Two days later, as dusk approached, I found myself about 25 km north of Grootfontein. After a long day's walk, I considered pitching my tent along the road, hidden behind tall grass bushes. However, a distant rumble changed my mind. The sky began to illuminate with flashes, and thunder echoed as dark clouds gathered from all directions. Reassessing the situation, I decided to continue walking towards Grootfontein in the darkness.
The clouds intensified, and within an hour, the sky was
entirely covered except for a small opening directly above me. This peculiar
gap resembled an open window, revealing the night stars. Throughout my walk
towards Grootfontein, this "heavenly window" inexplicably remained
open, showcasing the stars above.
Throughout the evening, the storm grew more intense. The
clouds around me darkened, and the thunder intensified, yet the heavenly window
remained open. Around 11 pm, just outside Grootfontein, fierce winds began to
pick up. I spotted a campsite near the road and turned onto the dirt track
leading to it. Reality struck - the gate was likely locked.
As I wondered whether to pitch my tent along the dirt road,
I saw headlights approaching from the campsite. A car arrived at the gate, and
I discovered the driver was the campsite owner, on her way to drop off the
restaurant and bar staff after their shifts. She listened to my story with
amazement and instructed me to set up my tent under a canopy near the bathrooms, free of charge.
As she drove away, she called out that I could stay for
free. Under the canopy, I quickly pitched my tent. On my way to the bathroom, I
looked up and saw the heavenly window finally close. By the time I turned on
the shower, the rain was pouring down.
The heavenly window was a gateway through which I could see
hope throughout the evening, even amidst thunderous thunderstorms and dark
clouds. Just as the heavenly window allowed me to see the stars, your heart is
a window through which a broken world, amidst dark clouds, can see the stars of
hope.
"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,'
made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of
God's glory displayed in the face of Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6)
What a privilege to show the world these stars of hope - for
through the attitude of your heart, heaven becomes visible on earth.
