This time I will try to just lay it all out there...
The first failed attempt to "write it up" went a little like this:
"I find myself saying "If that's the only problems we have, we'll be ok" all too often!
So many times we get caught up in our little worlds that we forget there's a whole wide world out there struggling, to just survive moment to moment, day to day.
That's as far as I got. I've been saying "things could always be worse" since Becky moved to Haiti July 31, 2013...but I just didn't know how to say what I wanted after that...so I put off writing...
The second failed attempt was a little bit better, but not by much:
"A week ago I wasn't here...I was there...
November is a special time in our family. Four out of five of my parents' children's birthdays, myself included, are in November. Becky's is the 10th, mine is the 12th, and the boys on the 24th. Needless to say, it's a very special month to us! Since Becky and I only have two days between our birthdays,"
And that's where I stopped. I felt like the endless ramblings were not worthy to explain this journey to another world, so I just stopped writing.
So here goes another attempt:
In November, 2013, I went to visit Becky in Haiti three days after my birthday. Her birthday is two days before mine, and since she moved out of the country, this was the first year our birthday celebration became international, with much more planning needed to allow us to celebrate together. My flight from Nashville left late Thursday evening, layover over night with also a connection flight, then arrive in Haiti Friday morning, spend Friday through Tuesday in Port au Prince, and fly back to the states Tuesday afternoon. Five days in Haiti. Simple...or at least it was supposed to be simple...
I arrived in Nashville about an hour before my flight that Thursday evening. I was using a different parking company, and was feeling very rushed as I was driven away from my jeep, heading to the airport. I was swimming in a sea of emotion as we pulled up to the terminal. I was tired. I had taught all day, driven two hours, and was about to hop on a plane for the unknown. Excited to see Becky, part of me dreaded it. We had said goodbye three and a half months before, and I hadn't stopped worrying about her since that day. What shape would she be in? Would her living arrangements be fitting? Would she have food and other necessities?
All of these things were swirling in my head as I held onto my passport and headed toward the terminal. I was taking a box of bibles to Becky so she could give them to the workers on campus that were learning English from her as Christmas presents. This was probably the one thing I needed to make sure made it to Haiti. We had discussed the option of just mailing the box, but the freight charges would be too expensive, and there was no guarantee they would make it through the mail and customs in time. So, there was me, a box of bibles, my backpack to use as a carry-on, and my large check bag...but the most important thing was the bibles.
I made it through security, and was using the box of bibles as my second personal item on the plane, so I could make sure they got to Haiti with me. As I arrived at the gate for the first leg of my flight, the attendants announced that if you had a large carry-on, or multiple items, to please check them at the gate because overhead room was limited on the flight. As I was boarding, they asked me to check my box, and I complied. I would just get them at the next stop and everything would be fine, or so I thought.
The first leg to Charlotte, NC, was an easy flight. Not too long, and not too bumpy. As we landed I looked at the time on my ticket for the boarding time on my flight from Charlotte to Miami. I then realized I might have a problem. I had about fifteen minutes to get off the plane, go get the bibles, and get to my next flight. As the overhead lights came on, the pilot announced to be considerate because several passengers had tight connections. I think the rest of the plane comprehended that as "take as much time as you like." When I finally got off the plane, there were several of us running trying to get to our next flight, but I needed to get the bibles.
I ran to baggage claim in the Charlotte airport, and just before I made my way down the stairs, I see a big sign saying "No Entry Beyond This Point." There were a few security guards standing at that point, so I asked them how to get back in once I go down to baggage claims. They asked me why I needed to go out then come back in, so I told them the airline had made me check a box in Nashville. I guess they could sense the urgency in my tone, and asked me how much time I had before my next flight. I looked at my watch and showed them the ticket and had about 8 minutes before the time specified for boarding. They laughed and said "There's no way you'll make it back if you go down to baggage claims." I knew I needed to get the bibles, so I insisted again asking how to get back in to catch my flight. They told me to head toward the C area, and I took off down the stairs.
