Trip around the world... or so it seemed

For those who may not know, I am currently about 16 weeks pregnant! We thank God for this wonderful blessing!

Christmas was wonderful this year, with a visit from my mom, but we missed my sister terribly who could not be here with us. We spent time with family, friends, and a lot of time sleeping and trying to find food that sounded somewhat edible. Only to eat it once and decide I never want it again as long as I live ;)

Shortly after Christmas, we spent a few days at doctor's appointments, as I was having some issues they wanted to check out. It all turned out to be fine, we even saw an ultrasound (for pics, go to natejenny.blogspot.com) at 8.5 weeks and I could not believe the detail of this little miracle, the heart beating, the arm and leg buds. I thought for sure I'd be a crying wreck, but I wasn't. I was just in awe. And a little bit of shock :)

The doctors cleared me for my crazy travel schedule, which was a relief, as I REALLY wanted to go on the trip. So on January 12, Galen, Tefera, Steve and I departed for the first flight of many to come.

Destination: Hyderabad, India.

Now, I wish I could tell you that this trip to India was smooth sailing, as it was my third trip to India, but it was not. As soon as we arrived, I was HIT with fear, like I've never experienced before. Gripping is the only way to describe it. We got into our rooms at the retreat center at about 3 or 4 in the morning after roughly 24 hours of travel and I sat on my bed, under my mosquito net, crying, thinking "what in the world am I doing here, what if something happens to my baby, etc. etc.). I tried everything I could think of: praying, reading the Word, singing worship songs, reciting Scripture from memory. Nothing was breaking this fear... I thought I was strong, but I was not at all in that time... Nor was I the next night when sleep failed me. For a woman in her first trimester after a long time traveling, I was exhausted, but that didn't seem to matter to this fear... The meetings, however, went great, despite the fact that Galen could not speak due to a strange throat infection, Steve's bag with camera, tripod, etc. was missing, and it seemed, for whatever reason, God allowed the North Americans to be absent in many ways. The team in India did GREAT, better than I would have ever imagined and Tefera led in a way that inspired and pulled the team together. God, of course, did a much better job orchestrating all this than we could have if we had known to plan for it all.

We spent our days hearing testimonies (amazing ones at that) of God at work in India and My-anmar. It was incredible. We worshipped, prayed, and shared life together. I love that group of people. I truly do. On day three there, Steve got his bag (minus the camera body and lenses for the photo camera) and we could video our little ditty (more on that someday). I got to be "cheerleader" for a day it felt like as I helped lead the group in the chant. It was fun. On night three, my dear friend Loice, from the states called and prayed for me (she has a ministry called Freedom in Him Ministries, which I serve on the Board of) and I slept that night! I praise God for hearing our prayers and answering them. The fear left me.

We were blessed with a dinner at our coworker Israel's home, which was better than any Indian restaurant I've been to. We also got spoiled at John and Mary's home before we left for the airport. On to our very strange flight schedule...

Destination: Kathmandu, Nepal.

This was a dream come true for me in many ways... For any of you who have met those I work with there, you would understand the significance of me traveling to their home land. To see and taste and smell and experience with them... What a joy! It was the first time I'd been there, and I hope not my last! On the flight, I had a window seat and could see the Himalayas in all their glory, a gift from God for sure. This mountain girl was in awe once again at God's glory! Upon arriving, I was taken to my room on the side of the hill in Kathmandu and then whisked into the city to meet my dear coworker's daughters... What a joy to be with his dear family and meet them. I even got to see the pink sunset on the Himalayas. What a blessing!

I was told the water at the retreat was "solar" heated... But that basically meant "ice water" and I was VERY SORRY I took a shower at all... I went to bed that night under five blankets, with four layers on and a beanie and still woke up in the middle of the night, not from fear, not from jetlag, but because I was shivering so hard :) ha. During our days, we could see our breaths in the meeting rooms and as you can see, we were COLD. :)

This meeting was different than the other three on our trip in many ways. For one, it was small, for another, the people are just different. It's hard to explain, but there's this sense of respect and love flowing between them that is astounding. As we listened to testimonies not only from the trainings/outreaches, but also from the sharing and connectedness across denominations/programs/churches, I was in awe of our Lord who holds it all together. I saw humility there. Truly amazing.

Leaving Kathmandu was sad, but I was excited, too, to visit our next stop.

On our way there, we had a short flight to Delhi, India, with an overnight layover... We were graciously housed at an MBMSI house and had another adventure in a taxi cab... I am not sure how this happens, but taxis in India seem to be interesting experiences for me, without fail...

Destination: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!

This was my second time there, and last year I got a parasite, so I was excited for that experience to be redeemed :) And it was. We arrived after a very long series of flights/layovers at about 8 in the morning. We had a bit of time to nap, eat some lunch, and then have some meetings with people. The next day we moved to our housing. I was blessed to be rooming with two intercessor women who are just wonderful ladies of the Lord and I love them dearly. One of them was badly burned for becoming a Christian and has lived a life of forgiveness and love and because of that, many who persecuted her have come to faith in Christ... Amazing.

Our meeting in Ethiopia was another time of testimonies of God's faithfulness and goodness... There are many in the country who oppose the Gospel and those who believe, yet, God is moving in miraculous ways all across the land.

Destination: Thika, Kenya.

Again, I had been to this place before, so it felt in some ways like going home in a sense. I got to reunite with many old friends and meet many new ones, too. Worship? You want worship? This is the place. :) This was a tough meeting, with lots of conversations to be had that were not "easy" or "fun" but necessary :)

Upon leaving, we were in the airport and I walk down the stairs from the washroom and who do I see, but a familiar face in an unfamiliar land. My good friend's brother was there! We had to stare at each other for a while, because really, why are we seeing each other in the airport in Kenya?!!?!? After a few moments of this staring, we realized it was true and said hello, chatted for a while, and I sensed God saying, "see, my child, you are always home, with familiar faces, as long as you're with Me." I don't know why, but that was comforting and exciting.

