A Tropical Christmas

Christmas chaos reigned at the Dulles Airport in Washington D.C. A snowstorm in Europe caused international travelers to be stranded. Overbooking created a backload of passengers scrambling for the next available flights. Air traffic controllers had too many planes and not enough runway to keep flights on schedule. Delays were long and tempers were short.

David and Hannah approached the next available flight assistant. Her frazzled hair and sullen face revealed the toll of a long days work dealing with irate passengers. “Yes, how may I help you,” she began, waiting for another barrage of anger and frustration from the next exasperated traveler.

“I’m sorry to trouble you,” David began, “but our flight to Detroit has been delayed and there is no way we can make our connecting international flight to the Philippines. Do you think you could help us get on another flight to Manila?”

“I’m so sorry this has happened,” the assistant begged for mercy.

“Oh, that’s OK,” David spoke graciously, “it’s not your fault. These things just happen sometimes.”

David and Hannah’s calm and courteous demeanor (part of their Philippine cultural upbringing) so impressed the flight assistant that she put them on the next available Delta flight to Manila – in Business class! During the 15 hours of flight, David and Hannah politely refused the champagne, but enjoyed everything else luxurious flying had to offer.

Although David and Hannah arrived a couple of days after Sara, we have had plenty of time to enjoy being a family together again. We’ve been able to share as a family what God has done in our lives during the past year. On the 23rd, we gave out over 50 gifts to hurting children in the pediatric wards of our 2 government hospitals. We had friends over on Christmas Eve for singing, sharing, and eating, but guarded Christmas Day for ourselves.

We traveled to Roxas City the day after Christmas where we worshipped with church family and fellowshipped with dear friends. We visited the hospital where Hannah was born, walking the same hallway that Jan walked, nearly 21 years ago, from the labor room to the delivery room. We visited the house we lived in for nearly 7 years, reliving stories from the past, including Martha’s birth in the front bedroom. The next morning, while it was still dark, we drove the short distance to the beach, where we enjoyed a tropical ocean sunrise.

Later today, we will go to the mall, where the kids will indulge in a fish spa, placing their feet in a pool of hundreds of small fish that nibble at your feet, supposedly cleansing the surface of dead skin cells. The tickling sensation leaves you either laughing with delight or shrieking in terror. Tomorrow, we will host about 50 of our house church leaders in a holiday fellowship. Fireworks will light the sky on New Year's Eve night.

Our joy has been coupled with the realization that this will probably be our last time in the Philippines as a family. When they leave next week, David, Sara, and Hannah have no plans to return. Martha leaves for college in August. In the future, it will be cheaper for Jonathan, then me, to travel to the States rather than for the others to travel here.

So, for now, we are cherishing the moments. I hope you do the same.