Long Way Down..with Lots of Luggage

After more tears in the airport as we bid farewell to my sister and brother-in -aw, my sister-in-law and our good friend Larry we made our way through the security gates.  

It took four luggage carts to push our luggage through the U.S. immigration, an action we had to do twice when we found out Phil needed a visa waiver.  Faith and Luke even pushed one cart each (weighing almost 300 pounds) for a little bit until we got to the conveyors to drop it off.  I wish I could say that was the last we saw of it until we arrived in Marabá, but unfortunately you have to collect it again when arriving in Rio de Janeiro, push it through the airport and then through customs before you can check it again.

When we arrived at the x-ray machine the woman asked why we had so much luggage, were we moving to Brazil?  I said yes, that we were to be missionaries.  She asked where and I told her Marabá, at which point the shock/horror she got on her face was something akin to the look I would expect if I had told her I was moving to the South Pole.  We had a good laugh and she stopped x-raying our luggage.

Exiting the customs area we were greeted with the welcoming sight of porters who helped us push the four carts over to the transfer area so we could quickly board our next flight.  

All our luggage, and ourselves arrived safe and sound in Marabá to a warm welcome from Art Rae and Deanna Bergen.  

We are happy to be here, and that the long journey here is done!  

Thank you to everyone who helped get us here, we are excited to get started, now if only I could find....anything!