Before I left for a missions trip to Peru, a friend asked me to bring a suitcase full of presents to her family who lived in Lima. Once in Lima, the suitcase didn’t arrive on time so I stayed with my friend's family in order to make sure they eventually received it. I was frustrated. Things weren't going as planned and I wasn’t going to be able to stay with the people I traveled with.
The next morning God got my attention while I was reading my Bible, specifically in Acts 3:6. In this section of the Bible, Peter is talking to a disabled man and he says, “I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you.” It made me realize that I needed to take advantage of my time while I was staying with this family. Nevermind the suitcase for a moment, I had something more valuable to share with them: the Good News about who Jesus really was and still is today.
At lunch, the family started asking me questions about what I do for a living, which eventually led to questions about God. Unexpectedly, while we were eating they decided they wanted to pray with me to accept Christ into each of their hearts personally. Up until that moment, they had gone to church periodically and only knew a little bit about Jesus and the Gospel. They had never made their religion more personal; to accept it for themselves. It was such a blessing for me to be able to see them make that important decision. An unexpected stay that started because of a suitcase, turned out to be one of the most special moments of the trip. Spending the weekend with this family is something I will always remember. Isn't it amazing how God works in unexpected situations?
Thank the Lord for that missing suitcase.