The Journey Home....PART #1

The preparations started months ago, the anticipation increasing as each week passed. The plans and calendared activities began to get finalized and soon the itinerary of daily visits was ready to be shared with family members. Before long it had been edited 16 times!

However, today, Tuesday, March 30th, is the day. We were up bright and early and finished packing, weighed the suitcases and found that we had room to pack some more. However, we were satisfied with what we had packed so the need to add more was really unnecessary. Joy just added a pillow for comfort on the airline night flight. We tidied up the apartment, and some last minute responsibilities. Don walked to the bank to make sure we had sufficient funds and paid the rent in advance for April and the utilities as well. We handed a set of keys over to a Christian friend who was going to be looking after our place. We planned our grocery shopping last week accordingly and finished up the fresh fruits, vegetables, bread and milk. What more was left to do? Nothing except be ready to leave at 8:30 p.m.

Our doorbell rang about 7:45 p.m. and it was the whole family from Pat’s Place! They had come to bid us farewell. Some of the children were already in their pajamas. They were so excited, and hugged and kissed us over and over again as we visited the last 20 minutes before our ride was expected. This tradition is called a despedir and we were so honored that our “family” came to see us off! It really was a special time. It meant so much to us that they considered us part of their family as much as we consider them ours! The 10 children and 4 mothers soon headed home, and each flight of steps they descended, they leaned over the balcony and called ‘good bye’ to us again and again, some of them even blowing kisses. We are so blessed.

At 8:30 on the dot, the door bell rang again and it was our friends Vico & Laura who had come to chauffer us to the airport. Vico wanted entry through the locked gate so he could carry our suitcases to the car! Now this was real curb service. We were prepared to bump along down the stair way with our suitcases and, of course, cause the neighbors to question what was happening in the hallway. But this was not to be the case. Upon arrival at the airport Vico and Laura insisted on parking the car and assisting with the luggage right up to the entrance of the airport. Unfortunately they cannot enter since they are not customers with tickets to board an airplane!
We said our goodbyes, and were now on our own.

Once inside the airport, we found the Delta check in line and there were hundreds of people ahead of us. Seriously! The check-in windows were unmanned and not yet open. There was a young man in front of us who asked if we were interested to know why one line had about 6 customers in it and everyone else was in the long, long line. I said I was curious, but not curious enough to ask. He said he would go ask. When he returned he gave us news that we could hardly believe. It was a line for customers 65 years and older. So, Don went and inquired of the Delta employee on duty, and we were directed to use that short line. It was amazing. We were again treated royally! It is the very first time in all of our travelling that we ever heard of a senior citizen courtesy line for check in!

After a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee, we headed towards security and were blown away to find two English speaking attendants. So it was easy to explain that most likely Don would set off the alarms when he passed through the security gate. Sure enough, his stainless steel knee replacements and staples in his chest from open heart surgery set the bells a ringin’. He was wanded and permitted to move on without any further checking, since the wand indicated the metal was exactly where we told them it would be.

One more stop at immigrations and then we would be able to proceed to the boarding gate for departure. This is where we need to complete a form and present it along with our passport, resident card and ticket. There was a delightful young lady there offering to assist us should we have any questions. In fact, she completed Don’s paperwork and I used her example to complete mine. Again the process was painless. We arrived at the boarding gate and shortly thereafter saw friends from Blue Ridge, Georgia. Tito and Patty had just finished a conference in South Lima and were heading home! At the boarding gate, all personal carryon items are searched one more time.

This was the first time in all of our travels that we have been so kindly assisted from our doorstep to being seated on the airplane. Thank you Jesus! Now, the graying hairs, may have had something to do with it, but we have felt very respected by everyone involved in the beginning of our journey home!

….to be continued PART #2 coming next week!