A Day of Miracles

On March 5th, I left Zambia on a plane to America so that I could attend a VERY important person's wedding: Jenny Davis-Brower (One of my best and closest friends). After two weeks in the states, I got on another plane to head back to Zambia. It was my first time to fly all the way to Zambia alone--and what an adventure it was.

Out of those of you that know me personally, I KNOW you know how quick and short my stories usually are… I mean, I get straight to the point, eliminating ALL unimportant details. :) So, as always, here is my quick, short, brief explanation of a day of miracles…

While I was sitting on the plane in Houston, I spoke with Susan Kendall, an amazing colleague and my boss' wife, and had her book me a room at the Yotel (a very small hotel room located in Terminal 4 of the Heathrow airport). After an inter-terminal bus, an hour wait through customs, and a brisk walk to the Yotel, I checked in, and walked to room 22. I'm not so sure you can actually call it a room, but it had all the necessities: toilet, shower, and bed. I relaxed, took a shower, and slept for 5 hours!!

I woke up around 3:30, started packing my bags and was about to walk out, when I looked in my wallet to make sure I had all my important pieces (passport, phone, cards, etc.) Unfortunately, I didn't see my passport! I’m sure anyone who lost their passport at an international location would understand how amazingly exhilarating it is.… just kidding. I looked EVERYWHERE: my purse, bags, in the shower, under the bed, and even behind the toilet!! Before I lost my mind completely, I thought of all the different possibilities. Maybe the Yotel picked it up or maybe I laid it down at the internet desk before entering the Yotel. Just to set the stage for you guys, my flight was scheduled to depart at 6:30, it takes about 20 minutes to get from Terminal 4 to Terminal 5 and it was about 4:15 when I left my room! Whew, I was feeling a little on edge to say the least.

Although I was a little panicked, I knew there were MANY possibilities, even though I was short on time. I asked the lady at the front desk to check everything in the room, but she found nothing. She directed me to the Airport Information desk downstairs because that's where my passport would be if someone turned it in. As I came down the escalator, I looked all around trying to find the desk. I asked someone and was directed to the opposite side of the arrival area. (I mean why wouldn’t the desk be on the opposite side?) I asked the lady at the desk if they had received any passports so she went to check... nothing. So I walked back to the Yotel and even asked the restaurant next door...nothing. I stopped and rechecked my bags but found nothing again. The restaurant mentioned that baggage reclaim may have it, so I went to baggage reclaim…nothing. Whew, this is exhausting reliving this adventure. I sent a text to Susan filling her in on the information. She told me she would send an email to our traveling agent to see if we can switch the flights, preparing for the worst.

Since the God I serve is SO BIG and can do ANYTHING He pleases, I began to beg for a miracle. I knew He could provide, but most of the time in situations like this stress is still involved! I went back to airport information and as my miracle #1 of the day, the Lord provided this sweet man sitting at the desk. When I told him what was happening to me, he called several people around the terminal. He said, "Have you checked your bags? I've called everyone that would have it and no one has it." So I found a secluded area, opened my bags again and since I’m not an emotional person, I walked calmly back to the desk… :) ok, fine, I started balling like a child who just lost her parents in the middle of Time Square in New York. It’s a good thing I found my secluded area right? Wrong…this random man pops out of nowhere and said, "Are you OK?" We all know what happens to you when someone asks if you're OK in a stressful situation. I pulled myself together and explained that I lost my passport as my throat catches and my breath jumps a couple beats. Unfortunately, his advice didn’t do me much good because my little friend at the information desk had already completed everything he suggested. So, I just set in the chairs praying for a miracle again and again.

Since the Lord had provided this sweet man to help me out, I returned to his desk. His clock read 4:50 by this time and I was still in terminal 4. My friend said, "Well, I've called everyone I can and no one has seen it. Do you have a copy?" Well, the part of me that plans ahead did not plan ahead very well! The copy of my passport was in the front pocket of my checked luggage. He said, "Well, looking at the time, you will miss your flight, so I would advise you to go ahead and call the BA information desk to inform them of your situation.” Well, now what? Two options: 1. The Lord provides a miracle or 2. I buy a hotel room and sit in London until I get a new passport from the US embassy and another flight to Zambia. Of course I was rooting for option #1. So what do you do in a situation where you don’t know what to do? I just waited... I didn't know what I was waiting for-- a miracle, a plan, a brilliant idea of what I was supposed to do?

