She had a flower printed cane.
Her husband grabbed it and stowed it away in the over-head bin as she shuffled into the seat next to me. I smiled at her—relieved to have a small-average size human occupy the seat next to me for the next 3 hours.
As our plane began to taxi out on the runway, I opened a new pack of gum and offered her a piece. She accepted, and asked me the usual plane get-to-know-you questions. She spoke so softly I had to lean in close and cup my ear with my hand. I asked her to repeat herself several times in order to hear her over the noise of the plane engine. Regardless, We became fast friends.
I quickly learned her name was Masha. She and her husband would be celebrating their 58th wedding anniversary the following day on November 1st. They had several grown children who lived across the US and grandchildren starting college soon. She had back problems and nerve pain in her feet. Her doctor was recommending a second back surgery soon but she was apprehensive because of her age and the intense rehab and physical therapy that follows surgery. She wanted to be able to keep up with her grandkids, but the back pain was too hindering.
I sneezed and reached into my bag for a spare napkin for my nose. Masha pulled out her purse and dug around until she found a small package of travel tissues. She handed them to me a with a smile and asked what I had been doing in Georgia.
I proceeded to tell her that I had been doing 2 weeks of training for an 11 month Christian mission trip to 11 different countries around the world. I mentioned my squad would likely be serving in Australia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, China, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Spain, and Morocco. I shared about The World Race and my desire to share the story of Jesus with people who had never heard his name. I mentioned being a nurse, my affections for the middle east, and my previous visits to Israel and Palestine.
Masha was excited to know I had visited a place so close to her family’s home in Lebanon. Her parents moved before she was born, she had been raised Catholic and still believed in God. Her husband was “stubborn and Irish” (her words) and had never believed in God. I got the impression this had been a point of contention between them. Masha glanced at him and shrugged her shoulders. “He just won’t,” she whispered.
“I have been so blessed,” Masha said. “I really have.”
She listed off a dozens of things she was grateful for throughout her life, relating them back to how good God had been. She knew He was real.
The remainder of our fight passed while both of us shared family pictures and a mutual love for authentic Arab coffee.
As we began our descent into Baltimore, Masha began to dig around in her purse, again. This time, she closed her fist around something small. She grabbed my hand and turned to me.
“Don’t let my husband see this,” she whispered. “Just put it in your purse.”
Her soft wrinkled hands squeezed two twenty dollar bills into my palm.
“This is for your ministry,” she said. “I don’t know what it is… I just love you. I love who you are and what you are doing. You’re a good person. And you’re going to do good things. It’s not much but every little bit helps.”
My eyes began to water as I was overcome by her generosity. “Yes, Every bit DOES help!” I replied, “Thank you. Thank you, so much. This means everything to me.” I reached to use another tissue from the pack she had given to me.
Our plane was about to land, and she turned to me again, “If you could just pray for my back…”
“Absolutely!” I replied. “Can I pray for you now?”
Masha passed another glance at her husband and agreed. I held both her hands in one of mine and placed my other on her arm. I poured out my heart in prayer for her back as I felt the bump of the plane meeting the runway.
She began to sing “Good morning, Baltimore!” from the musical, Hairspray. And—as any good-natured, life-loving, song-spirited-human would naturally do—I joined in song with her as we arrived at the gate and began to de-plane in Maryland.
TOTALLY NOT THE PLANE RIDE I WAS EXPECTING!
This story, meeting Masha, taught me the Lord has surprises and opportunity waiting for you everywhere you go. LIFE IS MINISRTY. He is continually looking for people who are willing to do His work. On a plane, around the world, or in the living room of your home. Look for the Lord—you will find him! Talk about Him, talk about who He is, and respond when you feel him leading you to action. That feeling in your gut… Follow it! Pray about it and ask what God wants to teach you.
“Every little bit helps.” – Masha
