So Many Reasons to Be Thankful
I know everyone is gearing up for Christmas now, but this is my belated Thanksgiving update.
I am so happy to say that I made it safely from Springfield, MO all the way to Tenerife, Spain. It is never easy to say goodbye to friends and family, but wouldn't life be awful if it were? The great philosopher Winnie the Pooh put it this way:
"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."
Mom and Dad dropped me off at the airport and I am so glad they did! I ended up with four bins, three roller suitcases (including a carryon roller bag), one backpack, and one pillow. One cannot easily move that much luggage by oneself. Mom asked me how I was going to manage once I got to Spain and had to claim my luggage to get through customs, since the flight from Madrid to Tenerife is considered a domestic flight. I was worried about that, too, but I said, "I have no clue, but I'm sure God will take care of it like he has all the other details.
In the end I had to pay for the bins, and two of the suitcases, though at first the system wouldn't allow checking any of the bins because of some glitch. I had looked up the baggage policies for both airlines I was traveling on and I knew they would allow up to 9 pieces of luggage up to 70 lbs. each, though they would charge an extra fee. Dave was our first agent to check me in and discover the system wouldn't cooperate. Then he called over his supervisor Shelly, who got on the phone once she discovered the issue was with the baggage tracking program. While Shelly was on the phone, the shift supervisor Mitch, came over. By the time Mitch was working on the issue, my parents and I had already sent out texts requesting prayer. Dave leaned over to me and said, "Don't worry Mitch will figure it out." I said, "I know because we've already got people praying." And sure enough, they were able to check the bags. As I thanked them all and we were saying goodbye, Dave asked if I was a missionary. I laughed, "Pretty easy guess with all the baggage, the worn out passport, and the comment about prayer, huh?" He said, "No, I knew what you were the minute you didn't yell at me when we ran into complications." Well, I'm kind of sad he doesn't come across more Christians, but I knew God was going to work something out. He's worked out so many details up to now and he doesn't drop the ball. There's no reason to get upset.
I saw Mitch again at the gate as I decided to gate check my carry-on roller bag. Note: be sure to grab your toothbrush and deodorant before handing over your bag for a 23+ hour trip. Mitch remembered me and I thought he was going to make a crack about checking yet another bag. But instead, he joked that since they were short-staffed he'd also be filling in for the pilot.
More answered prayers:
I did not have to pick up my baggage in Madrid!
I did not lose my water bottle in Madrid security even though I'd just filled it with water. They just wiped it down for a residue test and it came back clean.
I was not a victim of the pickpocket who followed me out of security in Madrid. I suddenly turned my head and saw a young man retract his hand from reaching toward my backpack. I yelled, "What do you think you are doing?" because apparently I forget Spanish in that kind of situation. He smirked at me and walked on looking back at me. No one else was around until a security guard rounded the corner and followed the young man up the escalator. That wiped the smirk off the would-be pickpocket's face and he hurried his steps. They were soon out of sight, so I don't know how that ended.
Oh, a note for anyone travelling on both American or Spanish airlines: The Spanish airlines are not nearly as obsessed with air-conditioning as US airlines. I froze with a light jacket from Springfield to Dallas and then roasted in short-sleeves from Dallas to Madrid. Come to find out the Spanish government has issued an edict to help reduce emissions and the air-conditioning in all public spaces, including malls, airplanes, and government buildings, is set at 80 degrees. I don't know why they bothered handing out blankets on the plane. Nor do I understand how keeping a plane's interior temp is reducing emissions since the external temp is frigid so 80 degrees actually requires heating the plane.
With an 8 hour layover, I explored the whole terminal in Madrid. I came across little playgrounds for kids to burn off energy between flights (brilliant!). And at the far-flung end of the terminal, I found a Starbucks! I need to mention that you can order espresso coffee at any eatery in Spain. Anyway, for my American friends, I took a picture of the Starbucks. (It is coin or card operated.)
I was able to connect to the airport wifi and warn Steve that I was coming with 7 pieces of luggage so that he wouldn't show up in the prius. He came in their truck and brought along a muscley brother from the church.
I finally arrived in Tenerife at 12:15 am or 00:15 on Tuesday morning, November 21. I quickly found the two smaller roller bags and as I was looking for the rest, I saw Steve waiting outside with Alex from church. The customs agent let me go out that door to hand over my two roller bags and then let me back in to look for the others. Downstairs, I found my big roller bag, but the bins did not appear. The customs agent again let me hand over the big bag to Steve and then come back in to file a report for the bins. I couldn't find the tracking numbers on the American Airlines app and the Iberia agents couldn't locate them in their system either. So, I filed a report and was told to check back the next day. All day Tuesday there was no word. Some women from the church came over and baked desserts for the Thanksgiving dinners at the church on Friday and Saturday. I had purchased some mini aluminum pie pans for that purpose, but they were in the bins. That made me a bit frustrated. Wednesday, we got a call from the airport that the bins had arrived. They said they would deliver the bins or we could go get them. Not wanting to wait any longer, Steve called Alex again, and the three of us headed off to the airport to find only one bin had arrived. We had Alex load it on a cart and push the cart to the car, so he wouldn't feel like he wasn't useful. ;)
Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, about mid-morning I got a phone call on my new Tenerife number from an airport employee who had pulled up at the end of the street with my remaining three bins. I was so excited, I ran out and grabbed the lightest one while he wheeled the other two on his flimsy little dolly.
That afternoon, when Jeremiah and Natalie got home from school (Thanksgiving is not a holiday here), we had a family Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and lots of other good food. I was so thankful that God took care of my stuff and delivered it right on Thanksgiving!
Friday and Saturday we celebrated Thanksgiving at the Tenerife church in El Médano. Alex (from the airport runs) and his wife Viviana decorated the church beautifully! The food was yummy! And I got to share the history of Thanksgiving with our guests (about half were church people and half were visitors) and share a couple of things for which I was thankful. It was a great evening to greet people I hadn't seen since last year and to meet several new people, as well.
Special music was provided by the youngest Dye kids, Jeremiah (aka Miah) and Natalie.
On Saturday, I threw out my back and was in terrible pain. Steve was also in terrible pain passing a kidney stone. We both seem to be doing better now, but Priscila is suffering from terrible neck pain.
I'd like to end this update with some other things for which I am thankful:
Ham sandwich and chocolate bar for breakfast on the flight to Madrid.
I am thankful for an interactive map to watch since I didn't have the right earphones to watch a movie or listen to music on my flight. I'm also thankful that the gentleman in the seat in front of me with apparent indigestion resulting in abundant flatulence was able to move to a different row before we took off.
I am thankful to be back in Tenerife and can participate in our Friday night prayer meetings. Praying together is unifying.
I am so thankful that I was able to finish the proofreading project on the Romans commentary by the end of October and that I was given a physical copy to give to Steve when I arrived. Turns out Jack Cottrell, the late author, was a favorite professor of Steve's back when he was a student at Cincinnati Bible College. Steve has been one of many waiting expectantly for this book to be printed in Spanish. What a privilege to work with Literature and Teaching Ministries to bring this book into the hands of missionaries who can use it as a tool on the field.
And, I am especially thankful for the rainbow that God placed in the sky right after I found out that I wouldn't be getting the apartment which I thought would be such a perfect fit for me. Rainbows remind me that God keeps us safe, and he keeps his promises. I needed that reminder at that moment.
Until next time,
Peace.
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