We were supposed to leave the YMC base at 10am. We packed up and loaded and then by 1015am we were telling people we weren’t going to be leaving until maybe 1130am. It was 12pm and we were taking off to the airport without visas or passports. We arrived at 1230pm and lined up to see if our big line of Americans would be intimidating enough to move us past the first check point. Ben and I showed them the itinerary and then we went through the first security check. While at the check-in desk, I was able to get Ray and Ivy, with Malaysian Airlines, on our side. They began weighing our overweight bags and sending them through. They marked them all the way to Hyderabad even without our visa numbers. Some people didn’t have a copy of their passport so they were at the end of the line hoping theirs would arrive before they were at the front counter. I was running back and forth asking and answering questions and conferring with Ben, making sure they would hold the plane.
During all the chaos, my teammate Erin brought me my sanity, a bag of M&MS. I was running around throwing them back. It was 145pm, our flight was set to take off at 305pm and still no visas or passports. Thankfully people were moving through our second check point with three more check points still to go. So there I continued, texting Jon, our squad leader, to see the status of the passports and assisting squad mates at the counter. At 210pm the passports and visas were rushed to the front. People who were already sent through got their ticket for Hyderabad printed and then some volunteers passed them out. Ben and I worked to pass out the passports of those who hadn’t checked in yet. I was so thankful for everyone’s help and cooperation. The Malaysian airlines crew worked very hard to get us all through and prepared for flight. With the visas processed only hours before and the passports in hand, Ben and I sent teams on to pay their exit fee and go through immigration and one more security.
We made it to our gate, walked on the plane, and were taking off down the run way at 335pm. I laid back in my seat not believing what had just happened. Seriously that was nuts. As we were checking in we were waiting on a scooter to arrive with our documents. The plane had actually been held for 56 world racers. Everyone’s bag made it to Hyderabad, we went through customs and there on the other side was our contact for India. We loaded two buses and traveled to a “hostel” where we went to sleep at 4am. We got to sleep in until 1130am and then had lunch and napped until worship and orientation, only to be ready to leave again at 9pm.
I tell you what, when I sat down on that bus last night, it was such a relief. Another debrief and travel day that God was all up in and all over. I was asked at the beginning of the day, “Are you nervous?” I said no. I just knew God would be over every detail … getting us to the airport, getting our overweight bags through, and checking us through to Hyderabad before we even had our visa numbers. The plane was held up until every racer and other passenger was loaded, Thank you Jesus for your favor, protection, and hand over us. I went to bed saying, “I love you, I trust you, I thank you Lord Jesus.”
