Provision

While in college I had the opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy for two semesters and while my experience was generally pretty benign, I recall one particular incident that I realize could have had catastrophic consequences.

While returning to Florence after spending the holidays at home, I arrived in Rome to take a train back to Florence. As I searched through my bags looking for my passport and Eurail ticket I discovered that somewhere between the plane and the train station I had been pick pocketed. I literally had nothing to my name, no passport, no money, no Eurail, not even a phone card. I tried calling my parents collect but no one was home, I tried the villa where our school was housed and it was blocked for collect calls. I was thousands of miles from home, hundreds from the school and didn’t know what to do. I sat down just about ready to burst into tears when the passenger who sat next to me on the plane, a young Italian man about my age, approached me and asked if everything was ok and if I needed a ride. I refused but asked if he had a phone card that I could borrow. He lent me his phone card and I tried to call the villa again, in vain. Again he offered to give me a ride and looking back I still can’t believe that I said yes. I drove three hours in a tiny little fiat with the young man and his brother who was equally shocked that I had accepted. They took me to their home town of Perugina (where the famous chocolates are made) and to their parent’s hotel. Their family welcomed me with open arms, fed me, and gave me money, a train ticket, and a ride to the train station. I arrived in Florence three hours later without a scratch on me and an entire family of new friends.

I firmly believe that God was watching over me that day because I was not originally seated by the young Italian man, I was seated behind him. The airline had inadvertently assigned an exit row seat to a minor and when the flight attendant asked for a volunteer to trade places with her, I raised my hand.

The LORD is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
The LORD protects the simple-hearted;
when I was in great need, he saved me.
Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.
Psalm 116:5-7

Your thoughts?