Waiting for the bus

I was alone at a bus stop waiting for the last bus of the night. I had been at a party where I was trying to connect with people from school.  I wasn't actually interested in going to the party but I went to try to build relationships.  As an introvert, this was a stretch for me but I thought I should go.    

It was dark and clearly not the best part of Ottawa but I felt safe enough as there was still a lot of traffic going through the intersection, there was a gas station behind me, and street lights shone. I was also young and in grad school and naïve. 

I noticed a car pull into the gas station parking lot and the person inside motioned for me to come over. I shook my head and turned and walked a little in the other direction. The car drove away. Weird. The same car returned and the driver indicated that he wanted me to come over. I turned around and the car left. After this happened three or four times, I decided to cross the road and use the pay phone (I’m aging myself!) to call my roommate. I let her know that I was waiting for the bus and casually mentioned what had happened. I don’t think I asked her to pray for me as I didn’t think of that.  She later told me that she prayed. 

I can't remember how many times I saw the same car and driver.  It was enough for me to wonder whether or not I should stop one of the police cars that kept driving past but I didn’t. 

Eventually my bus came and I felt safe again. It was probably about a ten-minute bus ride. I knew I would need to get off the bus at the edge of the experimental farm. I figured I had missed my connecting bus and would need to walk about 20 minutes to get to my apartment.  That road was not well lit and one side was all farm fields and trees. 

When I exited the bus, I decided to walk over to a bus stop across a side street.  I wanted to confirm that I had missed the last bus heading to my apartment.  Thus the bus was behind me when it pulled away.  As it drove through the intersection, I turned my head back (by the grace of God) and there I saw the same car I had repeatedly seen at the gas station.  It had followed my bus.  

Adrenalin kicked in and I ran to catch the bus and banged on the doors.  The bus driver let me in and the car sped away.  A few minutes down the road I was dropped off at a convenience store that police frequented. 

I want to explain that there were two sets of traffic lights that the bus had to drive through after I got off at my original stop.  When the bus pulled away, both sets of lights had just changed to yellow. The bus went through the first set of lights but had to stop at the second lights. 

I never would have been able to catch up to the bus if it hadn’t stopped at the second lights.   However, if the bus had stopped at the first lights, I wouldn't have seen the car before my bus took off.  

I was soon telling my story to a police officer who ended up driving me home. (A funny part of that conversation was that he asked me if I had tattoos as there was someone with my name who had a record but she lived in B.C. and had tattoos).  

This happened on a Saturday night. The next morning I phoned my young adult pastor and asked if I could share what God had done in the young adult service that morning. I was excited to talk about my story. I remember saying that God’s faithfulness did not demand that He save me from that man but I was very thankful that He did. I don’t know what that man had planned but I know he didn’t follow me to keep me safe. A few people gave me their phone numbers and told me to call them if I ever needed a ride. 

Somehow this story came up in conversation with my boys the other day. I wanted them to hear how God had saved me that night, despite my lack of wisdom. It dawned on me that many people I know would not know this story so I thought I would post it.  

I don’t know how many stories I have but I want to post the ones I can remember as a testimony of His great faithfulness in my life. I think of the story of the boy who gave his fish and loaves to Jesus. On most days, I don’t feel like I have anything to give.  Jesus, these are my crumbs. Please take them and multiply them, for Your glory.