Casey Sousa dot com

Sunday – Longest Day Ever & Trip Recap

// February 12th, 2006 // Philippines

We got a wake up call at 6 am and had a buffet breakfast on the 31st floor then headed to the airport on a non-aircon bus at 8:45 am. Again we waited on the bus for about 45 minutes before it left. We might still be waiting there if it weren�t for an older Filipino woman getting off and going inside to �raise hell� as she put it.

We went though security again and waited for about 3 hours to board the plane, and then we took off. We flew north almost to Japan, and then caught the jet stream back to the States. We watched 3 movies and ate 2 meals during the 12 hour flight. We landed at 8:50 am US Pacific time and got to baggage claim. Our bags and trunks were the last ones off so we were heading home to RCC at about 11:15 am. I was glad to be home even though the trip prior to Manila was really good. I missed the smell of the U.S. as well as the nice mild humidity we have in SoCal.

This was the longest day of the trip because we got up at 6 am on Sunday, and then I didn’t go to sleep until I was back home in the U.S. until about 11 pm on Sunday night (which is 3 pm on Monday afternoon in the Philippines). For those of you who struggle with math, (don’t be offended, I raised my hand, too) that’s 33 hours straight. I tried to sleep on the plane, but I couldn’t fall asleep for various reasons: person next to me fidgeting, lights coming on for meals, having to get up to let someone out of the row (I was in the aisle seat), and watching movies.

Overall, I really enjoyed the trip. God used several experiences that I had to teach me about Himself and about who I was. Many of them are too personal to share on this website, however I would like to share one.

Being in the jungle away from all the busyness of life was something I had never really experienced. Hearing the loud sounds of millions of crickets and other critters instead of honking car horns and the hum-drum of people talking is something I won’t soon forget. Images of lush green mountains and the smiles of truly happy people are etched in my mind forever. The simplicity of life in the jungle is something that grew on me. It opened up my eyes to see that I place too much importance on “things” in life that are of zero eternal value. Chasing after financial riches, social status, and material possessions is a futile effort. What will it gain me? Well, I have gained money in my life, but I must continually part with it. Will it satisfy me? I have lots of “stuff” but it does not satisfy me because I always want more. True satisfaction and gain can only be found in the salvation that comes from Jesus Christ and the relationship that continually seeks to draw nearer to Him.

I want to close this journal with one of my favorite quotes by Marcel Proust. For all of you who did not take this journey with me, I hope that you are inspired to take a journey of your own very soon.

About the drawing: A good friend of mine in college, Megan, and I were walking one evening and we saw a crape myrtle tree that had shed all but one of its pink blooms on the grass around it. We both noticed it and how beautiful it was. The next time I saw her, she gave the above drawing to me. I have treasured it ever since.