Yes No Maybe and If

                                                   Yes—No—Maybe—and—If

Day 1: Trip to Guatemala

Theology in the Trenches

by Kathleen Kjolhaug

 

Fargo, ND: 

The instructions were easy enough. Show up at the Fargo airport by 4:30 a.m. because our flight to Guatemala would be leaving at 8:30 a.m.

Take off came as snow weighed heavy upon wings. I took notes. “Lord—be mine as Thine alone can move us forward in flight. In-flight to who, what, when, where, and why is not mine to know—yet—I go in obedience as unto Thee.” Thus the seven-member team was off and running.

Demo on how to use seatbelt buckle did nothing to reassure that the three inches of ice upon wings had been paid no heed. “Help me to look up to Thee and not down to me because Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory both now and forever” (1 Cron. 29:11).

Dawn breaks but not enough for lights out in our plane’s cabin. No—they remain on as car lights out the window reflect those also on a journey—lighting the way for others to see. Plows, trucks, cars, red luggage carts all wait to be unloaded as the snow glistens before takeoff.

We are brave this morning to trust a motorized tin can wide open to the wind. Things manmade we trust. Things of God we most often do not—yet He created so what’s up with that? How shallow to place our trust in manmade—so limited is the view. Panoramic is His. “Be Thou our vision, Lord, be Thou our guide,” so says the song.

De-ice we will before taking off. Isn’t that just the way it is…are my thoughts. May we all “de-ice” from what the world plops upon us—cold as ice. “Fifteen minutes to de-ice the plane before take off,” was the announcement fifty minutes ago. We watched out the window as the one atop the moving platform sprayed stuff all over our plane.

Over the intercom came yet another announcement. “The fuel pump has gone out and we will now head back to the airport.” We were befuddled as we stood watch in disbelief that the weeks and months of planning could be gone in a heartbeat. We stood face to face in circle formation praying for a miracle.

“We can always delay our trip until April. Any thoughts on that?” asks our team leader. The sickening possibility of delaying the trip was a foreboding reality. Too much ice, too much time spent boarding and de-boarding, and now our connecting with our flight was not a remote possibility lest we fly drone style. Options seemed to be running out as time slipped away. It was out of our control and always had been, but we learned anew what the Almighty can do.

The fourteen fifty-pound totes had already been loaded and would be sent through to Guatemala. If we did not board the plane (as the most recent announcement invited us to get back on once again) we were in certainty of losing each and every one of the totes meant for the children up the mountain.

It was at this exact juncture of our journey…our mission became not only clear, but lazar focused. The children needed those items and our team was responsible for delivery. Any expectations about going for any reason other than the children were quickly dismantled as one by one we got on that plane.

An overnight stay would not delay us much and so…we headed in the same direction as the fourteen totes packed and sealed for the children. “As we make our plans, He orders out footsteps” (Prov. 16:9). “He knows well our needs before we even ask” (Matt. 6:8).

Connecting with a live ticket agent on an 800 number anywhere in the world is a gamble these days and yet—miraculously—we did. By the time our flight landed at our juncture in Texas, we had six out of the seven tickets needed to go to Guatemala City. We trusted that come morning—a seventh seat would open up. And—it did!

Jesus I trust in You was prayed a pile of times “and off we went—like a dirty shirt” (Dad).

Throughout the coming weeks, you will get snippets of this journey. May the words I type and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).  Amen.