"Taiwan is Also Good."

Storytime Alert (or this post may be long):

Yesterday I began with another trip to the YMCA where I recently accepted a position. (Thank you dear friends for your prayers!) On the way there I boarded the #11 Northbound bus and began to read (The Black Tulip, FYI Michelle), but one or two stops later a group of Asian students got on and sat at the front of the bus. I could tell they were a little new to the area as there were 3-4 cameras out snapping pictures of everything (also they had luggage). I stopped reading to watch them for a while and learned from the maps and repeated inquiries for directions that they weren't sure where they were going. I am still so new here that I don't usually offer directional help (may do more harm than good). Eventually, and sadly, the bus driver told them that they had missed their stop and needed to head back the opposite way. They all exited the bus and headed across the street to wait for another.

I continued my trip to the Y, signed paperwork, met my coworkers and got better acquainted with the facility. So 45ish minutes later, I board the #11 Southbound bus and again pull out my book. One stop later, the same group of Asian students boards. :) Still towing luggage and maps. SO, I know I am the only one on the bus who knows that this group of students has been lost for over an hour. My stomach immediately gets tied in knots and my heart flutters a little (the feeling I have told many of you about which has been coming when I know that God wants me to do something, but I don't actually trust that He'll follow through with helping me - I am crazy) but at least this feeling confirms that I am definitely supposed to help them.

So a moment later I am sitting down next to one of the girls, introducing myself and informing them that I had seen them on another bus an hour later, "Do they need help?". And now I find that I have stumbled upon a group of five Taiwanese students who are working for the summer at a amusement park in Ohio and have traveled to Chicago for two days to explore. They are looking for their hostel (and had been since 9:30 that morning). The bus driver again tells them that they have missed their stop and should get off now. They all head off the bus and the moment of decision comes to me. So quickly, I also exit the bus. I explained my reasoning to them - I had studied abroad this summer and would have been lost forever if I hadn't been blessed with friends to show me the way - so I wanted to make sure they found their hostel. (Keep in mind that we are in Lakeview/Lincoln Park and I live Downtown so I basically only know the #11 bus route.)

So I get on the phone with the hostel, they don't answer. I call Daniel and he looks up the map. We are close! Unfortunately we are standing at the intersection of like 3 different streets, so it's not entirely clear which is which and I am a bit distracted with getting to know five Taiwanese students. Needless to say I chose the wrong street. We head West instead of North. By the time we find the hostel it is 1:30 (they have been searching for four hours). Fortunately though, by then we are good friends and they have invited me to lunch - at Unos Pizzeria (my favorite in Chicago). Needless to say I spent the rest of the day with Mimi, Jamie, Jerry, Allen and Casper getting to know them and showing them around Michigan Ave. and the parks.

God is so faithful! Even when I was afraid to follow him He gave me all I needed. Even though I didn't really get to share anything with them besides that I love Jesus, I know that He can use the time I spent with them! Pray for my five friends and for the time that I am planning to spend with them this evening.

Sorry this post is so incredibly long.