WEB NOVEL: SET APART

Written by Abby Caymol | Apr 2, 2024

Abrielle

In the International Baggage Claim area, I assisted a passenger in retrieving her luggage. She had a connecting flight to catch, but not for a while. I politely asked her, “Mama, is this all you have?” as a sign of respect for her elderly age. She replied, “That’s it, honey. I only have two pieces of luggage, but will you be okay pushing me in the wheelchair while pushing the cart with my luggage?” She seemed worried. I reassured her, “Of course, Mama. Don’t worry. We do it every day and have found a technique already.” After retrieving her luggage and passing through immigration, I walked with her to the checkpoint to enter the gate she needed to board. I hope there are only a few passengers at the checkpoint today.

As we departed, there were only a few people in the area. We placed all my passenger’s bags in the X-ray scanner, and an officer assisted her. My heart was pounding so loudly that I could hear it. I looked around, half-expecting to see Jeremiah at this checkpoint, but he was nowhere in sight. Once we received my passenger’s bags back, we left the checkpoint and walked through the gate. Along the way, I spotted some officers, but Jeremiah was missing. My passenger asked if we could stop by the restroom. “Mama, I’ll wait for you here outside,” I politely told her. While waiting for my passenger, I glanced around but avoided looking directly at the next checkpoint next to her gate.

As my passenger returned and sat in a wheelchair, she gestured to me that she was hurt. I asked her if she was okay, and she responded, “You know, it’s just a sign of aging.” I offered to pray for her, and she asked if I could also pray for her family. She shared that her daughter had been in a car accident, her brother-in-law had passed, and the family business was facing foreclosure. As she shared her troubles, I could see the pain in her eyes and sympathized with her. It’s heartbreaking to see loved ones suffer, and I could sense the anguish she was going through.

I asked the name of her daughter, who had a car accident, and about the family that her brother-in-law left. I offered to pray together with her if she wanted. She agreed, so we started praying. After we finished, I asked her if I could share the word of God with her. She was happy to hear it, so I shared the verse from 2 Corinthians 4:7-10. It says, ‘But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard-pressed on every side but not crushed, perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.’

“Mama, the treasure in jars of clay, what is hidden there is God who rescues us in our trouble, suffering, and pain. We may be on fire because of the sudden catastrophe, but this fire won’t consume you. God will bring you out of your misery as you anchor your faith to Him. This experience will preserve you for a better tomorrow,” I advised. She continued to weep. I asked if I could hug her, and she said yes, so I hugged her. I also reminded her that I needed to bring her to the gate so she would arrive on time. When we reached checkpoint 2, I wondered if I could see Jeremiah. I saw his friends, but not him. As soon as I looked away from the checkpoint, there goes Jeremiah Kim walked towards me and my passenger. He was looking straight at us. My heart started beating faster.

I’m not too fond of it, and every time I see Jeremiah, my heart races. I don’t want to get a heart attack. What should I do?” I thought to myself. He passed by us, and I saw him look at me. Should I be happy or embarrassed that I wore a jacket that matched his color? I didn’t know what to do. I bowed my head, but my heart was leaping with joy! I was glad I saw him today, not only on the bus but also inside the airport. We finally reached my passenger’s gate, and I waved goodbye to her once more. I reminded her that I would be praying for her. Once I had left the area, I was mixed with emotions. My heart was split in half. It was rejoicing, and, at the same time, it was devastated. How could this be possible? I remembered the verse I shared with my passenger: “Struck down but not destroyed. We are carrying the cross and death of Jesus so that in Him we may live.” I thought. I was buried in my thoughts and didn’t even notice that I was already standing before the train.

Jesus wants us to know that as carriers of God’s message, we need to build up one another, especially those with heavy burdens. I thought about Mama Selam, who shared with me her pain and problems. Similarly, I met a passenger today who was grieving and crushed in spirit. But one thing remains constant – God used me as a vessel of hope to share His word, which brings comfort to their hearts. Though they may be hard-pressed on every side, they are not crushed because Jesus is the treasure in the jars of clay that heals every broken vessel in their hearts. It breaks my heart to see them suffer, but my love and joy overflow as if it never runs out. We may be beaten, but we are not defeated.

Jeremiah

I saw Abrielle walking down by the gate with a passenger recently. Meanwhile, she posted a Bible verse about 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 on her other social media account. The verse made me realize that life is like a boxing ring, where you can get knocked down but must get back up. It would help to keep fighting to survive and win the battle even when you feel like losing. I sometimes feel weak and give up easily when life knocks me down. I don’t have a plan B. I won’t keep trying if I like someone and she rejects me. If I fail, I never try again. But the verse I read from Abrielle’s story has given me a new perspective.

Although experiencing a significant setback can be painful and leave visible marks on your body, your spirit and heart remain unbroken. As humans, we can never be both complete and broken at the same time. This paradox has been on my mind lately, and I find it difficult to unravel a person’s character complexities. Nevertheless, it has been liberating to finally uncover answers to some of the most profound questions I have had in life.

It bothers me a lot. Should I delete my account from the Fruit app? My thoughts now relate to the verse I read: “Perplexed but not in despair.” I may be confused about what’s happening but haven’t lost hope. Today, I learned another valuable lesson. Every day, I gain knowledge and wisdom. I like it, but it also scares me because my friends won’t understand where I’m coming from. Another thought came: I’m thinking again of being friends with Abrielle, but the idea frightens me even more.