This is an incident that happened about 22 years ago. I was an established entrepreneur at the time. My business grew and I worked hard to establish trade routes to other continents as well. Once I had planned a tour to Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia for business reasons. I was traveling alone. I reached Hong Kong by plane. From there I had to take another flight to Thailand. At Hong Kong Airport, I stood near the conveyor belt and waited for my luggage to arrive. The tension began to grab me when I couldn’t find my suitcase on my belt. It was certain that my luggage had not arrived on the same flight, perhaps had been moved somewhere in transit.
When I filed a complaint with the airline staff, they started a search and eventually admitted that the bag was incorrectly not loaded into the hold of the flight. They also apologized and assured me that it would arrive on another incoming flight. I was scared when my clothes, medication, documents, plane tickets and, worse, my wallet were in this pocket. I also made a huge mistake of putting all my money in my wallet and then putting it in my pocket. Fortunately, I had my passport in my pocket.
Back then there were no facilities such as credit or debit cards, ATMs or internet banking. Passengers either had to carry enough cash or travelers checks. I was caught in a dilemma. What should I do without money? I was a little relieved to know that in such cases the passenger is entitled to a certain amount as temporary help according to the airport rules. But when I received the currency, I was even more disappointed as it was not US dollars but Hong Kong dollars. There was only enough to buy a few snacks.
I was hungry. Since food was expensive in the airport area, I went outside looking for affordable options. The clothes I was wearing smelled of sweat, so I first bought a cheap shirt and pants from a street vendor, then ate cheap street food and returned to the airport lounge with almost nothing in my pocket. In no time at all, fate had forced the manager of a company to become a helpless and penniless man. Finally, I spent the remaining balance and called my hosts in Thailand from the airport booth overseas. Understanding my uncomfortable position, the Lord acted immediately and took the necessary arrangements to ensure that the next part of my journey was easier. Since then, I’ve never forgotten to double-check and double-check everything as I prepare for my trip.
Friends, remember – we must always have enough money to keep our dignity and safety in difficult times. We usually quote a saying: “A friend in need is really a friend”. I think our savings are such a trustworthy friend.
