I grew up in a home with parents who both loved people. Consequently people loved them too. My father never met a stranger, everyone he made contact with was a friend.I used to think it was because he was a salesman. Over the years I realize it was just who he was; a people lover. He saw good in everyone, which occasionally got him in trouble but he made it through. There are many attributes that both of my parents have that I admire and am grateful to inherit. The ability to make friends with new people is one of the qualities I am happy they passed down to me.
My life has taken me a lot of different directions, including foreign lands the past 3 years. It is through the people I have met in these travels that my spirit has been influenced and gone through an evolution of sorts. I have found that individuals have discovered themselves through their own journeys and when they share their stories with me it changes the way I see things. I feel rich with friends who have become my mentors with the way they live their lives. I want to share a story of one of my new friends.
Last weekend I was blessed to travel to Edmonton Canada to babysit my grandson while my son and his wife worked there. I got to play nanny while they did some videography work. When I arrived my son ( who has also inherited the trait of loving people) informed me I would love the concierge they met earlier in the day. He and his wife spoke so highly of this lovely woman who they were ready to adopt as a new best friend. I was excited to meet her the following day.
Patience is from Ghana. She has lived in Canada for a number of years. She moved to Edmonton 3 years ago to help her sister in law raise newborn twins. Until 2 months ago she was a housekeeper at the hotel where we were staying. She was hurt on the job and prayed that God would find her another job soon. Three days after that prayer her boss called her in and said “Patience we get the most compliments from the people on the floor you are working, we need to have you meet everyone not just the patrons on the 6th floor.” He promoted her to be a greeter as people enter the hotel to do what she does best “love the people.”
She is a natural people love and server. A woman of incredible faith in God and not afraid to say it. She met my kids and immediately helped them get settled in their room and fell in love with my grandson. She insisted they let her take their laundry home and do it for them. When I met her we became fast friends.
She touched my heart with her stories of faith and miracles in her own life and others. She sees life as so rich in blessings and acknowledges God for everything she has. The bits and pieces of her personal life that I heard were never a complaint but I could sense it was not easy. She kept praising God for all he gives her.
One of the stories she shared was about a pregnant woman who entered the hotel and she of course greeted her with excitement and love. The woman shared that she was happy but the baby would not be normal. Patience asked her name and what the baby’s name would be. She immediately went to another room in the hotel and prayed for the baby to be born normal. Two months later the woman returned to the hotel with her healthy newborn baby to thank Patience for her prayers.
Patience is what I would call a prayer warrior. I don’t know if I have ever prayed with such faith. She would like to return to her homeland in the next year or so ( God be willing she said). I told her I would return with her. I have something new to add to my vision board. “I go to Ghana with Patience.” There are people to love there and she and I can find them. She called me two days after I returned to the states to make sure I arrive safely as she was praying for God to hold my plane in his hands and get me home to my family.
My life is so enlightened by the people I meet. There are so many good people I have met that teach me about service and love. They have left a mark on my heart and a smile on my face when I say their name. I never want to stop looking for the good in others. There are so many people in this world that can impact us and be resources of love from a higher source. I consider Patience an earthly angel. I hope you have some of your own too.