Another Special Thanks

This time I am writing a special thanks to everyone who has followed along on this adventure by reading this blog. I hope you learned more about Bolivia's culture!

The Locklin family is very glad to be back in Jacksonville, Florida! What a change in the weather!
God has provided for us and really protected us. It's nice to visit Bolivia, but Florida is home! Lord willing, we'll be back visiting Bolivia again in two years, and I'll be writing down the adventure here.

Thanks again for visiting Bolivia with us!!

Airport Reflections

Yesterday passed so quickly!

This morning my mom woke me up at 4:00 a.m. That night I had had difficulty falling asleep because of my excitement because I kept thinking and saying to myself tommorow we're going home! Finally, my uncle David and aunt Ruth came to drive us to the airport luggage and all. Our goodbyes to my aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandma were sad, but hopeful. God willing, we'll see them in two years.

After a forty minute drive, we arrived at the airport in El Alto. We boarded our flight quickly, and parted to Santa Cruz at 6:30 a.m. After more than an hour of reading, eating snacks, and resting, we arrived at the city of Santa Cruz. We only stayed there an hour, waiting to board the same plane to continue our trip straight to Miami. That flight lasted six hours and thirty minutes from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The plane staff provided a very late breakfast and a snack. Also, there was a TV screen every few rows. With headphones, we enjoyed watching a movie called "The Meddler," and a few other TV programs. I don't have a lot to telll you about this part of our trip, with the exception that the view was breath-taking! Through a wall of clouds, we were able to see a few cities as we passed over Venezuela. When all was clear, my brothers and I saw Cuba, inummerable islands, and the bluest water and lovely beaches. Then we finally spotted the Florida Keys! We saw all the tip of Florida, and then zoomed in on the city of Miami. Before we knew it we had landed in Miami, Florida, a part of my home: The United States.

Now we are waiting to board our flight from Miami to Jacksonville. We have been traveling all day and are anxious to arrive home, and, especially anxious to give our dad a big hug! Thanks be to God, everything has gone well and we are safe and sound. God is good!

My Grandma

These two past months we have spent together

Are something that I wish could go on forever.

Laughter has run free everywhere with your sense of humor,

And your loving kindness has never been made of uncertainty, like a whisper or rumor.

Instead, your love is steadfast, showing itself as abounding hospitality, encouragement, and in prayer.

The God-given joy you carry is sweeter, gayer;

The patience you have is enduring, longer,

And because of this your faith grows stronger.

A godly woman you have been, are, and always will be,

Forever seeking to learn about God's word with delight and glee.

Always singing hymns and worshipping the Lord,

Refusing Him to be ignored,

And testifying about His life and gospel anew.

Grandma, may God greatly bless you!!

Three Special Places

Yesterday my family spent all day in three special places: Sagarnaga St, Hotel President, and my aunt Ruth's house.

In the middle of the morning we drove to the Sagarnaga. It is a sort of shopping center for purses, wallets, jewelry, shirts, pencil cases, and all sorts of souvenir-like, Bolivian style stuff. We bought a ton of souvenirs like earrings and shirts, and then headed towards Hotel President to eat lunch.

Hotel President is one of the most well-known hotels in La Paz. But its main attraction is its buffet/restaurant. We ate lunch in the restaurant part on the sixteenth floor. I could serve myself the salad, rice, and french fries buffet-style. The soup, main course, and dessert were served to us by the waiter. For the main course I ordered lamb steaks. Everything was super tasty and yummy!!

But the most special part of this special place was that my parents had their wedding reception here. She has many precious memories in Hotel President. 

With stomachs full to bursting, we walked six blocks to where my aunt Ruth lives. But what a walk! Since La Paz isn't flat, but shaped like a bowl, we had to walk upwards. We should've taken a taxi! After arriving exhausted, we ate some fruit and water as refreshment. I had a look around the house, and then we talked for hours with Aunt Ruth and my cousin Joey. After a while, I joined Jonathan and Andrew in playing with Terry, my cousin's dog.

This house is special because it is the house my mom grew up in. She has more memories than I do of this house.

To conclude, the Locklin family had a great time all day mixed with great memories!

A Trip to Caranavi Part 3

The rest of our first day in Caranavi was spent resting, Jonathan, Andrew, and I climbing to the top of the mountain that the orphanage is built on, and watching a wonderful movie with some of the kids.

But none of these minor events compare with what we had planned for the next morning. A game day! My mom got the idea from our co-op, which had a game day every year for their grade school.

