Thursday morning at 400am, Karlie and I took Mary to meet up with her missions trip group and send her on her way to Nigeria. It sounded like a crazy day for travel, because when they got to the airport, Delta had canceled their flight (my hunch is that it was a MD-88). So there they were trying to figure out how to get to Nigeria. Initially, I thought that they lost their fight from Atlanta to Lagos, but it was the DTW to ATL flight. She called and said that they were possibly flying Air France to Rome for a 2 day layover then to Lagos. Then a call late in the day said that they drove to Toledo and flew to Atlanta, in plenty of time for their flight to Lagos.

So we went about 24 hours without hearing anything, then as I was working my way through the afternoon traffic in Gaylord, my phone began to ring with a really weird number on it. My hunch was right as it was Mary calling from a borrowed cellphone in Lagos. The connection wasn’t great and we got cut off twice, I knew she was there.

Today, as I was beginning my shift at work this afternoon (I swapped shifts), she called again with a much better connection. Mary had been at an orphanage most of the morning and had just gotten back from a church service. Here is a copy of her email to me:

Hi Family from Africa!

Hello everyone!

I am typing this email to you live from Lagos, Nigeria Africa! We arrived Friday morning and now it is Saturday evening. All is going very well! Sara and I have been blessed to be able to visit the orphanage twice so far! We had the first visit scheduled, but today’s visit was not! It is such a blessing to be able to go and love on those kids! We were able to take them many gifts, like toys, clothes, shoes, and such. And today, Sara and I gave out our Lifesavers and Starbursts! They loved it!!!!! The head of the orphanage, Deborah, is doing an amazing thing there, and Denny (from Gaylord) has been able to raise several thousands of dollars over the past few years to help build it further! What an awesome way to build God’s kingdom!!!! I will have many pictures to share when I get home!

If I don’t get to email again, God bless you all my family!

Especially you Jeff for taking care of everyone while I’m gone and holding down the fort! And for allowing me to come on this amazing mission!

I love you and miss you all!

Mary

So she is doing well, and we are holding down the fort. Trisha came over last night with Ethan and she and Kara were in the midst of fixing supper for us when I got home. A far cry from the chaos that reigned on Thursday when I got home, but that’s a story I’ll leave off.

We are going to try to do something for Brandon’s birthday tomorrow and Kaleb leaves early in the morning from Traverse City for England. Spring Break is this week for our teens so I won’t have to worry about bus duty this week much. If everything goes well, my mother-in-law will help out with that the following week while I am on midnights. Mary comes home then at the end of my Mids (Yeah!).