A Reflection by Fr. Brian:

(a personal story of Hurricane Harvey, continued from May 13)

So, in the afternoon of our third day in the terminal, they put our group on a Spirit airline plane bound for Chicago. Apparently, this was the only available airplane at the airport. And, off we flew to Chicago, trying to figure out how we were going to get back to the Rio Grande Valley!

As we approached Chicago, the pilot came on and told us that we would have to circle the airport for about an hour because there was a ground stop on all flights due to thunderstorms. What else could happen, we thought!

We finally landed at O’Hare and were met by a United Rep. who escorted us clear across the terminal to the United Help Desk where we had to wait in a very long line to book a flight back to South Texas.

Finally, after having to stand in line for an hour or two, I reached the desk. The man there looked frazzled with all the rebookings he had to do. He said, “How can I help you?” I said, “I’m going to make your day!” “I have a group of 27 pilgrims who need to find a way back to the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, can you help us?

“Well……”, he said, “you will have to break up the group and I’m going to have to put your group on several flights on another airline (American).” I said, “That’s fine, at least we’ll get back to the RGV.”

So, our group was booked on five separate flights into Dallas-Fort Worth. We left Chicago and arrived in Dallas late the third day. We couldn’t get a flight out until the next morning, so we caught some sleep in the terminal before our morning flight the next day.

(Stay tuned tomorrow for the conclusion of the saga of the Damien pilgrims!)