God often works in ways that are supernatural to us, but when we think about it are no big deal for Him. Recently, I was coming back from a work trip in California. I had gotten onto my plane, and my aisle seat was occupied so I ended up sitting in a middle seat on a different row. I'm pretty easy going and didn't really care where I sat, just really wanted to get home.
I like to chat with people on airplanes. You can meet some of the most interesting people during traveling and since there isn't much else to do, most people are pretty open for a chat. I started talking to the woman who was sitting on my right and she ended up being a pretty interesting lady. She moved from Chicago to LA to take a teaching job and founded a charter school with an emphasis in helping autistic children. She was super fascinating to talk with. Well in the course of the conversation I told her that I worked for a Christian, non-profit organization that works on college campuses helping students build community and to become leaders. She thought that was pretty cool, and it was obvious that we both shared a heart for helping people.
During the course of our conversation, the guy on my left had been kind of waking up, then he would pull himself up with the seat in front of him and look over to the right at a group of three people, make sure they were okay, and then he would sit back down, kind of adjust his seat, close his eyes and rest. I had noticed him when I first got onto the plane and thought he might be a Nepali man, but wasn't sure and since I wasn't sure if he was sleeping or not, I didn't want to disturb him. Well of course the drink cart came by, and me and the other lady got our drinks and we left the man to sleep. I debated on waking him, but decided it was better not to. So when he woke and unsuccessfully tried to wave down the flight attendant for drinks, I decided to help.
Well it turns out this guy was flying from Nepal to Omaha, Nebraska with his wife, young daughter and parents. They had a very long and difficult journey and were nearing the end. He spoke English but very little and it was clear he was going through massive culture shock and was of course extremely tired. I had some snacks in my bag that I handed to him and made sure to get him a glass of water. He ate the peanuts so fast. I started trying to ask him more questions, but he didn't understand much and I'm sure the exhaustion didn't help. I asked him if he knew where to go next, and he didn't have any idea. The only help provided was a tag around his neck with all his information on it, and an envelope sticking out of it that was written "Please write my gate number here. Thank you." Poor guy was never going to be able to navigate Denver Airport with just a gate number. I told him to stay close to me and I would help him. In the midst of interacting with him, the lady on my other side had gotten interested and started asking me questions about this man. I told her a little bit about the community of Refugees in the US who are ethnically Nepali but have lived in Bhutan for a hundred plus years, recently fled Bhutan to Nepal, and now have been given the opportunity to come to the US, Australia or Europe. My husband and I are actively involved with a community of people in his exact same situation in our city. She began to really emote with this guy. By the time she was getting off the plane, she was so moved that she really wanted to help, and asked me if I thought it was okay for her to give them some money. It was so amazing to watch her go from mildly interested in this guy to honestly wanting to help.
We got off the plane and I led them through the Denver airport and prayed that I would have enough time to get them settled in and get to my own gate which was about 40 gates apart. We had less than an hour. I was traveling with a friend who ran ahead of me to our gate so that he could save me if worse came to worse and I headed through the Denver airport with 4 bewildered and exhausted people on my heels. We got to their gate, and I gave them a contact number that I hope they will use. My husband really wanted to stay in contact with them. I made sure they had everything and gave them the money the lady had given me on the plane. I couldn't stay long because of my flight. I ran into my friend on the way and he said our gate had been moved so we were just a little ways away instead of all the way down the terminal.
The best part about that whole story is that after paying lip service to my being a Christian, the lady I was sitting next to got to see Christ in action. I cared about someone who we had both seen be pushed aside by the flight attendants, and showed her that Christians are more than lip service. Being a Christian is action. She asked me if she could give them money and I wasn't sure how he would react if she just handed him money, so I asked her if she minded giving it to me and I could use it to get them a meal. I told her that I would for sure to use it on them. She told me that she trusted me because I was a Christian type.
After all that was over and I was on my last plane, I sat in my seat praising the Lord for the way He works. He loves all of us enough to change our lives a bit to make sure His children get taken care of. I pray that the lady whose name is Amy, will come to know the kindness and goodness of the Lord, and I prayed that Tara and his family would have peace in their travel and find people to help them when they arrive. It was so fun to be able to help people and to demonstrate that Christians are servants first. Just as God is our "ever present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1), so should Christians be a help in times of trouble. To Him alone is due all the praise, honor and glory.
