I was at an airport in Central America, waiting to board an international flight, when a group of mostly men wearing clothing unfamiliar in that area and speaking in languages that I did not understand arrived at the gate. Airline staff allowed them to board the plane first, disregarding the boarding order. The other passengers looked upset. I worried we might be in some kind of danger and felt a little animosity. So I started to pray, recognizing God’s presence and government in this situation. I held on to the thought that we are all good and innocent members of God’s family.
Once on board, I was seated next to one of the individuals I had seen earlier. I continued praying until I felt God’s presence and love. Soon, a flight attendant gave us immigration forms to fill out. The young man sitting next to me asked me in basic English to help him with the form. He told me that they were a group of refugees fleeing wars in Africa and Europe. They had been traveling for several days. He said he looked forward to reaching a place where he could live safely. I tried to comfort him and started to help him and other refugees with their forms. And I prayed with all my heart to recognize that everybody there could feel God’s infinite love and comfort.
Later, examining what had happened through the lens of Christian Science, I realized that fear and ignorance had tempted me to accept a stereotyped view of people I thought might potentially be enemies. This false sense was a denial of God’s presence, love, and power. But the divine influence of Christ, Truth, changed my perspective.
