Janella and I struggle when shopping for gifts. There always seem to be many more important things to do, so our shopping is mainly restricted to the local market. We go two or three times per week looking for the best mangoes, rambutans, lychees, mangosteens, bananas and something edible in the greens department. With my Western height, at the market I spend a great deal of time ducking around the ever-present canopies, guy lines, and chin-level shelters as I peer under in search of food items that appear edible. There are many “food” items for sale that are still actively hopping, chirping (crickets), slithering (eels), flopping, or just lying there dripping. As you might understand, shopping doesn’t rank very high among our preferred activities.

Recently we summoned our courage and spent time looking for gifts for some of our missionary kids whom we will be visiting soon. Some of you would love this assignment, but it was quite daunting for us. Then we came across the umbrella lady. Perhaps a small colorful child’s umbrella would be just the thing for two little girls living where rainy season is just beginning. Usually our communication with vendors is limited to “Tao rai ka?” (“How much?”), but this lady spoke English fluently. As we conversed with her, we learned that her name was Anna, and she had graduated with a degree in English from a major Thai university and was now trying to earn a little extra income to support her two girls. Buying two umbrellas from her was a real pleasure.

We really connected with Anna and one of her daughters who was helping her. After purchasing the umbrellas, we invited her to come to the University. Later, after several unsuccessful attempts to find Anna again in the market, we realize that chance encounters should never be taken lightly. We had failed to obtain her phone number and failed to ask if we could pray for her and her daughters. We had been too focused on the unimportant task of buying gifts, and we had neglected to share the most important gift.

“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4). While we may fail, God never does, and we claim the following promise: “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them” (Isa. 42:16). Please pray that God will give us another opportunity to meet Anna and to share the Gift of Christ. Pray that we may be more perceptive and open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

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