Almost done.

Destination: Zurich/Lucerne, Switzerland to visit my sister!!!!

I had a whole middle section of the plane to myself for the overnight flight and I slept and slept and slept. It was wonderful. I got through the passport control, luggage, etc. with no problems and found my sister waiting for me. We bought our train tickets, got some coffee and snacks and headed out for our adventure. The train ride was beautiful and we arrived EARLY to check in, but thought we'd try anyway. A short 15 minute wait in the hallway and a clean bed, and hot shower were mine for the taking. So I took a VERY long shower (the first real one in weeks) and took a short nap. Then we were off. Goal of the day? Shopping, eating, a pedicure (for me - so wonderful!!!) and haircut (for my sister), and celebrating my birthday a little early. I like Switzerland a lot and particularly enjoy the German side, so this was very fun for me :)

We awoke early the next morning to catch the train back to Zurich for my trip home.

Destination... Harrisburg, PA... Or so I thought ;)

After what was surely the bumpiest of all the flights with very little food (this mama was HUNGRY), we arrived on time to Dulles in DC. I cleared customs/baggage control lickity split and thought, "this is great, I'll be home in no time". What I didn't realize was that my adventure was far from over. After watching United show some terrible antics for a different flight, I poised myself at the ready. Okay, the PA system is very quiet, I'll stand by the gate and ask if it's boarding (it should have been and was still showing on time). Of course, I got the runaround :) and this awesome woman from Canada who is fascinating to me struck up a conversation with me and we talked for 1.5 hours as they kept pushing the flight back, back, back. Cancelled. WHAT?!?!?!? Cancelled for maintenance reasons. Okay, good. I don't want to be on a broken plane anyway... But... So close I could taste it. But no love.

So I booked it across the hallway, was FIRST in line, the woman helping me said there were six seats left on the 10pm flight. Great! I'm golden. My newfound friend threw her ticket on mine and the agent said, "are you traveling together?". Yes. We were now. Somehow, though, in the time it took the agent next to her to book ALL SIX seats, she couldn't pull our itineraries up. Anger, frustration, sadness, teary-eyedness crept in. Then I remembered WHO I represent (and gosh, I had just told my new friend what I do ;)) So I gathered my emotions, and thought, what do I do??? My dear husband who'd already been in Harrisburg for an hour offered to come get me, but I thought it might be faster to get to him if I drove with some strangers in a rental car ;). Do you want a hotel voucher? NO! I just want to go home! So with the few of us stranded (oh, do you want a STANDBY ticket to PHILLY in the morning? NO!) we decided no one looked TOO scary and five of us, perfect strangers, embarked on a journey we dubbed "the Amazing Race" and thought for sure a million bucks would be waiting for us in Harrisburg. (It wasn't).

The participants:

Franka - woman from Canada who worked in the max sec. prison system in Canada for 20 years and is now a professor... Trying to get to Harrisburg to teach at a seminar. She was my friend and unknowingly to her, my bodyguard.

Bill and Cookie (who did not look like a Cookie at all - looked like a Colorado mountain girl if you ask me...) on their way home from two months in Hawaii.

Some guy I can't remember his name. Interesting, chill, very much like my cousin Stephen. Very chill and funny. And tall. And older than he looked. And apparently with a liking for pot.

And me, pregnant, tired, cranky, hungry.

Who drove? Well, I had the best insurance (surprise surprise) and had the most experience driving in Washington, DC. So it was me!

The car: Honda mini-van - quite nice.

The route. Not correct. What was the navigation system thinking anyway?

So somewhere along the "route" we hit what I like to call a parking lot (reminded me of LA on a bad day) four lanes, stopped, for minutes, minutes, minutes. As emergency vehicles continued to wiz by us, I knew it was a bad wreck and we would be there for a while. So I fixed Franka's laptop and gave the nameless man most of my snacks.

Twenty minutes into our parking lot experience, dude who I can't remember his name says, "let me out, I'm going to find the exit". So I did... He walked across all the lanes of traffic. Comes back, says, "You'll have to back up the breakdown lane about 200 yards, I'll direct traffic.". Okay, desperation does strange things to you. So, he directed traffic, and did a great job, apparently from his military experience in Korea, and they surprisingly all moved and I took a basically 90degree turn across all lanes of traffic, backed up to the exit ramp and we were on our way. Two lane road, windy, thinking, "what was I thinking?!?!?!?". Finally, we got to roads I knew and we dropped guy I can't remember his name in York. Then Franka at her hotel outside of Harrisburg. Then Bill and Cookie got me lost trying to find their hotel. Actually made me go to the wrong hotel and said, "oh, this isn't right". Uhhhhhh... Then I cried. Then I composed myself. So by the time I finally got to my beloved husband, I was crabby like none other, and five and a half hours later than I should have been. But I was alive. And my luggage made the 10'oclock flight. So I got that, and we headed home. My mood improved as I realized my hopes for a happy homecoming were still happy, just not exactly how I planned :)

All this to say, God sure is adventurous and He sure does take care of everything. He also cares what we do when we're in tough situations. Do we turn to Him, rely on Him, and love Him, or do we throw up our hands and pitch a fit? Oh, I wish that I would have passed the tests of the trip with flying colors. But I can say I can tell He's doing a work in me and I'm growing in His grace. I sure pray this baby has a heart for the nations, that it knows already what a wonderful God we serve and love.