Here we were, at least two hours late, waiting to meet a man who seemed persistent to meet us again. Months before he had met us in front of Nana Plaza, and just last week he saw us again. Both times he wanted to stop and talk, and both times he took our survey. Now, he was calling us to arrange a meeting as soon as he could, and with the way things were going that sooner was becoming later.

The Bangkok traffic proved formidable in light of the political situation, so we arrived at the prayer center late. His text message came in saying that he was in the Nana area, at a restaurant waiting. Then it took us a while to get out the door. But checking the phone, our contact was still at the same restaurant.

So we started walking down the street; two others and myself. We were on street 4, the restaurant on street 7; a short walk. But when I called him to tell him that we were on the way, he informed me that he had already returned to his hotel; the good news being he still wanted to meet. So I asked him were he was, and he assured me it wasn’t far.

We jumped into a tuk-tuk and headed off…to an unkempt and poorly lit hotel. We had a problem. We could not remember his name and had some trouble remembering his appearance. Now, sitting in the lobby of a sketchy hotel, we were beginning to wonder and perhaps even to worry.

We called him again, and told him that we were waiting. “I’ll meet you on the eleventh floor,” was the response. His room? We were not going to do that. But then it dawned on us we were at the wrong hotel.

Being late even more we jumped into a taxi, and told us to get there on the double. And pulling up to this new hotel, we understood how an eleventh floor was possible. This hotel had class, and taking the elevator up we saw that the floor was a veranda overlooking the Bangkok skyline. If only we could remember who we were supposed to meet.

We scanned the populace of the room and saw a man meeting the approximate stature of who we thought we would meet. Looking straight at him we announced a loud, “Hello.” This was our man.

We went outside to a candlelit table, and of all the things for a group of guys to talk about in a romantic ambience we talked about love. What is love, how can one have it, would we want to receive it, and what does it look like. It can be said that our group did most of the talking, sharing our testimonies, and explaining Biblical concepts on relationship and love, but there was no bore in the conversation, only attentiveness coupled with much thought. And while our man, David, may not have said much, I think he absorbed a lot, as did his friend who was with him.

Of the men that I have met after taking the survey, I would have to say that his meeting was special. It was heart felt, and it was personal. All of us were on an even playing field, not talking about theory or philosophy, but talking about life and the heart. We prayed deeply that God would protect, water, and grow the seed that He had planted.

And at midnight, after being late, after going to the wrong hotel, after not remembering whom we were meeting, we left after a two-hour conversation on love. If anything is a testimony to the Holy Spirit and His work, this night was. As for David and his friend, I pray that this story not be over, or kept on a dusty shelf, but be a continuation in his life.

Written By: Tyler E.