In the Congo!

After a little more than 31 hours from leaving our house inTyrone, we made it to the Congo! It was too late and I was too tired to post an update last night, so it is now " Get Miriam Day" and we are waiting for Papa John to take us to the orphanage. Here are a few of my scattered thoughts about the past couple of days.

What a full day it was yesterday! Kerry said that yesterday felt like a 31 hour labor to give birth today.

We had an additional joy yesterday when another stop was added to our itinerary. In addition to stops in Washington DC and Brussels, we also stopped in Luanda Angola. More of that story to follow later.

One of my favorite things about traveling to Africa, is when the plane lands, the entire plane (almost) breaks out into a loud round of applause. Some say the applause is for the pilot and crew, but I heard the women praising God in Portuguese, so I know the glory goes to God for safe travel.

In the Brussels airport, we had a conversation with a Liberian man getting ready to go back to Liberia for the holidays. When we told him we were going to Kinshasa, he asked us, "Kinshasa is a war zone, why are you going there?" Of course, I couldn't get over the fact that a Liberian was telling us that another country is a war zone.

I just love the chaos and energy of an African airport, especially in the middle of the night with 300 people trying to clear customs and gather an enormous amount of luggage off the single slow moving baggage carousel.

Among all the anxiety, anticipation, joy, and fear - God spoke to me by asking, " Do you really believe I am who I say I Am?" The first few verses of Psalm 86 came to my mind - Hear my prayer and answer me of I am poor and needy. Guard my life for I am wholly devoted to you. You are my God and it is in You I place my trust -- God is answering our prayers.

More to come soon...