It is nearly midnight, and I’m on the bottom bunk in a cabin style room with all the women of I-squad here in Johannesburg, South Africa! Safe and sound, thank you Jesus!!!
We’ve been in transit since Saturday, September 8th when we were delayed in Chicago due to a tornado hitting our next destination, New York – JFK airport. Nevertheless, delay and all, we made it to New York by Sunday, September the 9th shortly after midnight.
In New York, we stayed overnight on the floor of the baggage claim area in JFK airport. (Those of us who stayed behind with the bags, anyway.) Many a young person was enticed by the Big Apple only to meander the city at all hours until sunrise before coming back to head to our next terminal together.
From New York we flew out to Atlanta, Georgia for our international flight. By this time, we were beginning to feel the drag of the airport hopping. The hurry up and wait lifestyle was being made evident.
Finally, we departed Atlanta after another delay on board the aircraft before taking off. The next 16 hours were blissfully filled with solid sleep for me and some pretty good meals.
And then we arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa shortly after 5PM local time. Getting through customs, waiting in baggage claim and then re-gathering everyone to brief and grab dinner at the airport with 60 people requires patience – and grace. But we made it.
We were picked up by a beautiful charter bus shortly after 8PM when our local ministry contact came for us. I fell back asleep on the bus, and didn’t wake up until a few bumps in the road from our driver pulling tight u-turns awoke me. Many more u-turns ensued, as well as stopping for directions, and then ending up in the wrong place more than once off a dark stretch of road and it was nearly 10PM by this time.
So we have sampled some real “hurry up and wait” and “this is Africa” moments within the first 6 hours of arriving.
“Hurry up and wait” is part of missionary life—it’s exactly what it sounds like; you hurry up to be wherever you need to be and early if you can, only to end up waiting around due to delays or getting lost or cultural etiquette dictating a slower pace of life and arrival.
“T.I.A.” is what we say to express “this is Africa.”
But I am very thankful that we have all arrived safely. We have all arrived together. We only lost one person’s luggage. We only have less than half a dozen sick with colds or sniffles of sorts.
Everyone is now tucked into bed, ready for tomorrow to wake up in Africa.
I’m all fresh from an ice cold shower and ready to sleep. It’s been 72 hours of traveling and time zone hopping.
This is Africa!
