So I was really hoping to buy some recording equipment when I went to the US...as well as a bunch of gifts...things like frisbees, Dutch Blitz, T-shirts. But as time went on, I realized that my money was starting to run out and the budget I made wasn't going to go very far because of the costs of travel as well as the fact I had gotten sick. So at small group two weeks before I left when they asked me for prayer requests I was like "you know, I'd like $700 or so...maybe a thousand?" And we prayed about money, but I was like "yeah, whatever. That'd certainly be nice."
Anton's also been praying about connecting with an old friend he feels God wants him to talk to. Then we're on the way to the airport and Anton tells me the story of how FRUSTRATING his previous day had been. They had spent half the day looking for a printing place that could print some Lighthouse brochures properly, but hadn't had any luck. They'd gone to three different places, but the formatting didn't line up right. And then he notices a print shop he hasn't been in before, and there's his friend, who does it cheaper and helps him out a ton, and they have a great conversation. And I'm like, cool.
So then I'm in Istanbul and I take the metro to the airport, I'm a little late but really right on time to walk right through security and onto the plane no problem. And they're like, sorry, we're overbooked. You're on standby. I go to the gate, and I'm a little ticked because I bought this ticket in October and I had plans to go on a roadtrip to Rhode Island the next day.
But finally they say, go on through. I talk to security, I'm literally in front of the plane, they've already scanned my boarding pass, there's one more guy to tear it off, and this other guy's like "no, no standby's, there's no room." And I would've completely lost it, this is completely unfair, but then I remembered Anton's story. And I was like...well, sometimes they give you free flights, maybe this will be how I will be able to get back to America later this year.
So I go to the transfers desk, I get my passport stamp cancelled, I go to the baggage claim and wait for my bag, I go to the customer service desk, I go to rebook my flight, and they're like "we're gonna give you a hotel and maybe some money." And I'm like "money good, hotel I don't need. The hostel is $10, please don't waste your money." And I'm thinking they're gonna give me $100 for the inconvenience of being a day late, that's what I would consider fair. But I go to an office, and they cut me a check for $800. And I'm in shock. I can't believe this. I can't even let myself get my hopes up. They tell me to cash it in New York. And I'm like...this must be a voucher or something, there's gotta be a catch.
So the next day after staying in (well, until 330) a quite underwhelming but schnazzy 200 euro a night "five-star" hotel, I catch the next flight to NY, and I'm so excited I leave the airport and get all the way to Queens before I realized that I forgot my voucher. So I go back to the airport, and the cashier counts out the money, and I tell her, "I can't believe this, my salary is $300 a month," And I'm literally choking back tears because I can't believe that I'm holding $800 in cash (I don't think that's ever happened before).
And so I was able to buy a bunch of gifts and some recording equipment and some cereal and some tacos and go to some museums and support an org I'd long been hoping to help out. But you know what, that wasn't such a big deal.
The reason I was crying and the thing that destroys me, is that God sees and hears. That he loves me. Leaving the JFK airport I knew that He loves me, and that was all that mattered and more than I could bear. He has blessed me with more than I ever ask or imagine to ask him for. And I am not forgotten; I am loved.
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