Heading for the USA

Well folks I have lived in Ecuador for three months but now its time to head for home.... I had an early morning! I was all packed up and stepped outside the gate at 4:45....5 minuets early. The taxi was already waiting.... Which was odd because it was suppose to be at the orphanage... But he said the code word so I hopped in! but told him to wait for one more, Cathrine who was coming from the orphanage. Well we waited for about 10 minuets and I start to worry.... She was going to accompany me and I was suppose to give her my keys..... So at about 5 min. till just in case I hopped out and started walking down the street a little to see if any lights were on in the house then I seen her coming!! O Joy!! So we hopped in and she had been waiting inside the gate the whole time inside the gate but the taxi didn't look yellow and she was worried about the random parked car.... Well praise the Lord we were all in and in our way in time! 

So we went to the old airport where I got a shuttle to the new airport. It was very easy and nice but I was thankful she came along anyway! The shuttle was an hour ride so I was able to gaze at the mountains and meditate on all the memories I have here....its amazing what Ecuador has come to mean to me in 3 short months!

The new airport is wonderful! Very easy and everyone was very helpful and a man stood in line and waited with me to help with my bags... I have an extra suitcase because they filled one up with donations for the orphanage on my way down. Thank you God for all these little blessings!

I had a beautiful flight to Miami....I slept, I was so tired! But when we arrived at the airport we had to wait almost an hour to be taxied to the gate....we found out that there was a computer outage! Over 30 flights were canceled! So here I am in Miami Florida ... But my flight was late enough that it wasn't canceled!! I'm so thankful but it took about three hours for me to get through customs, check my bags back in and get through security again! But what else did I have to do? News reporters were all over the place it was crazy! This was a huge thing. You never know someone might have seen me on the news...

Welcome to the United States of America! It was rather thrilling when I walked under the sign and through customs for citizens....
Ecuador doesn't feel to far away but I'm in Miami after all.... Half the people still speak Spanish. But I'm not so big anymore, and I don't stick out, and people are not staring at me... Yet somehow I feel a little out of place. The styles are different...the people act different and I keep expecting certain things to happen...then I remember I'm not in Ecuador anymore....Its all rather bittersweet ... Then I see the currency exchange with no guards and I think what is the matter with these people?

I love takeoffs, definitely my favorite part, and going through the clouds. It is so beautiful, so much blue and white.... I have to start singing praise songs....only Gods handiwork could create anything so magnificent!

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:3-8

I couldn't help but think how beautiful these verses are....what we as christians have to look forward to at the end of this life (whenever that may be). But how dreadful on that day to not be in Christ. So may we live with eternity in view so we don't leave behind those that we may have taken with us if we had opened our mouths more and loved the souls of men more. How beautiful and glorious heaven will be... No more tears, no more suffering! To be with Christ for all eternity! O, I long for the day when I shall meet my Savior face to face, O it will be worth it all!

Well my flight got delayed after all.... and delayed....and delayed...then canceled....So I purchased some WiFi so I could let my mom and dad know so they didn't go all the way to the airport...but all they had was a phone and I mine was not activated...so I am messaging people and they are calling them....and I end up standing in a line that had over 400 people in line trying to get tickets...my brother activated my phone, which was such a blessing! Then I was able to talk to my mom and tell her that some people were able to call and bet their flights booked on the phone, which may not take as long as the line....so after I spent probably 4 hrs in line and my mother spent several on hold...she got me a ticket! So its 2:30 in the morning...now what? For the exact same time as the one today was suppose to go out...But praise the Lord! I got a ticket! I was in line with some wonderful people, so it helped pass the time....I was able to share all about my trip and the little ones I left behind! It was a highlight of a rather long night...

Well I always thought that all the crazy things that happened in Ecuador were because Natasha was there but now she is beginning to question this...

This airline system failure is crazy! It is huge, I can't imagine how many people have been stranded all across America! check it out about 900 flights were directly impacted by this!

Well I guess I'm going to go find a spot to curl up for awhile....