And Away We Go!

September 3rd dawned and it was finally time to go.  All my plans of getting a long list of "to dos" completed had gone completely out the window as the pre-departure hours flew by. It's funny how the "to do" list becomes a "wish list" as a deadline looms.  Sigh....I suppose it is just pride to want the house in perfect order in case the plane drops in the ocean and someone has to organize a meal at my house for surviving family members and friends.


Although everything was packed days in advance, Danny and I got a bit of a late start to the airport (I'm sure all of you are quite surprised) so he had to make up time by speeding like a mad man to get me there in time to check the extra bags all the way to Kiev, Ukraine.  As we darted in and out of traffic I was composing a mercy plea, in my head, for the police officer who would surely  pull us over.  By God's grace we made it without any incident, bags were checked and paid for leaving just enough time for a last stop at the ladies room before security.


Thankfully, Delta was on time because my room mate and a couple from Dallas were waiting for me in Detroit so we could fly to JFK together.  It's been a while since I've passed through JFK and now I remember why.  Talk about mass confusion, crowds, traffic and an overall sense of  "If I get separated from the group, I'll never find my way out of here!".  We managed to locate the correct terminal and find our team leader sitting under a fake tree by the Aeroflot check in desk. With hand luggage in tow, we entered the world of Aeroflot, Russia's famous airline.


After an excruciating wait in a line reminiscent of the Soviet Union, we approached the "agent"  for a simple issuing of boarding passes to Moscow and Kiev.  Silly me for assuming anything with this airline would be simple!  Although our bags had been checked all the way through, the Aeroflot representative wanted our paid receipts from the originating airport.  Unfortunately my luggage claim ticket had been plastered on the back of the receipt and I was on the verge of an anxiety attack at the thought of letting it go.  Horrific memories of a 2 week trip to Siberia with only a backpack and one change of clothes flooded my mind. (That lost luggage took 4 months to be returned to me.)


While conversing with the agent, my room mate and several others were informed they had to leave the line, go around the corner and get in another line to obtain a paid receipt then come back for their boarding passes.  I was able to negotiate with the agent, keep my luggage tag and obtain boarding passes so I stood with the carry on luggage while they went through the "other" line.  Eventually, everyone got  boarding passes and made it through security downing the last few drops of the $3 bottles of water before the scan.

Waiting for the overseas flight @ JFK

At the gate we easily spotted the rest of the team dressed in their blue shirts. There was a young man who was on his way to a closed country to partake in a business exchange for a year.  When the team gathered to pray, we included him and prayed for his venture as a businessman-missionary.  It was one of those God moments.

Upon boarding, I was delighted to find one of our new participants as my seat mate.  However I could not sleep and probably kept her awake most of the night.  Water was only offered before and after the two meals which were served.  The almost 10 hour flight was miserable, sleepless and I arrived, dehydrated, at the Moscow airport.  Rushing through passport check, the transfer desk and security I hurried to find a nice refreshing bottle of water.  Vendor after vendor refused to take anything but Rubles, my heart was pounding as I searched in vain for a currency exchange.  Finally my room mate produced 15 Rubles she had saved from a past trip and we purchased bottles of water.  With shaking hands I opened the cap only to find thousands of bubbles rushing to the top......yes, it was water with "gas"! At that point, it didn't matter so I downed the whole bottle burping up bubbles after each swallow.

 The connecting flight to Kiev was short and they had plenty of "still" water, bigger, more comfortable seats and I slept like a baby for about 45 minutes waking up just before landing at Boryspil airport in Kiev. Tears filled my eyes as we landed in beloved Ukraine as thoughts of relationships and experiences of the past 11 years flooded my heart.  At last, I was home!

Greeted by the Oksanas at Boryspil in Kiev

Upon retrieving most of the team luggage (7 pieces didn't make it) we were herded to a waiting tour bus for the final leg of the long journey.  The weather was noticeably cooler here and the lower humidity made it a welcome relief from the exceptionally hot weather back in the States.  It was a 5 hour adventure from Kiev eastward to Sumy on roads which were "under construction".  I never did see any signs of road work in the dark but we felt every bump, pothole and broken pavement along the way. 


The "auto grill" indoor and outdoor dining



After an hour of bumping along the road, the bus stopped at a quaint Ukrainian folk restaurant. We enjoyed typical Ukrainian food and folk art as we sat in the covered, outside, dining room.

The much needed break and restroom stop ended all too soon as we hurried back on the bus for the remaining 4 hour journey through the countryside.


While Ukraine is developing nicely after 70 years of oppression by the Soviets, there are still a few things which have not caught up with the times.  There is no such thing as a "rest stop" with restrooms when one is out in the rural areas.  When our bladders were screaming for relief, the bus driver simply pulled over on the side of the dark road and we filed out - guys to the left, girls to the right and were instructed to find a tree.  With wet wipes in hand, I stumbled around trying to find something suitable, all the while hoping not to disturb any living creature that might be lurking in the dark.  The chilly night air was quite shocking on warm, bare bottoms as we struggled to squat and keep our clothing dry in the pitch black of the night.  All was well until someone decided to turn on a flash light so they could see better!  Shrieks from half naked women quickly changed the offenders mind and the light was extinguished.


The rest of the ride was nothing but a blur as I slumbered peacefully in spite of the rugged roads passing beneath the wheels of the bus.  It was shortly after midnight on Sept 5th when we rolled into the Shafron Hotel parking lot in Sumy, Ukraine.  As soon as the keys were handed out and luggage was delivered to the rooms, I drank in a hot shower and for the first time since Thursday night, got in a horizontal position....ah the simple things in life are always the best!