Fried Chicken and French Fries

It all began with fried chicken and french fries. That’s what the Holy Spirit prompted me to go and eat at a street stand in Peru. I’ve learned that when prompted by the Holy Spirit, it’s best to listen and be docile. This particular day the Holy Spirit wanted me to go to a street food stand not far from where I was staying in the city of Tarapoto.

So I went and ordered fried chicken and french fries and took a seat. A few minutes later a woman brought me a plate of steaming hot food. The woman sat down and started asking me questions, “Who was I? What was I doing in Peru?” I introduced myself and found out her name was Irma. I began to share with her how I am a Catholic missionary and how I was living in the city taking Spanish classes. 

My heart went out to her as she shared how she and her family had been in this city for a year but she didn’t have friends.

I began to ask Irma questions and she shared about her life. My heart went out to her as she shared how she and her family had been in this city for a year but she didn’t have friends. She has six children, three currently living with her. She is married, but she is the main provider for her family. 

She believes in the Lord, but isn’t currently attending a church. She shared stories of how the Lord had worked miracles in her life before: one of her sons almost died from a medical condition years ago. When she prayed to the Lord for Him to heal her son, he was healed.

Before I left, Irma asked if I would help her monetarily. She wanted to have a breakfast food stand in the morning, but couldn’t afford to buy the food she needed to start it. As I sat with her request I knew the Lord had led me to Irma. I shared with her that the Lord had allowed us to meet, and He was the one providing for her. 

I met up with Irma the next morning outside her house. We talked as we made our way to the market to buy food together. She was grateful and said she enjoyed talking with me. Over the next two months I met some of her children, ate more chicken and french fries, and prayed with her. 

One day Irma asked me for a Bible. I found a shop in the city that sold Catholic Bibles and brought her one. She thanked me and told me she wanted to make a hamburger for me the next night. The next night I returned and enjoyed a delicious hamburger. After she finished preparing food for her family Irma joined me and we talked. She was worrying about making enough money to provide for her family. 

At that moment I felt the Lord wanted me to read Matthew 6:25-34. This is where the Lord tells us not to be anxious about our life, what we are to eat and drink and wear. That the Lord wants us to trust that He will provide for us. I asked Irma if she would bring the Bible so I could read to her.

I read the Scripture passage and then the Holy Spirit led me to share how these verses had impacted my own life. There have been many times where I’ve struggled with trusting the Lord, and believing He would provide. In each of those moments the Lord did not want me to be anxious, but wanted me to trust Him to provide in the way He knew best for me.

Irma told me it was so good to hear God’s Word. Then she shared how blessed she was that she had met me. She shared that before she met me she hadn’t been patient with her children, and meeting me had brought peace to her and helped her.

Irma told me it was so good to hear God’s Word.

Praise God! He was the one who had prompted me to go to Irma’s fried chicken stand, He was the one who knew all that Irma was struggling with. He wanted to bring His peace to her. He wanted to provide for her and He chose to send me to help. He gave me the blessing of getting to know Irma and her family. 

Irma began to share with me other ways the Lord had provided miraculously for her in the past. It was beautiful to hear how the Lord had clearly been providing for her and her family—and He hasn’t stopped. His love is constant and He is always faithful. 

The Lord can and will work through us and we simply have to be docile to His Holy Spirit and He works from there. We have to be willing to say yes and be where the Lord wants us to be. 

Anna is from Michigan and was commissioned as an FMC missionary in 2019.

Visit her bio page: annabiewer.familymissionscompany.com.