But what kinds of games, and teams? Most of the games were  relays. A balloon pop relay, and two kinds of ball relays. There was also a game called clothespin tag, which all the teams participated in. There was the blue team, light blue team, orange team, green team, and red team. I was the  captain of the orange team. The teams were so noisy that my mom grew hoarse trying to shout out instructions! We all laughed at the kid's antics and cheering!

When the games ended, my mom handed out goody bags to all, and started cleaning up. Right afterwards, the staff started serving lunch. That served us salad, rice,blank, and papaya. I sat next to the babies and toddlers. The babies were so chubby (!) and serious, falling asleep one at a time, or eating their food all by themselves. The toddlers were cute, asking me my name and my mom's name, etc. every minute instead of eating their food. There was one girl called Peniel, who is loved by everybody, that sat next to me. She has a heart problem, and the director will soon take her to the United States for a second operation. When everyone was finished she was still eating, barely halfway done with her food. I am glad I spent time with her. The Lord has given me another person to pray for!

That day was the birthday of Josiah (a baby), and Lola (one of the toddlers). We sang happy birthday and prayed for them! Then we all had devotional time where Mrs. Charo read and discussed Romans 8:35-39. Afterwards, I met girls my age and got well acquainted them. Too bad I only stayed long enough to make aquaintances and not friendships.

While my mom packed all our things, Andrew, Jonathan, and I played Foosball. Four other kids joined us, and we played and played for an hour or two. We screamed and laughed a lot! What a great time we had!

That same afternoon we left Caranavi sadly. You can't help but fall in love with the orphanage. Our trip back to La Paz was made by day, so we saw more of the road and view. The change in the weather and altitude proved to be too much for me. We were all affected with nausea and headaches. Now we're doing fine, and already packing to leave La Paz and fly home!!

God is doing great things in Casa de Esperanza! He has blessed our trip there!

A Special Thanks

I am writing this post specifically to thank Mr. Fidel and Mrs. Charo for everything they've done for us.

They have been and still are godly parents, who fear and love the Lord, to more than 60 children for more than ten years. For me, they are heroes of the faith that have responded to God's calling for their life with humility and willingness. Though it's tiring work, they've persevered in their work always trusting in God. I'm so glad I was able to meet them.

I thank them for their willingness to communicate with us and let us do something for them. I thank them for their prayers and hospitality, and their kindness and so much obvious love towards us. I thank them for making our stay enjoyable and full of joy!!

God is a God of wonders! All glory to His holy name!!

A Trip to Cranavi Part 2

Our first day in Caranavi left us super tired but full of joy!! God is doing great things in this orphanage.

After having a mouthwatering breakfast with the orphanage's director and his wife, Mr. Fidel and Mrs. Charo, we got a tour of casa de esperanza. 

Later we drove down in their pickup truck to the actual city to see some parades. School parades to be exact. Every year all the schools march through a few squares of the town in full uniform. It was fun for me to see the best students and graduates! Since Casa de Esperanza's kids go to a Christian school called Vida y Verdad (Life and Truth), we got to see them march past. 

Finally, exhausted and half deaf from all the loud drum beating, we drove up to the orphanage hungry for some lunch. As soon as we arrived, the cooks served us a lot  of steaming hot peanut noodle soup. It was yummy, but I was busier telling the director how I had raised funds for his orphanage. When the meal finished, the director and his wife announced our arrival and asked me to tell how I had raised funds to everyone present. I did so (with a pounding heart) and gave Mr. Fidel the money. Then he prayed for us. It was such a blessing to see everyones' efforts appreciated!
The efforts of GCC, MCH co-op, and of friends and family! Thank you so much for all your efforts and money and support! 


Mr. fidel  mentioned that the money would be used for new school uniforms.
 I really wish you could see this place and the children and the real difference you are making. I could've never achieved what I started out to do without your help.

A Trip to Caranavi Part 1

I know, I know. We only spent three days in La Paz, and we're already off to Caranavi!

It's worth it though. Yesterday the Locklin family plus my grandmother, uncle David, and aunt Doris parted for Caranavi by taxi and traveled three and a half hours. We traveled from around 7:00 to 10:30 at night. I arrived feeling tired and nauseous after endless turns and twists around mountains and hills. In the actual city, we met up with Mr. Fidel, the director of Caranavi's orphanage: Casa de Esperanza. We all crowded into his truck and rode up one of the mountains, to where the orphanage stood. At night we couldn't see almost anything of the view or orphanage.

