here. This was when my life was beyond anything that I had planned or been a part of and I was stepping into something that God had led me to.
That flight was completely uneventful. I don't even remember what I did for the 3 1/2 hours.
This was the point where my journey alone ended, and the story continues with me joining a team. From this moment on, I am with 11 other people who became my family. God brought us all together with our unique gifts and skills and passions to serve Him and love the orphans and the people of Ethiopia, and it was so incredibly beautiful. 12 random people around the world - 10 of us on our own and a married couple. Praying and pursuing this trip, thinking about what God could have in store for us in a country far from where we live. For months we continue to pray and pursue and raise the funds for a trip that will change our lives. Then one day, we all come together, each from our separate parts of the continent and as I look back I see that the question changed from, "God, what do you have in store for me?" to "God, what do you have in store for us?" 12 people, unique and incredibly different - but our common ground was the Lord. Our unity came through Christ and what He has done for each of us, and through that our desire to serve Him and share the gospel with the nations. He hand picked our team. He brought 12 people from around America (and Canada :) ) - and He joined us as the Body of Christ to serve Him.
And I am left utterly speechless.
Telling the rest of the story very soon!
Until then my friends :) So much love to you all!
Jenna! You almost had me crying! This is lovely :)
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