Why I Like Airport Pick Ups

My last post described one of my airport pick up adventures. When I first began this job, I thought I preferred the drop offs rather than the pick ups. With the drop offs, my main concern is that I get them to the airport in a timely manner. Usually that is the extent to which my services are needed. The students have typically stayed up all night to say goodbye and thus sleep on the way to the airport. Also, I tend to get the middle-of-the-night-leave-at-3:30 am shifts so that contributes to the zombie passengers. The zombie state means I don’t need to engage the student in an hour and a half of English. Also, the students have just spent time studying English so they can usually understand me. The middle of the night also means it is unlikely I will find myself in a traffic jam. After the drop off, I am free to sing, pray, think, or listen to audio books as I travel home worry free. To top it off, I’m awake for the sunrise. All in all, it’s a pretty sweet gig.

Airport pick ups, on the other hand, are quite stressful. I have to make sure I’m there at the correct escalator and on time. There are any number of variables that could go wrong. 

The student could miss their flight. (Happened.)

The student might have friends pick them up and never inform my company. (Happened.)

The arrivals board may have incorrect info. (Happens all the time.)

I may interpret the info incorrectly and stand at the wrong escalator. (Happened.)

The student’s flight might be delayed again and again until I end up finally finished with my shift at 3:00 am. (Happened.)

Their bags may not arrive safely. (Has not happened yet, but only a matter of time.)

They may speak and understand English well. (Happens frequently.)

They may speak and understand English as well as I understand their language. (Happened.)

While I still enjoy airport drop offs, the pick ups are growing on me. One reason I like the pick ups is that God is using it in major ways to stretch me to trust Him. It is also great practice for this control-freak planner to learn to deal with unpredictables and how to engage strangers who happen to be internationals. Another reason I like them is because I get to watch the reunions that take place at the airport. The other night I watched an elderly Indian lady pause as she approached her son and grandson, overcome with the emotion of actually seeing them in person. 

My final reason for enjoying this part of my job is that I get to be an Ambassador to these students. I am the first face they see as they enter a strange and foreign place. When I’m standing in the correct place holding the sign with their name on it, they can breathe a sigh of relief knowing they are not alone in this strange new world and now have an advocate. I get to see these students on campus and around the international school later on as they get settled. Their faces light up when they see me and recognize I was their first friend. They then tell me about how life has been good and hard thus far in their time in my city. One young man told me this last week that he was so thankful for me. He said that I deserved the highest marks and a reward for being so kind. He said that I gave him such a positive impact as the first American he had met. He thanked me several times and said he hoped he would see me again.

What a joy that I have the chance to represent our country so well. It has made me ponder about my life as a Christian as well. As believers, we have the same opportunity when we meet others. To a stranger, we may be the first person to represent Jesus to them. Maybe they have had wrong exposures to Jesus in the past and maybe we get the chance to be the first person to represent Him well. At the same time, we can also be bad representatives. It makes me evaluate my actions. Am I kind when a frustrating problem arises in a business transaction and I need to talk with customer service? Am I gracious to a server who has been on their feet all day? Am I polite to the Walmart worker who may be going through a really tough family crisis? Do I exude truth in love or truth in condemnation? I imagine that if I continue to pursue strangers-turned-friends with love, one day they will say to me with bright eyes, you were my first exposure to Jesus. I thank you so much.