Stormy Departure

a Saturday Story

Saturday stories are a slight break from the daily devotionals I write. They are stories from life – sometimes with a point, and sometimes they are just stories. For the context of this week's Saturday Story, you may want to go back and read the previous four Saturday installments…

After wrapping up our training conference, we packed into the same van that had brought us to the boarding school compound. The plan was to return to the bus station and make our way back to the major city from which we would eventually fly home. As we approached the outskirts of the city, the sky shifted, darkening with ominous hues that seemed to warn of impending weather.

I turned to the lead pastor and remarked, “This looks just like home before we get a hailstorm.”

He laughed, the kind of laugh that dismisses such a notion outright. “We’ve never had a hailstorm here—not that I can remember,” he said confidently. Then, with a wry smile, he turned to the others and shared my observation in their language. Whatever he said elicited laughter from the rest of the passengers, their chuckles filling the van.

But their mirth was short-lived.

The first few pings of hail struck like an afterthought—scattered and harmless. Then came the deluge: heavy rain and hailstones pounding the roof of the van with relentless force. The sound was deafening, and the laughter faded, replaced by low murmurs of concern. Though I couldn’t understand their words, the shift in tone was unmistakable.

Finally, the English-speaking pastor turned to us with a grave expression. “We can’t take you to the bus station,” he said. “It’s outside, and there’s no shelter. You’ll be drenched before you even board the bus.”

My partner and I exchanged glances, both wondering what the alternative might be. “What should we do?” we asked.

“We will take you to the train station,” he replied. “There’s a train that will take you back to ____________.” He paused, gesturing toward one of the men traveling with us. “Your interpreter will go with you, help you buy tickets, and make sure you board the correct train.”

As the van carefully navigated the rain-slick streets toward the train station, the storm continued its furious outburst. The familiar became unfamiliar, and plans made under sunny skies now required adaptation under the hammering hail.

(To be continued next Saturday...)

Hail storm in a large Asian city