Thursday Thoughts on my Faith

Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Monkey and I had a wonderful conversation today on the way to the Ear, Nose and Throat doctor just this morning. Monkey had strep throat 3 times last winter and his tonsils are huge so our pediatrician sent us on for a consult to see if his tonsils needed to come out. Monkey was a bit apprehensive on the way there today. He said he was scared about having surgery. I reminded him that surgery wasn't a sure thing and that usually we anticipate things to be much worse than they really are. But then the Spirit nudged me to go a bit further and use this as a teaching moment about our faith in God. I told Monkey the following story about how God saved me in Paris and I thought I would recount it here as well:

After I graduated from college my parents sent me to Europe to see my sister who was studying in France for a semester. Right around the time we were planning the trip and booking the flight my cousin called and invited me to tour England and Wales with her and amazingly the two trips fit perfectly back to back. The plan was for me to fly into London, travel to France to be with my sis for 10 days and then travel back to London and spend 15 days in the UK with my cuz. Totally awesome right???? Young girl, college behind me and 25 days in Europe!!!! Woo Hoo! And it was a fantastic trip. For the most part it went off without a hitch however, there was the tiny matter of my getting so lost in Paris I thought I would literally just die on the streets alone.

To understand how dire my situation was you need the following facts: One, it was Sunday, two I had cashed in all my Francs for Pounds and three I speak ZERO French. Here is what happened. While traveling from France to England I had to take one train, then take the Parisian Subway to the Chunnel (train that travels under the English Channel). I got off at the wrong stop on the Subway. When I came up onto the street I knew I had made a mistake. I was in a residential neighborhood in Paris. Nobody spoke English of course. And since it was Sunday and Europe closes most of it's businesses on Sundays none of the stores were open where I could have cashed in a travelers check. While I was trying to figure out what to do I wandered away from the Subway and couldn't find my way back there. Then I really started to freak, I didn't even know where the Subway was but what was worse, even if I DID find my way back I had no money in the right currency to get back on the Subway! Panic was rising in my chest and I pictured myself sleeping on the streets of Paris for days until a cop found me totally delirious after being raped and mugged repeatedly. I just kept walking around in circles around the same blocks and through the same park trying to figure out what to do. I cried out to God "HELP ME GOD! HELP ME!!" I think that was all I kept saying to the Lord over and over. Finally, I gave up.

I sat down on a bench in that park where I'd decided I would probably spend the rest of my days and started bawling. Not more than 30 seconds after I had released my fate to the Parisian streets, two little faces were in my face. The French are very small people if you have never had the pleasure of visiting there. They were adults just short ones. It was a husband and wife in their mid-30's with 2 precious kiddos with them. They didn't speak English and like I mentioned I only knew how to say "thank you" in French and after a few minutes of hand gestures and confused faces I sobbed out "G-g-g-gar de No-o-o-r-r-rd". From somewhere deep in my brain I remembered the name of the train station where the Chunnel left from. Hallelujah! I knew where I was going! The two adorable French people smiled and babbled at me in their beautiful language while signaling for me to follow them. We walked along in silence exchanging awkward smiles. I was still crying however because I knew, but couldn't tell them, that even if they showed me where to go I had no Francs to board the Subway again! So I was still very worried and praying.

But God, of course, had things all taken care of. We got to the Subway the woman and kids waited outside while the man took me in, paid for me and him to go through the turn styles (he never looked to me to pay, he just paid) took me to the map, showed me where to get off and gave me this look as if to say "Are you okay now?" I nodded (still crying) and he left. I shouted after him through my tears that were now mostly from relief "Merci bu coup!!!! Merci bu coup!!!!!" (Forgive me French students if I'm not spelling that phrase right!)

Here are the things that I shared with my son today about how utterly amazing it all was. If it hadn't been Sunday I wouldn't have needed God, I would have just cashed a traveler's check and grabbed a cab. If I had had a cell phone I wouldn't have needed God, I would have just called my sis and she spoke fluent French and could have helped me. If the little French couple hadn't had kids with them I wouldn't have gone with them because I would have been too afraid. And finally the fact that the man just paid for my Subway ride as if he knew I had no money still makes my eyes sting with tears even as I type this. I have honestly often wondered if that couple were actual humans. I wonder if maybe they were just angels in disguise and I believe they could have been just that. However, I have remembered those sweet little faces in my prayers often. They did an amazingly good deed that day.

The experience of being lost in Paris was harrowing. I can still feel the terror I felt being lost and all alone in a foreign country. But I will always be thankful for it because it was a true testament of God's far reaching arms and total provision for me. I am grateful that I had that story to tell my son today. I am thankful to be able to tell my kids that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that our Heavenly Father will always, always take care of us and I trust Him with my very life.