The next morning was different. The view was absolutely spectacular!  Mountains covered with trees as far as the eye could see disappearing into the early morning mist. Below you could see all of Caranavi. And the weather is hot and humid, a real tropical climate!

Later we will get to meet the orphans and receive a tour of the place. I will post more pictures of the orphans and their living quarters.
So far, the Locklin family is really enjoying their visit to Casa de Esperanza!

Our Second Full Day in La Paz

On Saturday the Locklin family was happy and sad to leave Cochabamba. Sad because we all love the good, memorable times we had, and the warm climate too.Happy because we're among more family now, and closer to returning home!

Our flight was quick (lasting only forty minutes), and we landed safe and sound. The first thing I noticed was how the change in the altitude affected me. I started breathing faster because of the lack of oxygen, and had a slight headache. The second thing I noticed was the cold! Now that it's winter in Bolivia, La Paz is cold night and day! My poor grandma literally wrapped herself in jackets and blankets. No wonder La Paz is called the highest administrative capital in the world!

Our uncle David and aunt Ruth were waiting for us at the airport, ready to drive us all the way down to my uncle Rudy and aunt Doris's house. Why do I say down?  Because the actual city of La Paz is in a valley, and the surrounding land, which is completely flat, is called El Alto, where the airport is.

We have gotten used to the new climate and altitude quickly, all thanks be to God! He has blessed us with good health, good spirits, and a good arrival. This morning He also blessed us with my mom's old church. The service was amazing, and the reunion and fellowship with other members of the church was full of joy!

God has never failed to provide us with what we need!

Our Last Week in Cochabamba

Tommorow we're leaving Cochabamba and flying to Lapaz, Bolivia! I can not believe how time has flied!

This week we've been basically running around, getting last minute shopping done, and also satisfying other cravings for traditional Bolivian food. Snacks such as pasteles de appi (api cakes),  potatoes filled with chicken and cheese filling, and wistupiku.

Api cakes are seriously my favorite snack in Bolivia. Actually, they're probably my favorite snack in the whole wide world. And with a mug full of that steaming, purplish, thick, and simply delicious liquid called api to sip along with it, api cakes taste perfect!

I could talk about api cakes forever, but I also need to tell you about something almost if not as delicious. Potatoes! Plain-looking potatoes filled with cheese. Others are filled with chicken, eggs, and vegetables combined! Very, very yummy.

Last but definitely not least, my mom bought all of us some wistupiku, a type of empanada (pastry). I chose one with cheese filling, and the others chose charque filling.

The rest of the week we spent saying goodbye to friends and relatives, and also starting to pack.  We mostly called on my mom's cousins, chatting and presenting them with farewell gifts. Just two days ago we visited my great aunt Tina and enjoyed a delicious tea with her.

The saddest goodbye Jonathan, Andrew, and I had to say was to  School Despertad, which we had been attending for two and a half weeks. We all received a great farewell from our classes. We've made numerous memories and friends, and have learned more and improved our Spanish.
Secondly, we were all sad to leave my grandma's church. It has been a big blessing this past month!

Today we are cleaning the house, washing clothes, and packing like crazy. My grandma is going to La Paz with us, so we have to leave everything ship shape! The whole Locklin family is working and keeping very busy! Please pray for us, especially my grandma, to have a safe trip. We are very excited!

Andrew's Bad News

As the family's blog writer, it's my duty to tell about the good as well as the bad things that happen on our trip.

Yesterday, we ate pizza and ice cream with our cousin and his wife (newly weds might I add). We had just come home, super tired and super full except for my two brothers. Always brimming with energy, they started playing an indoor game they had invented.  Then Andrew fell and hit his head on the side of a low kind of bench. Unfortunately, it opened a bleeding gash. Though it wasn't extremely big, it was big enough for the ER. It was the day we least expected it, and we had to host a pot luck for the ladies of our church that night. God works in mysterious, but beautiful and edifying ways throughout our lives. This was one of those times for the Locklin family! We prayed for peace and healing for my mom and especially Andrew.

We've had all our bad accidents and stitches in past visits to Bolivia. And every time God has never failed to bring healing and blessings to everyone! This time was no different. In fact, 45 minutes after their hasty departure, my mom and brother returned. Usually, they would have to wait (somtimes a long wait). But this time they didn't have to wait at all, and Andrew was treated quickly, with the result of six stitches on his forehead. He feels fine now, and is as active as ever! Please keep praying for him.

God is good!

Chocolate and Cupcake Classes

For a while, my mom and I have been wanting to take a couple of classes on chocolate and cupcake making and decorating. A few days before, we got to do just that!!

