Australia Day 12 - Back to the Future

Up at 6:00 am. After a shower and final packing, everyone met at Phil and Sharon’s by 8:15 am. Ward pulled yet another all-nighter to finish the T-shirts he had designed and made. Here's what they look like. The front pocket area says, "I'm With the Band".


Ross, from the Charles Town church, used his day off to drive us to the airport. Stan drove Phil’s car to help transport the rest of our luggage and Tonja’s new shoe collection.

As we said our good-bye’s, hugs came easily and tears flowed freely. In 11 short days, we had become a close-knit family. We left for the Sydney airport at 9:30 am and arrived around 11:30. Pete gave each of us a handwritten thank-you note he had stayed up until 2:00 am writing. More tears. More hugs.

Chipper reading Pete's note

Sydney Airport

After checking our bags and clearing immigration, we grabbed a bite of lunch. We exchanged the last of our remaining currency and waited at our gate. The flight from Australia to L.A. was just like the first – completely full and shoulder to shoulder. For some reason, the return flight was much harder (physically) on both Lara and me. Maybe because we slept some on the first flight. Lara slept very little coming home, despite having taken two Benadryl. Jon got sick and it took several of the ‘ole technicolor yawns to help him feel better.

We arrived in L.A. at 9:55 am…on the SAME DAY we left Australia. Weird. So this is what Marty McFly felt like. We had to pick up our bags, clear customs, check our bags back in then go through security again. We departed for Dallas at 12:20, arrived 5:30 pm (with the time change). No meal on the flight, so we’re all hungry…except Jon. He’s still weak and has no appetite.

Along the way, several people asked questions about our shirts. Things like, "So, what band are you with"? It gave us a great opportunity to explain what we had been doing.

We think we spotted Howie from the Backstreet Boys. Not 100% sure.


Bad news at Dallas. Our 7:10 flight has been delayed. Now scheduled to leave at 8:20. Wait…delayed again for 8:39. At first, we fear the delay is weather related, which could mean another night in Dallas. Hold the phone…as it turns out, the delay is only the result of our plane being late leaving Phoenix.

8:40 pm. They’ve just informed us that our plane is here but now there is a mechanical problem. They have dispatched a crew to assess the situation and will keep us posted. Jon just ate a soft pretzel and is feeling some better. James, Lara and Donna hit the Starbuck’s for a cup of endurance. Chipper watches Monday Night Football hoping, for the sake of his Fantasy Football Team, that Drew Brees from New Orleans has a great night.

We just heard that our plane has been cleared. There’s an air of excitement among our group. As much as we have enjoyed this trip and our new friends, we are all looking forward to being home with our families. We lift off from the DFW airport at 9:20 pm and the captain says we should arrive in Nashville at 10:55 – exactly two hours behind schedule. We aren’t “wenging” (complaining), though. This is the first delay of any kind we have experienced on this trip. Thankfully, the flight to Nashville is not full so we have room to spread out.

As our plane cuts through the black night sky, I am grateful for so many things…
• For blessings received and blessings given
• For the gift of new friendships that will last into eternity
• For a perfect God who chooses to involve imperfect people to help build His kingdom
• For the joy of worshiping with fellow believers on the other side of the world
• For arriving as strangers and leaving as family
• For everyone who contributed prayers and finances to send us
• For family and friends who cared for our loved ones while we were away
• For safe travel
• For a lifetime of memories
• For a new appreciation for what God is doing in New South Wales through the Thornton Church of Christ.

10:58. We arrive in Nashville, but our luggage does not. The airline says another flight from Dallas is due to land in about 15 minutes. They assure us our bags will be on that flight, so we decide to wait.

All of our bags, with the exception of one of mine, were on the next flight from Dallas. The waiting paid off. One of our Elders, Tim Park, picked us up at the airport in one of our church shuttles. We arrived back at church at 12:30 am, got home by 1:30 and to bed at 3:20 am. It’s been a VERY LONG DAY. All told, we traveled for over 31 hours straight.

American Airlines delivered my bag to our home by 1:00 pm the next day.

Apart from one trip to Mexico with my parents when I was a young boy, this was my first taste of international travel. It was also my first missions trip. I’ve always heard that a missions trip will change your life. It’s true. I believe this one changed every member of our team.

The Eagling's are planning to visit the States again in Dec. '09.