The Journey

Hello friends!

This comes about 3 days later than intended, but I kept a running Word doc of my ventures from Dayton to Leipzig via airports.  Another post will contain pics from the first day and some commentary on impressions (though only first impressions because I want to keep it dated from when I first arrived; will post more later this week perhaps).

Anyways, here it be!

7:26 am, Troy, OH

Got up around 6:30ish.  This always happens the night before a big trip: I wake up about 2 hours before I need to.  I’m actually the first one up (usually my sister).  Been testing Skype on this computer.  Will  write more at airport?  Or en route to airport?  Sure, let’s go with that.

11:21 am, Cincinnati, OH

I’m at the airport more than an hour before boarding time… what to do, what to do.
Even before leaving for Germany, the morning was typical Wells…

Me: Are you saying only two-dimensional beings have gender issues?
Dad: Yes!

Dad: Krista [who is looking at the breakfast sandwich we bought on the trip down], did you know you’re eating an old, dead pig?
Krista: [moans] I don’t wanna eat it anymore…

Despite cats fighting and Krista’s whining, there was the spirit of prayer present at the airport as all four of us offered up prayer, the three staying for my safety to and in Germany, and one (me) for the safety and restoration of the family.  God is definitely in the midst of us.  Read Zephaniah last night… reminded me of my stubbornness and my need to be silent and listen to God.  Hopefully some of that can be done here…  boarding in an hour!

12:34 pm, Cincinnati, OH

5 Minutes till boarding time now.  Been reading Always Enough by Heidi and Rolland Baker.  Highly awesome, even though I’m only a few chapters in.  The prophetic , fasting, healing, visions, everything just seems natural in the read.  And it wasn’t as if they had done anything brilliant.  They simply took God at His Word.  Am I simple enough to do likewise?

Tired some from waking up so early.  Hopefully that will help rather than hurt with jet lag.  Nous verrons, erk, I mean, wir werden sehen.

1:03 pm, Cincinnati, OH

Still haven’t boarded.  Aircraft maintenance issues.  Hopefully won’t cause trouble in Philly.
… Scratch that, they just said that it would take pretty long.  Oi.

1:32 pm, Cincinnati, OH

Being rerouted through Charlotte, NC.  Still going to work (!!!).  Just may need to rush from one side of the Charlotte airport to another… and maybe the same with Frankfurt.  Fuuuuuuun!

Some time after 4 pm, Charlotte, NC

Gah, well, that was fast.  Got off the flight, made a new friend en route to here (Mary, same year as me, Rhode Island-bound, U. of Indiana), and scrambled to scarf down a bagel prior to boarding the 8 person/row airbus.  Hearing languages from all over the world right now.  Some German, some French, and, obviously, English.  Some stern faces, some peaceful.  Perhaps Germany will change my affinity from the French to the Deutschland.  Wir werden sehen.

No seat buddy last time.  There was a bit of a shuffling of seats here before I ended up getting a seat friend.  Someone in front of me was drunk on an empty stomach.  A steward shook him and got no response.  A person had just sat down beside me, but he ended up moving ahead of me to the aisle seat.  Then, a recent college grad from U. of Charleston wanted an aisle seat, so I moved over to the window.  She’s Bulgarian!

2:09 am German time, In the air between Charlotte and Frankfurt

Have had some good conversation about most everything, from languages to movies to friends and college.  I ended up watching part of Avatar, though I stopped.  There are so many better uses of my time up here.  Namely, (1) cram German, (2) read the Word, (3) finish another chapter in Always Enough, and (4) pray.  Doubt I’ll be getting sleep any time soon.  Flight is scheduled to arrive around 7 am in Frankfurt, though I highly doubt that that will happen because of the drunk.  Hopefully I’ll have enough time to get through customs and catch the flight to Leipzig.  Hopefully I’ll also get some shut eye between now and then.  And maybe even learn the word for “to learn” in German!  Wir werden sehen.

3:39 am German time, In the air

Still awake.  Doubt I’ll sleep much between now and the time we land (considering that’s less than four hours away).  Been reading Exodus.  Interesting the parts we skip over, like in one chapter God tries to kill Moses, but Zipporah circumcises her son and throws the foreskin at Moses’ feet.  This appeases God’s wrath… Though I’m still not sure why.

God’s been reminding me not to treat Him as though He is some sort of trinket, but rather, as Lord, as the One I live for… to live like He is my Sustenance.  Now how is this going to happen without my stopping?  My pausing?  I’m hoping this time could be a time of finding homeland in His presence, rediscovering intimacy… real, holy intimacy.  Will see how much further I can get in Exodus before I conk.

5:38 am German time, In the air between Charlotte and Frankfurt

No sleep.  Doubt it would be worth to go ahead and zonk now.  Tried to fall asleep to The Princess and the Frog.  Shut it off part way in.  Plane landing in less than two hours.

7:17 am German time, Frankfurt, Germany

Landing in Frankfurt!

8:35 am German time, Frankfurt, Germany

Landed safely.  Youlia gave me her email address and phone number because she will be in Berlin the whole time I am in Leipzig.  May have to visit her.  Ended up chasing after her in search of her flight gate.  Ended up leaving her because I wasn’t sure if following her looked awkward.  Went through security check again, and right before going near my gate, there was some sort of threat that caused a ten minute delay.   No biggie, I have time to spare at this pit stop, surprisingly.  Next stop, Leipzig!

10:40 am German time, Leipzig, Germany

Here!

Love and Peace in Christ,

MJW