Jumping out of a Plane

I have jumped out of a plane two times in my life. The first time was at an elevation of about 13,000 feet. Thankfully it was planned and with a parachute and a tandem! The second time was a little more complicated. Elevation- just a few feet off the ground.

I actually have just recently come to grips with the reality of this story and I can share it openly, and yes, sometimes I can laugh about it now!

A team of eleven of us went on a mission trip to Zimbabwe, Africa. It was a wonderful trip and I learned more than I ever imagined. I was one of two experienced missionaries at age 18 that went on the trip since I had been to Romania the year before. While in Africa the missionaries encouraged some of us to return in 6 months to help teach the MK’s (missionaries kids) in an annual meeting every December. I came back and started saving and raising money to return. Just a few weeks before the trip everyone on the team dropped out. When I contacted the missionaries to tell them they explained the need of still having me teach. I decided to go on my own anyways. After all, I am pretty tough, right?

We arrived at the airport to get checked in early. My dad works at the Atlanta Airport and his badge gets us anywhere we want to go. We walked around the airport and I was getting a little anxious, even though I was pretty familiar with the airports and flights. I had 10 hours to London, where I had an overlay of about 12 hours. Then I would fly about 10 hours to Johannesburg, South Africa where I would then catch a small flight to Zimbabwe and be met by a host missionary family that I had grown to love. My plan was to sleep on a bench and shop for the 12 hour overlay and there were shopping stores and lounges with televisions to entertain me right there in the London Heathrow Airport! Twelve years later and I still remember the layout of that large airport!

As I kissed my family and friends goodbye I was the last to board the plane. It was the final boarding call and I was nervous. I waved my final goodbye to my small crowd of loved ones and slowly walked down the hallway gate to my plane. I arrived at the door of the plane and handed the nice lady my ticket. She started explaining to me where to sit when I interrupted her. I started crying and telling her wanted off the plane. She started asking me questions like, “what has scared you?” and “why do want off the plane?” I know she was asking me these questions for security reasons, but I thought she was keeping me from getting off the plane. I started to panic and demanding that she let me off the plane immediately- and this was before 9-11. She did, but she insisted that once I get off there was no way I could get back on because the plane was leaving.

I started running toward the gate I had entered just moments before. I wasn’t sure what I would see when I busted through the gate, but it was the backside of all my loved ones. They all had their faces glued to the window watching the plane prepare for take-off. I shouted loudly and they all turned around. Their faces turned white! Josh and my dad sprinted to me and immediately huddled me in a similar position as a football coach that only has about 5 seconds to spit out the next command to the star players. They prayed quickly, coached me that many people were relying on me and I could not let them down. They turned my body around and shoved me toward the gate as my father swiped his airport badge to open the gate. I walked back to the plane and another lady was shutting the door. She quickly let me in and I started down the aisle.

A middle-aged, heavy set man approached me. He told me he had seen me eating with my family earlier and he wanted to help me find my seat. Everyone was already seated and buckled. I quickly handed him my ticket and he laughed. My seat was right beside he and his wife. She scooted over and they both insisted I sit in between them. He told me he was a pastor from Alabama and he was visiting his sick father back home in Europe. He did have a heavy English accent. They prayed for me and were a great source of comfort to my soul. I think his sweet wife held my hand the entire flight as I slept.

They woke me up when our plane was landing. They walked me to a pay phone and insisted I call my parents to let them know I was okay and everything was all right. My parents were very grateful for the call as they were up all night worrying. He then walked over to a concierge desk and had a private conversation with her. A few minutes later they walked me to the other side of the airport where a shuttle would take me to a hotel room and have me back in time for my next flight in 12 hours. I insisted I pay for my room but he would not take no for an answer. They had a flight to catch so they hurried off. I profusely thanked them both for their love and generosity. I have not talked to them again, but I know God used them in a mighty way to encourage this girl.

I think of this story often when things get tough. That sweet couple showed God’s love to me that day. I don’t think they were angels, but I do think God picked them out of their busy lives and placed them carefully into mine for that moment in time! I do not think it was a coincidence that all these events happened. God even put my seat right beside theirs of all the hundreds that were on that international commercial flight! God used them to show me mercy, compassion, giving, grace, and prayer. I jumped off the plane that day, and God picked me up and put me back on it.

“Thank you God for your love and protection in my life. Thank you for sending people into my life to love on me and encourage me when I feel like quitting. Thank you for not quitting on me. Thank you for never letting me go to far, but loving back where I need to be. Amen.”