The Miracles of Getting There

In honor of my grandfather who passed away 3 weeks ago and because my older brother asked me to blog about this, I’m sharing this story.

I went to bed on a recent Friday night just fine, but eventually woke up in the middle of the night. After that I was never able to fall into a deep sleep. The rest of the night I was restless, for some reason my grandpa was on my heart.

Finally I decided to look at my phone to check the time… I happened to pick up my phone at the exact time my grandma was calling.

I knew before I answered what the news was going to be. The call I so dreaded getting while away on missions finally came. My grandpa wasn’t doing well and I needed to go back soon if I wanted to say goodbye. It was 6:00 am when I received this news.

Fast forward to 4:00 pm when I got a call from my dad telling me to get on the next flight to Lima at 6:00 pm.

Living an hour away from the airport wasn’t going to stop me from trying to get on that flight. I got some friends to call me a taxi, quickly shoved some clothes in a bag and was on my way. Dulce Maria, my amazing and incredibly helpful mission partner, got in another taxi shortly after I left to help me out at the airport!

Once she arrived, she so gracefully cut lines and found the two airline desks that were open, asking if they had available seats on any flights going to Lima that night. Both of them were full.

My only hope was the one airline that had yet to open. We waited at the desk and Dulce prayed out loud while I cried and begged God for a miracle.

I had begged God for months to allow me to be there when the time came for Him to call my grandfather home. “Please Jesus, please. I need a miracle….” I prayed and I waited.

Finally someone came up to the desk. We quickly explained the situation and the very kind man went to find out if there were any seats left on the last flight out to Lima that night.

Miracle one: There were two seats left!

I texted my dad to inform him I got on a flight and he told me to try to get on a flight to Fort Lauderdale that night!

When I arrived in Lima, I rushed through the airport to the Spirit Airlines’ desk. I explained to the lady at the desk I needed to get on the flight for that night. She quickly gave me my ticket and told me I needed to arrive at my gate by 10:15. I pulled out my phone to check the time… 9:55.

I needed to go through security, get my passport looked at, and find my gate all in 20 min!? I thought the lady was a bit crazy for selling me the ticket but just hoped and prayed, “Jesus, I need another miracle. I’m begging you Jesus.”

Miracle two: No line for security or getting my passport checked and arriving at my gate at exactly 10:15pm. (Not exaggerating!)

God is so good!!

I arrived early the next morning in Fort Lauderdale without knowing for sure what I was going to do from there. I was waiting to get through the very long line in customs when someone started calling my name. “Andrea from Lima??” Awkward… I tried to think of something I could have possibly done wrong?!

This tall African American man pulled me out of the line and quietly told me my brother had called him. That’s all he got out because I immediately started crying. My heart sank. I thought it couldn’t be possible that my grandpa had passed away already. He gently kept apologizing and finally told me to come with him.

He got me through to the front of the customs line then gave me his phone to call my brother back. I found out my grandpa was still holding on and that my dad had bought me a ticket for the next flight to New Orleans to be with them.

Miracle three: That kind man then brought me to the Spirit Airlines’ desk, got my plane ticket, ran with me to security where he got me through to the front of the line, grabbed my bag for me from there and ran with me all the way to my gate. I made it just before they shut the gate door! Not only all that but he also gave me a hug before I left and told me he’d be praying for me!

He was an angel! I would have most definitely missed that flight if it wasn’t for his kindness!

The most beautiful miracle of all though was making it just in time to say goodbye to my grandpa while he was still conscious. Like I said before, I had been begging God for months to allow me to be there to say goodbye to him. God is so faithful and so good! He planned it out perfectly and made it all possible! I’m still in awe of the fact that I really made it just in time. If I hadn’t made one of those flights I wouldn’t have been blessed enough to make it while he was still conscious. God is good!

I also met other people who were so loving and kind during my crazy journey to Louisiana! But a huge shout out and thank you to Curtis, the amazing guy that works for Spirit Airlines!

Thank you everyone who’s been praying for me and my family! I sincerely appreciate it and ask that you please keep the prayers coming!