That Was Close!

It was April 19 and I was headed to the bus stop to catch a bus to Giano’s for lunch. As I walked I had conversation with Father and asked that he would direct my steps along the way that day. The bus came along; I got on and found a seat. As I approached the bus stop where I normally get off, I felt this little voice telling me to go one more bus stop and get off. – I love his quiet voice giving me instructions. – I was told by someone, not God, that the new Mr. Mai’s store might be down the street at the next light. I walked down the street about one half mile and there it was.

I walked up to the front door and met David, known as Mr. Mai. He welcomed me and invited me in to see the mess, as they were in the final painting process. After he showed me around he invited me to go with him to the Indian restaurant next door and have lunch with him. David loves good food prepared India style and he tells me this is a very good place to get some.

We sat down and the owner came to our table and started talking to us in English. She and David are friends. It was because of her that he learned of the space next to her restaurant. She studied in America and is a licensed medical doctor in the US, but she also heard that quiet, little voice which told her to go to China and open up a small restaurant and serve good Indian food and use the business as an opportunity for a witness.

She stood at our table and discussed what we should eat and we settled on curry chicken and curry potatoes. She served it Chinese style in two bowels placed in the center of the table. David chose to have his with pita bread and I chose to have mine on rice. She decided to make the meal herself and make it real Indian. Believe me; it was out of this world.

As we ate she asked if she could sit with us and talk. As she sat down Paul, a native from India, came in. I had met Paul at the English service at Thanksgiving. He sat down in the booth next to me. David and I ate and the four of us talked. They wanted to know my China story and then she shared her story.

One day as a believer she had a health issue and was in the hospital recovering there in China. As she woke up one day in her hospital bed she saw this strange man standing at the foot of her bed. He told her that he had placed a curse on her, which would take from her everything in her memory. Within a short while she could remember nothing from her past. For over a year her memory has been gradually coming back to where now it is almost normal. During that time it was a living hell for her with most of her friends leaving her. Life was so bad that she decided one day to end it. She took a bottle of bleach and poured a glass full and had the glass to her lips to drink when the phone rang. The caller, a friend from across town, told her to put the glass down and not prevent God from doing his work in her life. She said she was on her way over.

When she arrived the friend was asked how she knew what was happening and when to call. She said she didn’t know anything about this and didn’t call and was just coming for a visit. Our restaurant friend then got her phone and showed her, her phone number. It was her cell phone number and she had the phone in her possession all the time so she did make the call and somehow knew what was happening. How she got this knowledge and made this mystery phone call I find very interesting, but God works in mysterious ways. To say the least it changed the restaurant owners life and she is here to tell about it and change people’s lives.

Since Mr. Mai’s and this restaurant are next to each other, I will be talking with her in the future and eating great food at her restaurant. Serving here in China is really cool, except, maybe, on very, very hot days. Then it is just exciting.

I never did get to Giano’s to eat and talk with Jane the owner. When the new shop opens I will eat lunch at Giano’s and walk to the new coffee shop and have curry something for supper. Conversation with students and curry something to eat; what a combination!