First, we took the class of chocolate decorating. All of the class got excellent feedback on what kind of chocolate to use, how to handle it, and how to avoid mistakes so that any fondue you make will turn out perfect! Next, our instructor dyed the white chocolate several colors. Then we chose what mold we would use for our chocolate. There were animal, flower, and heart-shaped molds. My mom and I chose flower-shaped molds and got to work. Using paint brushes, we painted two flowers yellow and white, and then filled the rest of the mold with dark chocolate. Then we started getting creative. The class used cookie cutters on slices of apples and pineapples, and skewered the shapes. Then we dipped them in chocolate and spread shredded coconut, sprinkles, etc. on them. We did the same with strawberries and grapes, except we used the ends of the skewers to dot or dribble the dyed chocolate onto the fruit. Personally, this was my favorite class. I loved all the creativity!

At night we returned for the second class. It was definitely more crowded than the first class! We all learned how to make rose icing cupcakes, bacon and pecan cupcakes, selva negra (meaning black forest) cupcakes, and red velvet cupcakes. The rose icing cupcakes were easy to make, but very yummy. This was where the decorating came in. The name bacon and pecan cupcakes might sound a little wierd, but they turned out to be more like muffins. Perfect for breakfast! The selva negra cupcakes tasted like rich chocolate and were absolutely delicious. Finally, I helped make the red velvet cupcakes, which took a long time to make, but were definitely worth making!
We returned home very tired, but satisfied with what we had learned that day.

A Special Dish: Charquekan

I could not leave Bolivia without eating some charquekan. My mom couldn't either. That's why she took us to eat some on Tuesday!

But before I continue, I have to explain what charquekan is. You'll never guess! And no, it's not some part of a cow. It's llama meat! It's fried in oil and emerges as crunchy and very, very salty strips of meat. It is so salty in fact, that the dish always comes with egg, potato, and corn for you to mix with the charquekan. Delicious!

Two years ago on our last trip, we ate at the same place. Now, when we arrived, we saw that the experience had not changed at all. We still ate a lot, laughed and talked a lot, and, as always, made more memories!

Two Terrific Parks!

Last week, I went to the Parque de la Familia (The Family Park) and Parque Vial (Park Vial)! My family and I had a splendid time!

My aunt Ruth, uncle David, and cousins David and Joey, who were visiting from La Paz (Bolivia's capital city), drove us to the family park at night. Why night? Because at night you can see the true wonders of the park!

The family park's main attraction is the fountains. The water changes color, height, shape, and movement. The most enormous fountain has a spectacular water/light show! Then there's three interceeding walkways were the water shoots out and forms a high arch over your head. The other two "fountains" are for people to get wet! Water shoots out of the ground forming two areas, an outer ring and inner ring with space in between for you to stand in! I got really wet!

After that we went to eat dinner at 10 o'clock p.m! Guess what I ate? Anticuchos (cow's heart)! The slivers of meat, all savory and chewy, were very yummy! What a fun night we had!

The day before yesterday we played in Park Vial. My family has been going to this park for as long as I can remember! My brothers and I climbed and slid down slides, played foosball, and basically jumped and ran all over the place for hours.

We had tons of fun!!

A Trip to the Movies

Lately, my brothers and I have been dying to see the new movie "Finding Dory." Since our aunt, uncle, and two cousins were in town, my mom wanted to go with them to the movies. When it grew clear that they couldn't, we decided to go that very day!

The Cochàbamba movie theater is called the Cine Center (hint: the word cine means "movie theater"). Usually, it is jam-packed. It wasn't as full as the last time we went there, but we still had to wait a long time to get tickets and food!

Of course I don't want to give the movie away, so I'll just say it was very funny and family-friendly and just plain awesome!

One Tasty Treat!

Yesterday my family and I enjoyed another traditional treat: Saltenas!

We drove to downtown Cochabamba and found a restaurant called "Sucre Manta." My grandma, mom, and I ordered spicy saltenas, and my two brothers ordered empanadas (another kind of Bolivian pastry) filled with chicken, eggs, and basically what saltenas are filled with.

But what are saltenas filled with? Olives, eggs, and chicken covered in a spicy sauce. On the outside, though, it seems to be a type of pastry formed like a half circle.

You eat a saltena by breaking a hole on one end and eating what's on the inside until it's empty. It's like eating the ice cream first and then the cone.

The delicious experience is worth writing about!

Our Third Fun-filled Week in Bolivia!

