I just read HTTB and I want to follow the instructions given by naming the blessings of God one by one this week. The story I am going to tell happened three years before I discovered RMI. It’s one of the miracles I’ve experienced that made me understand how much the Lord loved me.
Well, I was to travel to a country which has no embassy in my home country but instead in Nigeria, a neighbor land. Therefore I had to go to Nigeria to get a visa. My family and I were very anxious. I had never left my country before or even took the plane. We knew no one in Nigeria and my father could find money for one flight ticket (mine). A family’s friend who had been in Nigeria advised us to book a hotel room and to make arrangements with the hotel so that they would pick me at the airport. We did as advised.
The day before my flight I received a call from the people of the booking service who wanted me to confirm my arrival in Nigeria. Surprisingly I could hear them very well but they couldn’t come to get me. I left my country without knowing what would happen when I got there. We just trusted God to protect me.
When I got on the plane a person was sitting in my place but I was too anxious to ask to move from my seat (that’s how I was). I just sat next to him (I didn’t even greet him) and begged God to protect me. At that time I didn’t know English and Nigeria is an English speaking country so I was wondering how I could even ask for help when needed once there.
I noticed some hours later that he had a Cameroonian passport, then I thought “he might know a little French even if he is from English speaking Cameroon “. I started talking to him and the man was just so nice. I told him that it was my first time in Nigeria and that I told him about my worries.
Ladies, God is so wonderful. This is what I discovered: the man was going to the same city like me, he also had an appointment at the same embassy (two hours ahead of my appointment), we had both booked the same flights, he could speak perfect English and it was the second time he was traveling to Nigeria. Words are not enough to express how happy and grateful I was. We arrived in Nigeria very late in the night. Immediately when we got off the plane I called my family telling them not to worry anymore because God had sent someone to help me. They just couldn’t believe what I was telling them. I think my father shouted, “Glory to God!!!”
That man and I went through the city of Abuja from hotel to hotel looking for available rooms. We finally found one and guess what? That one was close to the embassy! The next day I decided to go with him to the embassy and wait for my appointment there. It happened that the appointment of my “guide” was actually the following month and that he made a huge mistake! I felt so bad for him. He didn’t understand how it could have happened: how was it possible to read a date instead of another, to make arrangements for traveling to buy flight tickets and finally to spend so much money??!!
Finally, he himself told me: “I believe God wanted me to travel just to help you. I have no other explanation.” We separated at the airport once in Cameroon. I asked for his phone number because I knew my father would like to thank him, but I lost it. My father told me not to be sad because there are people that we only meet once in our lifetime.
Psalm 23:1-2 NIV The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
Hebrews 13:2—“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”
~ Eliza in Cameroon
Eliza is on our Translation Team helping us in French.
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