Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Delays, Delays It's Life in Africa

Jarren was supposed to be on his last leg of his journey home today but his flight was canceled on Monday and rescheduled for Today, Tuesday April 16th.  We are so excited about his coming home after two years of service in the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission.  I can hardly believe the day has finally come where he will board a plane and begin his journey back to Texas.  His plane leaves Freetown at 7:25 pm which is 1:25 our time. The flight will take 8 hours and 10 minutes. He will fly to Brussels and lay over for 5 hours.  It will be Wednesday, April 17th,  then he boards a plane at 10:00am and flies to Newark NJ. The flight from Brussels to NJ will take 8 hours and 40 minutes. He leaves NJ at 2:23 and arrives in Houston at 5:00 pm. His layover in Houston is 3 hours and 44 minutes.  At 9:16 he catches the United flight to Killeen where he will land at 10:19 pm.

Breanne is leaving right after school is out to come home and go to the airport with us on Wednesday.  Sterling and Cameron could not get the time off to be there but are sending their love and support with us. 

It is amazing to me how fast these two years have come and gone.  I have grown as a mother in putting more of my faith and  trust in the Lord instead of  relying upon my own resources for strength and comfort.  I know that Jarren has grown into adulthood from his experiences and from the wonderful gift of missionary work.  He has been a part of a marvelous work and a wonder in Africa.  I hope at some point that he will have the opportunity to go back and see that his hard work and sacrifice have found promise and that Africa will have bloom as a rose on the dark continent.

I have already made an appointment for Jarren with Dr. Horn to have him checked from head to toe for parasites, TB, and worms.  I dread to see what they find.  Jarren has been on Doxocycline (an antibotic) for the last two years.  I notice on the Mission Blog that the missionaries that leave Africa have to be checked for yellow fever before they let them go home. That is one hurdle that he has cleared.  I pray that all well be well and that if their are problems that they will be treatable.  I understand that anyone that has traveled, much less lived, in Africa are not allowed to give blood in the United States. But I know the blessings from this mission will serve him well for the rest of his life.
Knell

President and Sister Roggia

Last Companion Before Saying Goodbye to Sierra Leone Mission


Jarren with Elder Etuk

Five Elders Returning With Honor After Two Years of Service