On June 4th, 2022, three Ten2 Project teams waited in the Lyon airport for their flight to Amsterdam, where they expected to board connecting flights to their locations across Europe. What they didn’t know was that worker strikes and understaffing had immobilized the Amsterdam airport. All they could do was watch as their flights went from delayed to cancelled.
Among the teams facing this issue was a group of four girls—Hannah, Olivia, Kate, and Ashley—heading to Wales. As it became clear that they would not leave France that day, they and the other stranded teams switched into problem-solving mode. Unable to talk with the gate agent, they texted back and forth with other Ten2 Project leaders, trying to figure out what could be done and what steps needed to be taken.
Ten2 leader Mike Taylor was still in France and stepped in to help. After securing rooms for all the teams at his hotel, Mike went to bat with the airline, determined to get the Ten2-ers where they needed to go. After much negotiation, the best the agent was able to offer was a flight that left on Tuesday—three days later.
The girls of the Wales team were tired, frustrated, discouraged and exhausted.If they didn’t arrive in Wales until Tuesday, they would miss half a week of training that was instrumental to their adjustment to Wales. Though the tension of the situation was pressing on them, they refused to lose sight of why they were there in the first place: to serve the Lord and be obedient to his call. They reminded each other that “the moment we start complaining is the moment the enemy’s schemes start winning.”
As they spent the evening in their hotel room eating snacks, reading Scripture and chatting, one of the long-term Wales missionaries texted Hannah. He said that he had found a possible travel option that would get them to Wales sooner, but itwould meanflying from Lyon to Dublin and then catching a ferry to Holyhead, Wales. Hope spread among the team and the plan was quickly put into action by the Ten2 leaders traveling with them.
The next morning, the girls were in high spirits. As she stepped onto the plane, Hannah said a quick prayer, telling the Lord that she was going to talk about him to whoever would sit next to her.
It didn’t take Hannah long to strike up a conversation with her seatmate—a Scottish woman named Soom. After Hannah told her that she was going to Scotland for a mission trip, Soom smiled and revealed a shirt with the words, “Get ready, Jesus is coming back soon.” It kicked off an instant connection between Hannah and Soom, as they knew they were sisters in the family of Christ.
Hannah soon learned that Soom came to Jesus while she was searching for truth and spirituality. After she had a vision of Jesus, she sought out the nearest church and started reading the Bible. Her life was soon transformed.
Prior to knowing Christ, Soom had a successful career in reggae music, so she redirected that talent for the Lord by joining a Christian missionary band. She makes and wears shirts like the one she showed Hannah so that wherever she is, people can see Jesus even if they don’t ask.
All too soon the plane landed and Hannah and Soom had to part ways, but not before exchanging numbers and promises to pray for the other’s ministry.
As the team finished their journey to Wales they could not help but see how God had used every difficulty for good. He had provided them with rest, encouragement and opportunities to do ministry even before they arrived in Wales. Where originally they had been concerned that the travel issues would delay their ministry in Europe, God had reminded them that they didn’t have to wait to arrive in Wales to start ministering to those around them!
Emma Campbell is a Ten2 storyteller with Greater Europe Mission and serves in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Hannah Lent is a Ten2 volunteer with Greater Europe Mission and serves in Caernarfon, Wales.
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