Somehow… I made it to Kigali! There were a few times throughout the last ten months that I doubted I’d make it back. One of those times was on my way here. Ok, I didn’t actually think I wouldn’t make it back, but it was not an easy road to take. Or should I say flight to take.
Sitting in the Louisville airport, watching a dozen people speaking frantically with flight attendants at my terminal was my first sign that it wasn’t a great day for flying. My flight had already been delayed to where I would need to book it to get on my next flight once I arrived in Chicago. Prior to this point, I was so thrilled about my flight schedule. I somehow got away with finding at 21 hour flight to Kigali with only 3 legs and short layovers. (Short layovers are only good when everything else goes according to plan. Lesson learned.) I also was scheduled to arrive in Kigali on Saturday night, which meant that I’d be able to hang out with friends all day Sunday before I left for YL training on Monday.
Once my flight’s delay got longer and longer, I realized there was really no hope in being able to make my flight to Istanbul. Nobody on American Airlines could help me because they didn’t have access to anything Turkish Airlines. When I arrived to Chicago at 11pm, my flight was long gone by 45 minutes. I was instructed by my flight attendant to go to the Turkish Airlines desk to inquire about rescheduling my flight. Just a side note, the Chicago O’Hare airport is huge. Moving on. By the time I got to the International terminal, nobody was there besides one airline. I talked to a guy who told me, “Everybody went to bed. Go back and talk to American Airlines.” Since American Airlines sent me there, I felt mislead and defeated to my wits end. I was exhausted with no answers as to how I would get to where I was going. I made a call to my flight insurance agent who told me they don’t cover less than 6 hour delays. Mine was 2.5 hours. I went to American Airlines again where I was told, and like I recalled, they couldn’t help me.
Here’s what I learned. Things don’t always go as planned. As I was navigating around that near empty airport, I could almost hear God telling me, “Trust me. You can make plans, but know that My plans are best.” I started thinking about this role as Young Life staff that I’m entering. This was a reminder that things may go how I expect, but they probably won’t. Things may change, and stuff might go wrong, but my destination should always be the same. God got me to Kigali, even though the way was rockier than anticipated. The destination for YL is for kids to know Jesus Christ. The journey is how God gets us there. Aim for the destination, take notes on the journey.
By the mercy of God, I was stranded in the one international airport that was in the same city as my sister, Dani, and her family. I was able to spend those 2 unplanned days in the States with them. They were so helpful in driving me back and forth to the airport several times, taking a shift on being on hold with the multiple companies I had to call, and even convincing certain airlines that I should not have to pay for another ticket. I could have been stranded anywhere, alone. Instead I was taken care of and given more time with my beloveds. God values relationships more than He values our detailed plans. He created us to be in community. God really opened my eyes to how much I need a community to complete this call He placed on my life. Next step; building a community around Young Life in Kigali!
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