Long weekend long post😉. CAMO Central America Medical Outreach
Journey to Honduras on Friday at 3AM started like any other trip, but sitting at the gate things started to change. CrowdStrike crashed Microsoft Windows systems around the globe Friday. Glitch in the update of the operation system, looping, requiring all individual computer to be manually reset.
The result I experienced was a delayed flight for five hours, landed just 10 minutes too late to catch the flight to Honduras that was delayed 4 hours. On de-boarding the situation became very clear, the line to the Delta help desk was 4 hours long, now for people traveling together they could hold the place in line, but for a older gal like me it was a painful on the feet and bladder.
Travelers would get up to the help desk to be told they also have to wait on people with the QR code. I called our travel agent Linda she could not access the system, so I asked her to secure a room. She did, I was one of the lucky ones. Now the largest airport in the world saw a domino effect. No monitor worked. One tech setting up the ladder to reboot one monitor, I asked him approximately how many CPU and monitor needing to be individually rebooted in the Atlanta airport: he estimated 3000.
Pilots, attendants not available for the flights, planes dead heading it. Now 6 pm on Friday I found a taxi and headed to the hotel. Calling the 800 number I was able to secure a flight out to Honduras early Sunday Morning.,…. so 6:30am at the airport , checked in told flight was on time. At boarding time announced a delay until 10:30 am.
Airport, every gate all chairs taken, floor with sleeping bodies, people camping out, hall ways packs and difficult to navigate.
11:30 flight canceled: the main monitor demonstrated the crisis. Flights canceled to Central America and could be canceled daily.
I decided to get the flight back to CLE After 1 hour on hold on the 1-800 line they were able to get me the last seat. Delayed 4 hours I made it back to Cleveland without my luggage and home by 8 pm Sunday night.
But there is more to the story: the calm and kindness of every Delta staff was amazing, the bathroom attendants were posted at the doors and were cleaning constantly. At an airport restaurant a young women sat across from me and unexpectlly paid for my meal. My taxi cap driver asked me what I did. He, Lekan from Nigeria, upon hearing what I did recalled that on Friday he drove two eye surgeons to the airport. We discovered it was the two traveling to work in the Robles clinic. He tells me he has dreamed of doing something for his native country. He shared the problems common to many underdeveloped countries and the death of his sister. He felt he could never do it as he was not wealthy. We shared our faith, I shared the concept and website of CAMO and miracles along the way encourage him to believe in miracles. We shared contact info. On Sunday Lekan picked me up to take me back to the airport, and shared with me he had been thinking all night and was so encouraged by the model and the miracle of CAMO. It gave him hope that he could do that for his native country.
The airport crowded with individuals, groups and families stranded….. but everyone calm, kind, helpful. When flight crew made it to the gate on flights that had been delayed for many hours the crowd cheered.
No matter what might be going on in the world we are capable of kindness, calm and unity. The situation at the Alanta airport had people from every corner of the world, every belief represented and there was unity!! We have so much to learn from every situation, WHEN WE choose to see the good in those very difficult times and all people!
FYI, Loretta has for 26 years, not consecutive, served CAMO a week each February or March, and now since retirement eight years ago, serves annually for two weeks, certainly being a fruitful and worthy ministry with its base right here in Orrville, Wayne Co OH. Thanks Kathy for sharing. Fortunately, Loretta & I Monday morning, while headed thru Houston to the Republic of Panama experienced no such difficulties, actually even better than our last trip in May. Minutes ago we learned the Croatia airports have been hacked during the last hours, hopefully not being a new norm.