The Adventure Begins
This story would not be complete without beginning with December 31, the day that we received the phone call from Emma from the Chicago airport telling us that they were not going to allow her to travel because her passport expires in just five months. Apparently there are some countries that your passport must be good for at least six months from the date of travel. I was dumbfounded. What did this mean for our trip?? As I spoke to Sara, the other mom that Emma was travelling with, things seemed more and more grim. hey tried calling the Uganda consulate, that turned up a no, tried to see if someone else could take her to get it, that was a no. Although there was a passport office there in Chicago that could potentially process a passport quickly, they were saying that BOTH of us needed to be present in order to do this. How on earth would Bruce and I get to Chicago that quickly? What would happen with Emma's ticket? We finally decided that Emma would return to the Hintz home with Greg and the rest of the kids and Sara, Louis and Caleb would travel on without her. The airline graciously changed her ticket so that she could fly out (Lord willing) on Friday with Logan and I, for NO CHARGE!! (this is the first God moment in this story, by the way)
I quickly got on the phone to the passport office while Bruce got on with the airline to get Logan and I to Chicago pronto. We did find out that since she was 16, only one parent needed to be present. After many transfers etc. I was told that there were no available appointments for Thursday, January 2 and that we would be put on a waiting list for if someone cancelled their appointment for that day. "What??" I asked. "What are the chances of someone actually calling to cancel their appointment?? " "Exactly, maam," the young boy on the other end of the phone stated, "not very good." At which point I began to desperately tell this government worker what we were planning on doing in Uganda...and didn't he realize how much money was at stake here? Money that so many of our loved ones had so graciously given us so that we could go serve the orphans?? All this fell on deaf ears and I finally hung up and decided to pray instead that we would get a call back telling us we had an appointment. In the meantime I tearfully called a few friends and asked them to pray fervently with me. In just an hour (that seemed like 40 hours), I got a call from the passport office!! We now have been put onto a wait list and could show up on the 2nd! I asked the man if this meant that we would leave with a passport by the end of the day?? He said yes as long as you have all the necessary paperwork. I wish I could have hugged this man through the phone!! Instead I told him he had just made my year and to have the happiest new year ever!! I'm pretty sure he thought I was a crazy woman but I didn't care.
Logan and I got up at 4 am the next morning for our 6 am flight to Chicago. We landed and it was snowing. This is a very important piece of the story. Greg Hintz picked us up at the airport and we went with him back to his house where Emma and his remaining 5 children were. The snow continued and continued and continued throughout the day and into the evening. Emma and I needed to get downtown Chicago the next day. I began to panic..what if we can't get into town? What if the office is closed due to snow? (I know, highly unlikely, but I am a west coast girl) We decided that the best way for us to get there would be to take the train in first thing in the morning. I was excited for the adventure! The train into the city! A day in the city with my daughter!! And, a passport at the end of the day! We were ready for anything!!
We awoke to the snow continuing to come down. This did not deter us! We were on a mission now!! We bundled up as best we could, borrowing jackets and boots from the Hintz's and off we went to the train station! We got onto the train and chose a seat next to a young girl. As we drove off, I began to chat with her. I shared what we were doing in the city that day. She told me that she had the same thing happen to her just months before and that she had gotten her passport in one day, no problem! And, she just so happened to work right across the street from the passport office!! Coincidence?? No way! GOD was all over this!! She said, when we get off the train, just follow me. I will lead you to the office. Now, anyone who knows me well knows that my sense of direction is not one of my stronger suits. I am known to park my car and not have a clue what parking garage I parked it in. I get lost in my own city. You see though, God knew all this. He knew that I needed this sweet girl to lead us to where we needed to go. I believe she was an angel, sent to Chicago that day just for us!!
We made it to the office, wet and cold from blowing snow but so excited to be there! We got in line and everything went flawlessly! When we got to the window they told us to be back in three hours to get our PASSPORT!!! We could hardly believe it! We went and explored the city as best we could with the weather conditions (and being the wimpy west coast girls that we are) and made it back to the office at around 1. About an hour later, we had Emma Claire's passport in our hot little hands!!
Here she is jumping for joy!!!
UGANDA HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!
More to come............
