Sunday, September 5, 2010

Unexpectedly halfway there

Well I should've waken up this morning at the orphanage in Monte Cristi, but instead here I am still in Miami, Florida.

Yesterday, my flight from Cincinnati was unable to land in Miami due to lightning and high winds that were in a cloud directly over the airport. I sat staring out my window at the lightning around us, and the gray cloud we were circling around. Other planes were doing the same thing. No flights were landing or taking off in the Miami airport, so we went to Fort Lauderdale to land. We sat there for a while and got more gas, then took a 15 minute flight back to Miami, where we were finally able to land.

I was sure I missed my connecting flight to the DR, so I talked to someone to get a flight for the next day, and she said I wouldn't be leaving until 6:30 the next evening. She booked me, and I made some calls to contact the orphanage. Then, ten minutes later, she said that the gates of my original flight had just closed and that I could've made it. I was frustrated that I just assumed and didn't check myself, and that she booked me another flight without double checking if my original flight had left. I was flustered, but not freaking out... I like a little adventure every now and then.

God was faithful and provided for me every step of the way. I was talking with a Dominican woman I met in Cincinnati who was really encouraging and asking lots of questions about what I would be doing in her country. I re-connected with her when we got to Miami, and we stayed with each other while I got a new flight and made sure our luggage would be transferred today. She will be on my flight this evening to Santiago. She was so sweet, and acted as my translator, because the workers at the airport I interacted with did not speak English very well.

God provided again because my mom has a friend who lives in Miami that she used to teach with, so we contacted her, and she came to get me from the airport to stay at he apartment. I hadn't eaten since breakfast that morning (it was then about 9:00 pm), so she took me out to a really nice pizza restaurant. We were in south beach, Miami, where there are lots of high end stores, classy restaurants, art galleries, and lots of people and palm trees. We walked around for a bit. I felt like I was on an unexpected vacation. Today we are going to the beach. Not too bad of an alternative for missing my flight! : )

I guess I'll have to wait to see those little ones at the orphanage just one more day. I'll be arriving the DR around 8:30 tonight, which will put me at the orphanage about 10:00 pm or a little after.

Thanks for all the prayers while I've been traveling! Continue praying for travels and smooth transitions today.

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