In Transit

What a day! I woke up on a river in Tana Madagascar. I had a nice breakfast and leisurely chat with a fellow Mercy Shipper on the same flight to Johannesburg. Our talk abruptly came to an end when we were informed we would be leaving 15 minutes earlier than expected. What was not clearly translated was that we were leaving the hotel immediately to be transported to the other one where Mercy Ships would pick us up 15 minutes earlier. We arrived at the airport an hour before we could check in. The three of us decided to spend the last of our local money on a lunch in the one restaurant in the airport. After lunch, we checked in. I asked the guy at the counter to please check my luggage all the way to Namibia. He did stating it was on the first flight for tomorrow. I did not think anything else about it , but was grateful I would not have to go through customs. He said I would have to get my boarding pass in transit in Johannesburg.

After going through customs, both my carry-ons were thoroughly searched. I was asked to take everything out of my bags. In the end, they stated everything was fine. Fifteen minutes prior to boarding the plane, I looked more closely at the baggage claim for some reason. I saw that my luggage was checked to a different flight that was on my itinerary. I spoke to the gate agent to was finally able to tell me the first flight was canceled. I boarded the plane to Johannesburg to figure it out there.

Upon arriving in Johannesburg, I followed the signs for transit and was reluctantly stamped into the country as transit to speak with the people at the desks. As I scanned the signs, Air Namibia was nowhere. I went up to South African Airlines and I just flew in from a South African Airlines Link. Do not be confused, they are completely separate companies.  I was told there was nothing they could do. They could not even give me a number to call myself. After discovering I could not access the wireless in that area to see myself if the flight was canceled, I asked the person at security if I could go through to use the internet. When he said I must have a boarding pass, I lost it. A kind gentleman who spoke clear English saw this exchange and walked with me back to South African Airlines. They gave him the same response they gave me. Finally, I was told British Airways may be linked with them. They are not. They told me to go to Emarities. She at least spoke to a manager who said no they were not either. I could stamp out of the country and go upstairs to sleep on the benches and use the internet there. I could wait until 4 AM to see if the original flight was canceled or not.

I left the transit area and found information who told me to go somewhere else as she did not know either. I spoke with someone from Delta who said I was in a very unique and difficult situation and directed my back to information. This time I explained the situation again. She looked up on her computer and said there were no flights out on Monday with Air Namibia. I said there has to be at least a 12:30pm one. She then called and was able to speak to someone from Air Namibia who confirmed the original flight was canceled but I could not get a boarding pass at the moment for the 1230pm flight. I began tearing up again out of frustration. The gentleman on the phone at the woman's prompting agreed to print out a boarding pass and bring it to me in the transit area so I could at least get into the airport.

Once he arrived, I thanked him and asked him how I was supposed to know the flight was canceled. He said that the travel agents and individuals were told. Well, 95% of them were told ahead of time. I explained I was not. I asked at the woman's cueing for a hotel as the airline was responsible for canceling. He said he would make a phone call. He had it arranged.

So the very thing I did not want to do, I ended up doing. Going back through customs to be stamped in the country, taking a shuttle to a unknown hotel for the night. It has been a blessing. Free dinner, breakfast, a private room and bathroom and free shuttle to/from the airport, and internet for more than 30 minutes.

As I was thinking about this experience in transit, I was thinking about how this relates to several spiritual concepts. First, we all are in transit in a sense. We do not belong here permanently; we are passing through. If we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we belong in Him. We need direction and signs to direct us through this area of transit. He is our rock, our security in this land of transition and will not leave us alone.

Second, although I had a passport, itinerary, and my luggage was checked through, I did not have a boarding pass. The one piece of paper that mattered. No one but the one airline could grant me access. When we die and are judged, God will ask for one thing, our boarding pass. It will not matter how much good stuff we did, how much money we made, who we helped or did not help. It will only matter if we stated we are sinners and accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. Jesus is our boarding pass. Only God can grant us access to himself and heaven through His son Jesus.

Lastly, God will sometimes lead us down paths we have tried hard not to go down. He will close all the other doors leaving only one option. It may be the option we do not like or desire. It, however, is likely the best one for us. As He is all knowing, he know this. He also knows we are stubborn and needed to be clearly directed/forced to go down the correct path. If we ask, He will give us the courage to go down the path.