Coincidence or Tender Mercies

"Let's be sure to leave in plenty of time," I said. "I do NOT want to miss the bus."

Ah, prophetic words, indeed.

Each Tuesday we take a one-hour bus ride to the extreme other end of town to teach one class at a place called the Mega-Campus (so named because it is GINORMOUS!)

As we neared the little market, Allen said, "Oh my goodness, I just remembered that Dr. Sun said we could catch the bus here tonight."

"Are you sure? I didn't hear him say that. How will we know which bus it is?"

"It's very identifiable," he answered.

We saw buses come and go. According to Allen, none of them was the right bus. It got later and later and later. It takes between 45 minutes to an hour to get there...it was now 5:45, and our classes started at 6:30. But, we had no money and no phone. Finally, we realized that somehow we had missed the bus.

Allen dashed the several blocks back home to get the phone and some money.

"Taxi, it will be the only way to get there at this late hour!" he said even though it was now six o'clock, and the taxi shift changes at that time, so most cab drivers are unwilling to pick up a fare at six as they are headed home. (One night we tried for 45 minutes to get a taxi at 6 pm...they just want to get home, so they won't pick up people.)

Allen tried to call Allen Sun, but got Alan Lee (a student helper) instead. The young Alan immediately met us at the front gate where he hailed a cab, explained to the driver in Chinese how to get to the south campus. There was not a chance in heaven or anyplace else that we would make it by 6:30. We tried to call Dr. Sun (English dept head), and Vincent, (the teacher coordinator), who also ride the bus each week to the south campus. No luck.

"Let's call Kathy," I said. Kathy is the other teacher coordinator, who has helped us out before. Allen explained the situation to her on the phone, she spoke to the cab driver in Chinese to make sure he knew where we were headed, as not everyone knows this locale, then said she would contact Dr. Sun, even though we had not been able to.

A few minutes later Kathy called back to tell us the incredible resolution. Allen Sun taught all of Allen's class the 2nd hour of the evening after we were finished, and Vincent taught all of my class the 2nd hour of the evening! So, they would teach the class for the first hour, which was normally our time, and we would take the 2nd time slot, which was normally their time slot.

Now, here are some amazing NOT-coincidences...Allen was trying to call Allen Sun to tell him our predicament, but he got Alan Lee instead. Alan Lee came to the front gate and helped us secure a taxi and spoke to the driver in Chinese to tell him the directions. Kathy was able to contact Dr. Sun and make arrangements to trade our time slots. There are 60 people who ride the bus each week. We know 2 of the people on the bus. And, they just happened to be the 2 people who teach the same students we teach.

It all worked out.

Coincidences....I think not! Thank you, Heavenly Father for those tender mercies.

PS - after our classes, we also just barely made the ten o'clock bus home...too close to call all the way around.

Glad we can sleep in tomorrow.