This day was a BIG day for my husband and I. We had just exited an aircraft in Brisbane, Australia after spending 15 1/2 hours cooped up with 280 other sardine travelers. For anyone who has ever been on a plane for that long, you’ll understand the reference to the term “sardine.” We were grateful for a safe journey and delightful landing.
I need to say it again that this was a BIG day, because it was the first day of the rest of our lives in a new country located far from what we knew as home for many many years.
Other flights were arriving and all converging into the Customs and Immigration area of the Brisbane airport. We found the appropriate arrival hall for lineup, and off we went. The men and women in the Immigration Section were very efficient in repeating the words……”next” and fixing their gaze on each traveller who should approach their window.
For some reason my husband seemed to buzz off quickly into another line with all the documents. I had wrongly assumed that I would be following him with the same agent. I was wrong. Another Border Patrol Officer pierced his eyes on me…….”next” and I moved into position at the machine to flash my passport and then move ahead.
Here’s where everything got messy. I only had my passport, nothing else. The inquiring agent asked me questions that I couldn’t answer because my husband (who was wandering around the baggage claim area) held all the written details and forms. The challenge soon became apparent that I knew “nothing” this agent needed to know to allow me entry.
As time was ticking away the agent became more frustrated about my lack of knowledge and felt, I’m sure, that I wasn’t cooperating with his efforts. All the while, my emotional state was becoming more fragile by the moment. Tears were beginning to well up in my eyes and I began to quietly call out for God’s help. To make matters worse, the other hundreds of other travellers must have been losing their patience with this “new USA arrival.”
Within a few moments another female Immigration gal saw my “facial delimma” and came to the rescue. I shared about my husband’s fast-paced speed through the line and his whereabouts would be somewhere in baggage claim. She calming took my arm and said, “Come with me.” And I gladly huddled up to her.
Now in the distance was my blonde-haired husband bobbing up and down and waving his arms to notify me of his location. We moved in his direction and all the forms were surrendered and, at last, I was accepted into the country.
The agent with the forms quickly whisked our documents through his inquiring fingers, and we were free to take our bags 6 huge suitcases, two roll-on bags, and two carry-ons to a pending rental van and then journeyed off to our new residence.
We proceeded from baggage claim to pick up our rental van and begin the one and a half hour trip to our condo in Carrara, Queensland. Our eyes seemed to take in all the new sights on the motorway, and we were only too pleased with our “almost” stress free entry into Australia.
An hour and half later, we pulled into our new residence. My tummy, mind and heart was full of emotion. It was so painful leaving friends and the known for this unknown place across a large Pacific Pond!
As we approached the front door of our little condo there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers at the front door. They were gorgeous, but I knew they must belong to someone else as we knew no one.
Upon moving through the front door with this fragrant arrangement of flowers, I thought it best to read the attached card and see the florist’s name to report the wrong delivery address.
It was for “us”…….from a dear couple in Canada. They had figured out when we would be arriving at our new destination and arranged the “bouquet delivery.” Tears of joy came flooding out! How thoughtful of these dear friends. Moments later, God reminded me that the “welcoming bouquet” was from Him………through the tenderness of this couple.
God blesses everything we do for others, and He longs to use us to reach out and touch another with His love. God used this couple to bless, encourage, and comfort us upon our fresh arrival. For the following week, every time I looked at that “beautiful bouquet” I was reminded of this couple’s love and friendship and that God was loving us through these dear people.
We need not worry about BIG ways to love on others, but any TINY thoughtful gesture can bring a tremendous amount of encouragement to another.
Cups of Cold Water 