Hawaii to Haiti - DAY 1

It’s 1:30 pm Monday. Just took off and climbing to altitude. What a morning it’s been so far !! Up at 5:30 for devos and left the house at 7:00 - headed for Longs to pick up food for the plane, mac-nuts to give the ground team in Haiti and baby wipes (in case the cold showers aren’t working in Haiti !). Sarah calls – “Uncle Mark, we have a problem !” Kristof’s passport had expired in April and none of us caught it. Copies of the passport made for the files, reviewed by at least three people and none of us saw the expiration until 7:15 this morning. What can we do? How can we leave one team member behind ? What will Liz (Kristof’s wife) do ? – will she go with us and leave him home – how can she do that ? No way are we going to get a new passport in 3 hours !!?

But God has other plans……. Sarah was calling me from Zippy's and “just happened” to be with Aunty Lynn, who “just happened” to know someone in our church who “just happened” to work at the passport office. I meet Sarah at Zippys and the team begins to arrive. Liz and Kristof arrive as well, trying to look “chipper” while I know they must have been in agony on the inside. We gather to pray and see what God has for Kristof and the team. It’s 8:00 am. With some coaching from Aunty Lyn and Aunty Renee by phone, Kristof heads off downtown with Liz and Erin, gets new passport photos and goes straight to the Federal building passport office. Sarah goes on-line and after the frustration of being hung up on and using only her cell phone to navigate through mazes of directions, she finally secures an appointment for Kristof at 9 am - it’s now 8:48. I call Kristof on my phone who is at that moment going through security at the Federal building – “Kristof, your appointment is in 12 minutes, get to the counter now !!” The rest of the team sits with us at Zippys having a “nervous” breakfast. Peter comments – “I just have this overwhelming feeling that Kristof is going with us”. My faith isn’t quite that confident, but it’s slowly starting to grow. We wait, talk, wonder and wait some more …… Liz calls at 9:40 – “he’s got it !” All he has to do is wait for it to be printed and they can be on their way to the airport !! I am amazed !! What a miracle – a new passport in under 2 ½ hours from the time we realize the problem until he has the approval in hand. As we sit there rejoicing at Zippys, we begin to think ………

American Airlines originally had us booked to fly out on Sunday, but actually messed up our reservations and had to re-book us for Monday. If they hadn’t “messed up” we would have been sitting at Zippys on Sunday with absolutely no way to get a new passport !....... And if Liz hadn’t looked at the passport so early that morning …… (Why did she look at the passport that early anyway ?!?! ) And if Aunty Lynn hadn’t been with Sarah braiding her hair when Liz called her ……. And if Aunty Lynn hadn’t know the person in our church who “happened” to work in the passport office …….. What a wonderful miracle !!

But God wasn’t done yet ! Because American Airlines had messed up our reservations and had to re-book us for Monday, James and I couldn’t fit on the same plane as the rest of the team. We had to take another flight from Honolulu. It was disappointing, but we would deal with it. We figured out how to keep track of everything with having to travel separately and James and I would leave Honolulu an hour later than the rest of the team. I was especially disappointed as the team leader, not being able to fly with the rest of the team. Now as we sit at Zippy’s waiting for Liz to call, Sarah tells us – “oh, by the way, I just found out your flight is delayed two more hours – you leave three hours after us”. Another obstacle ? or a time to again lean on God ?

We all arrive at the airport and begin to check in. Aaron Harris goes to pick up Kristoff with his new passport as we drag our bags through Agriculture inspection and on to the Self Check-in Machines. As the rest of the team gets their boarding passes and moves on to drop their bags, James punches his information in the Self Check-in and receives the message – “There is a problem and we cannot finish your check in – please see a ticket agent”. Uh-oh ! What now ?! I punched in my information with the same results. We wait in line for the next ticket agent wondering what is up. James got to the counter first and as he talked to the ticket agent he suddenly smiled and walked back to tell me – “the delay in our flight would have made us miss our connection to Haiti – they “somehow” put us back on the same flight as the rest of the team !!” How did they do that – put us on a full plane that last week we couldn’t fit on ?!?! Only our God knows !! Another miracle – thank-you, Lord !!

Bags checked, we gather for prayer and photos and to say good-bye to Erin and Aaron - our home team leaders. We all acknowledge how God’s hand has already been with us working miracles - and we haven’t even left Honolulu yet !! Some of the team start to work their way to security and some make a last minute stop in the restroom. Liz and Olivia wait by some of our carry-on bags. Suddenly a man walks up to Liz and Olivia and asks what the “Hawaii to Haiti” t-shirt means that Olivia is wearing. Olivia explains and the man hands her $ 100 in cash and walks away !! You are absolutely amazing God !! We haven’t even left Honolulu and you’ve shown us your miraculous, loving hand three times already ! What more do you have in store for us ?!?!

I am convinced now that this is not the end of His miracles on this trip – it’s only the beginning !! After a few more glitches with Liz’s ticket (she realizes at security that they have printed Kristof’s name on her ticket as well as his !!), we finally board the plane and settle into our seats. What a start to this wonderful adventure with God !!

Phew !!! Amen !