Brick walls and the kindness of strangers..

So.. We are constantly tested. Our faith, our testimonies, our patience.. Constantly tested. I feel like there was always something that was trying to throw me off track in the planning and execution of this trip.

If I could go back to August 14th.. A minor issue. Not a test of faith or testimony, but definitely one of patience!! I left my important dresses on a plane. I was heading down to the states for a week of wedding chaos and during a mad dash from one plane to another, I left my dresses on board! I noticed this when they announced that the doors were closing!! AAHH!! I jumped from my seat and made the flight attendant aware of the situation. She said that there wasn't anything she could promise, but that she'd try. I made my way back to seat 17f and waited for an answer. I felt so silly praying for something so menial, but dresses are expensive and I am on a limited budget, so I figured it couldn't hurt. Minutes seemed like hours before the flight attendant announced, 'The bridal party dresses are on board!' YIPPEE!! Thank you Lord!! If that was the only thing to go wrong over the next week, I was just fine!

The week in Utah was magical. I was able to reconnect with some friends I hadn't seen in a couple of years, spend time with my 'sisters' and their kiddos, and participate in a wedding that I couldn't be more pleased about! After months and months of praying for divine intervention, my best friend and I were able to put the past behind us and move onward and upward. She is one of my biggest supports and I am so blessed to have her behind me while I am overseas.

Come the night after the wedding.. I am starving and needing to go get food. Brick wall. I cannot find my cards or identification ANYWHERE. I checked purses, suitcases, backpacks, under couches, under beds, EVERYWHERE. All I could think was 'I can't get on the plane.' I was crying and phoning everyone to help me look, but no one found anything. I just kept praying that either I would find my things or that by some miracle, I wouldn't need my credit card to board in Jo'burg. (When you book an inter-Africa flight from overseas, you need to present two forms of photo identification and the credit card you booked the ticket with.) I got no sleep that night. The following morning, I continued my search. Nothing. I was supposed to head out of Cedar City at 11am. It was pushing 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Nothing. I finally just laid in the middle of the floor and asked for guidance. I was prompted to get an address in Jo'burg and have a card expedited there. When I got to the drawer to get a pen and paper, I lifted my friend's wallet and.. drum roll please... FOUND MY STUFF!! Someone had cleaned my friend's house and had assumed that it was hers!! There it all was!! Hallelujah! We quickly got into the car and headed off to Las Vegas!

I met up with one of my dear friends during my final two days in the states. We ate good American food (sushi) and had some good American entertainment (rides on the Stratosphere). I can't think of anyone I'd rather have sending me off on my big adventure. I love you, friend.

The airport.. I arrive super early and took care of some computer work. I ate a cinnamon roll from Ciannabon, c'mon now.. I wasn't sure what I'd be eating in twenty-four hours! I found my gate and laid down for a nap. And then I heard it.. Final boarding call to Atlanta!! What?! I had been at the wrong gate! I picked up my backpack and bag and RAN full speed to the gate, praying out loud that the Lord should help me get to my gate in time, and met the brick wall.. The gate agent was not very nice. She scolded me for being late and handed someone else my seat, right in front of me! I just started to cry. There was nothing else I could do at that moment. I stood in the empty boarding line and cried.

And then my first encounter with the kindness of strangers.. A couple from Atlanta was supposed to be on the plane with me and was equally confused at the gate change. They took me under their wing, got me a bottle of water, and found me a seat on the next flight out. They sat with me until I calmed down and asked me numerous questions about the mission and OU and what I thought I might be doing. It was so refreshing to sit with eager people and talk to them about what the Lord has done in my life and the calling He gave to me to go teach in the Moz!! My heart was instantly uplifted and I knew that the reason for me not getting on the first flight was so I could give my testimony to these kind people!

The plane was incredible!! Absolutely amazing! HUGE! And what's better, I sat in front of SEVEN LDS missionaries! I love missionaries! We had nice long chats before watching movies and falling asleep. I also had the pleasure of meeting Andre, an older gentleman on his way to Jo'burg for his mothers' funeral. He comes into play in about thirteen hours. The long flight, almost sixteen hours, was much easier than I thought it would be. The food was tasty and the entertainment was wonderful! There was a moving map application that enabled you to see what you were flying over.. I looked at it many times to see that we were over the heart of the Atlantic ocean, flying between Brazil and Africa!! WOW!! The chairs reclined much more than normal seats and with the help of some melatonin, I spent a good portion of the trip in dream land!

We arrived in Jo'burg safely and everyone clapped! My new friend Andre offered to walk with me through the airport to help me find the DeKlerks. I was warned many times not to talk to strangers in this foreign land, but I knew in my heart he was a decent man and I trusted him. I was right! We made it through the baggage claim and customs to find that the DeKlerks were nowhere to be found! I have never been so frightened in my life. I sat down and prayed that there was some sort of mix up and that they were on their way. Andre was greeted at the airport by his sister Sandra and her husband Bruce and they waited with me for over an hour. I was able to get online and send an email to my missing hosts, but without my phone (it was stolen.. Sorry I missed that detail.) I was unable to get all of the necessary contact information. Andre insisted that I join he and his family at their friend's house for the evening and we could contact the DeKlerks in the morning. At that point, I was exhausted and scared, but confident that the Lord would look after me and that I was with good people. Good is an understatement.. Great people. The BEST people. We headed over to Minette and Richard's house and had a wonderful meal and even better conversation! Bruce is HILARIOUS! We finally got in contact with Graham and Jeannine and they came to scoop me up. There was a little misunderstanding about times and dates, but they arrived and hugs were given all around! Contact information was exchanged between me and my new friends and I headed home.

This house is so fantastic. It is old, the doors have super old locks and keys and they creak when you open them! The outlets are different, the water knobs are different, the light switches are in funny places! It's so lovely! I was on the computer emailing itineraries to people and transferring money until one thirty in the morning.. And couldn't fall asleep until nearly three! I slept soundly and dreamed of lions and elephants! Until nine this morning!! I was awoken by Kaska, the German Shepard, and a very eager Graham. We must not miss one moment of this adventure!! We are off to the Apartheid Museum and to see some of the monuments around town. I'm looking forward to my first day!

We are CONSTANTLY tested.. But I am so happy to have run into brick walls.. Or else I would have never experienced the kindness of such wonderful strangers. Thank the Lord for blessing me with fantastic people. He is good. And He is always watching over us.