“Weigh the luggage…make every single item count.  Don’t even take an extra tuna packet or peanut butter cracker.”  I never knew we’d have to concern ourselves with such things when flying to Haiti!  The cost of going on a mission trip isn’t just the emotional cost or the cost of staying in the country.  The cost becomes a big concern just trying to get there!  It took three of our team members hours of phone calls, changing flight plans, and packing and repacking just to get the luggage to meet the regulations of the plane!  As you can see, we were busy little beavers weighing every piece of luggage at the airport.  Who knew flying was this complicated?!? 

  Next came the real biggie of the trip –the actual  flying!  Two of our team members had never even been on a plane before, and now they were going to have the “experience” of flying in a mini plane…..the kind that goes bump with every air pocket!  Lots of anit-nausea meds were eaten like candy prior to boarding, and there was an overall, “You’ve got to be kidding me — this is the plane that is going to carry us AND the luggage to Haiti” kind of look going on.  In other words “FEAR”!  Okay, Lori…we heard you wimper at one point, “Why am I doing this?  I never wanted to fly.  And, I’m never going to fly again.   Never, ever, ever, ever, ever.”

Want to hear one of many embarrassing moments?  Yes, we each had to step up on the luggage scale in full view of everyone and get weighed.  Ugh!  Roni, thanks so much for letting everyone know that Granny has a little work to do on my calorie counting! 

Team Squirt did okay, though!  We were given the green light to board the plane (with no promises of our luggage going with us). 

After spending a sleepless night before leaving for Florida, then another sleepless night on the floor of the airport, who really cared if the luggage arrived?  We, the official Team Squirt of Pennsylvania, were boarding our little plane for Haiti!  We were taking with us a spirit of adventure, a spirit of faith, and most of all a spirit of love.  Our mission was to do all we could to encourage those who were in despair, feed those who were hungry, and bring the message of God to those who longed for hope in seemingly hopeless situations!
And, we didn’t need luggage for any of that!

Off and at ’em, Team!  Look out Haiti, here we come……………..

Love,
Clara
PS  Obviously we survived the plane trip because I’m here to write about it.  Our biggest concern while in the air was ….of course you have to know the answer.  “Where’s the bathroom?”  You gotta love Team Squirt!  🙂
PPS  Lori did just fine.  The meds knocked her out and she never even knew she was on a plane!