So many fun things have been going on this week I don't know where to start!

Let's see...if I'm going to start anywhere I guess I better start by telling you how my first Catholic mass went!
The day before, my mom's cousin had phoned my mom, inviting her and the rest of the family to a special Catholic mass on Sunday in honor of my great uncle, who had passed away three months ago. Afterwards, there was to be a lunch at my cousins' house. We, of course, said yes with excitement!

The actual service consisted of many prayers, bible recitation, short but sweet songs, communion, and a sermon. It was interesting to see how a Catholic mass was like!
After it was over, we walked for a block before reaching  my cousin's house. For lunch we ate fricase, a spicy, soup-like dish containing meat, potatoes, and corn. Delicious! After that the adults caught up by talking all afternoon, and the kids played many games.
Then someone suggested we drive to the cementary to visit three very special people: my grandfather Claudio Cardona, great-uncle Walter and great-aunt Albina. We all had a special time honoring and remembering them.

Two days later, my family and I went to downtown Cochabamba. We visited Casona Santivanez, a colonial Spanish house that had been turned into a museum. Like most colonial Spanish homes, it had a huge courtyard with doors on every side that led to rooms filled with art and the history, memoirs, and photographs of famous Bolivian writers. At the end of the courtyard, there were stairs leading up to more rooms. One room contained many lovely pictures of all the different kinds of Bolivian landscapes. A few others were filled with beautiful wooden furniture from colonial times. But what I most liked about this museum was the sculptures they displayed everywhere. So many different figures and shapes! They were mostly humans carved or made out of wood, metal, marble, etc.

Okay, so now that I've been talking and talking about museum stuff, it's time to switch gears and talk about what we did afterwards.
We kids fed doves. You see, in Cochabamba's  central plaza there's a big bunch of doves that are always hanging around benches and fountains, and vendors that always sell bird food. For as long as I can  remember it has been our tradition to stop and feed them. We had a thoroughly enjoyable time.

The next day, we drove to Park Mariscal. The first part consisted of a cool aquarium, where we saw colorful catfish, turtles, and a few tucans, and a picnic area, where we devoured a delicious lunch. The other side was an enormous playground! It was full of slides, swings, climbing obstacles, and seesaws. There was also a pool, foosball court, and a bike track. The Locklin kids had a blast!

Now, speed forward two days to Thursday. That was when my mom, grandma, and I walked through the Cancha. The Cancha is made up of vendors' stalls. A ton of stalls. All bunched up closely together to form aisles and streets. It is so huge in fact, that you can get easily lost. Oh, and did I forget to mention it sells about everything? From food and furniture to toys and ribbons. It's a very different, but fun and eye-opening experience!

This week, the Locklin family has explored much about Bolivia's culture and have had much fun in the process!

Our First Week of School

What a great first week at our new school!

At least, it seems new to us because we haven't been there for a while! Two years ago, on our last trip to Bolivia, we went to a private Christian school called "Despertad" (which means "Awaken" in English).
Now we are enrolled in the same school!

On our first day of school my brothers and I were surrounded by so many memories and old friends!
We drove there in a taxi and waited in the school's main office. After a while, a member of the school's staff led me to the 8th grade classroom. Then she escorted Jonathan to the 6th grade classroom and Andrew to the 2nd grade schoolroom.

To get to my classroom we had to go across the street and into another building. That building is where most of the middle school and high school are. The main bulk of the school is across the street where the grade school is.

That morning I took History, Devotional, English, and Technology. After History we had recess. (The great thing about this school is that they make and serve snacks instead of selling them to you during recess!)

Other subjects I took during the week included Math, Language, and Science.
To conclude, the Locklin kids have definitely had an awesome time in our "summer" school this week!!

Culinary Curiosities

Recently, I ate two very delicious Bolivian dishes: Cow's tongue and Huminta!

Now, when you read the words "cow's tongue" your first thought might be "Eeeeeew! How wierd. How can you eat such a thing?" Cow's tongue though, isn't as bad as you might make it out to be. A traditional Bolivian dish, it is very tasty and savory!

Huminta is one of our favorite Bolivian pastries! It is somewhat like a tamale, except lacking the meat and being very sweet. It's a great snack and perfect for tea time!

Andrew's Birthday!!

Today we celebrated Andrew's birthday at an amazing ice cream place called Globos!

