Haiti 2011 Day One

Haiti 2011 – Day One

Wow, all I can say is the temperature is much cooler than I expected. It’s only 49 degrees and it’s 4:00 o’clock in the afternoon. Wait a minute. This isn’t Haiti – this is Dallas, Texas. Today has been an adventure in what missionaries would term “Patience,” which is not one of my strong points. If it’s mechanical – it will break. This morning’s 6:00 am flight finally left the gate in Tulsa around 9:00ish. Our connecting flight to Florida that departed DWF at 8:40 was missed. Subsequently the 1:15 flight from Florida to Haiti was departing as we were finalizing our plans (minus 8 people) to get to Haiti on Tuesday which is tomorrow which is better than the fall back plan to leaving for Haiti on Wednesday. (#!O&@!)! Translated this means I want to put the Spirit of Slap on airplane carriers. But they say not to slap the hand that feeds you. Kaysarasara.

In the mad dash to try to reschedule and such and considering we had to disembark so the infamous and well equipped mechanics of an airline who will remain anonymous could work on the plane (FFA rules) we rescheduled and cancelled 8 people standing at the gate who would not get on the plane but are now in Bentonville, Arkansas (by auto transfer) catching a flight to New York City to fly into one airport – transfer to another – and fly out tomorrow to Haiti. We on the other hand have all had a nap and waiting to eat dinner on the unnamed airline at a hotel at DFW. Tomorrow morning we leave again at 6:10 to Florida then 1:15 to Haiti (which was our original flight times today). We had the privilege of working with the most amazing man at DFW. His name Matthew Gilmore and was the Operational Supervisor in the gate area I just happened to run across. Not only did he take care of us – we hold in our hands boarding passes for both flights in the morning. We bypass the ticket counter in the morning because 1st we have no luggage and 2nd because we have everything we need, we just need a plane that functions. The 8 members in New York arrive in Port-au-Prince around 1:00 PM and we arrive around 2:20 PM. We cross our fingers and pray our luggage, which should be somewhere in or near Fort Lauderdale now, will be on the same flight we take from Florida to Haiti tomorrow.

So I ask myself – what in the world? Well first – traveling airlines seem to have its challenges. I remember Pastor Heaston describing Nairobi and the street conditions and obstacles they had to overcome just to drive down the street. So, I shouldn’t be surprised. It just reminds Rhonda and I about our dream 30th anniversary cruise that never happened. I can’t believe my blood pressure didn’t spike today but I’ve for all practical purposes remained calm. Oh I’ve had my moments. So, Lord, for what practical purpose did todays events play in your master scheme of “all things work for the good of those that love the Lord?” Yes, I think it’s ok to ask God why.