It's Amazing the People You Meet Along the Way

It's amazing the people you meet along the way.

As you know, I am spending the month of July in my old city of Hengyang and am loving meeting with old friends and students. It has been my joy! Perhaps the greatest moments are those that are not planned, but somehow orchestrated by Dad. :)

For example, there have been many people I have run into by complete chance, people from the past that I have grown to love and respect greatly. My very first year in China there were two American roommates in my building: Jay and James. They were from a different organization, but they were also like-minded and doing similar work as my team was doing at that particular medical school. Back in the day, Jay was a good friend in helping me through the complexities of being in China for the first time. James, a fellow history major, and I became good friends later, and we made an effort to hang out regularly especially when I moved across town to a different school the next year. I have lost contact with both of them, but that's okay. It's just what happens sometimes. I'm grateful for the role these guys played in my life. Jay and James both moved back to the States about 3 or 4 years ago.
On my second day in Hengyang I heard that both Jay and James were in town! They were both leaving the next day, so a day more or less and we would have missed each other. Funny thing was that none of us told the other that we would be in town. It just sort of happened that way! How fun! Jay has since gotten married and brought along his wife (and I LOVE her!) and we were able to catch up over chicken wings and Coke, in the middle of a back alley in Hengyang, a small town in south-central China. How cool is that!?!

Another example is when I ran into two ladies at the local fellowship on Sunday morning. These two ladies have been actively involved in the family life in this area. Last winter I had to do one of my last projects for my Wheaton masters work, and our group highlighted the history and current happenings of the family in the Hengyang area. I used these ladies' stories as a backdrop. Again, I had lost touch with them, especially the one lady who was from a different city and has since moved farther south to Shenzhen, which is close to Hong Kong. I wasn't feeling well that morning and didn't want to face the heat and go to the fellowship, but I felt like something (or Someone) was urging me, so I went. Imagine my surprise when at the end of the service I ran into these precious sisters! The one lady just happened to be in town that day visiting from Shenzhen (again, a day more or less and we would have missed each other) and it was like seeing an old friend, a kind of Chinese mentor. When you think of the family in China, these ladies fit the picture. :) I was able to tell these ladies about our research and how I was inspired by their stories. That brought so much encouragement I think! We were delighted to share with each other again!

With that said, sometimes the best things in life aren't planned- but orchestrated by Dad in such a way that brings us real joy and a reminder that His hand is in all things :). It's pretty awesome, actually :)