I always try to let God guide the details of my life. But, sometimes it becomes more obvious that he is doing exactly that.

Up until this past Saturday morning, I was in Eswatini, Africa teaching my classes at African Christian College. Then came two Covid-19 inspired announcements.  First, the government of Eswatini said that all schools must close down.  An appeal to them concerning our rather self-contained campus was to no avail. So it became obvious on Friday that there would be no more classes for an extended period of time. Also on Friday, the United States Embassy sent out a message saying that no one with a USA passport could enter South Africa (the only way to leave Eswatini). Therefore, the message said that anyone wanting to leave must fly into Johannesburg, South Africa and go through the In-Transit portion of the airport and never actually officially enter the country. That was no problem as that is the way I regularly travel anyway. Prayers began for God to show me whether to stay in Eswatini or return to the US.

Friday was spent corresponding with Rosann Alexander at World Mission Travel. With airlines rapidly shutting down flights, it was hard to find flights that would get me from Eswatini to the US. But, by Friday night she found an early Saturday morning flight from Eswatini into Johannesburg. Then the plan was for an overnight stay in the In-Transit hotel and then on to the US on Sunday. That was very doable. Tickets were bought. Prayers answered.

Saturday at 6:45 a.m. I arrived at the counter to check in for my flight out of Eswatini. Having prayed for God to make it all work, I felt very confident. Then the clerk said my name was not on the list of passengers. More prayers. After a phone call, she said everything was good to go.  Prayers answered.

We made the 45-minute flight to Johannesburg, disembarked and went into the main airport. I proceeded to follow the signs to the In-Transit check-in area.  When I presented my USA passport she told me that I must step aside.  Then she read off a list of countries whose passport holders could not even transit through the airport in South Africa because their countries had become hot spots for Covid-19. That morning a decree had come from the government of South Africa that holders of those passports were to remain on their plane and return to the country they had just left. But, it was too late for about 20 of us who had arrived on multiple flights but had been allowed off the plane. We were marched to the office of the immigration officials. Again God had intervened and took me off the plane and into the airport. Prayers answered.

Now it was time for serious prayers that God would intervene again and let me stay in the airport in South Africa and catch my flight out the next day. Initially, we were told that none of us would be allowed to remain in South Africa but would be immediately sent back to our most recent country of origin. As we stood in the hall, people inside the office discussed the situation. We were already in the airport, so any damage was already done. Plus none of us had been in the US recently. Finally, an official stepped out to ask if all of us were going home. When we said, “Yes”, he said we could move on into the In-Transit part of the airport and proceed from there to our flights. Prayers answered.

Looking at the information boards in the airport, it was not unusual to see flights being cancelled. In the intervening 27 hours before my flight was scheduled to leave, would it be cancelled? More prayers. The flight went and 8 hours later I found myself in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Three hours later, I was on the plane headed to the US.  Prayers answered.

After arriving in Abilene, I did some checking.  The flight I took out of Johannesburg and also the one out of Dubai, were the last flights to leave those cities. The only problem is that my luggage is still in Johannesburg. But, they have assured me that in June when they resume flights, they will send my luggage to me.

God is good! All the time!