12 hour flight down....5 hour flight to go.

We made it to Doha!  12 hours on the plane was definitely enough...but we all seem to agree that the flight wasn't that bad.  We started the journey at Summit-Brier Creek yesterday afternoon.  We met at 2:00 and packed suitcases with books.  We each brought a second suitcase to use for books that we are carrying over to fill the library at the Uhuru Child boarding school in Kenya.  Once we had the books packed and the back of the bus weighted down with suitcases we were ready to roll. Brad prayed over us and the journey was under way.  We arrived at Dulles around 8PM with plenty of time to check-in and get through security.  Unfortunately food was not as easy to find once in the terminal as most places were closed.  The restaurant directly across from our gate though was still open so we were all able to order food there.  We started to wonder if our food would be ready before we had to board but all of us made it onto the plane with food.

When we first got on the plane it was like a sauna.  I always say a prayer just before takeoff and I made sure to include "please let this plane cool off because otherwise it is going to make 12 hours seem like an eternity."  And that prayer was answered.  I was in a middle seat, but it wasn't so bad.  Marian and Andrew, two of our group members, were on either side so it could have been worse.  I think most of us were able to sleep on the plane....some more than others.  I watched a couple movies and slept on and off.  There was a baby that did not seem to enjoy the flight...the last hour in particular which made it less enjoyable for all of us, but overall it was a good flight.

It was a cool descent into Doha since I have never been anywhere near the Middle East.  I was sitting right over a wing so I couldn't see much to begin with but the sky was very hazy from the dust as we descended.  Finally when we were able to see the ground it was of course desert terrain.  It was very dusty.  We were able to see some neighborhoods around the airport.

We landed around 6:00PM local time.  Doha International Airport is under reconstruction so when we got off the plane we had to board a bus that shuttled us to the departures terminal.  And that's where we are now.  Sitting in the airport waiting for our next flight to finally get to Kenya!  The food choices here also are limited...a couple coffeshops, A&W, and TCBY.  We're all hanging out though...Marian, Taylor, and Heather are trying to decipher the Arabic newspaper's political cartoons.  It is providing for some great entertainment.  We leave here at 1:30AM local time so 6:30PM back home.  And next stop will be Kenya!!

I am so excited to get there.  God has blessed us with safe travel thus far and everyone is still in good spirits and I pray he continues to do so the rest of our journey there.  In only a few hours we'll be there and we get to work shortly after we arrive, ready to invest in the people and serve them.  Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause.