Going Home 2: the beginning

Before I even made it to the x-ray security machines ten feet past the door, I was stopped by a guard. Who was I, they wanted to know. If I was a visitor, why was I in Pakistani clothes? Who was I trying to fool? I was directed to a side room for a pat-down while other guards dumped out my suitcase. Eventually they were satisfied that I wasn’t smuggling anything dangerous or valuable in my bags but they were not able to successfully repack my luggage and thus, when the guard tried to force the zipper, my suitcase ripped. Dismayed and concerned about the time, I was directed to take the suit case to a nearby stand to be wrapped in plastic.

Three security check points latter, I finally arrived to my gate. I was in time. I sat down numbly next to three well dressed, middle aged women. After only a few minutes they addressed me in polished English, “Excuse me, but who are you? And why are you wearing Pakistani clothes?” I explained my reason for being in Pakistan and we were soon chatting comfortably. Eventually they got up and started to walk away. When I asked them where they were going, they said that our flight had been announced over the speaker in Urdu. I had sat down at the wrong gate and would have missed the flight if I hadn’t been chatting with these women, and I wouldn’t have been talking with them if they hadn’t asked about my clothes.

After making it safely out of Pakistan, my flights went relatively smoothly. Everywhere I went, people asked about my dress and I proudly told them the story of how I served the rural people in Pakistan alongside a missionary family, of how I believed God loved Pakistan, of how God had taken care of me. I was full of joy and excitement throughout the series of flights. I did not watch any movies during the over night flight (on the way there I had watched three!) Instead I prayed that God would clarify to me what message he would like me to bring back to share with those who had supported me. As I reflected over the trip, various elements of my experience seemed highlighted to my attention. These I wrote down and later included in my presentations. I still feel these points were brought to mind by the Holy Spirit. You can read them in a later blog.

My plane landed in New York City after an overnight trip at 9:00am. Despite wrinkled shalwar-camise and the lack of a shower, I felt well rested and peaceful. I enjoyed a cup of coffee and a sandwich from a café as I waited for my flight to Boston where I would catch a connection to Richmond. My flight to Boston, however, was delayed again and again; eventually it became clear that I would not arrive in Boston in time to catch the connection to Richmond. While on my flight to Pakistan I had dreaded the possibility of being in this situation. I had even arranged my flight schedule specifically to avoid a complicated switch of airports in NYC by taxi for fear of some mistake. After my adventures abroad, however, I found myself excited, curios how God would work out the problem.

I told the woman behind the desk of the situation and she said I had two options. I could go to Boston and take the next flight leaving in the evening instead of the early afternoon flight I was supposed to catch. Or I could take a flight straight to Richmond… leaving from the other airport in NYC. I told her I would take a taxi to the other airport. Inside I was laughing. The taxi driver ended up being Pakistani! I sat in the front and we had a lovely chat as we drove across the city. As he dropped me off he invited me to visit his village any time. I responded, only if he sent my father 10 water-buffalos!

There were no more delightful complications to my return. I arrived safely at the Richmond airport and was greeted by my mother, sister, brothers, and several friends. It was a joyous reunion, a beautiful conclusion to an amazing adventure. I can’t wait to follow God wherever he leads me next! As you probably know, every ending is actually a beginning. The end of my time in Pakistan was the beginning of the second “mission” element of my trip. But you can read about that another time.