2023_02_27 Insight Post- Kim Feld

As I read this morning, the first two verses of Genesis 32 jumped off the page. We don’t know why the angels met him or how Jacob knew they were angels. I wonder if God knew that Jacob needed the encouragement of knowing God was with him.

My mind was flooded with a memory as I read these verses of a time when I truly believed God sent an angel to encourage me. Many years ago, I was returning from spending six weeks in Tanzania doing children’s vaccination clinics in villages outside of Arusha. I had been to this area the year before with a team on a mission trip and fell in love with the people and the missionary couple we worked with. They invited me to come back the next year and do these clinics, and I jumped at the chance. A friend who had also been on the first trip came with me. For the year in between, we worked on securing the vaccines and all the many details of funding and getting them shipped overseas.

We flew into Arusha with a breathtaking view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The six weeks left me with memories of experiences that I will treasure for the rest of my life. We made plans to end our trip in Nairobi, Kenya, and to begin our journey home from there. Unfortunately, the day we were to leave, I came down with a horrible stomach virus but had no choice but to get on the plane to head home. So, as you can imagine, the first leg of the trip from Kenya to Amsterdam was miserable.

We had a layover in Amsterdam, and my friend searched for some medication for me. She was given charcoal tablets which I took, yielding no relief. My friend spoke with the airline agent and could at least get our seats moved to the front near a restroom. We boarded early and settled in for what I imagined would be several more miserable hours.

The plan was packed, and I tried to get comfortable. When the chills kicked in, I asked for a blanket, but the other passengers had requested them earlier, leaving none. Then, after the flight attendant walked away, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. An older woman was sitting in the seat across the aisle from me. She said she had a blanket in her bag that I could use and pulled out a small quilt. I gratefully accepted it. She had beautiful white hair and a gentle smile, but her incredible blue eyes stood out the most.

Over the next few hours, she supplied me with medication that settled my stomach. She produced saltine crackers from her fantastic bag, and as I felt better, she asked questions about our trip. We told her what we had been doing; she shared that she was traveling with a group that had been to Europe, although she was sitting alone. As we were preparing to land in Atlanta, I thanked her profusely for making my flight so much better than I had imagined. She told me she had enjoyed her time with me and then said, “God is pleased with what you have done. He is proud of you.”

We landed and prepared to go through customs, and I told my friend that we needed to keep an eye on our new friend and make sure she got through ok. We gathered our things, got off the plane, and began looking for our friend. She was nowhere to be found. We searched in the crowd around us but never located her. It is hard to imagine that she could have gotten away from us. We truly believed God had sent us an angel to comfort and encourage us.

Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! (Hebrews 13:2, NLT)