Memories

Each year when my birthday comes around in March,  I remember back to the time when Maeva, Aunt Allyne and Uncle James left to be missionaries in Uruguay, South America. They left in March of  1965 right before my birthday…I was almost 9- I was NOT very mission-minded at the time.  In fact, I was mostly just plain mad that my first cousin was leaving me! I never dreamed how this event could change my life for better. Little did I know that this would allow me to make a first airplane trip, a first trip out of the United States, a first exposure to a different language, my first meal of pizza,…and a love for missions that I don’t believe I would have ever had without those experiences. 

The first week of  June  1967,  just after finishing 5th grade, we boarded a ?Braniff? Eastern…727? plane at Lovefield , Dallas (there was no DFW, and in New York,  Idylwild airport had  been renamed JFK after the assassination in 1963. Mother had sold her cow to help pay for our airfare.  Lynn and I were dressed in our Sunday best. I think we wore sleeveless blue a-line dresses with white sweaters (it would be cold in Montevideo) and white patent shoes with lace topped anklets. I remember that most of, if not all the men on the flight had on suits and the women were dressed much more formally than is popular now.

There were no Jetways in Dallas, so Daddy would have watched us climb the steps from behind the fence on the tarmac or possibly from the waiting area in the airport. There were no security lines, no worries of bombs on board, the only worry was when we saw the wing flaps move up and down on take off.   Mother read from the book of Daniel  to give Lynn (and I’m sure me as well) some extra courage. Smoking was allowed (I think even encouraged) on the plane. When we left Brazil – they even gave cigarettes in the hospitality package. Amazing that there were first class meals served – lots of fresh fruit, snacks and even free give a ways!

We arrived in New York and disembarked through the jetway to the most international place I’d ever been…I do remember looking out the plate glass windows watching the planes and straining for a glimpse of NYC. I remember seeing people dressed so differently – long mid-eastern robes and Indian attire…completely different from anything two little girls from east Texas had ever seen.  I do remember seeing skyscrapers from the plane and thinking that we could see the Statue of Liberty – My memory is very faint and perhaps mixed with memories from other times.

So what does all this have to do with our trip next month – well, it was the first time Mother, Lynn and I had been to New York. I’m hoping Mother and Lynn will add/correct anything that they remember differently.

Maeva  helped me remember that we brought Barbie Dolls for her friends in Montevideo…I remember the apartment by the ocean, walking on the beach, collecting shells, going to the parque, the caterpillar ride, the tarantula that I accidentally touched, Nuevo Paris, attending church, first pizza, Maeva’s school, and several other things from that trip, but very little about the airport. There were some other interesting things about other parts of our trip – but we’ll just leave it at this.

Can’t wait to make more memories – Now, I keep a journal – it helps preserve those memories! And that reminds me  Elms sisters – we need to get you a journal! You’ll need something to do on the plane and late at night in the hotel!