The Seat Next To Me

As we were leaving St. Louis heading for Chicago, I was thinking to myself, "If we have to be on a plane going somewhere, I would much rather be on a long flight so we wouldn't have to take-off & land so many time." You see I LOVE to fly, I just don't like the take-off & landing part.

But this Chicago trip, although only an hour, was one of the best flights I had. Sitting next to me was a petite woman. She was on her side, looking out the window when she looked over at me and moved over a seat and started a conversation. She asked where we were going and we explained our journey to China to get our son. She mentioned over and over how amazed she was and asked what made us choose to adopt. I explained to her the Bible verse James 1:27 where it states to take care of widows and orphan. I told her how God had placed adoption on our heart and made it possible for us to adopt our little boy.

She looked at me and said, "so you're a sister?" I was a bit confused and then she said, "you're a sister of, " and pointed up to the sky. I said yes, I am a sister in Christ Jesus, a Christian. She went on to tell me how she had friends who were sisters, Christian friends. I asked her belief, she told me she was a Buddhist.

She asked MANY questions, "How were we sure we were supposed to adopt? I answered God placed it in our hearts and she commented how when she made decisions, she was never REALLY sure what she was supposed to do. She talked about her 4 sons and about how one, ate 21 was mentally challenged and it was so hard and she spent so most of her time wondering what had caused it and what would I do if I had a mentally challenged child. I told her to stop wondering what had caused it because that could not be changed, just accept the person he was and the attributes he has and build them from there.

We talked about SO much in the first 30 minutes I felt I knew her forever (ok, those of you who know me this isn't a surprise is it, I never meet a stranger). She told me about her friend and said how much I reminded her of her because of my belief and assuredness in my beliefs. She asked how I learned and I told her from reading God's word, the Bible, it's all in there, all the stories, all the knowledge given to us by God. She said her friend told her just to visit a church (which she said there are some Christian churches in Japan) and just listen with an open mind and heart.

She asked me the same and I told her the same except I told her to look at a Bible (unfortunately I didn't have a hard copy with me, only the one on my laptop). She said that if she went, she would have many many questions. I told her that all she had to do was ask and she would be told the answers.

She explained she had 4 days in Chicago to tour and then she would be traveling back to Japan. She said her oldest son is in St. Louis attending Lindenwood College for business and has only been here 6 months. She said she Skypes with him and I told her we had set-up Skype in order to talk with friends back home while in China.

Well, the flight was over and she again told us how wonderful it was to talk with us and as we were waiting for passengers to depart the plane, she quickly wrote on a piece of paper and gave it to me. She explained it was her Skype address and asked if I would be willing to Skype with her. I said of course and she couldn't believe I said yes. She smiled as she walked away and said, "I will have MANY, MANY questions, I would like if you could answer for me after I go to this church."

My eyes teared up and I said I definitely would try and prayed right there for God to give me the words for my new friend when we do connect, because we will.

The take-off & landing doesn't matter anymore, it's what happens in between. Thank you God for the person in the seat next to me because it was Jesus. Please pray for my new friend Koyama.

Blessings Everyone,
Francine