Day 1-2: The Journey There

We arrived at the Atlanta International Airport mid-afternoon this past Thursday (June 12) with our van and a 10-foot U-Haul which easily hefted our 14 footlockers and multiple carry-ons. We managed to pile the footlockers up onto 3 of those airport dollies and made our way to the Air France desk. From this beginning, the Lord blessed us with (what I believe were) 4 God-planned encounters. Aside from these, the man who served us at the desk was very kind and helped us through the process of checking in all our luggage. (Just a note: they actually allow 52 lbs MAX and not 50 lbs—though they would prefer folks to hit the 50 lb mark.) While going through this process, I met a man from India who is a believer. He was helping his family check in from their flight back home. He saw my Shattering Darkness shirt and told me that He was a believer.

      

The Atlanta secerity went very well. The two biggest challenges we faced on this trip to Africa was getting from point A to point B with way too much carry-on luggage (well, it seemed too much—Tracy and I ended up carrying Grace’s and at least one of Maleah’s most of the time plus 2 BIG car seats). We took the car seats so that there might be some familiarity for the girls. We had no idea how they were going to respond to the whole air transport experience. Well, by the time of the second flight, neither of the girls wanted to even sit in their chairs any more! Let me tell you (well, really remind you that) GOD ANSWERS THE PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE!!! The girls did soooooooooooooo well! They were the best troopers I have seen. They must have slept maybe 3 hours on the first flight and then most of the way on the second flight. Maleah loved the take off and landing. Her ears bothered her during the descent (no surprise), and a very kind flight attendant made up “Mickey ears” for her to place over her ears: 2 coffee cups per ear with hot-water soaked napkins (serviettes) wadded at the bottom of each pair. THEY ACTUALLY WORKED! The pressure didn’t seem to bother Grace a bit, and I think Tracy and I were more bothered by it than even Maleah after the Mickey additions! Our God is SO GOOD!!!

OK, so while we were going through security in Paris (I had forgotten that one has to do it all over again once you arrive in Paris), a very kind security officer who was helping us saw Tracy’s shirt and told us that He was a Christian and knew Jesus also. So that’s #2.

 

We arrived at the Ouagadougou (Wah-gah-doo-goo) Airport early, I later found out. (My sense of time by that point was pretty much shot.) Oh, we were comical getting on and off the airplanes with all our stuff and our two little girls. Always the last to depart, we made it down the stairs and onto the bus that took us to the main building. When we were attempting to exit the bus, a man took pity on us and ended up helping us carry one of the car seats and a bag of medicine. He even walked with us through security and customs! Another God-blessing! Oh, his name, by the way, was Aimée, which means “Beloved, Dearly Beloved”! He was truly an expression of God’s love to us. I found out that Aimée also had faith in Christ. That is #3.

After going through security, we were met by 4 men and…ALL OUR STUFF!!! YES, ALL 14 FOOTLOCKERS! It was only later that I realized how significant this was. Once through those doors, it was a ride! As I said, we were met by these men (who spoke no English). We headed to where I hoped to meet Ms. Lynn (not realizing how early we had arrived in Ouaga). Before leaving the building, we were stopped by security and questioned about all our many crates. An officer who knew some English came and asked why we were there. After explaining and telling him that all these were filled with things for our living there in Burkina for 2 years, he had me open 3-4 of them. Toys in one, medicine in another, clothing in a third, and so on. After seeing that we appeared legitimate (with our two little girls next to us), they let us go. On the other side, there was no sign of a welcome party, so we exited the building and headed for the front parking lot. Once there, still no sign of anyone we knew. Were we getting a little anxious? Yes….and prayerful too! The man asked if I had a phone number of the woman who was going to pick us up. NOTE TO SELF: Make sure when traveling to a foreign land that you always carry with you  contact numbers of the people you are going to see there! By God’s grace, I had with us the Burkinabé number of my now cell phone and called it. Ms. Lynn answered (she had charged it for us and had it in her purse) and to her surprise found out that we had already arrived and were in the parking lot! Oh the relief!

Soon she came and the porters piled in her truck about half of the luggage. I stayed behind as the family and Ms. Lynn went on to the Mission Baptiste. There I stood, in the middle of the parking lot with the remaining footlockers. As I was looking around, I saw a man steadily walking toward me from off the street. Yes, I got a little worried and prayed, not sure of his intentions. Well, come to find out, this man professed to be a Christian. Wow, you talk about being challenged with language! God had me hit the ground running as I did all I could to understand what he was saying and to convey what I was thinking. Again, another one of God’s good and perfect gifts. This man was at least #4 of our journey there. It was very striking to me that the Lord sent His people to us at the Atlanta baggage check-in, at the security check-point in Paris, and twice at the Ouaga airport. The Lord showed us His love for us through the kindness and love of His people (in 3 different countries in the course of 2 days!).

So, that is the story of our getting to Burkina Faso. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS!!! We experienced your lifting our family up to the Lord the whole way there! THANK YOU! WE LOVE YOU!