Patience and Hospitality Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Today was a lesson in patience. We left Dordt College at 2:30pm heading for Sioux Falls Airport. We got through security and baggage check without problem. Then the waiting began. The flight that we were to take to Chicago was delayed from 5:30 until 8:15 because of the weather in Chicago. Unfortunately, our flight for London was still leaving on time so we would have missed it had we taken the flight from Sioux Falls. This would have resulted in an evening in the Chicago airport. Instead the Vos’s were able to book flights with our travel agent for the next day. (This still blows my mind because we were able to get 8 tickets for all of the same flights the following day...unreal...thank you Lord).

The Stadems graciously opened their homes to the six students for the evening and satisfied our appetites as well. The entire team was very thankful for this display of hospitality. I am continually amazed by the Dordt connection as this is not the first time that members of the Dordt community have opened up their homes to student travellers who are in a tight spot and our entire team would like to publicly thank the Stadems again for their generosity as they eased the otherwise bleak beginning of our trip.

Through all of this the team was learning to trust in the Lord as we again admit that we are not in control and must place our faith in our Maker and Creator. The team was given some wise words that evening which were to take three steps: Pray, Trust, and then find Joy. These three steps were put into practice that day and referred to throughout the trip when things did not go exactly as planned. At this point in the trip we were praying for flights the next day and that things would go smoothly.

Additionally, questions started forming in a few of our minds as to whether or not we were supposed to be taking this trip. Surely, if the Lord wanted us there we would be able to get there...but why the delay? Again, the trusting and praying was something we did a lot that evening but the team was still concerned about the delay. We went to sleep giving our troubles to the Lord and hoping for a better day tomorrow.