Day Nine as recorded in my journal…
Time to officially say farewell to Africa. It’s been a heck of a ride and seems as though we’ve been here much longer than the three months the calendar suggests. Hopefully, I’ll see you again someday, Africa. I waited an hour for my two pieces of toast and chai tea breakfast. In the meantime, I loaded up my pack, having delayed as always my packing until the very last minute. Then surprisingly, right on time, the two buses arrived to carry the fifty of us to the airport. Leading up to travel day, I was anxious to see how security checkpoints and customs lines would play out against my fast. In Nairobi and everywhere else along the trail to Calcutta, I was blessed throughout the process with simple yes-no questions or no questions at all. I made it safely silent all the way to India.
This isn’t to say the day was completely without drama. Nothing happened in the Nairobi airport, but as I tried to pass through security in Doha, my small camelback carry-on was flagged and the guard proceeded to completely empty the contents, sprawling them all across the silver table. Regrettably, my mind instantly went to thoughts of reverse racism, wondering if anti-American sentiment was being extended toward a young, white male. Neither he nor I would find anything even remotely close to a threat. Eventually I was cleared and made my way to the gate thinking little else of the exchange.
However, when I was stopped once again in Delhi attempting to pass through to board for Calcutta, I began questioning how coincidental it might be. It was only seconds later that I found the item of controversy. My Gerber pocket knife had reappeared! I must have unwittingly stuffed it in the outside pocket one day back in Enesampulai. My excitement in finding it, however, was quickly replaced by the idea that I had just smuggled a six-inch blade on to three major flights without being caught by the “stricter” airport security supposedly in force in a world filled with terrorism. (Seriously, they just gave up?! They clearly saw a huge knife on their x-ray machine and when they couldn’t find it… even after repeatedly sending the bag back through the machine and seeing it every time… they just got tired of looking and quit. Seriously?!) I didn’t dare show it to anyone and reveal the security’s mistake until well out of view of any guards or cameras hours later. Then I rejoiced over the simple, yet sincere prayer.
In Doha, our squad said good-bye – for now – to Lindsay Heston. Our new sister that we have all come to love and respect is heading home to L.A., cutting her race short for personal reasons. As if a huge group of caucasian Americans making their way loudly through a middle-eastern airport after an international flight wasn’t enough to draw attention, huddling in a massive circle in front of a busy security line for hugs and goodbyes certainly was. The tears flowed from many and though my eyes remained dry, the feelings of sadness were equal. I still have thoughts that we have not seen the last of her, even during these eleven months of The World Race. I still remember some of my first impressions of Lindsay from training camp seven months ago. She was/is cool, a natural born leader and never lacking a good punch line. But over the last few months, especially in December together in Eldoret, Kenya, I got to see so much more of her. I got to see her heart explode for the nations of this world and all God’s children within them. I witnessed firsthand how her love and ministry never stopped short of her World Race family in front of her. And I got to see her unquenchable thirst for personal growth and never-ending desire to walk closer with her savior every day. So here’s to you, Lindsay! You will be – you already are – missed and loved deeply.
Little else was notable about the travel day which melted into day ten without words. It was interesting watching the flight map on the plane trace its course over Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and then Pakistan on the second flight and thinking about all the world news and politics you constantly hear of from these areas, but which truly seem in some ways like another planet; forbidden territory. All in all, it was a good, but tiring day which never really seemed to end but rather float into the next as a result of flights, layovers, time changes, and of course the increasing anticipation about country number six – India.
