We Are Here

We have landed and are settled into the Heart House for the night. It's 1am Kenya time!

The past 36 hours have been an incredible time of ups and downs...literally!! Let's start from the beginning why don't we...

When we arrived at church yesterday morning, we all checked in and jumped on the vans. Of course everyone was in a stellar mood with it being 4:45am. When we arrived at SDF, we jumped off the vans and started unpacking our Uhaul truck full of bins and baggage. When everyone got there's off, we went in to the ticket counter. Duane was the first one to the podium. Upon explaining our baggage allowance, we were told that we only got ONE checked bag from American Airlines. However, the two phone calls I had made previously, told me otherwise. I talked with the lady while the rest of the team prayed and prayed hard. She did some digging in her system and found out that we indeed were allowed THREE checked bags per person. Thank you Shirley (that was her name)!! God ordered our steps for us!

Once through security, with no major flaws, we headed to the gate and got on our very tiny plane. We were off and within an hour and 20 minutes had touched down in Chicago. We decided with our 8 hour layover that we would venture out into the city for some awesome Chicago style pizza! And that's what we got. I love modern technology because it tells me how to walk to Giordano's Pizza from the L station we got off on. Then we took a stroll through Millennium Park and then got back on the L and headed back to O'Hare.

When we got there, we made it back through security and waited at our gate. They called our numbers and we boarded our British Airways flight. It was one of the most amazing sights I had ever seen when I boarded that flight...IN SEAT ENTERTAINMENT!! This is the first time in my three trips that I have had this modern marvel. Not only could you watch TV shows or movies, but you could chat with you next door neighbor and you didn't even have to talk!! You could play Battleship across the plane with your friend. It was heavenly!! God ordered our steps for us yet again!!

After a 7.5 hour flight, we landed in London! We went through security again with the sound of bagpipes playing in the background. Jeremy and Chad got their bags searched because they didn't follow directions (unbelievable) and then we headed to our gate to wait on the Virginia team. With Starbucks in hand we waited...and waited...and waited. Then they started boarding our plane. Then the phone call came. They had just landed and were still on the tarmac...they weren't going to make the flight. So we went over some basic instructions on getting through customs with 32 25-gallon bins and not being questioned. This is when the praying REALLY started for me! 

But, if there is one thing I know, it's that my God is bigger than any small thing here on the earth! He has a MUCH bigger plan than I could ever imagine or come up with on my own. I had a moment of freak out and then realized it would be totally fine. I rested in his presence! We had another amazing flight and when we landed we got off the plane and headed to the Visa line. As the group got through, our luggage began to come out on the carousel. We wrangled all of our bags and bins and noticed we were missing one bag...Marla's checked bag. We almost made it through without one getting lost. 

Once we claimed it missing it was time to go through customs, but there was something different. There was nobody and I mean nobody at the customs desk. We just walked through to our buses that were awaiting our arrival. To God be the glory! This is why I trust in my God over any other because my God does crazy awesome things in my life and in the life of others all the time! He is good to those who don't deserve his goodness! He is forgiving when we deserve death! I don't know about you but I love my God! God ordered our steps for the third time!

Now we are home for the next two weeks! Heart house! 

Check back tomorrow for your next installment. We love you and miss you all like crazy!! Keep praying!

I love you Mallory Lee Barker!!!

Arrival in London

We have safely landed in London!!! We are awaiting out gate for our last leg of the trip to Nairobi! It's been an awesome trip so far! The plane was amazing with each person having their own in seat entertainment system (for sure a plus!). As we flew into the future, we tried to take some naps or sleep on the way; however, that's very hard when you are upright and three people wide in the rows! All is well though. We fly out at 10:45am London time with an anticipated arrival in Nairobi of 9:40pm. 

Please continue to pray for us as we pursue what God has for us and this trip!!

London Bound

We're on the way!! With in flight entertainment!!

The Mirror Bean

Group picture

Chicago Lunchtime

It's time for Chicago pizza!!!

The Journey Begins

We are on the way!! The journey begins in Louisville airport! We are checked in and through security!!

And The Truck Is Packed...

The bins and the checked bags are all on the box truck!! We are ready to go!!! See you all in the morning at 4:45am!!