Your Life Changing Encounters with Strangers

An Unexpected Love

Beliefnet offered a special prize to the best entry. This entry was the most popular with Beliefnet editors, and its author won an iPod.

"I was returning from New York City to New Jersey with my mother, my brother, and a friend of his. After getting on a bus, I saw a window seat over a wheel occupied by a gentleman. I expected him to move over, but instead he let me sit there. The gentleman tried to make conversation, but I was tired and not interested. Suddenly, my brother became ill. The gentleman told us he lived nearby and could take us home. We got off the bus and got into the stranger's car. When we got to my home, my dad thanked him and invited him for coffee. The gentleman and I looked at each other, and we knew our angel had arranged everything. We were married for 30 years before I lost him. We raised three wonderful children. I know my angel was on that bus."

--Evelyn W Voehringer

Rescued At Sea

"My family and I were cruising on our sailboat in the middle of the Java Sea. Besides my husband and me, my 7 year old son and 4 year old daughter were aboard. My husband became ill and literally could not function. The engine failed and my husband could not fix it. We had a ham radio, and though I was unlicensed and knew little about operating it, I got on it and began talking. A man identifying himself as Dukes (my maiden name was Duke) came on the radio and said he was operating a boat in the vicinity. He said he would be there in about six hours and would tow us into port. To this day I believe Dukes was an angel, sent to bring us to safety. The incident caused us to re-examine what we were doing, and we returned to the US, closer to our friends and family."

--teravana

A Stranger in the Airport

After leaving her abusive husband and joining the military, Michelle was allowed to visit her family for Christmas, but she started crying as soon as she had to leave them. Then an old man approached her in the airplane terminal.

The man asked me, 'Do you believe in God?' I looked at him and said yes. He told me that he had seen me in the terminal crying and God was telling him to come and talk to me. He then began telling me things that he couldn't possibly have known. He said that 'God forgives you for your divorce.' He then went on to tell me things about my best friend back home and that God wanted me to be with him. At that time in my life I was dating my best friend, Kevin. The moral of this story? This complete stranger changed my life that day. He helped me to begin my personal relationship with God."

--Michelle Frazier

Angel in the Grocery Store

"After 15 years of not working due to disability, I got a part time job handing out samples in a grocery store. I found I was able to do the work, but one day I was overcome with negative energy of the customers. As I sighed and took a deep breath, a customer walked up to me and said 'You look like you could use a hug! May I give you a hug?' She looked like a gentle and kind soul, so I answered affirmatively and said she had become my angel of the day. She smiled and said she had something for me in her car. She brought me a decorative angel she had made of pearls and jewels to hang on the rear view mirror of my car. It was her hobby to give away angels to people in distress. I now think of her and thank her every day."

--Jan Powell

Help for a Weary Traveler

"I was flying halfway across the globe to attend my mother's funeral--she died after a yearlong struggle with cancer. I arrived in Salt Lake from a small town in Montana in chaos due to canceled flights. I had to get to JFK airport to catch my flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. I knew that if I missed the flight I would miss the funeral. I was rudely dismissed by the airline clerk. Within seconds, my eyes fell on another airline clerk standing a few feet away. I felt compelled to speak to him. He helped me with another flight, took care of my luggage, and was so caring and wonderful he could have only been Godsent. I made my flight from JFK and arrived in time for my mother's funeral."

--Daniela Srajer