A Night in the Airport...

Well - not quite the anticipated start we had planned for our mission trip! After an initial canceled flight from Charlotte to Salt Lake City yesterday evening, we were able to get re-booked on a flight from Charlotte to Chicago and then from Chicago to Salt Lake City in the morning.

We spent several hours yesterday evening waiting in lines and on the phone with airline representatives as we navigated the shifting plane schedules. Hundreds of people stuck in the Charlotte airport with us were doing the same thing we were! It was hectic!

With so many people stuck at Charlotte - finding food was a bit difficult.

Kim working the phone lines trying to help re-schedule our flight!

You can't see it - but we had been standing in line for quite a while at this time!

Beef Jerky, power bar, pretzel, and chips! Dinner of champions

Hopping on our first flight to Chicago!

After arriving in Chicago are around 1am - we were initially scheduled to fly out to SLC at around 7am the next morning. We laid down in the airport to get some rest. Upon waking however we found out that our flight out had been canceled yet again!

More time spent attempting to re-schedule our team to get over to SLC has us flying out of Chicago in a few hours over to LA and then in the evening from LA to SLC. We are hoping and praying that those flights come through okay and will keep everyone updated!

I'm amazed at how positive and upbeat everyone has remained despite a lack of sleep and the constant shifting of plans. Remaining optimistic despite having flights canceled and re-scheduled is tough.

We've seen God working in little ways already along the way. A wonderful lady cleaning in the airport last night brought us some earplugs to try and sleep through the night, and we've had some interesting conversations with other people whose travels plans have been disrupted.

Ella reports "I slept an hour last night on the floor of an airport! Yay..."

Riley reports that he "is excited to go to LA!"

Hannah reports that she is "excited not to have to stand in line forever now! - and also has, like, no sleep, soo........"

Lana reports "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...................." [head resting on table following breakfast]

Dave reports "Sleep deprivation."

Kim reports "Got nothin'. We're still goin!"

Not the comfiest sleeping arrangements we've ever experienced, but we made it work!

Breakfast on the morning of 7/27/21 in Chicago airport!

Excited to be on our first flight from Charlotte to Chicago! Riley's FIRST ever plane ride!