Day 9: Georgia to Ontario
As we joined the back of the queue at the Delta check-in counters in Atlanta’s international terminal I was really hoping that we would not be attended to by a rather forceful-looking woman at one desk.
We had tried checking in online, but our attempts at that were met with failure. As with our departure from Dublin, there was a “document check” blocking online check-in, so we found ourselves queuing up and for longer than expected.
When we reached the head of the queue, and it was our time to go forward to the counter, we got Sandy, the stern looking woman that we had hoped to avoid.
It turned out she was the most relaxed, delightful and persistent check in “agent”. Battling with slow computer systems in front of her and in her interactions with the Canadian administrative systems, she held on to the obstinate problem like a fox terrier and eventually found out that there was some sort of clerical error messing things up.
Sandy and I exchanged a few friendly remarks now and then, as she pursued a solution, while my wife and I were quietly thanking the LORD, declaring His promises over us and this trip, and praying in the Spirit.
After about forty-five minutes, Sandy had sorted out the issue—we never did find out exactly what it was—and she asked us if we had any luggage to check into the hold. When we said ‘No’ she was surprised and made a comment about how we could travel for so long with just the little amount of luggage we had. We told her we had to (because of PNG travel, and conditions we would face) and that it was easier this way. She laughed, handed us our boarding passes and we were on our way.
As we thought about it, we realised that instead of weighing all luggage (like everyone else around us was required to do), she was sufficiently distracted by the ‘event’ we had with the documents that she forgot to, or did not, press us with weighing our heavy carry-on bags.
We clearly saw that the LORD had placed us in this situation with this particular woman, who was such a kind person, so that, not only was a rather difficult document issue resolved and removed, but we also avoided all and any bag interference.
Later, some healing testimony shared with two army guys ensued in an airport lounge, and then a very humourous interaction with an air hostess when she could not believe we brought her and her colleagues chocolates, but … those are other stories for another time!