Actually, yesterday was Andrew's  B-day, but because of some dangerous and violent road blockades, my mom thought it safest to stay home.
Today was different. We had a blast! Globos has always been a favorite highlight for the Locklin family! My brothers and I ran and played all over their giant playground until we were called inside for the best part: Globos ice cream! Andrew ate "oso cremoso," (translated as "creamy bear." It is a type of blue ice cream with gummy bears.) and Jonathan and I shared a bannanna split, which included strawberry, chocolate, and chirimoya ice cream. (Bet you haven't heard of that third type! The ice cream comes from a type of fruit called soursop and no, it is not sour! Chirimoya ice cream has a different, rare, yet delicious taste.)

But the celebration didn't stop there! We headed to a nearby playground (yes, another playground!) To meet up with some long-time-no-see friends. They used to be our neighbors in Bolivia two years ago. The boys played soccer, and the girls ran all over the playground.
It has been an awesome day!

San Juan Holiday

Yesterday, my family and I had a great time celebrating a Spanish holiday: San Juan!

So what is San Juan anyway? And why does Bolivia celebrate it?  Originally, it was a Celtic holiday that celebrated the beginning of summer. When Europe was evangelized, the Catholics changed the pagan celebration to a Christian holiday named after the Catholic saint San Juan (Saint John). The Spanish came to South America, and they changed the Incan holiday called the "Inti Raymi" (Sun's celebration) to the traditional San Juan holiday. To this day, Bolivia celebrates San Juan to mark the winter solstice.

Just how does Bolivia celebrate San Juan? People throw big parties at night, eating hot dogs and Bolivian pastry. My family and I enjoyed playing with "estrellitas." These "stars" are made of thin wire with  burnable stuff coated on half of the wire. When we stepped outside, my mom lit a match and used it to ignite a few of our "stars." The tips sparked and fizzled; they looked like tiny, exploding stars! We had a lot of fun that night!

A Safe Arrival

On Monday, we managed to safely arrive at my grandma's house. But what an arrival! And what a trip! I would've never guessed what an adventure the Lord had in store for us.

Going back to Sunday night, we boarded the plane headed toward Miami. The distance by plane from Jacksonville to Miami took one hour, from 7:45 to 8:45. The Miami airport was simply huge! Finally, after almost two hours of waiting, we boarded our flight to Lapaz, Bolivia at 10:40 p.m. The plane itself was very long, with a narrow, centered aisle seperating seats into rows of three. The plane attendants provided us with pillows and blankets for the night, and a very, very late dinner at midnight. My family managed to catch a few hours of sleep during the six hour flight. At five o'clock a.m., our plane landed in Lapaz. Our two aunts and two uncles greeted us warmly. But our trip didn't end there. The final stretch by plane was to the city of  Cochabamba where my grandma lives. This flight only lasted 30 minutes. We landed, and walked right into the airport and straight into my grandma's open arms. Now we could relax!  Or so we thought.

To begin with, we couldn't get a taxi to drive us to my grandma's house. Then Andrew, the youngest of my two brothers, became sick with nausea. Eventually, we managed to get a taxi to drive us halfway home. We had been informed beforehand of a road blockade, so we had to leave our luggage behind at the airport with my grandma's friend, Mrs. Tere, who was visiting and came to meet us as well. We knew we would have to get off and hail another taxi once we came to the blockade, and that our luggage was too heavy to load in and out of two taxis. After walking for a block or two, we got into another taxi and reached my grandma's home. Yay! Our troubles were over. The thing was, my grandma had given the house key to her friend Mrs. Tere and she was in the airport with our luggage. We were locked out!

Then a couple, who had just driven by, inquired about a piece of property they had come to look at. Hearing the plight we were in, they kindly offered to drive my mom to the airport to retrieve the house key from Mrs. Tere. My mom accepted the offer, and ordered my grandma, two brothers, and me to stay in a neighbor friend's house until she returned. We did just that, and after an hour of reading and watching TV, I saw her coming to fetch us. She had the house key plus the luggage! What a blessing!

God really protected us all throughout our long and tiresome journey. Considering all the things that could've gone wrong, He has blessed us greatly and richly! The biggest blessing was when He sent that couple to help us in our need. They didn't just happen to drive by. And He knew we had good friends to help us. And He provided comfort and sleep during that long night. He knows everything and provides abundantly!

In the Jacksonville Airport: Waiting!

Yay! We're finally in the airport all packed, excited and ready to go. We just passed security and are now waiting to board the plane at 7:45 p.m. The chairs are packed with people, but many are lining up for their flights. The hall is very spacious with a tall ceiling and huge windows. Looking out, all I can see is grass, trees, and the runaway. Our journey is about to begin!