I was on a break from college, visiting friends and family in Cape Town and I had very little money. I started noticing that I was feeling stingy and afraid. Whenever we stopped at a traffic light, people would come up to the car to sell things or ask for money. I noticed I started to feel threatened.
I thought about this and realized that it was not of God, so I decided that I needed to do something about it. I came to the conclusion that I needed to move in the opposite spirit, as they say, and do something generous.
That night as I was crossing the street to go to a nice little artisan pizza place above town, I stopped and gave a man who was sitting on the street a 100 Rand note. I told him that God loves him and went inside, feeling overjoyed from giving.
At that time, 100 Rand was worth about $14 USD. It was a lot of money to give away on the street and it was a lot for me to give away too. After pizza that night, I only had about 20 Rand left (about $3 USD).
The next day I met a few of my friends, Mike and Stefan, who taught English with me in South Korea. They were super encouraging Christian brothers. We were heading down the coast to Fish Hoek beach to meet another friend, Ryan, who I had grown up with.
They wanted to go to a place called Kalky’s to get fish and chips for lunch. I told them I only had 20 Rand left, so if I could buy lunch with that, then that would work. Otherwise, I would have to make another plan.
Then as we were swimming at the beach, my friend Stephan said, “Hey Lain, look what I found!” He lifted his hand out of the water and in it was a wet 100 Rand note. The exact amount I had given away the night before came floating to us in the ocean! Stefan sad, “We can buy lunch with this!”
The fish and chips were delicious but the way God provided was something I will never forget. It reminded me how Jesus sent Peter to find money in a fish’s mouth, told in Matthew 17. It was amazing to me to see God provide in that way and it made me feel like no matter where I go, God will always be able to provide for me. Even in ways I could not imagine!
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