It could be likened to the triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Just the way that particular entry into Jerusalem was spectacular than the previous, so also was this entry to Canada for me.
The triumphant entry of the Lord was done with him riding on an Ass; mine was done through the airport as against my previous entries which were through the land borders from the US.
The Lord entered into Jerusalem with him being acknowledged as the Messiah and the king, my entry was as a Permanent Residence as against the previous visits a just tourist.
Christ previous visits to Jerusalem will probably be with just his disciples but the triumphant entry was with mammoth crowd. I was a lone traveler on my previous entries but this time around, the entry was with my whole family.
You will sure agree with me that it was a glorious entry.
The journey was on Ethiopian airline, the flight was for 1.35 pm on Monday 16th Dec. 2013. The check-in process was seamless with the usual “do Christmas for us” by the officers.
The first lap of the journey was for 5 hours 10 minutes to Addis Ababa and the meal on board was okay, the flight entertainment system was also nice with something to interest every one. Nigerian movies, cartoon for the kids etc. My kids had a field day with the games.
The stopover was for just 1 hour 55 minutes. This was one of the deciding considerations for choosing the airline. The journey continued at 10.40pm Addis Ababa time for another 6 hours 10 minutes stopping at Rome, Italy for 1 hour for refueling and change of Crew.
The last lap of the trip and the longest was for about 9.30 minutes arriving Pearson International airport, Toronto at about 8.00 am local time. Though the total flying time was about 22 hours, I and my family landed with strength and vigor, we had enough sleep during the flight.
My first action upon landing was to quickly use my wife's MTN BB phone which automatically picked Rogers wireless to log into my account to check that the part of the POF which was in the account is still intact. And then I made my Naira Mastercard to be within reach in case there's need to confirm at the point of entry.
We proceeded to the Canada Border Service Agents and told them that we are Permanent Residents that are just landing, our international passports were requested and after checking and scanning they were handed back to me and we were referred to another section for the proper landing process.
The queue at the next section was short and in about 10 minutes it was our turn. The whole process was very fast about 30minutes in all, before we knew what was happening we found ourselves in the arrival hall, we had to go back to one of the Canada Border Service Agents to confirm if that was all and she said yes. I and my wife had to start arguing with ourselves that the landing process couldn't have been concluded that fast. But we went back to give them our list of goods to follow, though no goods will likely follow.
No one asked us about fund, no one even asked for what we have in our bags. In fact the Lady that attended to us asked us to take a seat while she signs the COPRs and conclude the whole process.
At the point of claiming our baggage, we had to get trolleys with 2 CAD per trolley, since I was not having any CAD on me, I had to withdraw from the Travelex ATM at the baggage reclaim area. I latter realized that the conversion rate of N161.37 to a CAD that I got from the Travelex ATM at the airport was higher than the ones that belong to banks. My subsequent withdrawals and purchases on the POS with my Naira Master cards were converted at rates between N152 to N154 to a CAD. So note that you'll get better rates on banks ATMs outside the airport.
Other processes have been seamless as well, we now have SIN numbers, we have opened accounts and apply for credit cards. I have also gotten a telephone line.
Pa Seglad and Ma Seglad have been so so wonderful, taking us to all the places we need to be and giving all the required direction even with their very tight schedule. I was just wondering how we would have been able to cope without them, not with the very chilling weather. I pray that the Lord will continue to uphold them.
Walking out of the airport last Tuesday into the cold morning, I watched as my daughter scooped snow with her hand in excitement saying she wanted to make snowman. I felt exited too, but not as a result of the snow but because of our new status: Permanent Residents. I flashed my mind to 2009 when I conceived this vision and then remembered the words of Prophet Habakkuk in chapter 3 of his book which says:
“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
