June 16, 2007

Dave and Mickey and I arrived at 5:00 in the morning to try another flight to JFK. We made it in one piece to JFK with about 6 hours to spare! We didn’t want to risk missing another flight. There we sat for hours in the airport. Aeroflot, the airline we were flying didn’t even open its counter for a good 4 more hours. I’ve never seen the JFK airport so empty.

After breakfast, we sat in some chairs to people watch. I fell asleep for awhile, only to wake up to a baby crying. It was at this moment that God showed me His purpose for us missing our original flight. Sitting beside us in a few chairs were Banmi, her son Eric and her husband. They were flying back to Africa. They had come for a few months to visit relatives in Fayetteville, NC. Mickey and I explained to Banmi that we were going to Russia with GAIN to minister to children. I took out my pictures that show my testimony and Mickey did the same. Banmi was very interested in our conversation so we showed her the gospel bead bracelet that we use to tell the Gospel. At first I got nervous because I had never explained it to someone face to face. Mickey helped lead the conversation as we talked about each bead. Little did we both know, but Banmi is saved! She would often finish our sentences for us. Praise God! It was so encouraging to hear her love for the Lord and to know that her adorable son, Eric is being raised by a Christian mother. We were unable to talk to her husband about his spiritual life. We did discuss with him who and what GAIN does. He pleaded for an organization like GAIN to come to his city. He said they would be honored to host people and the need is so great. Please keep this family in your prayers and that the area in which they live will be reached by Christians. I've emailed the family since being back home and just recently heard back from them!

After leaving the Patience's, we finally boarded Aeroflot which would take us to Moscow in 9 hours.