Tuesday, April 24, 2007

My Flight was, "The Bomb!"

Fear and Loathing in San Antonio

Last week’s mission trip to Mexico included a very rare plane trip back from Harlingen airport because I had a gig in Dallas on Saturday night. Yes, besides being a Pastor and writer, the Brewer moonlights as a rock star on the side. (Joshuarising.com)

We had taken six thousand pairs of shoes to Brownsville, done a food outreach in the trash dumps of Matamoras Mexico and a really cool, hour long, live radio interview at K.I.R.T. in Mission Texas.

The team of people with us had to drive back but I opted to take two of my kids on a short plane trip to love field. I was supposed to do a sound check at the Hilton in Grapevine at two O’clock. Sounded like a great plan but of course there would be a story to tell.

At what was supposed to be a short layover in San Antonio, we were evacuated and had the hounds released on us as FBI agents combed for a bomb that had been reported to be on our very plane. I thought for a while that I was headed to Guantonimo Bay.

The Associated Press put it this way:

SAN ANTONIO — About 100 passengers evacuated from a plane headed for Dallas today after San Antonio International Airport received a bomb threat, authorities said.

The airport received several calls this morning saying a bomb was in Terminal One, airport spokesman David Hebert said. Around 10:30 a.m., a caller referred specifically to the Dallas-bound flight.

Hebert declined to release the name of the airline, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

The passengers were evacuated and the plane was taken to a safe zone where airport police and a canine unit found nothing following a search, Hebert said.

The passengers were allowed to board again after a two-hour wait. The FBI is investigating, he said.

Snakes On A plane

I find it very interesting that there are no reports of the people they arrested even though I saw them taken off of the plane. We had just been cleared to leave San Antonio when they stopped the plane, reopened the door, and escorted one person out.

I think the airline handled the whole situation very well, however I would like to be fully reimbursed for my ruined underwear. I might be an awesome man of God but I’m a big fat chicken when it comes to airplanes. There is something about bombs and 39,000 ft that make those complimentary peanuts run right through me.

By the grace of God and a bottle of Pepto, I was not only able to make my gig but actually play a set in front of four thousand people with all parts intact. It was a great night.

Teflon Coated

There is really no telling what all God is protecting us from. I think it’s worth noting that the Lord is taking care of us in different areas that we don’t have a clue about. He is no doubt eliminating threats the way we lock cabinets and pick up sharp objects before our little ones even come into the room. I want to give God credit for all the ways He is protecting me in areas where I could never really give him credit for.

My kids are not sure what they think about their very first flight but I assured them it’ll make a great story to tell the Grandkids someday. For that matter it might make for an interesting newspaper column.

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust. Psalms 91: 1&2

Contact: The Brewer welcomes your input at FFTB@OpenDoorMinistries.org or call me @ 817-297-7783. For information about our church, please visit us online at www.OpenDoorMinistries.org

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