I have updated the majority of the posts to include pictures; in this way I was able to share pictures in context. Enjoy!

I'm sorry that it isn't as easy to navigate through the posts as I would like it to be--I wish that I could put "Previous Post" and "Next Post" links at the bottom of each post, but that's not a simple task because what's previous and what's next depends on where you came from (for instance, are you looking at all posts or just posts written by a single author). So unfortunately, after you read a post, you have to hit the back button then click the link for the next post.

We are home!

Jun 07, 2009

We're home! Actually, we landed back in ATL about 3 hours ago, but I'm only just now getting the chance to post about it.

The flight itself was pleasant enough and it was nice that it was running ahead of schedule. Yes, that's right--I did in fact just use "flight" and "ahead of schedule" in the same sentence. And here's the best part: when we got to ATL, there was actually a gate for us. Great stuff!

Team on Plane Arriving in Atlanta

Getting through ATL from international is a bit of an ordeal--you have to go through customs then get your bags then go through the customs form dropoff then check your bags again then go through security then ride the train to baggage claim then pick up your bag again--and it takes about an hour in most cases (and today it took actually slightly longer) but it all went smoothly enough. We said our goodbyes at the second baggage claim area and now we're all back on our own.

Team Arrived in Atlanta

Again, we can't thank you enough for your support of us throughout this whole trip! Please do keep checking back here as I will soon be updating every previous daily report to include some pictures and we'll look to post some final reflections on the trip as well.

On the Way to Atlanta

Jun 07, 2009

We made it to Amsterdam on time, but things got a little crazy from that point. Estonian Air would not check our bags through to Atlanta so we have to pick them up from baggage claim, which took some time, and then recheck them, which also took some time. In fact, if the kind KLM folks (who, as the main Sky Team partner in Amsterdam, handle Delta check-ins) hadn't bumped us farther up in line, we wouldn't have made it on our flight.

But we are on our flight now! I wish I'd had the time to post this before takeoff, but as you can understand from what I wrote above, that was far from possible. :) So though I'm writing this from the air, it will actually be posted only once we arrive back in Atlanta.

The plane is a lot more crowded than it was showing online as recently as yesterday (not sure what's up with that). No room for anyone in our group to lie down on this plane! However, there are a decent number of empty seats and we managed to shift around and get ourselves into seats where we all have at least a little room to spread out, so we sure can't complain!

When we get back to Atlanta, life is going to get busy again. I'm hopeful that some or all of us will be able to share some reflections on the trip on this blog. But you know how that busy life thing goes! So let me take a quick moment to let you know the following:

  1. We are so, so grateful for you: the people who cared about us enough to support us in prayer and financially and/or to track with us via this blog. Thank you! Words are not enough to express how much we appreciate you!
  2. We did good. You're thinking my grammar is wrong, aren't you? No it's not: we did good stuff for Risttee Church and beyond that for God's kingdom. That's not to pat us on the back--it's not about us--it's to affirm that good came from our trip. Some of it we know--for instance, we know Risttee's leadership was encouraged by our visit--some of it we may never know--but no matter the case, we did good.
  3. We all learned from the experiences of our trip--and with and through God's grace, we all have grown and will continue to grow from these experiences.

Leaving Estonia

Jun 06, 2009

Saturday Report

Jun 06, 2009

Friday Report

Jun 05, 2009

Thursday Report

Jun 04, 2009

Wednesday Report

Jun 03, 2009

About this blog

This is the blog for the North Point Ministries 2009 globalX Connections short-term mission trip to Risttee Church in Tartu, Estonia.

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