As I looked back to say thanks, they were yelling at me "You're not gonna make it, you're not gonna make it!"
I flew down the stairs, already out of breath from sprinting through the airport, but deep down inside being very thankful I started running a year and a half ago! I find the conveyor belt where the luggage was beginning to come off of the plane. No box. I wait about 45 seconds more. No box. I look in dismay at the hole where the luggage had appeared from beyond the wall...still no box. I'm starting to freak out a little inside, because this box was filled with the most important things needing to go to Becky in Haiti. As I waited a few more moments, I decided if I didn't leave and find the C area, those security guards would be right. "They may be right anyways" I told myself as I ran away from that baggage claim area. Feelings of regret filled me. Why did I let them take my box? I knew this would end up happening. I had let Becky down.
I finally found the "C area" and ran to the line to go through the security scanners. I threw my shoes and bag in the canister to be scanned, and almost pushed the other people's items through trying to get the line moving. I went through the whole body scanner, and apparently it went off, so they had to search me. The lady came over with gloves on and said "I need to check your right leg." I had no clue why she would have to check my leg, but I agreed immediately and raised my hands in the air as if I was under arrest. She patted down my leg, and raised my pants at the ankle to reveal my para-cord anklet. Apparently they don't have adventurous people that wear para-cord bracelets and anklets in Charlotte. She told me I was ok to go, and I grabbed my bag and slipped my shoes back on and immediately took off. I noticed people were looking at my hurriedness strangely, but I was too worried about catching the flight, and losing the bibles to care.
I found my gate, and they were still loading. Thank you Jesus! Granted, there were only a few people in line to go on the plane, but they didn't leave me, and better yet, I had made it despite those famous last words from those security guards. I'm now sweating from running in panic mode, and trying to catch my breath while I did a quick "sniff" to make sure my flying compadres wouldn't toss me off the plane for body odor. Nope...we're good...calm down! I sent Becky a quick message telling her the bibles may not make it to Haiti, and try to explain briefly before having to turn my phone off.
I find my seat, and analyze my new neighbors for the next few hours. Ugh...a cute guy. Why must I be seated next to a cute guy when I just sprinted all through the airport and am a nervous wreck because I have lost the box of bibles. Oh well...I'm not on this trip to find my soul mate...I'm on my way to see my sister. The guy starts talking to me, making small talk, and I try to act cool. Once my heart rate returned to normal and I stopped sweating, I decided I might as well enjoy the flight. Most of the other people around us were napping, so the company of this cute guy was pretty nice.
We talked about what we did for a living. He was about my age, and worked in shipping at a company. He was heading to Miami to meet up with a friend from college. He had a few other friends on the flight, but they weren't able to get tickets together. He played guitar and even liked some of the same music I did. Conversation was good, and he was easy to talk to. I told him about the box of bibles I did have, and how I was worried about it. He tried to put my mind at ease by telling me maybe they just put them on this flight too. That was a good idea, and I hoped he was right! We continued to talk for what seemed like a very long time. He admitted he thought I was a missionary when I told him about the bibles. Nope, not a missionary. Just a music teacher headed to see her sister. Even though we talked the whole flight, the time flew by. Before I knew it, we were about to land, and it hit me that we never introduced ourselves. This meant I couldn't find him on Facebook. This meant I probably wouldn't ever see him again. He even waited on me to get off the plane and we walked together towards baggage claims. He met up with his friends, and I told him to have a fun weekend. He told me to have a great birthday celebration with my sister and safe travels home. And then he was gone forever as we turned our separate ways.
