Today when we ate lunch at Subway, I remembered when my
hubby, firstborn son and I had Subway subs for Thanksgiving in Sau Paulo
Brazil, instead of turkey in Colorado. It was one of those unexpected
adventures that turned out to be a blessing for some tired missionaries.
Let’s see. That family trip was scheduled for late November.
We were supposed to arrive just one day before Thanksgiving, on a Wednesday.
Our tickets had been bought for a while, the visa for my hubby to visit the USA
was still valid. Everything checked through just fine on the first leg of our
trip to get to Sau Paulo, but that’s where we got stuck for a couple nights
while even our second carry-on went ahead to Colorado. We were ready to go,
except right there, between our departure from Brazil and arrival in Denver, an
overzealous airline employee decided to check our details just one more time.
She found out that my hubby didn’t have a visa for Canada. “What? No one said
that we needed a visa before?” Our connecting flight showed up in her computer system
as US/Canada. According to her computer, we didn’t have all the right travel
documents.
We were surprised to hear her say that we would have to
delay our flight and get a visa in the Canadian Embassy in Sau Paulo. It was
the weirdest thing ever. Our flight had one connection in an airport that was
both Canadian and American. We were literally only walking through the airport
to get to our connecting flight, our itinerary said USA. I explained that the
city and state is in America, but she was adamant that Canada would require a
visa. We asked for her to confirm the details until she was getting even a
little more short with us. We explained that we were not going to Canada, but
she was insistent. So we told her that it was the company’s fault that they had
verified our visas, loaded our baggage, and given us boarding passes before she
verified the details again, and then changed their minds about it.
They were going to help us. We wouldn’t have to pay for
everything since the company was partially responsible. Then something changed.
I was surprised (this time happier surprised) as I learned how sincerely kind
Brazilian culture is towards expecting mothers. My hubby talked with her
explaining that the first airline employees hadn’t seen any problem with our
visas because we weren’t disembarking. She apologized and insisted we had to
get the visa. “Its just difficult for my wife because she is pregnant…our
suitcases have already gone on to Colorado…..” “She’s pregnant? It doesn’t even
show?” And then, the atmosphere shifted. They were helpful. Insistent that he
get a visa for Canada, but they reserved a hotel and got us booked for the same
flight in two days. So they paid part of the fees to change our flight, and
even a got us a room in a hotel. That meant that we would arrive after
Thanksgiving. I was still a little distraught, but it was actually nice that we
were going to spend a night or two in hotel that the airline company paid for,
it was a five star hotel. That was super nice for frugal missionaries who
wouldn’t splurge on that kind of luxury. We only had to pay for a Canadian
visa, and the taxi and travel costs in the city.
It was late when that was finally sorted. A taxi took us
from the airport to the hotel, and the next day we headed to the United Nations
complex in Sau Paulo. Beautiful place! We were barely able to get the visa, but
we did. I don’t remember all the details, but I do remember praying because it
was possible that we would have to come back the next day to get the visa - it usually took more than one day to process.
Somehow it worked out. They would try to have his visa available after a few hours,
just before they closed.
We were so tired from all the unexpected requirements, but
there was a UN complex full of shops and restaurants to explore while we waited
until just before the embassy closed. We had to find some clothes because we
didn’t have enough for the three of us in the one carry-on bag that we had with
us. There wasn’t a lot available there, but we managed to find something.
Then we looked for our lunch, and to my delight, there was a
Subway fast-food restaurant inside the UN complex. We looked at each other and
my husband knew what I wanted. I told him that I was actually more thrilled to
have a Subway sub sandwich that he could imagine. I had dreams about subs, not turkey. So, inside our unexpected delay
was a gift that I had been dreaming about.
In the end, we didn’t need the visa. We didn’t even walk on
the Canada side of the airport. We would have been just fine. But my husband
looked at me and he said do you remember asking God for a Subway Sandwich? You
even told me that if you could pick any food for your holiday it would be a
fresh cut Subway sandwish….Things
that pregnant woman say!?! I was dreaming of their pickles and fresh veggies.
Well, I didn’t think that an entire company would examine my
husband’s passport and determine that he needed a visa –that he didn’t actually
need (and we were barely able to get in time!) just so I could rest in a nice
hotel, get a lovely back massage, get three haircuts taken care of, and eat the
sandwich of my pregnant dreams.
Mommy advice, be careful what you wish for….it might change
an entire family’s holiday plans while actually blessing you at the same time.
You can trust that God’s got you in his perfect care. He’s not throwing a
wrench in travel plans just to see if we will cry, but actually to give us the
things our hearts desire. That sandwich that I was dreaming about is also one
of my hubby’s favorite foods.
Thus the drive down memory lane as we ate lunch
today.
May all your sandwiches be yummy, and some of them be
memorable.
Lots of love,
Missionary Momma Mia
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