On a Wing and a Prayer : Evening of Day 1

My favorite seats on an airplane are right on the wing or just barely behind it. I love the perspective. The power in the wings, the albatross stretching across the sky, high above the clouds, where only sun or moon light the sky. Seeing the new colors God has chosen to put on His invisible paintbrush. Gold. Pewter. Violet. Rose. Close your eyes for a little sleep, and wake up to find He has experimented for His own good pleasure, only to share it with you. Peaches and plums glowing beneath a periwinkle canopy.

Such a palette I admired in the sunset as Aeroflot Flight 316 soared like an eagle above the New York Harbor, over the mountains of New England and the icy islands of Nova Scotia that flirt with the Canadian coast.

The only interruption to my skygazing? Dinner being served in the aisle. Seated in 34G &H, we had to be patient, which isn't difficult if you're familiar with airplane food. It's kind of like being so hungry after giving birth that you'll eat almost anything, even if you don't recognize it.

From my journal:

Dinner was good, actually....Tender beef with gravy and scalloped potatoes, broccoli, tuna salad, block cheese, bread and butter, tiramisu, and hot tea. When I was finished I asked Sarah, "Won't this plane smell fun in a half hour?" She laughed and asked if she had broccoli in her teeth. Funny that I wrote THAT question on my blog (as a joke) about phrases I need to learn in Russian.

I'm trying to sleep but children's faces and names (I've not met them yet) are heavy on my heart.



Sarah, my precious and only daughter, adjusted her little orange pillow on my left shoulder and lay her head down. I recalled the days when she was a little girl falling asleep on my shoulder in church, failing in her desired attempts to stay awake and hear God's Word being preached. What a comfort to know that His Word sinks into our spirits even when our frail bodies and weak eyes can't resist rest. I lay my head on top of hers and wished for sleep.

But sleep evaded me. Evasion with a holy purpose, though: God alerted me to pray. I didn't mind, because the joy of hearing from God can't be compared to sleep. I began to pray, to ask God what He wanted me to hear. Immediately He began to give me a name and then a characteristic. One after another. So I paused, grabbed my little green journal, and jotted down what He had said to that point.

Oddly, most of the names were not Russian, but the characteristics were so specific. I'll give the descriptions in a moment, but I will tell you my hand was trying to keep up with fast pace of the Spirit pressing me to pray and to keep my spiritual eyes open for certain needy people on the trip.

Again, from my journal, fast scrawling notes:

{I hear the} words "Endeavor to meet all with joy. Move about the crust/crusty.
Give ______ dollars to pastor's pregnant wife due in July with 3rd child.
Vision of woman making pie crust. She is crusty herself, hardened by the heat of poverty and exhaustion. bitter but starting to notice beauty and wanting it; like a flower in dry hard clay she blooms anyway. Look for this woman. "

It feels so peaceful in this plane. The Spirit of God is active as all these GAiN folk are here... I guess we're taking turns sleeping and praying but I feel utterly carried as if I just caught an updraft on eagle's wings. Out the window--pure clouds like a complete fog. I can't see a thing but the pilot can. If I didn't believe that, I'd be a mess.

Words of knowledge from the Lord on the plane:

Daniel-about 6, ear problem

Emily--afraid, very!

Alexander-trying to be bold-bless him to be like Alexander the Great-but not for earthly kingdom--conquering sin, fear--a vessel to be filled for future missions to nations

Dirk-troubled youth--lots of questions, clammed up, needs safety and love--motherly love

Erika--wants a pet; shy

Latiana--joyful spark

Shel--an adult? older teen? don't know--inquisitive about Jesus.

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Breakfast on Aeroflot to Moscow: Jimmy Dean Bacon Egg Cheese Biscuit, fruit cocktail, KitKat bar and hot tea. Praise: No problem with cheese!
Getting thru customs: Didn't have to! We got to go as a group thru the Green Channel--no questions asked!
Passport Control--no questions asked.

One little Russian boy (about 3 or 4 years old) got lost in the airport while we waited in our passport control lines. (In queue, as they said so cutely over there.) A Russian tourist lady knelt down to talk to this young child (his big tear and fears on his face). Then she called out something in Russian. (No answer.) Then, cupping her mouth with her hands as if holding a megaphone, she calls out in English to this 1/4 acre of people, "Deed anybotty loose a keed?" (Laughter all around.) Within seconds a distraught, white-haired grandmother claims him, hugs him, scolds him, takes his little hand and all is well.