Passage 07- Needing Miracles to Get Home

It was late afternoon on Wednesday, March 18^th and I was dog tired.  I had just completed my third day in a row of disciple training with this third group.  For each of the three days, I taught from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm or beyond, with very short breaks.  As soon as we arrived back at my quarters, I plopped on my bed and crashed for 1 ½ hours. 

Upon waking up, I went for a walk in the neighborhood to talk things over with my Lord, as I did every evening, prior to sunset.  The home I was staying in was located in a neighborhood with dirt roads and houses lined up, side-by-side for blocks upon blocks.  But somehow, within this controlled environment, I managed to run into a beautiful, secluded spot with chirping birds and scenery that looked like I was in the middle of paradise.  That’s where I always went to pray.

But today’s walk was different than any I had experienced here, or anywhere else for the past several months.  I was talking to my Lord, but I was getting absolutely nothing in return.  While pondering this unique situation, I received a text message from my sister, who lives in USA.

“With the craziness of everything with the virus and at airports, I do not feel like it is safe for your daughter to come home alone. I am asking you to trust on my instincts that I know are coming from above. Open your heart to trusting me. I know God does.”

My daughter had traveled with me to Rwanda.  Because of her job, she had set up her return flight for tomorrow, March 19.  As for myself, I had planned to stay much longer.

My sister’s blunt message didn’t phase my thinking.  I didn’t even feel it justified enough consideration to pray over it.  I quickly responded:

“My daughter is an adult now. She doesn’t need a parent flying home with her.”

I had completely blocked out my sister’s suggestion that I return home with my daughter.  My last disciple training class had gone so well, I was convinced that I needed to stay in Rwanda for another 8 days, as planned.  Looking back at it now, I can see how prideful I was in not being willing to listen to my sister.

Around 10:00 pm that evening I was talking to James, my host.  I was a little shocked to find out that he had been unsuccessful in finding me a new house to do disciple training at.

Late that night I was chatting with a prayer partner and mentioned that my sister would be flying home tomorrow but that I was planning to stay longer.  My partner says, “Oh.  I forgot to tell you this before.  I’ve gotten several thoughts the past few days that you need to go home now.  I don’t know why.”

Suddenly everything became clear.  I did not hear anything from our Lord during my walk earlier that evening because I was being stubborn to listen to what he was trying to say.  That I needed to go home.  Because I refused to listen, God had the same message delivered to me from my sister and prayer partner.  I finally realized what God had been telling me all along.  “Go home son!”

Late the next morning, we drove to a fancy hotel in downtown Kigali where the travel agency was located.  There was a line of people waiting to see a ticket agent.  During this long wait, I decided to look around inside the hotel.  Once inside, I came across a great view from the back balcony.  I snapped some nice pictures.

When it was finally our turn to talk to a ticket agent, we were informed that my daughter’s flight scheduled for this evening with United Airlines had been canceled several days earlier.  The airlines had failed to notify my daughter about the cancelation.  Because she had been uninformed, she did not realize the need to acknowledge the replacement flight they had arranged with a different airline.  Now it was too late.  They had given her seat to someone else, leaving my daughter with no way to get home tonight.

On top of that, the agent explained to us that tomorrow would be the last day for flights to leave Rwanda.  After tomorrow, for the next 30 days, the government had placed a ban on all flight travel to and from the country.  So, if we didn’t catch a flight tomorrow, we would be stuck in Rwanda for at least a full month.

I immediately requested prayer via text messages from my two favorite prayer warriors for this urgent need.  I asked them to pray that my daughter and I would be able to travel home.  As of that moment, the ticket agent had informed us that neither of us would be able to catch a flight.

As I prayed silently for my daughter, a peace came over me.  In my mind, I saw the schedule appear.  I knew that my daughter would be getting a flight home.  Around 5 or 10 minutes later, the news I had anticipated came into fruition.  With a surprised look on her face, the travel agent printed out the flight plan and handed it to my daughter.  “This is for tomorrow evening.  You will leave at 7:00 pm.  Is this acceptable to you?” she asked.  She heartily accepted.

Now it was my turn to see if the “Wizard of Oz” could find a way for me to leave Rwanda.  I was willing to fly home in a hot air balloon if necessary.  Or even put on a glittery pair of red shoes and click my heals three times.

My original plan was to continue ministry in Rwanda until March 26^th.  Then I would take a bus to Uganda and travel up the East Coast for 12 days.  I would follow that up by crossing the border into Kenya where I would spend 3 ½ weeks.  Finally, I would fly back to Kigali to catch my April 28^th flight back to the USA from Rwanda.

