This one is from Gary. I just wanted to let all know I made it home safely last evening. The ride to Bujumbura with Eloise was a good one. We did see two accidents on the way. One was a container truck that missed a curve and went vertical on the side of the road. I couldn't see the tractor as it was down the hill in the trees, so so it is unknown if the driver survived. Another was a fender bender that didn't seem too bad. Got to the airport in time after leaving late due to the driver going back to the airport to pick up the cleared luggage before heading up for me.
Once I got checked in at Bujumbura (the line was excruciatingly long and slow), I made it through to the gate. When we were called to go to the plane we stood on the tarmac for an hour before going into the plane, There was equipment with a strong light looking at the far side of the plane. Once inside the plane the pilot announced that a tire needed to be replaced before we could take off. (hence the light) So it took another 1-1/2 hours to change the tire. We were then approximately 3 hours late for takeoff and when I looked at my watch in Entebbe when we landed there we were three hours late. Consequently the layover time in Brussels was all used up when we arrived there. I felt like the old O.J. Simpson commercials about flying through airports. The gate was officially closed when those of us who were on the Africa flight got to the gate for the Newark flight, but they let us on the plane. I wondered if the luggage made it...
At Newark I breezed through Immigration and got to the luggage carousels from our flight. Forty-five minutes later my luggage did come off the carousel and I was able to recheck it for the Harrisburg flight. All is good. Once in the gate area I checked in on my United App on my phone and saw that they upgraded my seat to first class. That was exciting.
At Harrisburg the plane was directed to the parking spot but the guy running the jetway couldn't get it to the plane after about six or more tries, so they hooked up the airplane tug and moved the plane back a couple of yards so the jetway could connect to the plane.
When I was at the gate in Newark, the agent asked me if I recognized anyone in the gate area. She said there was another Smedley on this flight. I have never before flown with another Smedley other than family. He scanned his ticket just before me and I saw his name and later talked with him, We are probably not related but he lives in the Harrisburg area. Maybe my last name is more common than I thought.
Kathy picked me up at Harrisburg and I made it safely home. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
I just wanted to thank everyone on the team for their spirit of servanthood and comradery. My kids and I used to like an old movie called The Man From Snowy River, and one of the characters in the movie made a statement to the lead actor after an altercation with others in the bunkhouse: "You are always welcome at my campfire." I say that to my team in Burundi, all of you: "You are always welcome at my campfire." May God grant us completion to the initialization of the new equipment and may this be a real asset for the hospital and staff at Kibuye as the Gospel continues to go forth in this part of the world. I love you all and also love all of you at Kibuye who we are there to serve. May God bless us, every one!
Gary
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