Saturday – August 09, 2008

My wife and son-in-law took me to the Tampa Airport this morning at 4:00 to fly to Miami and then to Venezuela.

When I arrived in Miami, I phoned home to tell my wife that I had arrived safely. My granddaughter Jessica, age 5, answered the phone. I told her to tell Grandmother that I was already in Miami. I heard her shout. “Grandmother, Granddaddy said he is already in “His Ami.” She had no idea My Ami was a city. Isn’t that cute?

I had a good flight from Miami to Caracas. They had good food on the airplane. I had a two-hour layover in Caracas and had to walk about two city blocks from the International Terminal to the Domestic Terminal to catch a flight to Barquisimeto in the State of Lara.

While I was waiting for my luggage at the airport in Barquisimeto, a little boy came up from behind me and started playing with the handle on my briefcase. I looked down at him and smiled. He was so cute. I then turned back around to look for my suitcase and felt someone touching me on the shoulder. When I turned around, I saw a man holding the same little boy that had been playing with my briefcase. But the man was holding the little boy in front of his face. Suddenly the man moved the little boy so I could see his face and it was Bro. Samuel Rodríguez, the Missions Director for Venezuela. He had managed to get through security (actually one of the men in his church works for airport security and was on duty at the time and let him come into the baggage claim area) and was there to greet me. We had a great reunion.

While we were waiting for my luggage, he began to tell me that after serving for ten years as the Missions Director, he had recently resigned to become a missionary to Peru. I lost it! I started shouting “Glory!” right there in the airport. I am so proud of him. He has done a super job of pioneering the Missions Department in Venezuela and will be going to Peru to help them with their Missions Department. This isthe greatest news I have heard in a long time.

The newly appointed Missions Director will be here during my two-week stay so I can meet and work with him. I met him and his family last year. He was one of the missionary families I interviewed; the one who hadfour teenaged children all going to the university at the same time and wanted to know if the Missions Department could help them financially. He is coming off the field from Haiti to become the new Director and I am sure he will take the Missions Department to the next level. These are exciting day. What a thrill to be a part of it just to see what God is doing.

When my luggage finally arrived, we went out the door and Fernanda, Bro. Samuel’s wife, and missionary Ted Sanborn were all waiting for me. It was so good to see everyone again.
Since I will be staying with Ted, we told Bro. & Sis. Rodríguez and Fernanda goodbye and that we would see them at church tomorrow. Ted and I went to Burger King for dinner before going home.

When we arrived home, Ted’s wife, June, greeted me and welcomed me to their home again. I had stayed with them two years ago but last year they were on furlough so I stayed in the Bible School dorms.

After a long day of being on the road since 4:00 a.m., I finally lay down for a good night’s sleep. Glory! It is so great to be here.