WOWZ! currently uploading this from Zambia (#finally PRAISE GOD) 3 days in, but I feel a recap is long overdue. From my last post, we saw how it was a bit of a struggle to get started on this journey, but I. Have. Made. It! I arrived to DFW airport @ 4am, w Mother & cousin Dani tagging along as well. They seemed to have trouble finding my tickets again. . .(el oh el) but it all worked out, yet I was only able to get my United ticket flight, not my Ethiopian Airlines(EA) tickets for the rest of the trip. Anywho, flight to Chicago was perf but once I landed I realized I had to change terminals & I only had 1 hr & 30 min. till my flight to Addis Ababa left. . . so the hustle was v real! I asked for directions and was led to a shuttle that took me to the international terminal. Once there, I saw the line for EA and was in disbelief. There was easy 50 ppl in front of me... yet all I needed was my ticket. (okay.. I can do this.. its fine..right?) Having already missed my OG flights to Zambia, I was determined that today was not gonna be round 2, so I hurried to the front and begged the agent to let me talk to him because I just needed a ticket & he let me through!!!! As he was in the process of getting my tickets, he looked up at me and said "I'm sorry...it seems the flight is full and there are no seats left." #helloooo? whatchu meeaaannn no seats left lol. I just stared..didn't really know what to say until about 30 sec. later he said "Wait, wow, praise God! I found you a seat!" & PTL is correct fam cause only God!!! So I grab my tickets and I know have 45 min till my flight stops boarding...& after waiting in the TSA line and going through security again, I made it to my flight w 3 min to spare! & honestly the rest of the trip was quite a blur. I met a ton of interesting ppl and chatting w locals of Lusaka, ex-Peace Corps peeps, and an Indian man whose interaction w I will never forget.*
All in all, I've learned from this trip, that the beginnings of journeys do not define them in their entirety.
Exhausted and drained from my trip I showed up to Riverside Farm Institute greeted by two of the most loving and joyful ppl, Melanie and JoyJoy. The first night we spent it catching up and mostly laughing a tonnn!
My heart has been v full since the first dayyy & I couldn't be more thankful <3
TTFN! Till next time.
*Okay, if you've continued reading its because you're interested in my interaction w this pleasant Indian man.
We were both standing in line to board for Lusaka, Zambia from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Somehow we strike up conversation & I ask what he was going to be doing in Zambia. He said "Well, I make missionaries!!! I make missionaries throughout all of Africa so I travel often." Shook, I stand in awe of this incredible man like, wooooww he makes MISSIONARIES throughout all of AFRICA!
So I said " NO WAY! I'm actually a missionary too!!"
He just stares...."What kind of missionary?"
"Well, I'm a nurse and I'll be working in a clinic.."
"OHhhhh, okay"
Curious I ask, "What kind of missionaries do you make?"
"Well you see, I grab some PVC pipe...."
And he goes on and on, to which I quickly said
"YOU MAKE MACHINERIES NOT MISSIONARIES!"
wow, no wonder we were both staring at each other quite lost.
honestly, that moment made everything better ahahahah!