I have met some very inspiring people on the various plane rides I had over the past couple of months. Each day I pray (if I am not too tired), “Lord, which person can I bless today?” And these plane rides were no exception. Sometimes voluntarily, sometimes not.
I got to know a young German couple working from their new home office in Thailand while she is wanting to launch some high protein peanut butter cream back home.
Next time I sat next to a retired German couple and got introduced to her 200 photos taken on their holiday – and learned about her passion while we flew through the night and the husband wanted to sleep. 🙂
I sat next to an Afro-American who moved to Canada to live more peacefully with his family. He showed me proudly his gun permit and is dreaming of owning a farm. Where one day he might shoot rabbits.
One moving encounter recently was across the aisle from me. An elderly lady, 78 years, from Belgium finally got all her luggage up in the overhead compartment just to realize that she did not know where her passport was. She was freaking out. Trying to help, I got all her luggage down to search for her passport while trying to soothe her. “We will find it, I am very sure”.
Once all bags were searched, no passport. Eventually it was right in her bag on her lap. She was fighting her tears. I asked her what is up and she cried, “I have just lost my son and I am flying over to see the family and prepare everything for the funeral”.
O my goodness, what a tragedy and misery. I was not sure how I could assist her than expressing my condolences.
She composed herself again and started to watch movies.
At one point, as I was working on my emails, I watched her starting to cry again. So for the next four hours, as we flew through the night, I talked with her across the aisle to distract her, hear her life story, let her talk about her son, family and simply hold her hand across the aisle. I mentioned how my faith in God makes all the difference in tough times and she told me about her non-belief. I encouraged her to pray. God will come alongside.
A flight attended came by and said to me, “you must be a mum”. I took it as a compliment and smiled.
I felt challenged by God not to continue working but just come alongside this lady. When landed, I made sure she collected her luggage and waited until she met her daughter-in-law.
She gave me her address and phone number as she would like to have my book. I said I will check up on her in a few weeks when she is back home in Germany.
It was a different plane ride than I had expected. These morning prayers of wanting to be a blessing to someone can be dangerous! 🙂 They might take my time and heart.
I pray I will always again be attentive to my surroundings wanting to be an ambassador to the Most High, available to be, love and speak.
What have been your interesting flight encounters?