My first and last visit with Dilya

Redeem the time . . . Ephesians 5:16

The nature of migrant workers is that they are migrant. We often notice an ebb and flow to our work here. Sometimes there seems to be a great interest in what we have to share and many visitors in our homes; other times it seems as if everyone is busy working or out of the country.

This travel blog photo’s source is TravelPod page: By train to Moscow

My brief acquaintance with Dilya reminded me that we must make the most of every opportunity. She actually approached me at a food court where she was working. This was unusual. I was eating a meal with family and friends, and she started up a conversation. Every so often she’d walk away to pick up trays or wipe down a table, and then she’d return and share more about her life. In 15-20 minutes I learned more about her life than I know about some of my closer Central Asian friends.

Right before I left, I found a Mary Magdalene film to give her. I told her it was in Uzbek, and she excitedly took it. She told me to make sure I came back to visit here and so I asked her schedule. “I’m here every day from 12-10,” she said. Again, she asked me to come back.

I was leaving soon for a 1-month trip to America, so the very next week I went to see her. I wanted to see how she liked the film. I wanted to ask more about how she was doing, but she was gone. I waited around the food court for a while, grabbing some lunch, and hoping to see her pop around the corner. She never appeared.

Maybe she was sick that day. Maybe she found a better job. I don’t know, but I do know I need to “redeem the time.” We never know here when our first meeting with someone may be the only chance to leave them with the message of truth.