trip home

The last time I spent the night in the airport, I hoped I would never have to do it again. But here I am 3:30 AM in San Francisco airport. I’m actually trying to stay awake as it’s a little scary to sleep with Monica and baggage. It’s not too hard, since in Davao this would be day time, but I hardly slept last night on the plane.
We had a great last day in Davao. It was hard to leave all our new friends, plus leaving Sherry and Julia. It was especially hard to leave Lisa and Beth. Two wonderful sisters in Christ, that I so easily felt like I’ve known them all my life. Beth lives in Haiti, I can’t remember if I mentioned her already. Her family have been missionaries for 18 yrs in Haiti., Lisa whose family also spent time in Haiti, and Lord willing will be back there again full time. We understood each other so well. I truly hope the Lord brings something of these relationships. Maybe a short term mission trip to Haiti? I have never had any thought of wanting to go to Haiti, but the Lord has ways of changing hearts.
I met so many wonderful missionary’s. They are being trained as midwives specifically to work in Africa, Haiti, and I can’t remember where all else. The neat thing is even during their training they are able to be “missionaries”. The clinic is a wonderful outreach to help the poor. After seeing that hospital so many times during transports, It blessed me so much to see how many births could be kept out of that place. Mom’s having baby’s in a clean, quiet place with a curtain between at least, with loving midwives and students to attend them. Davao is a huge city with over 200 births per day. About 125 per month go to the clinic. They would have more, but that is all they can handle. It’s strange to see so many pregnant women around all the time. They have more maternity clothes in the stores then I’ve ever seen.
One of the best part of midwifery is when you are helping a women through her labor, and when she leaves she thanks you from the depth of her being. Because there is something about pain that draws people together.
We had also made a quick trip to a beach that was close by. Here the water was dirty, the sand was black, and children everywhere. There is a group of poor people that live over this sea. Their houses are made of baskets, the floor bamboo, and they are up on stilts. They are very deep in their own cultures and traditions. There is one family we met, missionary’s from Africa. Isn’t that a twist? They have been in the Philippines for 9 yrs. She is a midwife and he is a medical missionary. Takes regular trips into the bush to have clinics. Anywhere from pulling teeth to what ever is necessary, working long days to help the very poor. He has been able to work with these people, but it is very unusual for the to accept any help from outsiders.
So the ambulance and guard took us to airport. I had been told about the airport tax. I was told it would be 80 pesos in Davao and 1400 in Manila. Well I had a little extra, but I didn’t really want to go home with a bunch of peso, so I just had enough. Well in Davao the tax turned out to be 200 pesos each. Which left me short in Manila. Only I seem to get into these troubles! I did have 4 American dollars, which putting everything together and dumping out my change purse we still came up short about 80 pesos! So the flight leaves in 20 min I thought, and here I am on another one of those run quick outings. I ask where is an ATM machine. I leave Monica with the attendant, and run to the door to go to the ATM machine. But every door you go though you have to show your ticket and passport. I did and they keep my ticket, and give me a pass of some sort. I run out side. They have people sitting around every 200 feet it seems, so I can ask anytime I get lost. I find the machine, and it refuses to give me money. I try other cards too. Nothing would work. Many of the machines are set up for only master card, or only visa or only? So I run and ask where another machine is, they guide me, I run, I find the machine to no avail. It will not give me money either. I’m thinking by this time I’m going to miss my plane and they are not going to let me through all because of 80 pesos (less then $2). So I go back in and the customs man is standing there as the lady is counting out all my change, trying to help me figure out home much my American money is worth. I found another American quarter! This is crazy! As they are counting and talking and I’m rechecking my wallet and Monica’s wallet, the customs guy opens his own wallet and puts in 100 pesos. What a blessing for kind people! He said he would take my American change for a souvenir. So we get on the airplane somehow on time, maybe there is an hour difference between manila and Davao? I don’t know, but somehow we made it on, and we were seated together this time, by the window. We sat next to a sweet Christian girl who is in a foreign exchange student program. She is already a dermatologist.
One of the wonderful students from Canada heard I was going to take Dramamine for the trip home, and she said Gravol is much better. Boy do I love that stuff! I took one pill and I never was nauseated the whole trip. What a huge difference in my flying experience. It did make me a little sleepy, but not drugged.. We got on a 8 pm, was served a chicken and rice dish and then the lights go out and we try to sleep. The seats are very small, so it’s really hard to sleep. Plus Beth told me quite a few times before I left, get up and walk every hour, go to the bathroom farthest from your seat, etc. in order to prevent thrombosis. So all night I’m thinking I should get up and walk. My legs were aching. I only managed to get up twice, as it’s such a huge hassle to get everyone to move around to let you out. But my legs are fine. Thanks for caring Beth. :)
After another line through customs I’m told I need to pick up my luggage and check them back in on Delta. So we are lugging 6 pieces of luggage around, but when I wait in line to check them in they say we can’t take them until just before the flight. They can’t give me boarding passes either. So here I am not long enough to get a motel, but stuck in the first entrance part of the airport all night. After getting over the original shock, we settled on a spot, and got out a movie to watch on the computer. So the time is flying by. Hopefully the rest of the trip will be uneventful.
I was asked for money a couple of time and thankfully I could honestly say I only have 10 pesos. Thankfully in the states we can use cards everywhere.