The box! There it was! I had thought my checked bag might be in the baggage area since I would be switching airlines for international flights. The last thing to fall from the ramp from the plane was the box of bibles. Hallelujah! I grabbed the box and noticed almost everyone had left the area. As I stood looking around to see if my check bag had been taken off the plane, a flight attendant walked by, pulling behind her my check bag! I said excuse me and told her that was my bag. She told me it wasn't and continued walking. I then said "yes, that's my bag, it has my name on the tag!" She told me the bag was not mine because it was going to Port au Prince in the morning. I agreed, and said I was going there to visit my sister, and asked her why she had my bag. She said she was supposed to lock it up for the rest of the night and it would be put on the plane in the morning. Whew! First the box of bibles, then I finally get them in my arms again, and she had my check bag, but that was going to be put on the plane in the morning!
Everything seemed to have worked out, and I looked at my watch. It was a little after 1:00 in the morning, so I had a few hours before my flight. I wandered around the airport a little bit, getting used to the third airport I had been in that evening, and looking for a snack. I remembered walking by a Dunkin Doughnuts shop with Mr. No Name when we were on our way to the baggage area. I decided to go back and get a snack, since all of the other restaurants were closed. I then decided I needed to find a place and take a nap. All the stress from losing the box of bibles, then the lady having my bag had made me exhausted. I also had stayed up late the night before packing for the trip...so I had taught that day with only a few hours of sleep, and that was wearing thin now.
There were other people sleeping in the airport, so I decided a nap would be a good idea. The only problem was the fact that I was exhausted, and that meant a couple hours of sleep might turn into too many hours of sleep. If I over slept, I would miss my flight, and not get to Haiti. I could set an alarm on my phone, but if its battery died that meant I would oversleep for sure. It seemed like other people had that same thought process because as I looked for an electrical outlet, I realized that was where the other people were sleeping. I ended up finding a sitting area just outside the gates for the security area that had a few electrical outlets on the wall above a shelf that I guess was a charging bar of some sorts. My cord wasn't long enough to sit in a seat and charge my phone, so I ended up sitting under the shelf, and had my phone charging above.
My phone dangled from above as I set an alarm and decided to try to lay down to rest. I used the box of bibles and my backpack as a pillow. No it wasn't comfortable, but at least that way I would hopefully wake up if someone tried to take my stuff. There was construction going on in the airport, and random announcements were made all through the night. Also construction noises like hammering, sawing, and various other things kept it from being quiet. I tried to cover up with my jacket. There were bright lights above me, and I remember I had a pair of shorts in my backpack. So, box and backpack as a pillow, coat over torso, phone dangling just above me with alarm set, and now shorts over my head to make it dark. I'm pretty sure I probably looked like a homeless person.
The last time I looked at my phone was about 2:30 a.m. The security gates opened at 4:00, and my flight wasn't till 6:30. That meant I had a couple of hours to nap. There were two other people in the area near me. One was an older gentleman that was asleep in a chair. The other was a lady playing games on her tablet. There was seating for about 40 to 50, but it was just us three.
The next thing I knew was realizing I was awake. I peeked out from under my shorts that were shielding my head, and immediately noticed the seating area filled with people. Yikes! Had I over slept? Had I missed my flight? No, it was just 3:30 a.m. Well, at least I had gotten an hour of sleep. I needed to use the restroom, so I shoved my shorts back in my backpack and stood up and got my phone charger put away also. I didn't know when the next time I would be able to charge my phone, so having 100% battery was a small blessing to me. I looked around and saw a restroom sign not too far away. There were a few people watching my very sleepily movements, but no need to worry about that with all I had already been through. I asked a nice looking gentleman near me if it would be ok to leave my box there while I went to the restroom. He said he would watch it for me, and off I went. Yes, I know. That was another chance I might lose it, but I had faith this man wouldn't let anything happen to my box.
When I got back from the restroom, all of the people were gone from the seating area, and had moved to lines to go through security. All the people except the man. He was still sitting there taking care of my box. I thanked him, got my box and we went to the security lines also. This would be the last leg of the flights to Haiti.
I was exhausted, looked pretty rough from one hour of sleep, but excited to see Becky.
