Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

A Perfectly Imperfect Trip! Part Three: An Inspirational Story
You can read Part One of this story here 
You can read Part Two of this story here

Tim was shell-shocked! His flight crew was getting off the aircraft in Tokyo about to experience a three-day adventure of sightseeing on their three-day layover. Tim had planned to be a part of that but forgot His passport and was not allowed to leave the airport for three days! He had permission from the government to stay at the airport hotel but could not leave the premises until the crew was ready to return to Honolulu. “How could I have forgotten my passport? I have never done that! How could I have done something so stupid?” he asked himself over and over again as the Japanese agent walked him to the airport hotel and checked him in.

Tim received his room key and headed to his room. It was a beautiful hotel, but it was still a three-day prison to him. He was not allowed to step out of the hotel door even for fresh air. In his view, this was the most bone-head stupid mistake he had ever made. When he thought about the crew touring parts of Japan and he was stuck in this hotel, it brought him to tears. He set his luggage in the closet and fell down on his knees next to the bed. He prayed, “Lord, I cannot believe I did this. I know you must have tried to warn me somewhere along the way, and I must not have been listening or paying attention.” As tears rolled down his face, he continued. “Lord, the experience of leading Kathy to you at the beginning of this trip and teaching her about you was such a joy and privilege. I know you are with me. Please use me while I’m stuck in this hotel and help me to be a light for you.”

Tim got up, changed his clothes, and went down to the lobby to look for a restaurant. As it turned out, there was only one—a five-star restaurant and not at all in his budget. He had no choice. He had to eat. He walked up to the restaurant entrance, where a maître d’ in a tuxedo greeted him. “How many to be seated?” he asked.  Suddenly, a voice behind Tim said, “There will be two of us!”  “Follow me, please,” said the maître d’. Tim turned around, and there was a beautiful Asian woman who smiled and proceeded to walk to the table. As the maître d’ seated them, handed them a menu, and walked away, Tim looked at the Asian woman and said, “Is there something you want to tell me? Who are you?”  She looked at Tim with a big smile and said, “I saw you were alone and thought you might like some company.”  Tim was about to get up and walk away when the Lord spoke to his heart and said, “I thought you wanted me to use you? I am!”  Tim was shocked and didn’t know what to do.  He felt uncomfortable. This situation felt inappropriate. And if anyone saw him, how could he ever explain it? A thousand thoughts were through his head, but obedience to God won out.

Tim introduced himself, as did she. Her name was Akari, and Tim suspected she was a prostitute. As he began to engage her in conversation and learn of her story, he noticed she was somewhat crude and profane in her comments. She was a lead singer in the band playing at this five-star hotel, and she was a prostitute when it was convenient. She actually told him that! Tim, in his heart, prayed, “Lord, what am I doing here? I can’t do this! This isn’t appropriate. She isn’t appropriate! I have to leave!”  Again, the Lord spoke to Tim’s heart and repeated Himself. “I thought you wanted me to use you? I am! Be a light!”

Again, Tim tried to engage her in normal conversation, but she would repeatedly hijack the conversation to talk about inappropriate things! Tim felt like he was crawling out of his skin. Again, he complained to the Lord, yet the Lord responded to Tim’s heart with the same words! They had been talking for almost 90 minutes when the Lord showed Tim what to do. “Pull the picture of Renee and Stephanie out of your wallet and show it to her.”  Tim immediately did so. “This is my wife Renee and my two-year-old daughter Stephanie. They are the joy of my life! I was once a drug addict and an alcoholic, and it was destroying my life. I was lost and crying out to God, though I wasn’t sure I even believed in God. I asked God to show me if he was real! A short time later, another flight attendant told me about the Bible and that I needed to receive Jesus into my life. She helped me to pray and do that. A short time later, I started going to a Bible-teaching church. God blessed me with the most precious wife and daughter and turned my entire life around. I’ve never been the same or more in love with life and God.

As Tim told her this story, tears welled up in Akari’s eyes, and then she started crying. “I want that for my life,” she said. I have a six-month-old baby girl I abandoned and left with my parents in Korea. “Do you think God would ever forgive me?” she asked. Tim assured her that He would and told her who Jesus was and what He did for her. Tim asked, “Would you like me to help lead you in a prayer?”  “Yes,” she said with tears streaming down her face. Tim took her hand and led her in a prayer to receive Jesus into her heart, asking Him to forgive all her sins and begin a new life led by Him.

When they were done praying, she smiled, looked at Tim, and said, “I don’t know how to thank you! I am going to catch the next flight to Seoul, Korea, and go back to my parents and daughter. Tim told her that there were hundreds of Bible-teaching churches in Korea. “If you can’t find one, let me know, and I’ll direct you!” Then Tim said, “Wait here, I’ll be right back. I have a Bible in my room I am going to go get you.” When Tim got to His room, He quickly got on his knees and prayed, “Lord, you redeemed my crisis and made this the most amazing experience ever! I love you so much. Please help, lead, and guide Akari in her new life with you and her reunion with her parents and baby girl in Jesus’ name!”

When Tim got back to the restaurant, Akari was crying into her phone. She called and told her parents what had happened and that she was coming home. They were all crying together. Tim gave her the Bible and prayed for her. She gave him a big hug, a kiss on the cheek, and thanked him over and over again. And then hurried off to catch her flight to Korea.

Tim stood for a moment in awe of God. He then went and paid the food bill that he could not afford but said, “Lord, this is a small price to pay compared to the price you paid for me.”

Three days later, when Tim reunited with the crew, they wanted to know how he was doing. They were shocked to find him happy and not depressed over the incident. Tim told them all the entire story, leaving out no details. Though most weren’t Christians, they were in absolute awe of the story, and all cried together as they listened.  On the return trip to Honolulu and then home, Tim was able to share the Bible with Kathy. She became a firm believer and wonderful friend of He and Renee’s. It was truly a perfectly imperfect trip from beginning to end! God turned what the devil meant for evil for good!