“There isn’t any way we can change your flight,” the agent told me.  “Since you are scheduled to leave on April 28^th, we are unable to change it.” 

“Why,” I asked.

“Because it is more than 30 days from today,” She said, “And airline policy precludes us from changing a flight that is to take place more than 30 days in the future.”

I was now praying silently like crazy.  I explained to her that the only reason I was asking for a change was because of the coronavirus situation.  Uganda and Kenya were not going to allow someone from the USA to enter their country.  That left me no other option other than to return home.

“There is nothing I can do about it,” she told me.

I told her that I wanted to get her manager involved.  She went away for a while, came back, and then started typing on her keyboard.  Suddenly I heard printing.  It was my flight plan!

She handed it to me.  It wasn’t what I had hoped.  It would require 2 extra stopovers.  I wasn’t excited about hanging out at two additional airports with coronavirus floating around.  Or the extra 8 hours that would be added to my travel time.  I asked her to try and find me a better flight plan.  She did some checking, but was unsuccessful.  “It’s okay,” I thought.  “I am getting home.  That’s the important thing.”  And, after all, it was certainly an upgrade from a hot air balloon.

The following evening, my daughter and I were dropped off at the airport.  She got through customs with no issues.  When it was my turn, the man looked at my passport and flight plan and displayed a surprised look on his face.  He excused himself for a while.  When he returned, he looked at me and said, “I’m sorry sir, but you will be unable to fly this evening using this schedule.”

He explained to me that Uganda had specifically banned anyone from the USA entering their country, as a coronavirus precaution.  And since the first leg of my flight was to Uganda, he was not going to let me fly.  When I asked him to verify it with a manager, he left, came back, and told me the same thing.  I was being denied.

I rolled my luggage over to the nearest set of chairs, sat down and began to pray.  I was soon told that I would not be allowed to stay in the airport.  That since I didn’t have an approved flight, I needed to leave.  I got up and walked over to another set of chairs that was well behind the desks where the security checkpoint was.

Again, I was asked to leave the airport.  But this time I stood my ground.  In my mind, I was convinced that God was going to work this out.  I just needed some time to focus on prayer.  And to get some other people praying for me.  Then God would perform another miracle.

“I have nowhere to go,” I told him.  “The man who dropped me off at the airport is gone.  I need to wait here until I can get this issue resolved so I can fly home.”

That left him with a choice.  He could call the police and have them forcefully kick me out.  Or back down and let me stay.  The police weren’t summoned.

I again sent text messages to the same two prayer warriors.  I was also praying myself.  Within about fifteen minutes, a guy who worked there came up to me.  He was extremely nice, to the point that I thought, “This guy is operating the love of God.  Otherwise, why would he be so nice to a stranger?”

First, he let me use his personal cellphone so I could call my travel agent.  The phone rang and did not get picked up.  It didn’t surprise me because it was after 5:00 pm.  Most likely, their office was closed.  Next, he started asking me questions about my flight.

“When you get to Uganda, do you plan on leaving the airport?” he asked.  “No,” I said, “I plan to stay in the airport where I will catch my next flight.”  I had a 6-hour layover in Uganda which is why he had asked that question.

He turned away from me for a while.  I could see the wheels churning inside his brain.  A short while later he returned.  “If you assure me that you will not leave the airport in Uganda, then I am going to approve you to fly,” he said.  “I am sure,” I replied, “I will absolutely not leave the airport.”

I looked at my watch.  So much time had gone by.  I was in grave danger of missing my flight.  I rushed to the baggage check in area.  After turning in my two large bags, I jogged as fast as I could to the boarding check in station where they scan your onboard luggage and frisk you down.

There is a long line.  If I have to wait through this line, I will surely miss my flight.  But what to do.  I saw a ‘business class’ line.  It was really short.  I asked the man there if he would make an exception and let me use that line, so I don’t miss my flight.  He sternly replied, “No.”

I am waiting at the back of the line and praying.  God had gotten me this far.  There is no way He is going to strand me now.  All of a sudden, a lady behind me asks, “Are you close to missing your flight?”

“Yes,” I replied.

Incredibly, she then calls out by name the lady who is in the front of the line.  “Will you allow this man to go in front of you?  He is about to miss his flight.”  The lady gave her approval.

I gingerly walked to the front of the line.  Most likely, those who were standing in line had heard the conversation.  I looked at their faces.  No one appeared to be upset that I was cutting in front of them.  I was able to quickly get through security and arrive at my flight terminal on time.

It is so exciting to serve a God who loves us so much.  And who has the power to open whatever doors are necessary so we can carry out His will and get to where He desires us to go.  Isn’t He wonderful?

and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, which is according to the working of his mighty strength

Ephesians 1:19  REV