I met Dan at his work for lunch yesterday.   As I was following Dan to the restaurant we stopped at a red light.  I looked off to my left and took a double take; could that be the hotel we stayed in for five weeks waiting for our house in Southlake, Texas to be ready?   No....yes, yes it was.....the Quality Inn.  Oh, did that ever take me back to four years ago..........

A week into our five week stint at this hotel, Hurricane Katrina hit.  Thousands evacuated from New Orleans to Texas.  Our hotel was taken over by hundreds of these evacuee's.  They all looked tired, worried, and worn out.  We had reserved two hotel rooms for our family but the hotel was running out of space for all the evacuee's.  The lovely Indian owners (who we got to know fairly quickly with 2 two year old's running around the lobby) offered us their apartment within the hotel.  That was the first embrace of many we felt from God during our stay.  It was a lovely apartment with two large bedrooms, bathroom, living room, kitchen and dining room.  It smelled of curry.

I discovered fairly quickly that God planted us in this hotel for a reason.  We were a light for these people.  The kids eagerly shared their toys with the many children who were hanging around in the hallways and the lobby.  I had a car and was able to transport these people to the local shelters were they could find food, clothing, medicine, and look for their loved ones.  Church services were held in the lobby every Sunday.  It was moving to see such deep faith in these people even though they had lost loved ones and every possession they owned to this horrific hurricane.  Their response to lifes tragedies taught me so much.

I met a lovely elderly woman named Orelia one day.  I felt such a pull to her, more so than anyone else in the hotel, she had many medical issues.  I was her taxi, counselor, and advocate during the rest of our stay.  I can still remember taking her to one of many doctor visits; her husband Elton was crammed in the back of our little Volvo stationwagon between Max and Sophie who loved poking him and laughing, sweet Orelia was in the front seat with me singing Gospel hymns.  She brought her Bible with her everywhere she went.  She was illiterate and wanted me to read scripture to her.  She found power and strength in the Word.  

Orelia and Elton moved back to New Orleans  the minute authorities gave the ok.  I still talk to her on the phone every few months.  She has Alzheimer's now and can't remember very much but she remembers me and the hurricane.  Elton is still very healthy.

Pulling away from the Quality Inn gave me perspective.  I wonder what God has planned for me in Paris?  I want to be His hands and feet and I pray that I will heed his gentle whisper.