Adiah's story

Adiah's mother, father and youngest sister en route from Cleveland, Ohio were on that plane. The family members of those aboard were all contacted but all they were told was that there were survivors. He was told he needed to come and see if his family was among them, or identify them if they were not. They would not tell anybody whose loved ones had survived, and so each went with the hope and prayers that their loved ones were among the survivors. Adiahs family had perished in that crash. He went alone, and so he had no-one with him for support during the agonizing task of identifying the charred remains of his mother, father and favorite sister who had just turned twenty-one. He was devastated. Not only did he suffer the loss of both parents and sister at once, but he had to see them in that horrible condition. I cannot imagine the pain and trauma he faced, alone in Taiwan, but the effect it had on him was obvious. I believe God in his mercy put us together for many reasons. He told me that he hated psychiatry and that he was already enrolled to begin his training as a cardiologist within a few weeks. I told him I felt he would be making a big mistake taking on such a task at this time. He had just suffered such a horrendous loss, aggravated by the trauma of having to see them in that condition, and that he needed time to heal and recover before he took on something as demanding as medical school.

I knew I was treading on thin ice here, given the fact that he was Muslim and I am Christian. I could not mention Jesus without offending him and putting up walls and so I said You need to rest. You need time out and time with God. Seek God; in however you do that, seek God and draw near to him, you will need him to strengthen you if you are to get through this. I understand you want to get out of psychiatry and become a cardiologist and you can still do that, but right now is not the time. He looked at me and said, yes-yes, I know you are right, my friend told me the same thing, I know you are both right. He said he had already paid for his books and tuition and could not get it back. I told him the books would keep and given the circumstance, I felt there was a good chance they would allow him to use the tuition in the next class.

After processing our things through customs in Bombay we had a couple hours before our flight departures. We sat there on beautiful orange S-shaped chairs talking until his flight was called. I can honestly tell you that as he got up to leave, his countenance was so much better than it had been in the beginning; it was the first time I saw him smile. He said he was glad he met me and thanked me for being with him for that brief time. As he walked away I could not help but think, God has surely rescued this man. He might not know it yet, but God did not put us together to accomplish nothing and part empty-handed. I believe when Adiah seeks God, he will find Jesus. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18.