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We're a Kind of Mush All Over the World

Unable to keep his eyes open. Unwilling to stand up when finally called to board the plane. Unsure what's going on. Unclean. Uncomfortable. Unprepared. Darby in this photo in the Seattle-Tacoma Airport represents the whole family on our sojourn from Atlanta to Korea.Pretty much undone. But as Michael W. Smith sang on the 1998 album "Live the Life," featuring that perfect 90s CCM tune "Missing Person," "I have been un-[a million things], but I know that I have never been unloved." 

Before we headed out of Columbia, SC, the brothers and sisters at Arsenal Hill Presbyterian Church bade us farewell with some delicious sandwiches and even sweeter prayers. We were reminded that we don't go on this journey alone but with Christ and his body on earth (that's you, church). And boy, did we need some help.
Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news? I'll do the preacher thing and give the bad news first and finish with the Gospel.


The Bad News/Good News, Formatted!

BAD:
We planned to ship our car Friday afternoon before we hit the airport Saturday night. Our car was not accepted at the processing center Friday.
GOOD:
Our college friends Xavierian and Joy McCall live in the same neighborhood as Amy's brother in the Atlanta area. They have served as missionaries and know the international travel with kids deal. When I called and asked for help, there was no hesitation. They're dropping our car off for us now that it's detailed.

BAD:
We planned to stay in the Seattle Airport from our arrival Saturday at 11pm until check-in for our plane at 2:30 a.m. The bad news is: we followed our plan. 
GOOD:
Rory found unclaimed change totalling $4 in probably five different vending machines in the airport. (The other day in Chattanooga he found $10.) Converting that to Won pronto!

BAD:
The Patriot Express was supposed to leave Seattle at 8:50 Sunday morning. That plane was broken. 
GOOD:
We got $15 vouchers for lunch, which we spent at the most expensive place we could find at 9 a.m. Total cost to us: $2. Earliest beer I've ever had.

BAD:
The flight to Japan was 10.5 hours long. After refueling, we had two more hours to Korea.
GOOD:
Darby, Lindsay, and Hailey slept for almost all of this. No joke. I remember hating my life flying to Japan as a kid, trying to get comfortable. These punks woke up as we landed and were like, "Oh, that was it?"

BAD:
Despite having removed quarantine requirements for all incoming personnel, the bureaucracy still holds onto its post-travel testing requirement. We all got COVID tests at 1 a.m. before getting to a hotel, with the dog in tow.
GOOD:
The famed Army efficiency I've heard about has been hiding in Korea all this time! They got us through, gave us a ride in a van to the hotel, and the driver said he went to one of the chapels where I'll preach. Then, to top it all off, they said, "Since you guys got in so late, don't worry about reporting to in-processing tomorrow. Just take the day and recover." Amen.


Man, throughout this whole thing we've had people being gracious to us. And we made it. Thanks for your prayers. Looking forward to this adventure!

Comments

  1. Greg CunninghamJune 21, 2022 at 1:43 PM

    We are so glad you made it to Korea safely and "sound-ish." Hoping the next couple weeks go well as you settle in!

    ReplyDelete

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