Bernadette was her name. She was unloading luggage from the conveyer belt when I first met her. My backpack was missing and I was trying to be diligent in paying attention to find it. I started helping her line the luggage. She kept telling me I didn’t have to do it and I kept telling her I wanted to help. She asked me if I was looking for something and I responded with a smile and a calm “Yes”. I explained to her I was with the large group of fifty people that were looking for my backpack. She asked me if I knew God and I responded “Yes” once again. Bernadette smiled and said, “Okay, honey. I am going to help you.” We laughed the entire evening and she kept poking fun at the fact that I was calm during this chaotic situation. She said that I must know Jesus because she wouldn’t be reacting the same way. She went to the back to see if it was stuck. It wasn’t. She checked if TSA had it. They didn’t. Then she went to look if Oversized Luggage had it. No, they didn’t.
Our flight had been canceled, my backpack was lost (even though our flight never took off) and we could not book tickets to get to India. We were supposed to be on our way to start our mission trip but God was making us pause.
I wanted to press in and be a good example for my team so I kept calm. I was okay up until the moment my team leader pointed out I would probably have to leave a few days later if my backpack wasn’t found. I PANICKED! “Wait, God. Am I not supposed to be on this trip?” I let fear creep in and doubt began to fill my head. I started to cry- not because of my lost items, the value in them or what not, I started to cry because I was convinced that God wanted me to be on this mission trip, however, the circumstances now were saying I most likely wasn’t going to take off with my team. My squad prayed then prayed and then prayed some more.
That evening we were able to pray with Cynthia, an employee at the Atlanta airport. Our entire squad kept wondering what was happening. We knew God was up to something (or maybe a few things), so we were wanting to stay tuned in.
I started to get overwhelmed, tired, and lost in the process. My team prayed over me and God kept calming me over the situation. He said,
“Be still. I am in control. Trust Me in this. I haven’t brought you this far to keep you here. You are going to India. Press in and endure. You don’t have to eat from the scraps. You can eat at my table.”
I kept crying, trusting and praying.
The most difficult part was trying to be still and trust God had a plan. The reason I wasn’t going to make it to India was because my medication was in my backpack. A WHOLE YEAR’S-WORTH of medication was in my backpack! Over $1,000 in gear was going to have to be bought, donated, or borrowed. I started focusing on getting items, convincing my doctor to give me a prescription and making the calls necessary to be able to take off with my team.
I was about done the next morning.
I finally let my squad see the overwhelmed and tired Jackie I was. I explained over and over again that I wasn’t sad about the monetary value. I was literally in the arms of two of my teammates. I let myself be vulnerable, loved, hugged and open to what was happening… and then Bernadette shows up!
She said, “Child, I told you last night. I got you.”
Confused I said, “What do you mean?” She laughed and said, “Sister, friend, I got you!” I was shocked. She found my backpack! I stopped and processed what had happened. I asked her, “Okay, what do you need prayer for?” I smiled and stated “I know God allowed this to happen for a reason and that reason is you.” She stared at me. She immediately said, “My knees.” I nodded and asked her if it was okay for my squad to pray for her. She answered with the request of it being just me because we had connected. So we stepped aside. We walked a bit so we could be away from her co-workers and my team.
We prayed for healing. We prayed Jesus would help her excel in her career. We prayed that she would have blessings and a covering in her life. We prayed she would have a relationship with God.
So that is the story on how I lost my luggage but I found love.
I found love in my squad donating items to me left and right for the things I had lost. I found love in people pouring into my life and speaking God’s love towards me. I found love in that God paused an entire squad and their two Squad Leaders from going to India to speak to a woman named Bernadette.
Please keep my team and I in your prayers. We are currently serving in India. Our ministry is finding new contacts for Adventures in Missions. This means anything from working in the city to hiking mountains to find the man of peace.
Thank you so much for your love and support! If you feel led to donate you can do so by clicking the donate button on my main page. I am still short $4,992. This is as much my journey as it is yours. Lots of hugs and kisses your way.
-Jackie
