Greetings from Medellin, Colombia! I know, the last time I wrote a blog I was still very much in the USA, celebrating the holidays with me and Freddy’s families. It still feels like that was just yesterday, and really, it hasn’t been that long. Let me back up, and fill you in on all the adventures I’ve had!
Launch began in Atlanta, GA on January 8th at a very nice holiday Inn. I flew in early in the morning from Orlando, where I’d been staying with Freddy’s family on a vacation to Disney world. It was a wonderful time, we saw Mickey and rode all sorts of rides, but the thing that made it so great was the time I had with Freddy. We always have so much fun together, and we always have, but these last few weeks we’ve had together has been, as I best can describe it, disgustingly amazing. We had the best time. Saying goodbye was difficult, but at the same time we both have so much hope for this year and joy in what is to come. Our relationship is based on Jesus, trust and love, and when that is the key elements, a little distance can’t touch us.
So, I kissed my man goodbye, held back the tears and RAN to my plane. I was the last one on, the doors were just about to close as I handed the flight attendant my boarding pass. I found my seat, out of breath, and sat down. I reached for my pocket where Freddy had slipped a letter as he hugged me goodbye, and started to unfold it. I had held it together pretty well, only one tear as I hugged my mommy goodbye a few days prior, and none when hugging Freddy goodbye, but the moment I had that letter in hand, the pain train hit me with full force.
The flight was an hour long. Just enough time to let myself sob like a small child and recover in time to exit the plane. I was thankful that those around me were all asleep, or pretended not to notice the tears. I let it out, and I’m thankful for that time to just exhale feelings, because I don’t do it incredibly often. When the plane landed in Atlanta, I was ready for the next few days in the hotel with my squad. I took a shuttle to the hotel and took a shower and worked on some logistical training on my laptop as I waited for the rest of my squad to slowly arrive.
The next few days were all training and preparation for the field, like the way Training Camp was structured, except for the hotel, hot water, and super comfy beds. We ate together, packed and repacked together, and spent some time in prayer together. My prayer for Launch was that when my team of 7 girls woke up in the morning that the Devil would be very much afraid, and I know he was. We were spending all of launch in praise, worship and preparation for evangelism! The devil had to be terrified. He tried, too, to get to us. My team is strong, and through some tears we encouraged each other, helped each other with the hard goodbyes, and prayed over each other.
Tuesday we were given our travel details. We had to be in the lobby of the hotel at 2:30 am Wednesday morning to shuttle over to the airport. From there, we’d fly to Fort Lauderdale for a very long 12 hour layover. The reason behind this is Adventures (my sending organization) saves money in every place possible, which is why it only cost me $16,000 for an entire year of travel. It’s incredible how they budget the money. We got to Fort Lauderdale and headed to baggage claim. Because the layover was so long and we were switching airlines, we would have to get our bags from baggage claim and go through security again later in the day. We got to baggage claim and pulled all our luggage and looked around us.
We didn’t realize where we were standing, we didn’t take into the account that there was a huge black curtain separating us and our one baggage claim belt from the rest. Then one of my squad mates said something. “Guys, this is where the shooting was. Right here.”
It was true. To our right was the wall, and to our left was a large black curtain, hung up to separate us from baggage claim 2, where only days before, terror had prevailed. We peaked around the curtain and saw that the whole claim was blocked off, glass was broken, and construction crews were redoing the whole area.
We quickly realized how dark of a place the Ft. Lauderdale baggage claim had been for many people, and we gathered around to pray over the airport. It was heavy. We knew the workers had to still be reeling from the shock of fire opening up in their everyday work place. We could see how evident it was that workers were hurting.
We spent a long time in that baggage claim. We spent a good amount of time praying too.
Skip ahead a few hours, we made it through security and into the international gates! Our flight to Colombia was only 3 hours long, but was delayed two hours. I laid down by an outlet to hopefully sleep, I hadn’t managed to get much at all, and was running on 3 hours of sleep in 24 hours. But that’s when Destiny tripped over my foot.
She was five years old and really loud. Bright blue pants and a neon pink shirt that said “I’m Fierce!” Her mother had decided to stop answering all her questions and put head phones in. Her sister was on her phone, and Destiny wanted to dance. I sat up, and moved closer to where she was very loudly existing.
Five year olds have lots on energy. This five year old was like an energizer bunny. Her hair was cornrowed beautifully, and her skin was the opposite of mine, darker than night, and her eyes were full of mischief, and I wanted to let the girl dance!
After a few minutes, Destiny and I were sitting criss-cross on the floor, faces close together looking at our nail polish colors. She asked me why I had pimples on my face, to which I told her that one day she’d get them too, and to always wash her face. She laughed at me and told me she’d never get them, and proceeded to poke my face. She wanted to count my earrings, and couldn’t believe I had 11 of them. Then she noticed my nose ring. She wanted me to take it out and put it back in because she wanted to know if there really was a hole in my nose. After pulling it out, she grabbed my nose and inspected it with her eyes only an inch or so from my face. She tried to poke my nose as I put the hoop back in, but I had to stop her, explaining “You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your friend’s nose!” We were quickly becoming best friends.
Destiny and I hung out for about an hour, and she did teach me some sick dance moves. She’s far better a dancer than I am, and when the time came for me to start boarding my flight, her mom asked me what my huge group was doing. I told her we were going to Colombia on a kind of mission trip, and she raised her eyebrows. It was clear she thought we were crazy, but she gave me a nod of thanks for playing with her daughter, and I loaded up my stuff. Right before I got on the plane, little hands wrapped around my legs and there was Destiny, looking up at me. “Thanks for being my friend, Sara!” She said.
With that, I got on the plane, gave America one last look, and said goodbye.
