EE MIssion Day 57 - HOME !!!!!!!!!

Well, the plans were all set.  We had the travel Visas for Mila and Yana, we had out flights booked, we had our pickup at the airport arranged.  All was in place to arrive home Friday, 2/3. 

That was not how it worked out.  The Lord had ordained a different itinerary home.  Let me just say that we got dropped off at the airport Friday morning at 330am (Thursday, 8pm US Eastern Time), and did not touch down at Philadelphia International Airport until 330pm US Eastern Time SATURDAY.

Here is a description of what happened:

(1)  During the last 10 days of our stay, Ukraine was hit with severe cold temperatures; we're talking minus 20 to minus 30 degrees Celsius.  The day of our flight, it hit -33 C at the airport; it was -28 C when we arrived.

(2)  Apparently, the type of de-icer that the Lufthansa Airbus fleet uses is rated to somewhere between -25C and -28C.  Any colder, and it is not effective.

(3)  During our drive to the airport, we already knew that the flight was delayed (due to the cold temperatures) until 730am.  No sweat, right; our 5.5 hour layover in Frankfurt was now reduced to 3.5 hours.  Still enough time...

Once again, the Lord blessed us with the opportunity to spend time at the terminal with other American RR families.  Admittedly, I sometimes take this for granted.  I praise God for the opportunity to repent of this attitude.  Being able to have support from other brothers and sisters is something we should NEVER take for granted.  Amen?

(4)  The "delayed until 0730" turned into the "delayed until 0930".  Uh oh, our layover "time budget" is at a danger level.

(5)  The "delayed until 0930" turned into the "delayed until 1030".  Hmmm; maybe they can hold the plane to Philly???

(6)  The "delayed until 1030" turned into the "delayed until 1130".  Okay; we just lost the PHL flight.  Okay; there is a flight to Dulles that leaves at 1700; maybe we can get booked on that one.  Just get me out of Kiev, please

(7)  Check in starts (Praise the Lord the flight was not cancelled); after the controlled chaos of getting through passport control and security, we get to terminal waiting area. 

(8)  We don't start boarding until closer to noon.  We get in our seats, and start taxiing to runway.  Part of the pre-takeoff check is to rev up the engines.  During this check, a malfunction is detected in the right engine.  We proceed back to tarmac parking spot for troubleshooting.  Fortunately, we are told to stay on plane.

(9)  Plane is checked out, re-fueled, and taxis back to runway for engine check.  If it passes, we go; if, not, we head back to terminal.  At this point, the people around me must have heard me praying out loud.

(10)  Engine check PASSES (Praise the Lord!).  It is now 3pm, but we finally take off.  Looks like we are spending a night in Frankfurt.

I must interject here that Lufthansa's flight attendant service was excellent.  There was one woman in particular that kept talking with Stephanie, provided us with baby food and comforting words.

(11)  Before landing, Lufthansa announced the flights that had been re-booked.  Our flight to Philly was rebooked for Saturday (US Air 701 leaving 1245pm).  They also announced that hotel vouchers were being provided.

One wrinkle here; Mila and Yana are not yet American citizens; they are Ukrainian citizens who do not have a travel Visa to Germany; only to USA.  Technically, they cannot leave the terminal.  This means spending the night in the transit area of the terminal.  NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, must interject a note about Lufthansa customer service.  After getting to Frankfurt, we are directed to their service counter.  The man helping us, after hearing our pleas about our daughters needs, explains to me that the Federal Polizei (Police) can offer 1 day visas for the girls, since we as their parents can leave the terminal.  He walks over to the police station and brings one of the officers over to us to talk to us.  PRAISE THE LORD, yet again.

(12)  After about a 90 minute wait (getting our new ticket, filling our the forms for the girls' one day visa, and waiting for the visa to be processed), we leave the airport with hotel voucher in hand!

(13)  We arrive at hotel about 8pm Frankfurt time (18 hours after leaving our apartment in Kyiv).  My description of this hotel is it is like an oasis in the middle of a desert.  We are able to get a good meal in, a good 7 to 8 hours sleep, a shower Saturday AM, and breakfast before heading back to Frankfurt airport. 

Part of my thoughts went to those that could not leave the terminal.  It made me even more aware of the fact that we did not deserve to get to this hotel.  This was yet again an act of Grace and Mercy from the Lord...

(14)  We get to US Air check in counter about 1015am Saturday morning.  Our boarding passes have the 4 of us kind of split up; 2 are next to each other, but the other 2 are separated.  I explain to customer service rep that this will not work, for somewhat obvious reasons.  She tells me to see cust service rep at gate check-in to have them changed.

(15)  I arrive at gate check in and explain that we need seats changed.  Agent tells me that flight is "full",  but they have some blocked seats (then it is not really full, is it?) and they will do what they can.  She tells me to wait where we are sitting and someone will come to us with an update.

(16)   After about a 45 minute wait (about 15 minutes before flight is supposed to start boarding, a woman from US air comes over to us and hands me a new set of boarding passes.  Row 13, the 4 seats in the middle.  Just what I was hoping for; 4 seats in the middle...

Once again, another act of Grace and Mercy from the Lord.  What did I do to deserve to have these seats changed?  Absolutely nothing...

(17)  Flight takes off on time.  After about 8.5 hours in the air, we land at PHL airport. 

(18)  We proceed to US passport control.  After waiting about 10-15 minutes, we hand over the passports and the special brown envelopes to USCIS agent.  He walks us to secondary interview room, and tells us that he will put us at the front of the line to minimize our wait.

Once again, another act of Grace and Mercy from the Lord. What did I do to deserve getting moved to the front of the line? Absolutely nothing...

(19)  We wait only about 15 minutes; I am called up front to receive the girls passports that are now stamped.  This means they are now US citizens and we are told we are free to go.

(20)  We proceed, now with a new burst of energy, to baggage claim.  I get luggage cart and wait only about 10 minutes to grab all 4 of our bags, which are intact.

(21)  We proceed to custom officer who takes our pre-completed declaration form; he immediately tells us to move along.

(22)  We now walk the 100 yards of so to the International Arrival Hall in search of our church family members who offered to pick us up.  They snapped a few pics...

One of the few times Steph walked faster than me...

Hmmm; I wonder what is causing me to smile?

I never realized how beautiful the American flag was until seeing it at PHL airport

(23)  One of the many lessons learned on this adoption mission was just how much I yearned to be "home".  It makes me think, however; do I really yearn for my true home?  Not the temporal place I call home in Pennsylvania; my REAL home.  The place being prepared for me by my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Our Heavenly Dwelling

¹ For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, ³ if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

⁶ So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.