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The end of yet another leg of the journey…

I was sat fiddling with the power cable for my little Acer laptop and suddenly I see smoke coming from it. Needless to say I quickly unplugged it and pondered how I would proceed being kind of “laptop-less”. This was Monday. And that is my explanation for the absence of blog posts this final week in Fortaleza (the reason I can write now is because I managed to borrow a cable to charge up my battery before leaving).

There are many thoughts to share and reflections on God’s goodness, but right now I’ve been travelling for around 29 hours and so I think the deeper reflections will have to wait until this wee traveler has had some sleep…

Right now I’m sat in Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. I got a coffee at the Parkcafe and am sat on the 2nd floor facing the façade of the Grand Cafe, reminded by the smell that the smoking room is right behind me. I would move, but the airport is pretty busy and I’m tired. It’s been an uneventful journey, but 29 hours on the “road” (or in the air and at airports) does take it’s toll. I did have a lovely break in the journey as I hopped on the train into the centre of Amsterdam and met up with some dear friends there and talked and ate and talked and had tea… a very good way to spend 6 hours.

As I said goodbye to old and new friends at the airport in Fortaleza my heart was yet again filled with thankfulness and sadness. Thankful for the gift of friends, and sad to yet again leave people I love so much. I wish I could have everyone I love around me all the time, or at least in the same country. But I guess I’ve come to embrace the journey. The journey of being a sojourner on this earth. The journey of getting to know people and places. The journey of learning about who God is and His love through the people I meet.

And so in my slightly frazzled state I am sat here at the airport. I’m connected to the IHOP webstream using one of my two 30-minute free internet slots, and as I take my last sip of coffee (which is pretty cold by now) I feel so thankful. Thankful for these past months and thankful for family and friends at home whom I’ve missed so much. And thankful for what lies ahead. It’s amazing how easy it is to feel God’s peace in an overfilled airport, because He is with me, always with me on this journey.

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