China - Travel day 2/19-20/11

Wow! I left Charlotte at 7am. The moon setting during the sunrise was beautiful - the ball of white on a pastel background. We flew over the Charlotte Motorspeedway and it is as big from the air as it is from the ground.  The flight offered us peanuts - something most airlines don't anymore and I chuckled to read that the bag warned that it was packaged in a plant that processes peanuts and other nuts. 

Once at JFK I had to walk outside to change terminals. That was different. I arrived 30 min. early so I was able to go to my friend's apt on the Upper West Side earlier than planned. Andy and I had an AMAZING visit. We chatted. We prayed. We walked through Central Park in the snow and she treated me to a yummy Indian lunch. We've known each other for 17 years!! 

I met up with the rest of the team back at JFK and we hopped on our flight to Beijing. After a 13 hour flight where I managed to sleep 6 solid hours and a few more scattered here and there we arrived in Beijing.  Immigration was a breeze. Checking into our next flight was easy also. One gal was missing one of her suitcases. Hope it shows up soon. 

Then we flew to our final destination and  marveled at all the New Year decorations in the airport.  We chatted and grabbed luggage as it went around and around and around. I was so busy talking that I didn't notice that my bags were not there ... until an agent came up to us and told us all the luggage had arrived. Both of my bags decided to take the scenic route from Beijing. I know they are in China ... somewhere!!!!  We completed paperwork. Our translator helped and was amazing. One of the gals is letting me borrow a shirt so I have something clean to wear.  

The hotel is absolutely beautiful!!  The beds are hard as a rock - typical of Chinese hotel beds. The sun is shining this morning as we get ready for our first day after 4 hours of sleep in a bed. 

God is good and is taking care of everything. Please pray that all of our bags arrive intact today and that we are able to have an excellent first day at the orphanage.