It is always helpful to be a flexible person, both in body and spirit. However, on days such as this, we see how easy (or difficult) it is to get our Gumby on. I shall explain…

After speaking with my family late last night, I didn’t sleep well. The Oregonians and Iowans met at the gate in Dulles International Airport in Washington DC…I was on the phone with Reed when he spotted my dad, which was fun to hear. Then I learned that their South African Airways “direct” flight to Johannesburg (via Dakar, Senegal) was delayed due to mechanical difficulties. I was restless all night, imaging seven of my dearest family members in a faulty plane.

Still, I assumed all would resume normally…I kept telling myself to stop worrying (“don’t borrow trouble” is a favorite mantra of mine these days). I got up this morning, took my last walk to Good Hope Studies, and logged into my email. There I found my update from Reed. The good news was that everyone was safe and sound. The bad news was that their flight was cancelled.

When a 17-hour flight gets cancelled, fairly significant changes to everyone’s plans ensue. First, there is the extreme emotional let-down after counting the days – and then hours – until we are reunited. (At this point, I don’t know when they’ll be arriving in Cape Town, so I cannot even resume my countdown.) Next, there is the feeling of the sands of time slipping through my fingers…our time together in Africa felt fairly limited to start with, and this does not help matters. Finally, there are the details to work out…re-booking shuttles, ferry tickets, etc.

Of course I am not wishing they were on that airplane with mechanical difficulties. Of course I am glad they are safe and that there will be another airplane to bring them to me. Of course I feel hugely disappointed. Learning through these Gumby moments is not what we choose, but we grow through them…we become more flexible, which is good for our souls. I am going to have to keep reminding myself of that until they arrive!

I will update as I can…thank you for your prayers on our behalf.