A Roller Coaster

I posted this earlier on the GLA blog.    You can read it in it's entirety at http://godslittlestangelsinhaiti.org/2011/06/24/a-roller-coaster-of-emotions/

I've told you before that I was going to attempt to share our trip with you while at the same time respecting my children's privacy. I'm going to attempt to do so by sharing some of the roller coaster of emotions that we (and predominantly our kids) have been on since we left home slightly more than 48 hours ago (was it really only that long?)

• Tuesday afternoon at 1:00, our team, our families, many friends and both our current pastor and our former pastor (who Abby and Isaac call "Grandpa") gathered at our church for the sendoff for our team. We had a chance to chat, for families to wish the team members well and for both pastors to offer prayer.    But this one was different – it was a trip with a dual purpose. Our stated purpose is the same as it has been the previous three years our church has sent a team down to GLA in the summer. We were going to share the "Good News" of Jesus Christ with the older children at the Toddler House through a 4 day Vacation Bible School. But the second purpose was underlying all of this and was very deeply felt by so many of us. We were giving Abby and Isaac the opportunity to experience the country of their birth. Neither of them have been back to Haiti prior to this trip since we adopted them in 2004. They both, especially since the earthquake, have expressed the desire to go back and visit. Many of the comments from family members made it very obvious that the emotions underlying the questions about the trip were on many people's minds. It was an emotional send off – but also one that made it very obvious that so many people are praying for the kids on this adventure. God is faithful.

  Then we had the "hassles that could have been a lot worse" at O'Hare. Let me give you just the main points:

  • Plane boarded and departed the gate on time.
  • Pilot announced that due to extensive thunderstorms all over the country, there were "a few" planes in line to take off ahead of us. Like, 70 or 80 planes ahead of us.
  • While we were waiting on the runway, the pilot announced, "Folks, we're facing east and the tower just informed us that there's a "bit of a storm" coming in from the west. So we're going to turn the plane around so we can ride it out better." (Translation – we want to be facing into the wind so we don't tip over).
  • When the storm hits, they clocked winds of 74 mph. I've had entire flights that were smoother than that parking job.
  • We found out later that while we were sitting on the runway, O'Hare was having all passengers evacuated to the basement away from the windows.
  • After the storm, the pilot said that we were still going to try to land and that a number of planes went back to the gate after the storm so we were only #20 in line.
  • Then he announced that several planes had experienced storm damage and so American was going to cancel all flights until they could inspect all of the planes.
  • Entire time on the runway? 3 Hours and 5 minutes. Distance flown: 0 miles
  • Through that entire time – everyone handled the delays very well. No one was impatient (okay, well, not too impatient) and it was obvious that God's grace and protection was present.

  After finally finding a hotel room and getting to the hotel, we all fell in bed at around 1:30 in the morning Wednesday morning – still in Chicago, frustrated that we weren't going to be getting to Haiti on Wednesday but also grateful for God's protection.

  Wednesday was a day of waiting, flying and anticipation. Thanks to a very compassionate (and skillful) American Airlines ticket agent, we were all able to get to Miami at a decent time and safely. God is faithful.

  Thursday morning started very early – we were all up and at security by 5:00 AM. Things went smoothly and the flight went well.

  As if that wasn't enough of a roller coaster, then we get to Haiti…….

  
  
  Read the rest by clicking here.....
  
  
  Tom