I was flying home from the GCX briefing weekend in Pretoria at the end of November when the phrase "your global challenge adventure starts now" took on an extreme meaning for me. We had been told many stories of the very basic, simple and sometimes rather unsanitary living conditions that we can expect to face next year, but I didn't expect to be hit with it quite so soon...
Shortly after take-off I was rummaging in the bag I had stowed under the seat and discovered that it was wet wet wet ... with (an unpleasant smell-test told me) urine. That's right: urine. Someone in one of the 8 rows in front of me appeared to have lost control of their bodily functions at some point, and their "bodily functions" were now seeping through my backpack.
The funny thing is though, it was an answer to prayer - in God's great I-never-answer-your-prayers-in-the-way-you-think-I-will way. The lady I was sitting next to was wearing a doctor's face-mask and was obviously sick. On boarding, I had immediately wanted to pray for her, but didn't know how to start talking to her, and had asked God to provide me with a way to do so. And as it turns out, urine running down the floor of an airplane is an excellent way to start a conversation!
The lady turned out to be a cancer patient, and was sick and wearing the mask because her immune system was very low. And the conversation that had started because of the wee on my bag gave me the opportunity to pray for her. I don't know whether the prayers helped her physically, but I am confident that God was making sure that exactly what needed to happen, was happening!
The experience was as exciting for me as it was moving - this is going to be year of such great learning and stretching in our faith! I'll rack Plane Urine Prayer Opportunity up as #1 in what I imagine will be a long list of boat-rocking "chance" encounters this year.
We may only officially start tomorrow, but luckily God doesn't go by the bounds of "official" ... and I can't wait to see what He has in store for us next!!
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