Yesterday we began traveling from Malaysia to Guatemala. In true World Race fashion this travel day is no easy feat. This is our longest travel day yet, it includes 3 airplane rides ranging from 4.5hrs to 13hrs, two layovers 8 and 10hrs respectively and a bus ride from Guatemala City to Antigua. So in total the traveling spans about 40+hrs. But right now I am sitting on my last flight, from LAX to Guatemala City and I’m sitting in first class, with one of my best friends beside me, who is almost in tears, because we have been blessed ten fold by an angel I met in the airport.
Let me tell you about my angel and how we met.
For our long layover in LAX people on the squad had plans to go adventuring, spending time with family, friends, boyfriends and enjoying the few hours in America. My day was pretty low-key, I got to have lunch with my grandma and then make a pit stop at REI to replace some gear and it was back at the airport to hang out till our flight at 11:55pm. I got to the airport and checked in as soon as I could, none of my squad was around; they were all out and about. After I checked my bags I headed to my gate.
We were flying Delta Airlines, one I have not flown very often. At the gates there was chaos ensuing. Two flights at neighboring gates were headed to Las Vegas. One had been delayed for a long time due to mechanical issues and the other had become fully booked from people switching flights. There were a lot of unhappy people at the gates, the desk workers were doing their best to keep the peace, and they had been providing snacks and sandwiches to the delayed passengers.
I approached my gate desk to ask the worker if I was at the correct gate. There was a man shouting and banging his hand on the desk, he was clearly very angry and was being incredibly rude. He left the desk and went to the gate across the terminal to do the same thing at another desk. (They eventually brought cops over to deal with him) I felt really bad for the ladies behind the counter. They have no control over delays but they face the brunt of the angry customers.
After walking away from the counter I heard God whisper to me, “Buy them flowers.” I was like “what the?” But this month we have been doing ATL, ask the Lord, and I have been getting better at letting God interrupt my day and do crazy and sometimes weird things for Him.
A little store next to my gate that I had walked by flashed through my mind; they had been selling fresh fruit and flowers. So I went to the store and purchased a bouquet. I separated the flowers and waited for the ladies at the desk to have a spare moment. I presented each of them with a flower and told them that they were really appreciated. It seemed to be a hit and after handing out flowers at all the counters, I hunkered down for the next 5hrs in the airport.
My squad mates slowly trickled in and then about an hour before the flight left our squad got hit with some really hard news (some squamates were leaving us and not continuing on) and things were pretty emotional for a lot of people. On top of that people were saying goodbyes to parents, friends, and boyfriends. Needless to say it was a little emotional in the gate. We were sad and tired and jet lagged and ready to be done with expensive American food and long travel days. We hadn’t showered in days now, we had slept on planes and airport benches and out internal clocks had been taken for a spin.
I was sitting behind the counter in a corner with some teammates and one of the ladies I had given a flower to approached us. She said, “Are you the flower girl?”
I said yes and then she asked for my boarding pass. She proceeded to upgrade me to first class out of appreciation for what I had done earlier. She said that some of the ladies had been carrying around the flowers all day and my random act of kindness had been really appreciated by the staff. Then she asked if I had a friend who I would like to sit with me, Lupita happened to walk by right as she asked so not only did she upgrade my seat, but she upgraded Lupita’s seat. We were extremely grateful. To get to sit in a comfortable seat after such a long couple of days and stretch our legs was glorious.
A few minutes later, about 30min before boarding, our angel popped her head around the corner again. She said “If I had known you were going to be hanging around the airport so long I would have let you go hang out in our lounge, so how about I bring you guys some snacks?”
Now a World Racer knows never to turn down food.
But what we didn’t know is she was about to feed the 5,000.
She returned with 7 large boxes of snacks, everything from Rice Krispy treats to Fig Bars, Ritz Crackers and more. We were amazed at her gift. She said that they were for our whole group. She literally rained down snacks on my squad. There were so many snacks that we didn’t know what to do with them all and have them stuffed away in our bags for this next month of beans and rice.
Such a little thing like snacks was the perfect pick-me-up for a tired emotional jetlagged Z-Squad.
Just like the simple gift of flowers was the perfect pick-me-up for a day of chaos and angry guests.
My heart has been bursting with joy and happiness ever since. Getting to see the ripple effect of an act of kindness is inspiring. One act inspires another which inspires another and on and on and on.
My team has been doing a bible study on the fruits of the Spirit. One is kindness. When we are full of the Holy Spirit, His kindness overflows out of us onto others and then they get filled up with His kindness and it overflows out of them.
During the past few months God has been teaching me about discernment in situations where other people need a pick-me-up or need a little encouragement. And I love getting to see it be fostered and grow as I am growing and discerning His voice more and more. I get to see the fruits of His Spirit in my life and others.
Today I got to see how my Father in heaven knows me and loves me and wants to pour out blessings on me. He showed me that even when I am so tired and so exhausted that if I listen for Him, and follow Him, He will use me. He wants me to share those blessings and bless others. He wants His Spirit to overflow out of each of us.
If the spirit overflowed out of us there would be no more random acts of kindness, because it wouldn’t be random anymore, acts of kindness would be a normal every day part of life, something as easy as breathing.
How can you make acts of kindness an everyday thing?
Who’s angel will you be today?
