We Made It!

The last few days have been quite stressful as we waited and wondered how everything would play out. We were told that the truck would arrive on Wednesday or Thursday. Wednesday came and went with no word. Then Thursday came and all day we waited for the call. When it got later in the day, Jeremy called to check and they let us know that there was no way the truck could get unloaded for us to load our things that day. He said it would have to be Friday. This was not good news since we had already purchased tickets to leave early Friday morning. We prayed and tried to decide what to do. We threw around the idea of Jeremy staying an extra day or two, and the kids and I flying out as planned, or leaving it for someone else to load. We hated to put that burden on anyone else, but Jeremy's dad volunteered to take charge of it, if it could be done on Friday morning.  Jeremy talked again with the trucking company, and he was able to get a different truck to come, but it couldn't be there until Friday morning. We made the decision to fly out as planned.

Friday began early as we left the house before 6:00 am. We arrived at the airport over an hour before our flight was scheduled to leave, and the line to check in stretched across the entire length of the airport. TAM airlines' computer system was down, so they were having to hand write out everything...luggage tags, boarding passes, etc. We knew there was no way we would ever get through the line in time, but they began to call flight numbers that would be leaving soon, and pulling those people to the front of the line. We left check-in at the time our flight was supposed to take off. We made it through security and to our gate and thankfully our plane had not left. Everyone was in the same situation. We ended up taking off about an hour late.

We had a layover in Brasília, but it was only an hour layover, so I wondered if we would make our connection there. We deplaned and began looking for our gate, when we heard that boarding for our flight was over. We hurried on to the gate (which was really a door to get on a bus that would drive you to the airplane.) They assured us that we would make it...and we did! Evidently the system shutdown had effected this airport also and everything was delayed there too.

We landed in Porto Velho only a few minutes later than originally scheduled. Somehow, our five pieces of luggage with hand-written labels made the connection also and arrive with us! We were met at the airport by missionary Tom Brewer, and we loaded up into his pickup and headed out. Then he told us that his truck had just started giving him trouble when he arrived at the airport, and he thought maybe he had purchased some bad gasoline. We stopped a few times when the truck wouldn't go, and just outside of the city the truck stopped for good on the side of the highway.  The men tried to see what the problem was, but it just wouldn't go. Finally we called a taxi to take us the rest of the hour ride to his house, and he stayed and had the truck towed to a mechanic.

It was a very long day! We arrived at the Brewers' house about 4:30 in the afternoon. There was an overnight children's camp being held at their camp/church property where the house is also located. So around 6:30 over thirty kids showed up and spent the night. I think our boys really enjoyed playing with the kids and meeting some new people, even though we were all exhausted. It did my heart good to see them jump right in and see that they can make new friends here. We have already met many dear people.

What now?  We are praying...

•  for the truck that is bringing our things across the country, that there will be no break-downs or difficulties, and that they pass all the check points with ease.
• that everything arrives undamaged and is unloaded safely. 
• that we will be able to find more permanent housing soon according to the Lord's leading.
• that we will adapt to this new area of the country...the heat, our health, a new culture and people.
• that we will know God's perfect will and follow Him in all the decisions that will need to be made in the near future!

 The airport in São Paulo

Our hand-written luggage tags

At children's camp

Judson...who has decided he likes to hold up fingers in pictures now

More camp fun