The long shower and change of clothes felt wonderful.  Once again I am finding it hard to separate Thursday from Friday.  It seems all too familiar, as it was just last week there was no separation in Thursday and Friday.  

Today, Friday, is Debbie and my 28th wedding anniversary.  I am really looking forward to getting home to see her.  I will be home in time for our anniversary but only by a few minutes.  This is the first time in 28 years that we have not spent the day together.  She has been an incredible support and blessing over the years in the ministry.  She often gives our time together for the needs and requirements of the ministry.  I am a blessed man.  It is just one of many ways I know she is my soul mate.

There were several of us sitting around the lobby of the hotel hanging out waiting on Dan the helper to pick us up for the trip to the airport.  He and Lori, his wife, went home about midnight for a nap.  They were a little later than expected and I got a little nervous.  I DID NOT want to miss our flight or be late enough that it would delay our processing out of the country.  Just as we were making cell calls to make sure they were not asleep at home they drove up.  We loaded up and were off to the airport in Minsk.

It had just gotten dark between 11:00 and midnight.  Now it is a little after 3:00 AM and as we were driving out of the city the sun was coming up.  During the summer they only have about 4 hours of darkness.  They enjoy it because during other times of the year they have only a few hours of daylight and more darkness.

We arrived at the airport, grabbed our bags, said our final goodbyes to Dan and Lori and began the process to leave the country.  We had an easy time checking the bags through customs and there were no problems going through passport control.  We found ourselves at the gate waiting on the 5:30 flight.

The trip home was long and grueling especially since we had not been to bed.  We did sleep on the place some but it was difficult to get comfortable enough to sack out.  I napped in and out.  It was good to be on the way home.  I had missed Debbie terribly and I couldn’t get home fast enough.  

Once we got back to Chicago we learned that bad weather had delayed several flights.  The delay had held up an early flight to XNA.  There were several available seats on that flight so we ran through the airport to get to the gate before it left.  We checked in at the gate to fly standby on this flight so we could get home early.  Yeah!!!  The only hitch in the plan was our luggage.  Our luggage had already been checked through on our original flight, which would not get to XNA until a couple of hours after we would.

We came up with a plan to get our luggage on Saturday and we were on our way home, early.  We arrived at XNA and while we waited to talk to a United airline rep. about our luggage our luggage showed up going round and round at the baggage claim.  We are not sure how that happened but we believed God had smiled on us making that happen.  It was all there except 1 of Stuart and Sarah’s.  

So, with that, we loaded up and headed down the “hill” on the way to Lavaca.  Yes, we were exhausted.  It had now been almost 48 hours since we got up Thursday morning and about 26 hours since we left Minsk.  But that was all ok as we were almost home.
Thinking back over the week I am sure I was blessed more than I was a blessing and I definitely learned more than I taught.  That is the way it usually works for me.  It is really funny how we prepared to be used and we prayed and hoped that we would be able to teach the Belarusian people some things about ministry and the things of God.  You know, we are form America, the blessed land with the favor and hand of God upon her.  I was reminded we are fat with excess and in need of nothing.  I am afraid sometimes to the point of hindering our dependence on God.  Are we wrong for having plenty…absolutely not, God has truly blessed our country and us.  I am very grateful for that!  But we must be careful to not let it get in the way of our relationship and walk with God.  The Belarusian believers are amazingly committed and dedicated people.  They live and serve under incredible personal difficulties but yet have such joy.  They have one focus and major priority and that is serving God.
I want to also take a moment to thank everyone who prayed for us each day while we were gone.