Living on a Prayer, Part 2... Literally!

Where to begin following last evening's blog.  Just shortly after midnight, we discovered our flight to Lima would be delayed one hour due to health concerns (from what we could understand).  While some of us were able to crash on the floor in the airport, the rest of us were not so fortunate (the starbucks at 11 pm may have been a factor). Finally, the time came to board and true to their word, we departed the gate at 2am.  Unfortunately on this flight, we were unable to all sit together and the fluency in English was becoming sparse around us.  This flight included a dinner at 3:30 am.  Heidi and Angela missed this yummy event because of heavy eyelids.  The food was rather enjoyable and included chicken or ravioli, but quite odd at 3:30 am.  Following this, everyone was able to catch a few zzzz's for a couple hours or so.  At. 6:45 am, (central standard time in US terms), we arrived in South America.
The Lima airport was not what we expected.  Busy does not begin to describe it.  Keep in mind we are an hour later then originally planned. First, half of us had to use the restroom before the immigration line.  The bathroom trip took us a little while as there were only 2 stalls.  Quick Peru tip: toilet paper does not get flushed.  You must throw away.  We challenge you all to join us at home over the next 2 weeks. :)  Now, off to immigration and customs lines, which probably took close to an hour to get through.  Then, it was time to find our next flight and check in.  This line also took some time.  However, we made good use of our time by conversing with the American's from Indiana and meeting another couple whose daughter is a DPT from Philli.  His advice was to not pick up guys at bars and to not only tell your parents, after paying for 6 years of school, to "stop doing that" when asked about pain.  Well, we checked in with an hour till departure.  We walked up to the next floor only to find the security line to be a mile long (at least).  Thankfully, our friends from the previous line saved us a spot and let us jump in.  This was the quickest security line ever as most people did not take their shoes off.  We made it through and to the gait with 5 minutes left until reported boarding time.  This flight was slightly delayed but put us safely in Arequipa before noon.  Praise God that all of our luggage arrived and we were picked up by MMI and whisked away in the crazy traffic of Arequipa (where traffic patterns are only suggestions) to our hotel.

Brittany had a slightly different schedule.  After landing in Lima, her connecting fllight to Arequipa was later in the day.  She was able to shop a little while getting to know the airport well.  She even attempted to order food in Spanish.  She made it to her flight and landed in Arequipa on time and with all of her luggage then joined the group at the hotel.
Despite this long trip, God was working mightily in response to prayers.  There were a couple other things that could have set us back further.  Mandy found a gun shell casing in her pocket of her jacket in Miami from a previous range visit.  This was not caught in security.  Also, Heidi was missing the baggage customs form in Lima.  The guard was sure she and Mandy were sisters and of no harm and let them and the group through.  Finally, having met the American couple in the check in line was perfect as they were the answer to getting through security quicker.  Romans 8:26-28, 31 says, "In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Sprit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him who have been called according to His purpose.   What then shall we say in response to this?  If God is for us, who can be against us?"  How evident was this in our travels today!  Hallelujah!

Pics below: Mount Misti, the only active volcano in Arequipa; mountain range at dusk from a rooftop terrace at our hotel; sky view from airplane