It has now been a week since I came back to Texas from home, but my flying experiences were so out-of-the-ordinary for me that I feel like sharing them.
The Tuesday before I left for Oregon, I had a ride all arranged to the Houston airport, about an hour and a half away. But on Friday, the day before I left, I was told that the people that were driving me could not use the other team vehicle because one of our two vehicles was out of commission and we couldn't take the van so far away. So crap! What was I going to do? I was at the Habitat for Humanity worksite when this came up and my site supervisor, Mike, said that he and his wife were going to pick up their son from the airport on Saturday and that they wouldn't mind leaving an hour earlier so that I could make my flight. Whew! What a life saver! Before they pick me up on Saturday, though, Mike's wife Teresa calls me and asks what airport I'm going to. I tell her the George Bush airport. She says that they are going to the other Houston airport, Hobby, but they will still give me a lift. They would be happy to because of all the work my team and AmeriCorps does for the Gulf region and for Habitat for Humanity. It wasn't until I saw a map of Houston that I saw that the two airports were on total opposite sides of the huge city! These guys were really a blessing to me, but it doesn't end there. When I get out of the car at the airport, Teresa comes around and gives me a great, big hug and asks me when I am getting in next Saturday. She was going to pick me up! This woman that I had only known from the drive to the airport wanted to go way out of her way on a Saturday and give me a ride back to Port Arthur! I told her that I had some of my teammates picking me up, but thank you so much for the offer.
So it's Wednesday and I call my teammate Kevin to make sure that he can still pick me up on Saturday. He says that the team is going to New Orleans for an AmeriCorps thing and that they will not be back until Saturday night. Crap again! Now I'm stranded in Houston. I could take the bus back, but then I remember Teresa's offer. I give her a call and she says that she is more than happy to give me a lift. She meets me at the passenger pick up in a borrowed car because her car is in the shop and I later find out that it is her and Mike's wedding anniversary! She is giving up four hours of her day just to pick me up from an airport! I know that there are people like this in the universe. I am aspiring to be one as we speak. But that kind of open giving and love to a stranger is so refreshing and renewing. It renews my faith in the goodness of people in this world and makes me want to do more for people.
This Tuesday I will be flying to Sacramento from the George Bush airport. I shouldn't have trouble getting someone from my team to drive me there because this is work related. But the ride will not be nearly as lovely as my rides with Teresa and Mike. I'm very excited to be going and CAN'T WAIT to start on my new year in NCCC. I will miss, however, the people of Habitat for Humanity and the care and compassion they have so freely given to the people of this community and to me.
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