Airplanes and Airports

International flights are always so fascinating to me.  Our flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was such a delight!  We had people from all over the world on our flight.  It was incredible to learn the stories of the people with whom we were traveling.

Sandy listening to headphones behind Kenna

Sandy was on her way from California to Zambia to visit with her World Vision sponsored child.  This was her second visit to meet with the girl who is now a grown woman helping support her family of three children with skills she received from the World Vision program.  After our flight, Sandy had another flight to Zambia and then a 14 HOUR bus ride to the village of her girl.  She was so excited to enjoy the fellowship of the girl and her family while staying with a local pastor.

 

 

 

Millie visiting with Nahmir

Millie delightful and engaging personality allows her to make friends with everyone!  She spent a lot of time visiting with Nahmir.  He is from Zimbabwe and was on his way home after running his first year of track for TCU.  He was DECKED out in purple TCU gear and was so excited to share about his school.  He shared how difficult the first two months were as he tried to navigate his studies in Mechanical Engineering and his running workouts.  What a fantastic young man!  It made me wonder how many people in the states had him over for dinner or worked to help ease his culture shock...

My new Ethiopian friends

 

 

 

My seatmates were a delightful Ethiopian brother and sister.  From them I learned that the largest concentration of Ethiopian people outside of Ethiopia is in the Washington DC area.  500,000 Ethiopian people live and work in the DC area.  These two were passionately proud of their culture and were going home to see their mother for the first time in twenty years for the sister and two years for the brother.  They were so excited!  The sister repeatedly told me how grateful she was for the United States.  She is an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian and told me she prays everyday for the people of the United States.  She said she was so grateful that here she could have a job and a life.  She personally told me thank you four different times.  Very humbling...

Today I had more humbling experiences on the plane.  Right after we boarded a beautiful young Muslim girl tapped me on the arm.  Along with her brother and mother, she was on the way to meet her father in Minnesota.  She had not seen him in six years and he had never met her brother.  He has been working and saving to bring his family to the United States.  She had never been on a plane before so she had lots of questions.  We both were crying when I welcomed to the USA!  I also received an incredible perspective on African politics from an older gentleman from Zimbabwe on his way to Indiana University. 

On the airplane nations work together kindly and, for a brief moment, we all get along to make the best of our short time in a small place....  Hmmm, makes me wonder why we can't do this more often?!