After about 15 minutes of standing there, I heard him say into the phone, "Oh brilliant. That's brilliant!" He hung up and said, (miracle #2) "Megan, it's been found." My body literally cradled. Tears of joy streamed down my face. He said, "Ok, Megan you don't have time for this. You HAVE to be in terminal 5 by 10 till 6." (It was 5:10 and I still didn't have my passport yet!) I text Susan and said, "IT'S BEEN FOUND!" She replied, "Oh my goodness…It will be a miracle if you can make this flight." He directed me upstairs to departures where my passport was, and then I was supposed to grab the bus 7 and get to terminal 5 ASAP. Since I was on such a time crunch, I set calmly on the escalator, relaxing in the beautiful airport. I frolicked to the desk and asked the lady if she had a passport, but she said no. I said with a very sweet voice, "The airport information guy just told me someone at the KLM desk would have it." She replied, "Well I don't know how that would be possible. We never have passports, but let's look at the check in desk." By the way, the check-in desk is the Air France check-in. I mean come on, how did it get to Air France?? She walked me over and went to the back of the check in desk. I waited patiently as the seconds ticked by. When she walked out, she had a little blue book in her hand and a puzzled look on her face. She said, "I don't know how it's here, but here you go." (miracle #3 AMAZING how the Lord performs miracles huh?)

Unfortunately it was 5:20 and no bus in site. Quick decision: I jumped in a taxi... only to realize that I didn't have cash. Off load...So I got out of the taxi, withdrew some cash from the ATM and got in another taxi. I asked the man to go FAST to terminal 5. He said, "I can only go the speed limit." I sent a text to Katy, a prayer warrior, to have her pray that I would make it in time. She immediately replied saying I had TWO prayer warriors in America praying RIGHT THEN. :) Guess what? miracle #4: every single light was GREEN. I arrived at terminal 5 in record time (about 10 minutes). It was 5:35...I paid him and walked quickly to the check-in line.

I received my boarding pass and handed my passport at the check point, feeling like I ALMOST made it!! But, a lady came up to me and said, "Ma'am, can you please come with me. I need you to put your carry on in here to see if it's small enough to fit on the plane." With zero panic and a peaceful heart, I walked over with her and tried. Of course I've already unpacked it 4 times so it's not as compacted as it was before. (And give me a break people, 9 months in another county!!) She said, "I'm sorry, but you will have to check this." I laugh now because I can imagine what the lady was thinking when I busted out in tears as she said that. I mean think about saying that phrase to a young woman and her just weeping… it’s kind of hilarious. She did her best at comforting me saying, "You will make it!" She walked me over to the check-in guy who said, "It's going to be ok Ma'am, I promise." As if my height doesn’t attract enough attention to me, my emotional status was acknowledged by the two families behind me. One lady next to me handed me a tissue and the man behind me handed me a pen and said, "We've been where you are so many times." I reluctantly laid my credit card down and (miracle #5) the man handed it back to me. He said, "Ok ma'am you are set. You can rush to the gate now. You need a tissue, a BIG one. Maybe just get a towel." Funny funny guy...

At 6:00 p.m. I finished going through security, with one piece of information: my unknown gate closed in 15 minutes. I knew if it was a B gate then I would have to take a transit over, which usually takes at least 10 minutes. I looked at the board, found the flight for Lusaka, and saw: Gate A5. Scanning the airport I found A5. Miracle #6: it was literally a 2 minute walk from where I was with at least 50 people still in line. Relaxation finally rested on my shoulders as I praised the Lord for his goodness, mercy and provision. With 10 minutes to spare, (miracle #7) I walked to Starbucks, bought a drink and a sandwich and for the first time since it all started, I actually walked peacefully to the gate.

Seriously, it took one full day of miracles to get me to Zambia.