It was travel day, (which sometimes can feel more like a week with all the different modes of transportation that we take). Nevertheless, today was the day that we would leave Africa and head to Asia for the last 5 months of the race.
A mix of nervousness and excitement swirled within me as I thought about what Asia could bring. I was stepping into a new chapter with some ideas of what to expect while also not being sure if any of those expectations would actually be met by my experience.
I then boarded our 2nd flight, an overnight flight from Johannesburg to Abu Dhabi and found myself sitting next to a stranger. Normally I would be sat next to one of my squad mates but this time I wasn’t. I immediately felt that it must be for a reason.
I sat down and introduced myself to a woman sitting next to me.
She told me that her name was Lily and that she was from the U.K. and was traveling back home from visiting her brother and sister-in-law in South Africa.
She seemed quite friendly so I begun to ask her questions.
What did she think of South Africa? Where was she from in the U.K.?
Soon enough she was asking me questions about my life. Why was I traveling? Where was I going?
She seemed open and genuinely interested so I began to tell her about the World Race (and more than you tell the average person you meet who asks you why you are in the country).
I shared why I came on the race, what our mission and focus is and then begun to ask her about what she believed.
Before I share more I do want to let you know that I am going to share more generally about what Lily and I talked about leaving out some details out of respect for her because I did not specially ask if I could share her story.
She talked about her parents growing up as part of two different religions but then abandoning them both later in life leaving her to grow up apart from the church.
She talked about believing in positive energy and possibly a God but being unsure if one really existed. She also had a few tattoos that were related to the Islamic faith.
Talking to her only made me more curious about understanding what she believed and where it all came from.
As we continued talking and went back and forth asking each other questions I found that she prayed to God each and every night before she went to bed, and also believed in heaven.
The night went on and she got up to walk around and stretch her legs and when she got back I could tell that she had been crying.
I offered tissue, rubbed her shoulder and asked her what was wrong.
She then opened up to being sad about leaving her family in South Africa behind.
At this point we had spent a few hours together talking about our lives and being open and honest about many different things that I felt that I could push further.
I then asked her more questions and she begun to share more about all the hurt and pain that she had experienced in her family, and many different close relationships that she had.
She had no idea that my heart was breaking with each word that came out of her mouth as she shared her story.
If only she knew the fathers heart for her. My heart longed for her to know.
Soon it was dinnertime, (meaning it was actually like 11 or 12 at night since they always feed you at weird times on planes) so we shared a meal together and kept talking.
With every opportunity I shared more of what I believed and she listened kindly, but didn’t seem interested in accepting it for herself.
So I continued to sit with her, listen to her, laugh with her and show her that she mattered. Because if she didn’t believe my words about Jesus I was hoping that something the Lord did through me would speak to her. I was hoping something would leave her curious, something would strike a cord even if it was after I had left and we had parted ways.
Soon we were landing and exchanging contact information. I knew that I wanted to continue to talk to her in the future if she was willing.
We smiled and talked about how we had fun spending time together and walked off the plane.
When I think back on our time together my heart still aches as I remember her story and long for her to find the Lord and experience healing. But, I trust that I did all I could do. I trust that what I shared was what I was supposed to share and that the time we spent together was not a waste.
I trust in the Lord’s sovereignty and goodness, but I don’t want to let that make me inactive.
I still want to pray over her even if I’m nowhere near her or don’t see her for the rest of my life. Impact can still be made even from a distance.
So, please join me in praying for sweet sweet Lily and for the Lord’s winning of her heart.
Thanks again 🙂
