Missionaries always take advantage of Home Assignment (furlough) to plan ahead by making additional purchases like clothing, electronics, etc.
We were no exception this time around in the USA; we accumulated almost all the clothing the children could need for the next 3-4 years! This translates into playing the weight-limit game with the airline companies. This time we overcompensated by one bag, costing us $80 at the American Airline check-in counter in Saint Louis, MO. As we waited our turn in line to check in, I notice one particularly grumpy and strict-looking attendant and unashamedly asked God not to give me that guy. Go figure, the next place to open up was the grumpy-looking guy. As I expected, he went by the book. At one point he asked me if the contents of one bag consisted of a pack-and-play or stroller for the infant (Kaleb), I confess in my heart I wanted to say “yes” and save $80 (of the Lord’s money), but righteousness prevailed and the truth was told. I held my breath when I put the first bag on the scale; 52lbs! He didn’t say anything, so I avoided eye contact and added another; 51lbs! Oh no, he’s gonna get us for sure! I took that one off the scale and added another, and then another; 48lbs… 50lbs… 50lbs… whew! Ok, we were on a roll and the bags were being accepted. I thought to myself, that could have cost us another $50 per overweight bag!
Unfortunately for us, AA does not have a luggage agreement causing us a bit of trauma by first limiting our luggage from 9 bags to 8, and 50lbs a piece instead of 70lbs per bag. Another source of stress was having to pick all 9 bags up at the Miami airport and recheck them in at the Aereolineas Argentina counter. This was no small feat. At Baggage Claim, I went ‘a hunt’n for carts… $3 apiece! Ok, I’ll take one for now. I pulled on the cart that was logged in a station where you pay with credit card or cash, and the cart came loose! Alright, one free cart! I dropped that one off with Trisha and the kids and went hunting for more. Sure enough, down the way there was an abandoned cart just waiting for someone to claim. Ok, a bright spot in our trip! The bags finally came around the corner, all 450lbs of them and we loaded up. I put Lea on top and we began our hike around the Miami Airport in search of the Argentine Airline check-in counter. About half-way there, I turn a corner and the bags come tumbling down with little Lea still on top of them! Oh boy, at least she was ok. After restacking the bags I turned around and saw a missionary I knew from Paraguay! We exchanged enthusiastic greetings (what are the chances of bumping into each other in an International Airport?) and he offered help. I took him up on the offer after I saw Trisha’s haggard appearance from carrying Kaleb on her hip and pushing 200lbs of bags halfway across the whole airport.
With my newfound missionary friend pushing our second cart, we proceeded the mad dash across the airport from Concourse A all the way to J. We pulled up to the end of the line at the check-in counter with a sigh of relief, at least we made it in time to check in! My friend had to leave and so did our need to “dash” across the airport, it was 3 hours before our boarding passes could be issued and our bags checked through to Paraguay. The problem was with our final leg from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Asuncion, Paraguay. Our flight had been completely canceled and had to be issued another with a different airline. “No problem” they said, “we’ll make sure you get to Asuncion on GOL Airline.” Great, at least we have a “GOL” now instead of a penalty!
We were the last ones to be checked in, so we ran to security, went through the process of removing the laptop, the shoes, the belts, etc for the second time that day. Once across, we ran to our gate which happened to be the very last one in Concourse J. By this time, we were all starving. It was 10:00 pm, and Trisha had not eaten a meal since the night before. At least the kids and I had breakfast before leaving for the 3 hour trip from Camdenton to Saint Louis. We had crackers, granola bars, and fruit snacks for lunch and for the $3 on our Starbucks gift card, we enjoyed a pricey, small Starbucks coffee and banana muffin. Once on the plane, we couldn’t wait until the airplane leveled out, and dinner is served! Airplane food never looked so good as it did last night!
We didn’t mind the 5 hour layover in Buenos Aires, and I had time to call the NTM office in Paraguay notifying them of the change in the original flight schedule, and found out that our church had planned to take care of our supper tonight. But things suddenly became stressful when minutes before boarding GOL for our final flight to Asuncion. I’m told that my boarding passes are invalid and that the flight is completely full! As the people boarded, Michael and Lea tugged at my side and wondered why we weren’t going on that last plane. Michael began to cry when he found out we would not be going to Paraguay today and to his house. Trish just sat down stunned and wondered what a night at the BA airport would be like. Then, she called the kids together to pray. Lea offered up a simple prayer, “Dear God, please let us go on this airplane to our new house. Amen”
I couldn’t let my family stay in the airport until the next flight (which happened to be 24 hours away), so I ran back to Aereolineas Argentina’s desk and did what everyone else was doing, slip to the front of the long line, and politely present my case. After 5 minutes, I finally caught the attention of the right person and we ran back to the now completely closed GOL flight. With life completely out of control, God stepped in and gave us a huge gift; one I had secretly held in my heart… a day in Argentina! The airline arranged coupons for a night at a nice hotel and an adventurous ride though the City with taxi drivers that had just graduated from the school of Grand Prix.
I wish I could say that getting to the hotel was that easy, but between waiting in lines and running into several snags with securing seats on the next GOL flight to Asuncion, we had spent 3 and a half more hours in a now very familiar airport – with me standing for these hours getting it figured out and Trisha with the kids (Lea sleeping in the stroller, Trisha holding Kaleb who slept as well, and Michael Dean munching on our last few snacks and playing Gameboy). We pulled up to the taxi booth with a voucher in hand excited that it was finally time to leave when the lady behind the counter informed us that there are 5 of us and the taxi limit in Argentina is 4 people! We needed two taxis, so we had to go back to the airline and ask for another voucher. When we found the right desk, it was going to be at least an hour wait before we could get our turn. Man, what in the world? We decided for some reason to go a different location of the same Taxi Service with our voucher and wait in their line instead. God sent along a lady that was in the same situation as we were in. She had a voucher to the same hotel! I couldn’t resist, “señora, could I send my wife and a child with you in your taxi?” She was more than happy to help!
Now as I sit in my comfortable hotel bedroom with children on the floor around me, I wonder what adventures are still ahead? Our bags are sitting in the Asuncion Airport; Is someone going through them as I write? Will my flight be canceled again? The truth is that LIFE IS OUT OF CONTROL and that God is always in control of our circumstances. The choice is ours to respond with Christ-likeness to those around us or attempt to just “do what comes natural.”
Stay tuned for the continuing saga of: Life is out of control
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