Leaving Haiti - 11/24/15

Monday, 11/24/15
At 4am the alarm went off. No memories of the delicious dinner and desserts last night, the warm showers, or the beach water will make us want to delay our departure. We are ready to go. Our bags must be at the bus by 4:30a. There is an extra truck for our luggage and the hour long trip to the airport had a smooth road with the exception of several speed bumps that brought us to a crawl, the driver sped us on to the airport.

We have passed security and the flight is rechecking the baggage count because of the rigorous precautions that must be taken in light of the global terrorists alert. All bags were opened and patted through. We made it through and boarded the plane. As I type this we are in the air headed for the US. We are sleepy, exhausted, a bit hungry, but we have completed the task that was set before us and we are grateful to God for his protection.

Whoever remembers getting breakfast on a flight that was more than 2 hours, should just keep that as a memory. The attendants' jobs may have been made easier for cleanup but many passengers miss the meals, at least I do. Then again it was in a class all by itself as "airline food". So whatever the offering, it is a perfect time to give thanks for it all.
We are scattered around the plane and some of us are clustered together. One of my roomies from the beginning of the trip is sitting across the aisle from me. It's a reminder of God's love that has been spread abroad in us through the Person of Jesus Christ. He has sovereignly put us all together for this amazing adventure. The are thirteen (13) churches represented in this group of 26. Only God can pull together something so spectacular. Every ministry need was met by God's Holy Spirit moving in us to take our places in service; from pouring rice into smaller bags, pulling luggage from the truck, offering an arm for the rocky walks through villages, filling buckets of water for bathroom duty, singing, leading the worship, playing instruments, sharing testimonies, teaching, praying, holding children on our laps and showing them their pictures from a "selfie" shot; ... and the list goes on.

Returning to the US was smooth and easy. The newest technology allowed for easy passage through customs. The connecting flight was on time. There was enough time in the layover to have lunch and board the flight. That is unless you get lost in the terminal. Every minute counts and of course the gate is at the end of the terminal. No bags needed checking and the plane is in flight. The last leg of the trip is in motion.

The last report: everyone landed safely! Our God is indeed awesome!