Leaving on a Jet Plane

So long Arizona!

So, leg one is completed.  The TAA group left Thunderbird at about 3:30 for the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.  Take off was 6 a.m.  We checked in and boarded without incident (although it was a bit slow).  The flight offered several in the group the opportunity to share with others about the trip.  I'll let them share their experiences later.  Suffice it to say that when you share with others, the mission becomes clearly.  And somehow more important.

Denver

We had a long (3 hours) layover in Denver and finally landed in Dulles a little ahead of schedule after a somewhat bumpy last 30 minutes.  It is cool and rainy here (30s)--a bit of a shock to most in the group.  After pizza for supper and a brief group meeting, all are in their rooms, and must are tucked away in bed.  It's been a long day. . . and tomorrow will be an early morning (6:30 shuttle to the airport for some).

Dulles International Airport

We will take some group pictures tomorrow, but will not reach our final destination until sometime on Wednesday.  By the time we get to Livingston, and taking into account the fact that we will cross 6 time zones, it will be a 32 hour trip from the time we board tomorrow morning to the time we arrive at our final destination.  Please pray for our sanity!  And our witness.  As Jaden reminded the group at the end of our reflection time, "take advantage of the time you have.  Don't waste your opportunities to share with others."  That is why we are going to Zambia.  But we don't have to wait until we get there to witness.  We have, in fact, already begun.

Debriefing at the end of the day.

Over the Ocean Blue--Chaplain Rob's Journal Entry #1

Over the ocean blue we ride off to do something that was just a dream but a few short months ago. It sounds too cliched but it is truly amazing how God works. I remember Alejandra Romo asking me in November, "Robbie are we actually going on this trip?"  I said yes and the only reason was because of a small sliver of faith that it could still happen. I didn't know if it would, but I knew God could make it happen. Four months later I'm on Ethiopian Airlines headed for Zambia. 

There is a song that says:

Spirit lead me when my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters 

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior.

There is something to be said for walking by faith. It's not something to hang our personal hats on, rather something that does for our relationship with God what few other things can: build foundational trust, that God has it covered. 

I could tell you of the coolness of Ethiopian Airlines seats and how I love watching the plane fly across the map (it's totally awesome by the way).  But I'd rather try to help you see the reality that this trip is really happening--a thought that hits me in a new way every few hours--and it's happening because God made it happen. What a wonderful fact of life to ponder over the ocean blue!

~ Chaplain Rob