I watched it years ago and I would never forget it. Recently I could not resist to watch it again. It is the same now its gonna stay in my mind for other couple of days. I would define this movie with a single word, 'Hope'..
In addition to what Debbie Wallace has given reasoning for Deena K. About the Venezuala part, the father had known it because John who had just witnessed two deaths, one by his own hands was just not in sanity and by mistake puts his jacket openly on the chair in which tickets to Venezuala was kept. Father notices it. John was so tired that he fell asleep beside his baby. It was by mistake he found out. But Its blessing in disguise, John's parents might visit him after the dust settles.