STRANGER PRAYERS

January 1, 2025

It’s a new year!  I’m good for another year, according to my M.D. Anderson doctor, but I still need support from my family, friends and even strangers. 

As I was thinking about writing this article, I remembered strange prayers I said as a young person.  Prayers like “Lord if you’ll only let a big trophy buck come out of the brush for me to shoot, I promise I won’t miss church all of next year” or “Dear God, if you’ll only help me get out of this mess, I promise I won’t ever cuss again.”  

Now that I showed you my goofy side, here are a couple of true stories about how some strangers made a difference in my life as last year came to an end.

A couple of Sundays ago I drove from my ranch to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas for my annual checkup.  Before I got on the road, I decided to attend a small country Baptist church service near the ranch in a church building that is over 145 years old.  I have attended services there two or three times in the past.  If you looked up “country church” I am certain this would be the place being described.  About 40-60 people are generally present and everyone is very friendly and neighborly.  The pastor greets everyone outside the chapel before the service and makes you feel like a long-lost best friend.  I like to sit on the second row from the back.  As I was sitting in the back, someone patted me the shoulder to say hello.  It was an elderly lady who wanted to welcome me and shared that she was a longtime member of the church but grew up in Houston.  She went on to tell me that she could not see very well along with the fact that as a young girl she rode her horse around the area that is now Houston Hobby Airport when it was all pastureland. I told her that I was going to Houston after the church service and she immediately stated that she would pray for my safe travels.  I was touched.  I enjoyed the worship service but declined to attend the potluck lunch and fellowship after the service.  Having done some rock and concrete work at the ranch that weekend, my entire body was really sore.  My forearms were especially sore and throbbing from using a hammer drill on my construction project.  I had also dropped a 20-pound rock on the little toe of my left foot and thought I broke it.  I must be getting old.  I was ready to get to Houston!

I looked for something to eat for lunch during my four-and-a-half-hour drive but nothing appealed to me. I decided to treat myself in Houston with a late lunch or early dinner at Brennan’s before I checked into my hotel.  I really enjoy Brennan’s “New Orleans atmosphere” (New Orleans is my wife’s hometown).  Since it was Sunday, I was looking forward to having my meal in the bar watching football on television and enjoying some peace and quiet!  Despite some crazy traffic and race car driver “wannabes” I arrived at Brennan’s.  There were several moments on the drive that I was thankful for the elderly stranger’s prayer for my safe travels.

The Brennan’s dining room was closed upon my arrival but thankfully the bar was open and a football game was on the television. The bar was empty except for one elderly couple.  I glanced at them and they glanced at me. They were older than me and looked like eccentric rich people to me.  The man had on these fancy “Elton John” glasses and a colorful Tommy Bahama style shirt.  The lady was wearing a hot pink jacket.  The man glanced at me and then looked back at his iPhone.  I took a seat on a barstool at the end of the bar.  I plopped my 40-year-old black leather briefcase that I have carried around the world several times on a barstool next to me and searched for my M.D. Anderson appointment schedule.  The lady gave me a big smile and asked, “Are you an attorney?” Without thinking, I responded with “God, no.” The man looked up really quick and gave me “the look.”  This made me think he was an attorney or maybe even a judge.  The lady then asked me what I did for a living and I told her I was an aviation defense contractor that supported military operations around the world. The man then gave me a much warmer look.  By this time I had a rum and diet coke with two limes in front of me. The lady announced, “I am going to pray for you.” The lady said a prayer and the man bowed his head as the lady said words of support for me and my company in service to our Country.  I cannot ever recall any other time where anyone prayed for me in a bar with a rum and diet coke in front of me.  Since I had my briefcase beside me, I elected to present the lady with one of my gold coins that I give to honor those who share in our values and principles.  I handed her the coin and said, “Since you prayed for me, I am going to give you one of my gold coins to acknowledge your kindness and my appreciation.”

The man and lady now looked shocked and thrilled.  They jointly studied the gold coin and then asked me to tell them what the coin said.  They said they both had eyesight problems and could not read it.  I told them that our mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of those we employ, those we serve and those we encounter and they are considered an encounter. They both seemed very impressed and appreciative.  The man got up from his barstool and as he walked toward the men’s room said “Well, you’re making a difference.” I responded, “I hope so.  I am trying.”  He tapped my shoulder as he walked by me and said, “You just did.  You got her to pray.” I then began to wonder if the lady normally prays.

While the man was in the bathroom, the lady asked me why I was in Houston and I told her I was there for my annual checkup at M.D. Anderson. Her partner returned from the restroom and now the lady walked up behind me and told him, “I am going to pray for him again” as she placed both hands on my shoulder.  The man huddled near her as she prayed for me a second time.

She prayed for my good health and then the two complete strangers left the building.  I enjoyed a wonderful meal and some highly sought after peace and quiet.

I cannot explain how in one single day, three complete strangers saw fit to pray for me.  I admit that there are many things in life that I don’t understand or cannot explain other than it’s all by the grace of God.

What’s the takeaway from this story?  We all can touch the lives of others that we encounter.  Part of the King Aerospace mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of those we employ, serve and encounter.  Daily we all encounter people who just might need a prayer.  It might be the person standing on the street corner holding a cardboard sign.  It may be someone we pass in a halI or on the street or someone we are just thinking about who is going through some challenges.  Praying doesn’t cost anything and it doesn’t take much energy. It’s a gift anyone can offer.  When I see people who don’t look like me, act like me or think like me, I pray for them.  May we never forget that everyone is someone’s son, daughter, mother or father.  Globally we are of the very same family through the almighty. May we each be a blessing to each other, including to total strangers. 

May you experience real joy in life!  The real joy in life is not what we have but what we can give.  May we all pray throughout the days of 2025 for others, especially for complete strangers.  God be with you and know that I am praying for you and a whole lot of other people.

Written by KING AEROSPACE Founder, Jerry Allan King-Echevarria.