Last week I had the privilege and pleasure of conducting a double symbolic wedding in the Dominican Republic. We’ve known this was coming for three years ever since I officiated at the wedding of Devonne and Jenn. Back then, they had approximately ten wedding guests and expressed the hope of renewing their vows in the Caribbean in the presence of family and friends from the Islands. Jenn’s sister, whose extended family also lives in the Caribbean, decided to renew her vows, too. It turned out to be a hugely emotional experience, especially for Devonne’s mother who had not seen her son for five years and had never met her new daughter-in-law and two grandsons.
There was one glitch. On the morning of our departure we examined our e-ticket and discovered that I had depended on a month old e-mail that said we were flying out at 3:15 p.m. whereas a more recent itinerary said that our flight was leaving at 10 a.m. This was heart-stopping news at 7:15 a.m. on a Friday morning when I thought I had enough time to finish some work at the church.
Faced with rush hour traffic and still wondering which departure time was correct, we doubted that we would make it to Pearson International to board a 10 a.m. flight. But we had to try. So we raced out of the house and hit the 401 praying. Then a miracle happened. The traffic was unexpectedly light and we were reduced to a crawl only twice, at Yonge Street and then again by the 400. But each time we quickly picked up speed, allowing us to reach the parking lot of the Double Tree Hotel in 50 minutes!
As we parked, the airport shuttle pulled up. “I thought I’d come to this end of the lot to see if anyone needed a ride,” the driver said cheerfully. We explained our dilemma. He said, “I know a short cut.”
At Terminal 1 we raced inside. The check in area was deserted. We ran to the counter where two airline employees asked, “Are you Peter and Marja Slofstra?” We said yes and showed them our conflicting itineraries. Sounding like the host of The Amazing Race, one of them said, “You are the last two to arrive.” They quickly checked our baggage and urged us to race to our Gate. We had made it with only seven minutes to spare!
After the wedding, we told Devonne and Jenn about our mad rush to the airport and the miraculous way that God had parted rush hour traffic for us like he parted the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites. Devonne’s immediate response was to say, “Man, that’s a hopeful story!”
And that’s why I’m telling it here.
- Pastor Peter
There was one glitch. On the morning of our departure we examined our e-ticket and discovered that I had depended on a month old e-mail that said we were flying out at 3:15 p.m. whereas a more recent itinerary said that our flight was leaving at 10 a.m. This was heart-stopping news at 7:15 a.m. on a Friday morning when I thought I had enough time to finish some work at the church.
Faced with rush hour traffic and still wondering which departure time was correct, we doubted that we would make it to Pearson International to board a 10 a.m. flight. But we had to try. So we raced out of the house and hit the 401 praying. Then a miracle happened. The traffic was unexpectedly light and we were reduced to a crawl only twice, at Yonge Street and then again by the 400. But each time we quickly picked up speed, allowing us to reach the parking lot of the Double Tree Hotel in 50 minutes!
As we parked, the airport shuttle pulled up. “I thought I’d come to this end of the lot to see if anyone needed a ride,” the driver said cheerfully. We explained our dilemma. He said, “I know a short cut.”
At Terminal 1 we raced inside. The check in area was deserted. We ran to the counter where two airline employees asked, “Are you Peter and Marja Slofstra?” We said yes and showed them our conflicting itineraries. Sounding like the host of The Amazing Race, one of them said, “You are the last two to arrive.” They quickly checked our baggage and urged us to race to our Gate. We had made it with only seven minutes to spare!
After the wedding, we told Devonne and Jenn about our mad rush to the airport and the miraculous way that God had parted rush hour traffic for us like he parted the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites. Devonne’s immediate response was to say, “Man, that’s a hopeful story!”
And that’s why I’m telling it here.
- Pastor Peter
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