This one happened to me while I was in the Royal Carribean crusing in Europe. Every time the ship stops in a country or island we book an excursion thru the RC in order to get to know the history and visit important sites. One of the stops was in Kusadasi, Turkey and Ephesus. The tour consisted of a visit to the ancient city Ephesus, to the town of Kusadasi, and to the hosue where Virgin Mary spent the rest of her life after Jesus died. Like every tourist, we stood in line, the night before, in order to book the excursion. When it got to our turn the excursion was fully booked but there were other tours offered, but all of them did not include a visit to Virgin Mary's house. I told my husband that there was no way I would go if the itinirary did not include the house. My husband insisted to pick any tour but I did not want to. I was so upset, for this visit was the first on my list and I could not do it. I honestly was very upset and my husband kept begging me to take something else but I kept refusing. So I left the front desk line feeling disappointed and sad. We went to our dinner and decided to go along the Promenade for a walk. As we were passing by the front desk I decided to go back and check again hoping for a miracle. While I stood in line again, I noticed my friend talking to a young couple who were conversing with her in Arabic. When we got close to them, she introduced them to me and we started chatting. And what do you think HAPPENED? They were explaining to me their situation: the newly wed couple had received some bad news, the groom's brother died from a car accident and they were trying to return their tickets because they needed to get off the ship the next day when they arrive to Turkey. I really felt sorry for their loss and we talked for quite a while. He was asking the guy at the front desk to refund his tickets and before he gave them back to him, I asked him if I could see his tickets and I found out that their tour included the visit to St Mary's house. I could not believe my eyes. So I asked him if he could give them to me (both tickets for my husband and I) instead. He spoke with the attendant and he agreed to do that. I could not believe my luck...2 tickets, not just one, and to the famous house. I thanked them both for their ticket and I paid my respect to them before we left to go back to our rooms. I was all smiles and laughter...I finally was able to go tomorrow to Ephesus. I told my husband and my friend how God again made it happen for He knew how much it meant to me to go there. And I did go there the next day and I felt all kinds of emotions and feelings that swept over me when I found myself inside her tiny home which did not measure more than 7x7' but there was another tiny room where they have put a shirne in her honor. I touched the walls and I felt such a deep sensation, it was so strange that I started to cry and I noticed few women around me crying and feeling the same way. It was an amazing experience and a memorable one.
God surely wanted me to be there and HE MADE IT HAPPEN! Glory to God!
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