FOOTPRINTS
"Call to me and I will answer..."  Jeremiah 33;3a

      This exciting experience proved to me that God hears our prayers.  I continue to be amazed at the wonders of Almighty God!  I learned so many things about His ways.

      I found that there was more to this trip to China as a Bible courier than I could have imagined.  My entire outlook on life took on new meaning as a result of the amazing happenings during this trip.  Things I once thought were so important suddenly seemed trivial, inconsequential.

      The serene, smiling Chinese people I met, and the various missionaries whose dedication was displayed so gallantly, left a never-to-be-forgotten imprint upon my heart.  The truth is, I left a part of my heart in that distant land, and at times, I long to return once more to, in some small way, bring hope of eternal life to these fascinating people.  Quite often I would find myself studying their impeccable manners and quiet reserve.

      I must say, it turned out to be a great adventure where I had to trust the Lord moment by moment.  This was no easy feat for a person who always found it difficult to trust anyone.

      Let me tell you about a miracle that happened which still brings tears to my eyes.

      Our team caught a morning flight out of Beijing and arrived at Canton late in the afternoon.  We were to board a "night boat" bound for Hong Kong.  The night boat consisted of 138 bunk beds in one large room below deck.  Can you imagine sharing a bedroom with 137 strangers?  Needless to say, I slept very little.  Admittedly, I was slightly nervous watching people milling about, and hearing muffled voices speaking in languages I could not understand, filling the hours during a seemingly endless night.

      I was weary, but thankful, when morning came, at last, and we went ashore.  I would not soon forget that boat ride.  After a debriefing session in Hong Kong, some of  the group wanted to do some last minute shipping.   Karen said, "Lenore, are you coming with us?"

      "Well, I didn't find a gift for R.J. in Beijing so maybe I'd better go with you."  I did not realize we had to take the subway to get to the department store, which was a considerable distance from our hotel.  As we hurried to the subway station I realized that I was Extremely tired, and I moaned, "Lord, this 'ol grandma is dragging!"

      Going down the subway stairs, trying to keep up with the group suddenly seemed an impossibility.  I thought I would surely collapse right there on the stairs.  At that moment a picture of footprints in the sand flashed across my mind.

      In desperation, I cried out to God, "Oh Lord, I cannot take another step in my own strength.  You know footprints in the sand?  Well, they've gotta be Yours because I can't make it."

      From that moment on, I never felt myself take another step, even though I was walking along with the rest of the group. To explain the feeling is impossible.  I simply knew I was not moving in my own strength.   At the realization that God was carrying me along, tears began to well up in my eyes and a smile I could not suppress spread across my face.  My years of doubting that there is a God who cares about me simply melted away.

      Although many years have passed, I am still awe-struck when I recall this miraculous happening, and, how God answered the desperate prayer of a skeptical, somewhat new Christian.

Footnote: You've probably read the poem Footprints.  It's about a lady who saw only one set of footprints in the sand, and questioned God about why He left her just when she needed Him most.  His reply was, "That's when I carried you."
Footprints by Margaret Fishback Powers.