As my wife, Michelle, and I got off the plane in Chicago on a very busy Saturday morning at O’Hare, January 15, 2005, we were very hungry as we had been awake since the middle of the night and had been traveling all morning from Orlando, Florida to Omaha, Nebraska.  I sensed that many other travelers were feeling the same way at O’Hare airport that day.  The main food court was absolutely packed with early lunchers and very noisy.  (I look back now and see that God closed this door on our desired plans to sit down here and eat at this place and relax for a while – I remember feeling a little depressed not to be following the plans that I had desired at that moment but then continued walking down the terminal and recall being open to finding and eating at another place.  Sure enough, as God closed that particular door on my plans, God opened another door for us as part of His plan that day.)

My wife and I walked along down the terminal at O’Hare and came upon a quiet “oasis” – The Great American Bagel sandwich shop.  Most of the patrons were airport personnel so we felt very comfortable we had found a hidden gem of a lunch place.  We picked up some bagel sandwiches and drinks and then proceeded to the Omaha departure gate a couple hours before our flight was scheduled to depart.  (This too was part of his plan that we should arrive early at the terminal and knowing of a very good place to eat.)  As we neared the designated terminal area, only a couple people were seated and waiting.  As we approached, I gazed at a gentleman, seated and waiting patiently…looking somewhat out of place in all the hustle and bustle of O’Hare airport.  In the few seconds it took me to see him and walk up to him, I had a flashback of a few different previous life experiences that guided me towards him comfortably, like a magnet.  Then I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit in my heart and in my mind speaking to me as I approached closer and closer and saying “go and sit in front of this man and talk with him and learn about him.”  This voice was so clear and so vivid that I cannot and will never forget the exact feeling I had at that exact moment.  I’ll always remember that in the few seconds it took to convey this message to me in my mind I was also actually speaking back to myself in my own mind saying “WOW, what a powerful and clear message I am hearing to sit down and converse with this man.”  I had no idea at that time what was planned but listened to the Holy Spirit in me and obediently sat down and started a conversation.  We asked him who he was and what he was doing and where he was going.  He explained to us in his heavy accent that he was Pastor Daniel Diallo from Mali on his way to Omaha and was going to speak at a church.  I was excited to be conversing with a pastor and was anticipating a blessed conversation about our Lord and the Good News.  I enthusiastically asked which church and before he answered in those few seconds I thought to myself “wouldn’t it be cool if it was Christ Community Church?”  Pastor Daniel answered, “Christ Community Church!”  I said “Pastor Daniel, that is our church and I will make certain that you arrive in Omaha at Christ Community Church safe and sound!”  Pastor Daniel exclaimed “Praise the Lord…our prayers have been answered…Mark, you are the one who has been sent to me!  You are the one God sent!”  (I am very curious at this point and my heart was pounding in excitement at witnessing the work of the Lord.)  Pastor Daniel went on to explain in basic English, “You see, my church sent travel prayers for me to have some person guide me to Christ Community Church since I was traveling today alone and have never been out of Mali.  I have been praying for God to send someone to help me.  Missionary friends including Jeff and Carrie Amstutz were able to come with me to Atlanta and put me on the flight to Chicago.  Last night, we prayed for someone to help me.  I do not know where to go or how to get to Omaha or to Christ Community Church.  You are the one God sent."

My wife and I insisted that Pastor Daniel join us in eating lunch.  I helped Pastor Daniel over to The Great American Bagel where I ordered a wonderful bagel sandwich now affectionately known as the “Sandwich de Mark!”  We ate together and enjoyed one another’s company while waiting for our plane.  The flight turned out to be delayed and then the airline switched gates and terminals of our flight.  Not a problem for Michelle and I and now not a problem for Pastor Daniel! 

Each time Pastor Daniel described the prayer meetings and prayer requests from him and the congregations in the night and days prior to his trip, I broke down in tears and praised the Lord - the specific prayers to deliver a person to Daniel to help him travel and make him safe and cared for…

Transcription of video (PastorDanInChicago.ASF):

Mark/Michelle: OK…now say something into the camera…

Pastor Dan:  Oh…Mark, I meet you…I’m really glad…last night they prayed for me to make that God send to me some people who will help me…and God sent Mark…to me.  I’ll so glad and Praise the Lord!

Mark:  All right Praise the Lord!