On Sunday, our second full day in Beijing, we boarded the subway and headed to the Forbidden City. I was standing on the escalator when several people from our group asked for someone who could speak Spanish to join them. I immediately made myself known. A lady pushing her two-year-old son in a stroller asked where she could exchange her Euros for Yuan.  Ling (one of our leaders) provided the Yuan needed and soon the lady was walking with us.  She was elated that I spoke Spanish and began telling me her story.  “Andréa” is a single mother who works as a nurse and was traveling to Beijing on her vacation. She didn’t speak Mandarin and knew little English, which resulted in no breakfast, poor lodging conditions and a morning’s struggle of trying to get to the Forbidden City.  Not too long into our conversation, she asked me where I learned Spanish. I responded that I had lived in Cusco, Peru for six years. Her facial expression changed from curiosity to deep joy and then tears of gratitude as she told me that she was from Cusco. She had been praying for someone who spoke Spanish, and God went above and beyond to meet that need.

I wondered what she was doing in China with an energetic toddler who would constantly jump out of his stroller and escape through the crowds.  Andréa was recently divorced and traveled to distract herself from life.  Andréa’s faith was so strong and she believed that God would take care of her.  She explained that though she once was a Seventh Day Adventist, she was no longer tied to a specific religion, but strongly wanted her son to have faith in God. Andréa and her son, Inti, entered the Forbidden City with us, but once we were inside we split ways.  It was very clear to me that this was a divine appointment used to help Andréa and to build both of our faiths.

I left thinking, God has such a great sense of humor. Living in China has been a dream of mine since I was nine. I had been asking God what I could do in China with my God-given gift of Spanish. This encounter with Andréa showed me His goodness, provision and faithfulness to answer prayer.

-Hannah Shultz