Well, hey. It's been an adventure. I left Holland, er, Zeeland. . . At 11:00am ish on the 15th. It was a long trip and that was only the beginning. My head has been spinning since I stepped out of the car in the parking garage at O'Hare. Thank God I had Mom and Dad there to walk me through the baby steps of checking my bag.
I was very early, so I started with waiting. I wanted to call and let people know I'd be fine on that side of the airport, but the pay phone cost $10/minute if you used a card. I didn't have change so I went to find some.
Eventually I got change by paying a $1 donation for glasses to kids in Africa and he gave me quarters. Then he offered his phone to me because he had apparently just realized that's what I needed it for.
I was feeling alone and scared as I sat at my gate waiting. There was a man there from NC and he talked to me and encouraged me saying that 6 months was a good amount of time. I'd be ok, have fun, get a good taste of Australia, and still get to come home in the end. He was right, of course.
Since spring break I have been scared of planes and flying. I'm thinking I'm actually only scared of Spirit Airlines. American and Quantas are just fine (:
From Chicago to LA I sat next to a Jewish woman. She asked what sort if Christian I was and what I told her was that I believe in Jesus and that the Bible is entirely Truth. I think that denominational boundaries are unnecessary and often get in the way, dividing people who should be united under one Name.
She laughed and said she liked that answer and then told me about a synagogue she visited in Israel last year.
This synagogue was split down the middle between Greek Orthodox and (I believe) Roman Catholic. Half was for one "faith" and the other half for the other. It was obvious the difference she said.
She spoke of 3 windows in this church. There was one on each side and another in the middle of the division. At one time–50 years ago–the windows needed fixing. So they each fixed their respective window, and, both believing it was their responsibility to fix the middle one, well... One put up a ladder to fix it and an argument began. In the end, no agreement was reached on who should fix the window, so today it sits with a ladder standing smack in the middle of it unfixed. Neither would remove the ladder either.
Huh... Anyway, that's that. Stupid division.
Now to the exciting part. My flight from LA was late. When I got to Brisbane after 13 hours of flying, my passport wouldn't scan, lines were too long, I couldn't keep my food, and my checked backpack wouldn't show up. After getting the rest settled, I went to baggage service to file it as lost. I checked the carousel again just to be sure and this time it was there. I took it and got in line for quarantine. It took forever. Then I had to check my bag again...but I was too close to my flight leaving so he said I had to take it with me. I rushed outside to catch a bus...a late bus... And piled on with all the other flustered people dragging check baggage. Took a long time to load all of us, and when we finally got moving it was nearly 10 minutes before we arrived at the domestic terminal. Then I had to recheck my bag. Again. They took it and told me I couldn't make my flight. I was assigned a new one, which I now sit waiting for, and sent on my way. She wouldn't help me find a number or call or give me information or anything. The pay phone took Australian change, which I don't have, so I continued through security. After getting through there I was able to find some people at a desk who would help me. I used their internet to find the number for YWAM and then their phone to call. A few tries got me what I needed and I am assured I will have someone to meet me in Townsville.
Food is exceedingly expensive. $7 sub and a $4 water... ATM won't work for cash. Tired. Sore. So weary of traveling.
I ran into Agga, my seat mate from the LA-Brisbane flight. She told me they would give me a meal voucher for $20 to compensate for the inconvenience. I'd eaten already, but not enough, so I got this from a service desk and then she and I went to get lunch together. I had some $10 fruit cup... Goodness! I hope this isn't an Australia thing. But it was free and I needed the sugar.
Internet was acquired, and I was able to say hello back home. Joshua and I got to Skype and the family texted for a minute. I miss everyone. I cried myself to sleep last night and wished Joshua was holding me.
All the encouragement and prayers are so greatly appreciated. I love you all. I am so blessed.
Please feel free to share this post and any others on your fb wall, mine, or anywhere. Thanks (: If you think someone will pray, send the link. Not just for me, but for the whole team. All are arriving in the next three days so prayers for safety and blessings in travel would be awesome. Also that we all "click" and that God glues us together as a team very quickly.
Love to all and thanks again,
Alainya
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