I like to chat with people on airplanes. You can meet some of the most interesting people during traveling and since there isn't much else to do, most people are pretty open for a chat. I started talking to the woman who was sitting on my right and she ended up being a pretty interesting lady. She moved from Chicago to LA to take a teaching job and founded a charter school with an emphasis in helping autistic children. She was super fascinating to talk with. Well in the course of the conversation I told her that I worked for a Christian, non-profit organization that works on college campuses helping students build community and to become leaders. She thought that was pretty cool, and it was obvious that we both shared a heart for helping people.During the course of our conversation, the guy on my left had been kind of waking up, then he would pull himself up with the seat in front of him and look over to the right at a group of three people, make sure they were okay, and then he would sit back down, kind of adjust his seat, close his eyes and rest. I had noticed him when I first got onto the plane and thought he might be a Nepali man, but wasn't sure and since I wasn't sure if he was sleeping or not, I didn't want to disturb him. Well of course the drink cart came by, and me and the other lady got our drinks and we left the man to sleep. I debated on waking him, but decided it was better not to. So when he woke and unsuccessfully tried to wave down the flight attendant for drinks, I decided to help.
Well it turns out this guy was flying from Nepal to Omaha, Nebraska with his wife, young daughter and parents. They had a very long and difficult journey and were nearing the end. He spoke English but very little and it was clear he was going through massive culture shock and was of course extremely tired. I had some snacks in my bag that I handed to him and made sure to get him a glass of water. He ate the peanuts so fast. I started trying to ask him more questions, but he didn't understand much and I'm sure the exhaustion didn't help. I asked him if he knew where to go next, and he didn't have any idea. The only help provided was a tag around his neck with all his information on it, and an envelope sticking out of it that was written "Please write my gate number here. Thank you." Poor guy was never going to be able to navigate Denver Airport with just a gate number. I told him to stay close to me and I would help him. In the midst of interacting with him, the lady on my other side had gotten interested and started asking me questions about this man. I told her a little bit about the community of Refugees in the US who are ethnically Nepali but have lived in Bhutan for a hundred plus years, recently fled Bhutan to Nepal, and now have been given the opportunity to come to the US, Australia or Europe. My husband and I are actively involved with a community of people in his exact same situation in our city. She began to really emote with this guy. By the time she was getting off the plane, she was so moved that she really wanted to help, and asked me if I thought it was okay for her to give them some money. It was so amazing to watch her go from mildly interested in this guy to honestly wanting to help.
We got off the plane and I led them through the Denver airport and prayed that I would have enough time to get them settled in and get to my own gate which was about 40 gates apart. We had less than an hour. I was traveling with a friend who ran ahead of me to our gate so that he could save me if worse came to worse and I headed through the Denver airport with 4 bewildered and exhausted people on my heels. We got to their gate, and I gave them a contact number that I hope they will use. My husband really wanted to stay in contact with them. I made sure they had everything and gave them the money the lady had given me on the plane. I couldn't stay long because of my flight. I ran into my friend on the way and he said our gate had been moved so we were just a little ways away instead of all the way down the terminal.
The best part about that whole story is that after paying lip service to my being a Christian, the lady I was sitting next to got to see Christ in action. I cared about someone who we had both seen be pushed aside by the flight attendants, and showed her that Christians are more than lip service. Being a Christian is action. She asked me if she could give them money and I wasn't sure how he would react if she just handed him money, so I asked her if she minded giving it to me and I could use it to get them a meal. I told her that I would for sure to use it on them. She told me that she trusted me because I was a Christian type.
After all that was over and I was on my last plane, I sat in my seat praising the Lord for the way He works. He loves all of us enough to change our lives a bit to make sure His children get taken care of. I pray that the lady whose name is Amy, will come to know the kindness and goodness of the Lord, and I prayed that Tara and his family would have peace in their travel and find people to help them when they arrive. It was so fun to be able to help people and to demonstrate that Christians are servants first. Just as God is our "ever present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1), so should Christians be a help in times of trouble. To Him alone is due all the praise, honor and glory.
Thanks for sharing, Andrea. Such an encouraging story of God's deep and orchestrated love.
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