Sunday
6:30amThe group meets at Nancy's house to load up gear and head to St. Louis to start the trip. And so it begins.

On the way to the airport, we stop at a gas station to meet Nancy's daughter who has some food that we are taking over to a school in Bucharest for a fund raiser. We had been contacted by some missionaries whose kids go to Bucharest Christian Academy and they are in need of food items to use for a fund raiser. Nachos was their biggest request. We had prepared for this and had some extra luggage to put the food. Large cans of nacho cheese, chips, candy and spices were shoved into every spare inch of space in our luggage. Hopefully it would make it there. The chips got a little squished.

At the airport, we head for the check-in to get rid of our heavy luggage. I was especially concerned about my luggage being too heavy. And it was. I had 5 pieces of luggage-one for my clothes, one for paint, one for my easel, my backpack and my messanger bag. Luggage can weigh up to 50lbs. without any additional cost, up to 70lbs costs $25 and over 70lbs is very expensive. The clothes piece was fine, the paint was right at 50lbs. but the easel was over 90lbs. I had to go on a 20lb diet quickly. I dropped the 8 C clamps and the extra staple gun. Then I moved some batteries, my tool bag and other misc. items to Bob's carry-on bag. That would prove to be a mistake.

My dad had met us at the check-in to see me off. It was good to see him and speak for a few minutes before we left.

Just to reinterate, this was really only my second time that I had ever flown before. So going through the whole security was unnerving. Take off shoes, coat, bags and empty pockets. I felt naked walking through the metal detector. Once through, it happened. We got nailed. The operator watching the monitor for the x-ray machine lit up. He called someone over and showed them the screen. He aksed the guy if he wanted to do a thorough check of this bag. The second guy asked whose bag it was. Poor Bob replied. I began to sputter out my apologies for putting my things in his bag. At first I thought it was the batteries but then it was put into perspective when they said the words "goodie bag." And quite a goodie bag it was. Canvas pliers, scissors, a flathead screwdriver and needlenose pliers promptly put us into the spotlight. I began to explain how that bag got into Bob's bag. How we had to drop and redistribute weight. That I was an idiot not to have thought ahead but on my defense, this was my second time flying and I was very anxious about the trip. My head wasn't attached in the first place. The growing number of security members at the examination booth accepted my story and they sent me back to the check-in counter with my bag of tools. They said that I might be able to still bring it if it went with the checked baggage. And I really needed those tools, especially the canvas pliers. Without them I would have no way to stretch the canvas. Once at the counter, I found the same lady that checked us in. She was very nice and helpful. She put the bag into a box, wrapped it up and didn't charge me a thing. She even wished me a happy flight. Thank you God!

Once at the gate, we sit down and prepare for what's ahead. We've been working on this trip for months and we are getting ready to start the first part. Are we ready? Am I ready? This was the first time that we got to sit down and talk as a group, as a missions team. This was just the beginning.

After the bit of drama, we leave St. Louis and head to Minneapolis. The plane ride was a rush for me, like a roller coaster. My stomach enjoyed the take-off and every minute of flight until we touched down.

In preparing for the trip, one thing that was brought up quite often was a journal. Take one and chronicle your trip or you might just forget. I had written a few things in it but on this last flight I wanted to put my feelings down. Here is an entry:

Today's the day. I'm on the plane from STL to Minny. The day is beautiful. As I sit by the window, God's Glory is streaming in. It's awesome!!! The clouds look like a bed of cotton waiting to be leapt upon. I think I would go tumbling thru. I feel like a jack russell terrier anxiously waiting to come out of the gate and tear down the race track. I'm about to burst. Excitement. Joy. Relief the day is here. Tentative. Peace. God is with us. He has been. From the beginning. God is awesome. I can't say it any better nor should I continue.

God is awesome.

In Minny, we had a lay over so we got to get a bite to eat and then rest. I enjoyed this time because us guys ate lunch together and we got to talk. I had known Shannon and Bob for a long time. This was my first time talking at length with Tim. It was apparent from the beginning that God had assembled an eclectic but purposeful group to go to Romania.

Then it's off to Amsterdam via a long flight . My first overseas flight. I had lots of advice thrown my way for the flight. Get some sleep. Get up and walk around a lot. Watch out for the food. During the flight, Shannon and I were land locked in the middle aisle. (Due to the fact that Shannon put my ticket on his credit card, we were seated next to each other for the whole trip there and back. I enjoyed it and it helped me.) So it was difficult to get up too often because you had to climb over people. Both Shannon and I got to talk to our neighbors during the flight. The guy to my left was from the Netherlands. He was on his 26th business trip this year. So he was well traveled. And I found out that Americans weren't high on his priority list. But he was very nice to me and we got to talk for awhile. Shannon got to speak to the guy on his left who was from India. Both conversations went well and I pray that God will put people in their lives who can continue the dialogue.

Somewhere in here we changed days. Don't know when it happened though.