The Powerful Gift of SMILES

As Grace & I had lunch today after church service, she reminded me of an email that I’d sent about my strange encounter on the road. Recalling that day in December 2003, I began to marvel at what she’d remembered. I left the house as usual to have my breakfast at my favourite coffee shop that I’d been patronising regularly for six years. I’m seldom seen wearing shades but on that morning, the sun’s unusually bright rays, hurt my eyes so I put on my fierce-looking specs. I came to a halt at the junction of Sri Damansara & LDP upon seeing the vast number of heavy vehicles in front at the traffic light queue. I began to reply a sms to a friend who sent me a picture message of ‘a cup of coffee’ made with love & heaps of care, my daily love fix from friends. Just then, the driver of the van which stopped beside me started waving frantically at me to get my attention. I looked at him, he smiled as he waved & blew me an air-kiss. I didn’t flinch, neither did I feel embarrassed. The cheek some people have to get some cheap thrills, I thought. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Wondering in amazement why he had done that. My heart began to smile. Just then I noticed the three passengers behind the driver, was wearing T-shirts of the same design. And as I stared at the van during this weird moment, the furthest passenger got up & moved across the other two, stuck his hand out of the window & waved frantically to me…! Then it struck me when I looked at their happy faces that they were all handicapped & mentally-challenged. I waved back & offered my wide smile of humility. I quickly grabbed my note pad & wrote words big enough to be seen by the people in the van, ‘JESUS LOVES YOU!’ They looked at my note pad & an excitement broke out in the van & soon, all the passengers & the driver were waving, smiling & blowing me more kisses….!

 

I couldn’t help but feel ashamed of my preconceived ideas & of how quick I was to judge the person who was serving these under-privileged people. I cried & I cried. The joy overwhelmed me so, to know that the Lord had sent such special people to do simple gestures to make my day. A reaffirmation that Jesus acknowledges our effort to serve Him…! They could have waved at any other car. I didn’t think my car was of any significance. There I was, looking as fierce as ever in my Oakleys, & there were these people so filled with love that just by sharing a wave & a smile, brought indescribable joy to my life. Love knows no boundaries nor race nor creed. Where your heart is, is where God is also……