Expecting the Unexpected....now.

Adventures to Africa  Atlanta.......

Well, i thought i would start my first blog of this trip by thanking everyone for all they have done, the support, the time, the words, the prayers.... etc.

However.... i will have to do that soon.... because too much has gone down in the last 24 hours to not tell about!

Naturally, we were rushing... ok i was rushing... at the last minute to get everything done and together. One of the things i wanted to be sure to bring on this trip were all my books that i was hoping to read and form theological thoughts over and use to teach God's word.  It wasn't until i got to the Cinci airport that i realized i didnt bring any of them. not one. nothin...... except of course the compilation travel size "Where's Waldo" book that Anna sent us. :) I knew i was forgetting something. no biggie!

so big Curt dog (dad) got the church van so we could all ride down to the airport together and not have to take separate cars. it is always such a blessing to me that my family always takes us down. i wouldnt be able to get everything done and to the airport without them. It is always so hard to leave them. i cried all the way through the terminal.... tried hard not too. but its all part of it. i did better once jon interrupted  the silence with.... hey... McDonalds.... better get one last meal!

the first leg was pretty good. seemed like there was a Randy Jackson look alike convention in Cinci cause we spotted alot of them there. (giggles) Jon found a twin getting on our flight...i took a picture cause they had matching outfits on. i was so exhausted that flight that i managed to fall asleep for the probably about 30 mins...prior to that i was trying to figure out what waranted the man across the isle from us to be wearing a bow tie...couldnt figure that one out.  i woke up to the ridiculously rough landing.... first time i ever thought the pilot was going to swerve off the runway....not ok.

so, here we are in atlanta. because the first flight was delayed, our layover was a bit shorter than we would have liked. we had to rush to the furthest terminal and once we arrived there... it was like jon walked into heaven....which in reality was only another food court. he asked if i wanted anything and i said "no, my stomach is still upset i dont feel like eating anything"... his response - "yeah me too, but im getting something greasy! hey... its our last meal!" (we've had about 20 of those btw).  this makes it so that now we are running to the gate.

THIS is where it gets crazy.

as i give the lady my passport and boarding pass, she asks to see my visa... sure, no problem. i find the visa valid for this entry to Benin and show her. she says, "no, i need to see your visa for Nigeria" i quickly explained to her that we didnt need one for there because we werent staying there, we only had to have a connecting flight there. no, everyone needs a visa.... (ok... you get the picture... im not going to type the rest of the conversation)

as it turns out.... all Americans need visa's to even land on the soil. What!!?? you would think this would somehow be included in booking information.... no no... im the idiot. in all the countries and all the journeys... this is the first... and i wasnt expecting the unexpected to happen yet.

LONG story short (because i need to get to sleep sometime soon and this is getting REALLY long...) we were stranded in Atlanta. Next flight wouldnt leave till thursday. we would have to find our way hotels, and to the nigerian consulate to try to convince them to give us a visa.... and by the way, you have no car and you cant get your luggage. PERFECT!

after my heart stopped thumping out of my chest.... and jon finished his roast beef sandwich... my brain turned on on remembered that a i had a friend that lived in Atlanta!! we took the public transportation to the closes stop by her house where she picked us up to stay with her. total God-send! unfortunately we didnt get to where she was till 1:30am... which means we had to take public transportation...in atlanta... in the middle of the night...one word.... SHADY!

today, we got up at 6:50a (do the sleeping time math) to get to the city with her where we would have to figure out where the Consulate office is, how to obtain a visa, print forms, get new passport photos for the forms, make copies of our visas....etc. and... we are in a city where we have no clue where to get our resources... i mean... i could just ask Heather to do it all for me this time, dang it.

finally get to the consulate office, where they tell me that i basically should just forget it...but i could pay way extra and they would have it in the morning...oh, and... when you get to the airport, you actually have to find a taxi there and drive 20 min to another airport where the connecting flight leaves. (also, airline companies... including this info would be helpful for travelers)  To those of you who have been to africa and now anything about Nigeria.... this is not a good thing... at all. I'm calling Delta.

after 2 hours on the phone with them, and 2 heart attacks, we had new flights. (yes... we did have to pay extra). oh, and dont forget... we still dont know if our luggage will get to us. more phone calls.

so, i havent slept in like a week, and the last 24hours were less than enjoyable. we managed to giggle quite a bit along the way..... you have to laugh things off... otherwise crying is the only other option. just gotta roll with the punches, figure it out, pray ALOT, and keep on keepin on. so, we are suppose to leave Atlanta tomorrow at 5:26p and arrive in Benin friday night at 8:05p. Now i am really expecting the un-expected.... and still in all of this... God is working...we have a friend here willing to take us in and let us do laundry (only that which is on our back) and because only God sees the big picture... he knows better....and it may be all due to his protection over us. To Him be the glory. In him will i trust.

love love.

(ps. i know i am a terrible speller.... not one word about it.)