Worth revisiting — this story first took place in May 2004.
Fourteen Hours and a Divine Appointment
The Best-Laid Plans
Fourteen hours is a long time to be on a plane. The plan was to ask for an aisle seat at check-in, but the luggage was too heavy — at least on the way there. In a frantic rush to shift some things into a team member’s suitcase, the request slipped away entirely. As usual, the middle seat it was.
Neighbors by Design
To the left was Quinn, a young man traveling to Ukraine. To the right was a friendly man from Latvia whose name was never quite caught. Both strangers. Neither a coincidence.
A Missionary in the Middle Seat
After introducing myself as a missionary, Quinn introduced himself as an agnostic. The response came naturally: “Oh, you should not sit next to me.” Witnessing is second nature, and that day was no different. Quinn was gracious and polite as stories and photos from past missionary trips were shared. He was on his way to visit an orphanage and teach the children to play the ukulele — which led to only one honest response: “You are already doing God’s work — you just don’t realize it yet.” What a wonderful young man with a beautiful heart.
Dream Water and Tired Eyes
Eventually, fatigue won out. Quinn purchased something called Dream Water — described simply as the opposite of Red Bull — and drifted off to sleep.
Placebos, Greyhound Disasters, and a Green Shirt in Istanbul
Dream Water and a Gracious Skeptic
It fell to me to gently break the news that Dream Water was perhaps a placebo — Quinn agreed, but drank it anyway. Some battles are worth conceding. Quinn and I are now Facebook friends, and he continues to be used by God in a loving outreach to those young orphans.
The Greyhound Disaster
The gentleman to the right was doing his best, in broken English, to describe what can only be called a catastrophe. His dream vacation across America on a Greyhound bus had gone so badly that he was forced to rent a car halfway through the trip. The bus, he explained, was dirty, old, and not fit for any traveler. It was news to me that Greyhound even offered excursion packages to international visitors — let alone those coming all the way from Latvia.
Grand Canyons and Good Sense
He was deeply disappointed, and for a brief moment, the thought came to write a letter of complaint to Greyhound felt like the right move — before coming to good senses. A gentle suggestion was offered instead: most people drive to see the Grand Canyon. He received that quietly, with the look of a man who had already learned that lesson the hard way.
A Green Shirt in Istanbul
On the return trip, a short layover in Istanbul offered one more unexpected moment. Among millions of people passing through one of the world’s busiest crossroads, one young man stood out — wearing a green shirt, and without arms.
The Row That Was Never Mine
A Smirky Smile and a Settled Heart
This time, the aisle seat request was granted. The doors to the Boeing 777 were locked, and a smirky smile was exchanged with a friend named Jane. The whole row — empty. For one brief, glorious moment, it seemed like the flight home would be peaceful.
They Will Sit Here
Just as comfort set in, the young man in the green shirt arrived — the same one spotted among millions in the Istanbul terminal — accompanied by a companion. “We will sit here,” they said. The only honest response was a smile and the truth: “Okay, but you just ruined my trip home.” They laughed, sat down, and what followed was one of the best conversations of the journey.
A Refugee, a Reunion, and a Hug With the Eyes
The young man without arms is a refugee from Afghanistan, being escorted by a United Nations representative to Oregon. The moment he sat down, something passed between us that needed no words — a hug with the eyes. He was warm, friendly, and full of light.
Born That Way
Curiosity led to a gentle question: had he lost his arms in the war? He smiled and said he was born that way. Even his UN companion had not known — and was quietly surprised to find out.
The Aisle Seat, the Big Toe, and a Prodigal Son
A Reasonable Hesitation
When the food cart began making its way down the aisle, the UN representative kindly asked if the window seat could be taken instead. The hesitation was real — no, no, staying put felt right — but then he mentioned there was an aisle seat just a few rows back. A glance revealed a very handsome man sitting next to his equally beautiful girlfriend. The first instinct? “That guy is too big — that is not going to work for me.”
The Big Toe That Changed Everything
Then it hit like a ton of bricks. This young man eats with his feet. The concern was not elbows — it was knees. One glance confirmed it: his big toe was already navigating the monitor with ease. The decision was immediate. “I will move back.” Everyone was happy.
Joe, His Girlfriend, and an Old Wound
The next seat brought Joe and his girlfriend. After settling in and explaining the situation, the conversation opened naturally — and the witnessing began. The story of an encounter with a demon-possessed girl came up, and that got their attention immediately.
Daily Mass Parents and a Prodigal Heart
Joe shared that his parents were devout Catholics who attended daily Mass. He, however, was angry at the Church and stated plainly that he would never return. The response was equally plain: his parents are praying for him, and God answers the prayers of faithful parents. He and his girlfriend were gracious throughout — though there is a fair chance the conversation eventually put them both to sleep.
Every Seed Has a Season
The Harvest Belongs to God
Every person encountered on that journey received a seed. That much is certain. The planting was the assignment — the harvest belongs to God.
The Seeds Sown
To Quinn — a seed of servanthood for God.
To the young man without arms — a seed of welcome to America.
To his UN companion — a seed of love.
To Joe and his girlfriend — a seed that was already planted and simply needed watering.
