Chiapas – August 2 || Ian

By the time I took off last Saturday I had already seen God's power at work. When God wants something done, He does it! Isaiah 43 reads,"I will work and who will hinder it?" After leaving my credit cards home Saturday morning, Stephen, my friend and ride to the airport, raced home to grab them. I thought an hour early to the airport that morning was sufficient to get through registration and security... After all, I've travelled a ton and I know how do navigate airports. Now I was wishing I had more time! I couldn't check in with out paying for my extra bag, and I had $8.00 total in my pocket. My spending money would be wired to Mexico. My friend Stephen returned to the airport with my credit card a few minutes before my plane began boarding. Grabbing the card from Stephen through the car window, I literally ran into the airport with it. I swiped my passport in the check-in kiosk! Three or four buttons later, the screen flashed "complete!""Ian... Slentz!" Three seconds after confirmation of my check-in, the lady at the desk called my name. I smiled as I moved past the twenty people in line ahead of me. "Your plane is already boarding, so you better get moving through security," the lady warned me. I made it through the throng of people in line for security in record time. I was fascinated at how many people were flying at 6:00 AM.I'm sure I thanked God as I entered my plane on time. I recognized God's help, and was SO smiley because of it.The smiles abounded yet again as I met two of my team members in Atlanta and the rest in Mexico City. I had seen them all in pictures, but I was elated to finally meet all eight of the travelers in person. I smiled as I began to hear their excitement.We lost two bags out of everyone's luggage, but at the end of the day, the nine of us strolled out the plane safe and sound (and very tired, but still smiley) into Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico. Three hours later we all collapsed into our beds at Nathan and Julie Terrell's house in San Cristobal.~Ian